Ashridge Firecrest action!

A lunchtime walk - and a search for any spring migrants.
My luck was in  - a FIRECREST in the usual area - hopefully a returning pair that may breed. This one was a female I think....
Hope to get some pics in the future.

Nuthatch banging away on the tree (iphone shot!)

Blackbird up close in the grounds of Ashridge 

Lady A dip #3

Another trip to the Milton Proving ground , and another dip.
Few people present this time and took a seat with me!
Got some manure on the way home so justified the trip vaguely....

Here we go again....

Ring side view ...of nothing

Lifer! White Winged Tern & Lady A dip #2

Was planning to attempt to the see the Lady A, and then got a twitch notification quite closeby - off to Broom in Beds to see a WHITE WINGED TERN - lovely looking bird dipping down into the gravel pit. The bird stayed for the rest of the evening before heading off.

No luck (attempt 2) on the Lady A - Friday night staring at a bunch of trees!
Lifer list now up to #292

White Winged (Black) Tern 

No one there when I arrived! 

It was calling close by, but no luck. Oh and then it was dark. 

Not looking overly excited

Lady Amherst'sPheasant fun and games #1

Since the announcement of the last Lady A, I've been taking some time (and wasting it) try to see the bloody thing.
I did go to the site with LGRE on the way up to Scotland , but since then I have tried 3 times (without luck)  to see the bird. This was the first attempt....

2 hours of nothingness.....

South Coast Bird Trip

One of the two main events when it comes to birding in the UK - me and my best buddy Rob set off for a weekend camping and birding around Chichester. 

Here's the story of the weekend in pictures....

Firstly at the Red House Farm campsite ....

Linnet at the campsite 

Home sweet home 

Followed by a yellowhammer..

And a chiff chaff right by the tent! 

Another chiff chaff shot 

Then off to the first stop - a long walk around Pagham and back again ..

Bit wet! 

Curlew and Teal 

Little Egret at xxx

Red shanks 

Herring Gull attempting to break some sort of snail .. on the sand!
Up it went, then down it went, then up it went.....

Shelduck a plenty

Grey Plover I think.....

Curlew 

Rob the Spoonbill spotter 

Off flies the spoonbill

Rob making fire from magic on the first night

Nice nest on day two 

Go Ray! I mean Rob!  

Man make fire

Woah! Thats an inferno!!!!

Female Blackcap at Church Norton

Off to Selsey - a lovely day! 

Which way?

Great weather ....

Swallow chilling

Rob taking a picture of a dead crab....

Turnstone looking like Travolta

Another Turnstone travelling down the beach

Avocet at RSPB Medmerry (new site) 

Meadow Pipit

That ended the birding experince with Rob - and I went off to Pulborough Brooks RSPB site... 

Willow Warbler singing away 

Song Thrush in full voice

Nightingale - Showing very nicely with a bit of a 'croak' call too...

Nightingale site (down the slope) Loads apparently

Then off to Wilstone in search of further ticks....

Greylag and Egyptian Geese on the field

Garganey on the reservouir - three in fact 

And that ended a great trip - a species hit of 63! Not bad at all.