Paul's Birding Diary

Tuesday 27th September 2011 A couple of photos here taken on a bike ride with Amelia this evening along the canal between Parkend Bridge at Moreton Valance, and The Pilot at Hardwicke. The Brown Hare , above, sat tight quite near the canal hoping I hadn't seen it, then eventually took flight. This 16-Spot Ladybird ( Halyzia sedecimguttata ), below, landed on my sunglasses! Autumnal shades along the Gloucester-Sharpness Canal:

Wednesday 21st - Sunday 25th September 2011 A photo above of a Chiffchaff taken near the Martin Smith hide at WWT Slimbridge last Wednesday; I liked the red stems of the Willow glowing in the sun. The best bird in recent days was the juvenile SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER , the latest in a good run of local birds, and well worth getting soaked for on Sunday morning, though it has to be said the views weren't as good as when I saw the last one on 22nd September 2006: Finally, back to the present with a study of a Black-tailed Godwit again taken last Wednesday at South Lake:

Saturday 17th September 2011 An excellent morning birding on The Dumbles at WWT Slimbridge with Mike (and the other birders there), the main focus being the juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER and juvenile DOTTEREL which both showed well (record shots of BBS above and Dotterel below) . A MANX SHEARWATER floated up on the incoming tide spotted by Ian R. distantly , the ID Ian confirmed a bit later by Ian at Middle Point where he had a much closer view. Other birds included a Little Stint , a Curlew Sandpiper and c8 Sanderlings among the Dunlin / Ringed Plover flocks, a Grey Plover , three Knot , three Golden Plover , a Wheatear , three Arctic Terns , a Peregrine and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull. Quite a crowd joined the Wader Walk group on The Dumbles:

Thursday 15th September 2011 A very nice bird this evening south of Lydney Harbour in the shape of a juvenile SPOTTED SANDPIPER , a county first - well done to John and Viv for finding it. Also a Common Sandpiper and a Wheatear .

Monday 12th September 2011 A grounded Fulmar was found by Greg and Tom this evening at Hock Ditch, resting in the lee of the sea wall immediately north of the sluice. There was little else of note with light giving out before the evening tide properly got underway. The remains of a Manx Shearwater and another bird, later identified by James & Martin as an Arctic Skua , were nearby. Movie: Recent days The highlight of the weekend was the superb adult SABINE'S GULL at WWT Slimbridge seen from Holden Tower on Saturday; other good birds being a juvenile Black Tern on Frampton Townfirld (sailing) Lake(Saturday), Arctic and Common Terns at Sharpness and Hock Ditch (Saturday/Sunday), and also a Manx Shearwater seen briefly and fairly distantly Sunday morning at 8.30am beyond Hock Cliff.