Paul's Birding Diary

Saturday 23rd - Sunday 24th  February 2013 A dull and cold weekend brightened up by excellent birding. On Saturday six Hawfinches were present at 12.25pm around Dimore playing field, Quedgeley. Even in gloomy conditions they still look fantastic (photos above and below). I saw at least six again this morning at 9.00am in a quick search. Earlier, me and Mark had been to see the PIE-BILLED GREBE in Somerset at RSPB Ham Wall. This was an easy tick, although it remained a little distant, but a smart bird in summer livery and a lifer for us both. Great White Egrets and Marsh Harriers were also nice to see here. Pie-billed Grebe, RSPB Ham Wall On the way back we stopped off at Aust Warth for the two Twite , which very obligingly flew into a nearby tree, where they sat for several minutes (below) . Twite, Aust Warth Meanwhile in the garden two Bramblings continue to visit regularly, as do four Siskins , a pair of Bullfinches , a female Blackcap , a male Great Sp...

Friday 8th - Sunday 17th February 2013 One of the four Hawfinches at Quedgeley on 10th February I have been lucky to see a great range of birds in and around the garden lately. These have included up to five Siskins , three Bramblings , three Bullfinches , two Goldfinches , 25 Chaffinches (including a half-albino reminiscent of a Snow Bunting!), 15 Greenfinches , a female Blackcap , and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker . But a most remarkable event brought back memories of late winter 2009 . On Saturday 9th February two HAWFINCHES were seen by Jonathan Connor in trees at the edge of Dimore playing field, to the rear of my garden in Quedgeley. The next morning I checked the field to find FOUR HAWFINCHES perched in tall trees at the west end of the field nearest the canal. Since then I have since at least one on two occasions from my conservatory in the trees just beyond my back fence, including yesterday, when I also saw one one the other side of the field near the entrance. With...

Sunday 20th January - Sunday 3rd February 2013 The adult Great Northern Diver - a smart bird acquiring breeding plumage I started the morning's birding off, with Mark H, at Pitville Park in Chemltenham, where the GREAT NORTHERN DIVER ,  was thankfully still present for its fourth day on the boating lake. We stopped briefly at Hester's Way, where 33 Waxwings , were present atop a tree in Hester's Way Road. After the diver, we pressed on to the Cotswold Water Park. Here at Shorncote, the SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF showed well briefly for us, in the company of two common Chiffchaffs . The 'Sibe' also called a couple of times putting the ID beyond doubt. Also here, two Cetti's Warblers , a Goldcrest , a Water Rail , and two Snipe . I returned to Pitville Park this afternoon hoping for better light, and better photos, but it was still pretty dull; still this is a super bird even in poor light. With a tasty Perch This beautiful photo taken by Ma...