Paul's Birding Diary

Friday 25th - Sunday 27th March 2011 The highlight of Friday afternoon in the warm sunny weather around Frampton was the butterflies, with six Peacocks , five Brimstones and three Small Tortoiseshells around the lakes. A Treecreeper (long-toed!) was singing like mad along the track on the east side of Court Lake, and a Goldcrest was similarly tuneful near the Perryway. After hearing Chiffchaff for several days, including a bird to the rear of my garden, I finally saw my first one here. It's great to hear them again. On Saturday, the pair of Bullfinches were once again in the garden (photo of male above) , while a Mallard which flew low over mid-afternoon was a garden tick! The Bullfinches were back again on Sunday, and a Lesser Redpoll put in an appearance at the feeders (below) and a pair of Ravens flew overhead, heading north. I spent a family afternoon at Clevedon, Somerset on Sunday, where a total of seven Swallows, coming straight from the sea and then heading inla...

Saturday 12th - Sunday 13th March 2011 Sunday morning's birding around the western section of the Cotswold Water Park produced a singing Goldcrest and four Siskins at pit 44; two Goldeneyes (1m), a Lesser Redpoll (above) and a pair of Reed Buntings at pit 57; and 11 Goldeneyes (3m), 13 Goosanders (2m), two Teal and a Little Egret at pit 41 (Freeth Meer). Three Tree Sparrows were at Harnhill, and at Driffield a pair of Grey Partridges and at least 15 Brown Hares . Saturday saw a return to Waterhatch, south of Winchcombe for the GREAT GREY SHRIKE , though views were disappointingly more fleeting than Friday. A male Stonecha t was a nice year tick however; a Corn Bunting at Hawling was another.

Friday 11th March 2011 A pair of Bullfinches were a nice addition the usual recent range of garden birds (above and below) ; I haven't seen a Bullfinch in the garden for a few years and after Linda telling me she saw a male last weekend I hope they continue visiting for a while. The female Brambling was also present. I had the afternoon off work so I headed to look for the GREAT GREY SHRIKE south of Winchcombe. With Mike's help it was eventually located near Waterhatch hunting from wires at SP039256 (record shot below) . Also of note was two Tawny Owls calling at Willis's Coppice, a Marsh Tit , two Green Woodpeckers, a Great Spotted Woodpecker , three Buzzards , a singing Mistle Thrush , 25 Fieldfares , six Roe Deer and a Fox . I had to go to Bristol later so made a slight diversion to Bradley Stoke to find the 24 WAXWINGS at the Aldi roundabout (below) at 4.40pm. I couldn't hear them calling above the traffic noise, but a nice year tick nonetheless.

Saturday 5th March 2011 I had an excellent morning's birding, starting at Frampton where I finally caught up with the over-wintering female Marsh Harrier ; it was showing well from the WWT 100-Acre viewing platform from 9.10-9.30am (photos above and below) sometimes being chased by crows, sometimes chasing crows! Next, the Spoonbill was showing nicely from on the WWT Top New Piece, feeding constantly (photos below) ; I'm glad I got to see that as it had been there all week and they don't normally hang around long. Two nice Gloucestershire year ticks.