Paul's Birding Diary

Thursday 31st May 2007 Linda and I took a walk from Saul Junction this morning, to Whitminster, Moreton Valence and back. The weather luckily held out until we were safely inside The Bell at Frampton. Sightings: two drake Mandarins at Saul Junction on the Stroudwater branch, a Scarlet Tiger moth near the weir, a Cuckoo further along the Stroudwater canal near Whitminster, and several singing Reed Warblers , Sedge Warblers , Common Whitethroats and Blackcaps along the way (Photos of Scarlet Tiger and Cuckoo: © Paul Masters).

Tuesday 29th May 2007 Frampton I went with Andy to see the Great White Egret again on a beautiful, sunny, and almost warm, morning. No sign of that, but a slightly odd-looking Grey Plover on the 100-acre caused some excitement for a while. Along Green Lane there were several Common Blue Damselflies , two Large Red Damselflies and a Blue-tailed Damselfly and a Fox family of one adult with four cubs was in a nearby field (Photos of Large red Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly: © Paul Masters) . Upton Warren I visited one of my favourite reserve this afternoon, Upton Warren in Worcestershire, and wasn't disappointed. Four Common Terns and three singing male Cetti's Warblers were at the Moors Pools. At the Flashes Pools there was a total of 14 Avocets , comprising a pair of adults with four juveniles, another pair with three much more recent young, and another three adults. Also here, four Little Ringed Plovers , a pair of Shovellers , a pair of Common Wh...

Monday 28th May 2007 After a day of continual rain yesterday, things looked a bit brighter this morning. News of a Great White Egret at Saul Warth this morning led to a fruitless trip. It had moved to the 100-acre, and after arriving there, further reports suggested it had flown back towards Saul! I decided to give it another go this evening down at Green Lane and was rewarded by first a brief glimpse on the 100-acre and then a longer view as it took to the air with a Little Egret before landing again, and out of sight. Also, a Cetti's Warbler was calling between Green Lane and the canal, and a Common Tern flew along the canal. The Great White Egret was present until 6.30pm at least. View only from the viewing platform or the viewing gate in Green Lane , there is strictly no unguided access to the fields.

Friday 25th May 2007 I met my Dad at Slimbridge to see the Kingfishers at South Finger this morning. The pair are still feeding their young and were performing well. There wasn't much at Mid Point, a very distant group of 30 Dunlin and Ringed Plover s had of a couple of Sanderling in amongst them, the only other bids being several Shelduck , a Little Egret , a Raven , two singing male Reed Buntings and a Reed Warbler . A pair of Swallows were at the car park toliet block. (Photos: © Paul Masters)

Wednesday 23rd May 2007 Garden Nest Box Latest The Great Tit family fledged a couple of days ago, and today the Blue Tits also left the box. One of the Blue Tit fledglings was still present near the nest box , at the bottom of the garden in the evening, and looked as though it had left a bit prematurely (see photo). This presented a worry with several cats (including our own) in the neighbourhood, but it was still being fed by at least one of the parents, and had left by late evening (thanks to Amelia, my eldest, being on cat guard). Owls I took Linda to look for Owls at Nebrow Hill, where we soon saw a Barn Owl showing well again. On the way back, we saw a Tawny Owl in Longney , sat on the 30mph sign at Chruchend again, and a Barn Owl was sat in the middle of the road by Hill Farm.

Tuesday 22nd May 2007 At Nebrow Hill, Frampton, this evening a Barn Owl was seen hunting (there were probably two birds, although I didn't see both at once so I couldn't be certain). Also a Tawny Owl was calling distantly and a Cuckoo was very active. On the way back, at Longney, I saw a Tawny Owl again along the roadside, this time at Downend (photo of Barn Owl: © Paul Masters).

Monday 21st May 2007 This evening I took a drive at dusk around the local riverside villages looking for owls. Elmore The first owl was at Elmore, where a Little Owl was perched on one of the telegraph poles near the junction of the lane to Stonebench (SO790147). At Kenton Green, a Cuckoo was calling from the direction of Hockley Hill, which was probably the same bird I saw on Saturday. Longney Another Cuckoo was calling a bit further on at Longney near Hill Farm from the direction of, and possibly on the other side of, the river. The trump bird was a Tawny Owl perched on a 30mph sign at Churchend (SO762128), only a few feet from the car as I kerb-crawled by. Also at Churched end, near the church, another Little Owl was perched on a pole (SO762126). Hardwicke Finally. near Hardwicke Farm, two Tawny Owls were calling, one from Hardwicke Farm covert (SO787136) and another to the south-east, from the direction of the canal. Totals: Little Owls - 2 Tawny Owls - 3 Plus 2 Cuckoos