Frampton Marsh and Paxton Pits

On saturday decided to have a visit to Frampton Marsh one of my favourites RSPB reserve if iam honest. Was't looking that promising when i arriving with rain lashing down but have a few minutes it did clear up for a while so headed along to the 360 Hide. Along the path to the hide had some nice views of  Reed Buntings and singing Skylarks. Then from the hide had some nice views of Yellow Wagtails, Little Ringed Plovers, Skylarks Meadow Pipits and about 3 White Wagtails feeding around the edge of the hide with Dunlin in the distance with Swallows and House Martin perching on the wire due to the rain in the air. Out on the main lagoon had some nice views of the Black-winged Stilt along with Common Snipe, Redshank and Brent Geese which were still out coming in the thousands despite it beening the middle of april.

Yellow wagtail

Hunting Yellow Wagtail

Little Ringed Plover

White Wagtail

Next headed to Paxton Pits where it was definetly more sunny with Willow Warblers and Blackcaps in full song but the highlight was hearing the wonderful sound of the Nightgale with at least 3 singing but very hard to locate. After listerning to the nightgales for a while headed to the hide where the Cormorant where flying too and from the nest with the building materials. Then spent some time by the feeder with the garden birds before heading back and capture a flash a blue on the lake.

Hiding Nightgale

Collared Dove

Chaffinch

Trip to Otmoor

Had a trip on sunday with my local RSPB group to Otmoor in Oxfordshire a nice reserve a first visit for me reminded me very much of the landscape of east anglia. Quite windy so alot of birds were keeping down but around the reserve there were lots of Reed Bunting and singing warblers with Blackcap, Chiff-chaff, Willow Warbler and Garden warbler all seen or heard in the headge rows. Around the hide there were quite a few Redshanks, Curlew (heard only), Lapwings, Gadwall, Teal and a nice group of Wheater showed very well briefly. Then doing the meadow walk had Linnet, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a my first Orange-tipped Butterfly of the year. A very nice day out would recmmond a visit.

Chiff-chaff in the hedge

Redshank by the lagoon

Orange-tipped Butterfly

Underwings of the Orange-tipped Butterfly

Spring at Tyttenhanger GP

Had a nice walk round Tyttenhanger GP this afternoon lots of spring warblers out singing with Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff all singing and maybe a Whitethroat. In the woods had a Goldcrest which looked like it had a nest somewhere in the woods plus a pair of Nuthatches seemed to be courting. Around the lake were 3 Redshanks feeding in the marsh edge which the drought has created plus least 10 Swallows overhead and 3 Common Terns and 1 Green Sandpiper and 2 Oystercatchers on the fishing Lakes.

First Cuckoo

After the rain of the bank hoilday weekend the sun reappeared today so had a very plesent transect walk at Heartwood Forest only 1 Small White but the birds made up with good numbers of Skylarks singing and Big finch number still with 1 big flock of linnet number i would say at least at 150 which is winter number but the highlight was the cuckoo which i heard from a distance but then landed on one of the trees in the meadow before been chased off by the Skylarks who obvious saw it as a threat.

Cuckoo in flight

Norton Green

As i had a day off on tuesday popped down to Norton Green where i had some lovely views of the stunning Ring Ouzel my first out off the hills. The bird was very happy feeding along side a male Wheater untill it got scared off by the bikers which like the site but i guess by now it has got used to them haven't been on the site for six days and counting. Also on site was Fieldfares, Green Woodpeckers and lots of singing Skylarks.

Afternoon with the ibis

Had a lovely afternoon at Baddow Meads in essex with a Glossy Ibis in the sunshine showing very well and a lot cleared thats the brief view i had in suffolk last year a stunning bird and one of thoese thats a bit of sun brings out the bird in full glory. The bird also has the added advantage of having great views from the local Pub!

Feeding in the shallows

Gulping down Dinner

Having a little Clean

In the reflection of the pub opposite

Local Neighbour grabbing a drink

Kent day 2

Started off a Deal Castle which was one of the artillery fortress build by Henry VIII to deal with Spain and france around 1540 and has housed many different Governors between then and 1951.

Deal Castle from the Outside

and from the inside

and the traditional weapons of the day

The next visit was to Dover Castle which is a very intresting castle which was first a Medival Castle build by Henry II and then swapped through many different kings including Henry VII and William the Conqueror before being used in modern times during World War II which was used as amilitary command centre and underground hospital with some intresting exhibitions about this period which i would recommend to anyone intresting in modern warfare.

Dover castle from the outside

The keep

Church from the Keep

Medival Helmet

World War II Guns

Then to finish off the weekend had a nice walk at the White Cliffs of Dover where we had good views of lots off gull, Fulmars but the highlight was seeing the pair of Pergerine Falcons even mating at one point