31 July 2012 Day one of a visit to Cadiz Province in Andalucia Spain. A stop or two on the way to Sanlucar de Barrameda included time at the beach for my family, the jellyfish swarm put paid to swimming in the Mediterranean sadly. A stop at Laguna de Medina was also of interest…more to come in August blog and trip report.
13-30 July 2012 A good end to July locally, the adult waders arrived, most still in breeding plumage and the first juvenile Dunlin and Whimbrel for me. Yellow-legged Gulls arrived as usual on the Severn, I saw at least nine probably eleven adults on 28th. I also saw what appears to be a Cape Shelduck female and a female Argentine Red Shoveler about the WWT scrapes.
Pick of the bunch has to be the Long-billed Dowitcher that James discovered among the wader roost on South Lake as we have not had one locally in recent decades. Another welcome bird for Glos birders and a reminder that WWT scrapes are well worth searching any time of year.
Long-billed Dowitcher images by MJMcGill
Ruff centre, Lapwing top and Redshank below MJMcGill
Curlew Sandpiper and Golden Plover
Yellow legged Gull
One of at least nine adults present on the banks of the Severn.
28 July 2012 A day out with Graham Clarkson, Jubs Squire and wildlife buddy Maisie McGill. We visited the Forest of Dean and Coombe Hill meadows among other sites. Meeting up with Paul and Truan Taylor we searched for an eventually located (well done Jubs) the male Red-veined Darter at Woorgreens. At another site we quickly located another target species (well done Tay) Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, both species were county lifers for me. The day was highly productive for odonata with Blue-tailed, Large Red, Azure, Common Blue and Emerald damselflies, Brown, Souther and Migrant Hawkers, Ruddy and Common Darter, Broad bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer and Emperor dragonflies noted.
A flock of 17 Crossbill were as always a welcome sight, displaying Lesser Redpoll and a few Siskins were seen aong with Tree Pipit and Jubs saw a Wood Warbler.
Red-veined Darter MJMcGill
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly MJMcGill Location witheld
12 July 2012
Common Scoter 1st summer male off Middle Point, Severn Estuary.
Red Knot, Dunlin and Redshank on WWT South Lake.
Reeve with the Redshank, WWT South Lake
7-10 July 2012 No blogging for a while but a few birds noted over the continuing wet summer. Some images of birds I have taken below. Plenty of wader variety about the Severn and WWT scrapes, I have seen 18 species since last Sunday with some in full breeding plumage such as male Bar-tailed Godwit, the 100+ Black-tailed Godwits, Wood Sandpiper and 17 Red Knot. Juvenile Little ringed Plover, Golden Plover and Ruff were all new returning birds as was Sanderling and 6 Ringed Plover today (10th July).
5 July 2012
Garganey Two drakes in eclipse on the South Lake, one bird still retains the ‘ghosting’ remnants of the head pattern. I have seen this species often until June when the eclipse moult begins and in late July/August when they are fully in eclipse moult but do not recall seeing them in this stage.
A Greenshank and Red Knot were fresh returning migrants on the Top New Piece.
1 July 2012
Short-eared Owl This is the first July record for me in the county of Gloucestershire.
Little Egret MJMcGill
Iceland 14-19 June 2012 Trip report to come, a few digi images for now, better to come.
Harlequin MJMcGill
Slavonian Grebe, Lake Myvatn MJMcGill
Barrow’s Goldeneye
9 June 2012 I was forced to go to the estuary by my daughter who wanted to go birding! Scoping the still breezy Severn estuary at high tide produced a Storm Petrel, three Sanderling, 1 Dunlin, 5 Oystercatcher, 12 Curlew and a Great Skua.
The Summer storm-8 June 2012
Saul Warth gets a battering, if you were stood on the shore the plumes would have been about 10 ft above your head.
A forecast of gale force winds and a high tide was an attractive propsect as it often provides a chance of sea-birds we rarely see in the county. I settled in out of the strongest of winds and watched. Three Dunlin were on the mudlflats along with 6 Oystercatcher and 6 Curlew before the tide moved in at a scary pace. I was scanning for more calidrids when a Storm Petrel passed me close by, it carried on along the shore toward Saul Warth swinging side to side into the wind and over the huge spindrift topped waves. It passed by Hock Ditch when I lost it to view. Soon after two adult Gannets swung into view and moved up and down the shore before heading for the Awre peninsula.
Gannets look for a way out
The Swifts were feeding over the waves, often brushing my head as they crusied over
Sanderling plough South
Sanderling with a Dunlin
4 June 2012 An early morning out to watch the tide and check the waders that were present yesterday. 30 Sanderling, 80 Ringed Plover, 110 Dunlin, 1 Turnstone and a Grey Plover were present. A Peregrine ruined it and repeatedly attacked them leaving nowt left. Forgot to mention the Red Kite over A38 Frampton junction and then drifted across Whitminster.
Ringed Plover MJM
Sanderling (a range of plumages on show, this one moulting into breeding plumage)
Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Sanderling and can you find the Turnstone.
3 June 2012 At WWT a flock of 40 Sanderling, a Grey Plover, 1 Turnstone, 80 Dunlin, 80 Ringed Plover and 13 Curlew were on the estuary and I saw at least 8 Crane today, 13 were reported.
Anserbirding 
Leave a Reply