Upton Warren & Balscote Quarry :: 22 August 2021

Saturday daytime had been wet and so I'd decided to catch up on sleep - no birding for me. Despite the evening turning brighter I had an appointment to go and see friends and hence a plan started to hatch about going to Upton Warren on Sunday morning to catch up with the avocets breeding on The Flashes. I am occasionally in touch with one of the locals on Twitter and he'd suggested that the gates to that area on the reserve would open at 8.00am and so that is when I arrived.

The car park was quiet, and I made my way straight for The Flashes - passing by the boat slip a single oystercatcher ran ahead of me and down to the water's edge and almost as soon as I'd passed through the gate, I could hear a Cetti's warbler calling. I stopped and managed to catch a single flight as it worked its way left. I passed the first two hides but made for the best hide over the flashes, finding someone already in residence (David Jackson). I scanned the water and found a juvenile ringed plover, 18 avocets, 10 green sandpiper and 36 lapwing - then David pointed me at three dunlin that I'd missed, and a juvenile little ringed plover.

Skeins of geese, some Canada and others greylag, passed the hide on a frequent basis and the collection of birds spotted fed and rotated position. It wasn't until a flock of 11 curlew dropped in that the picture changed. While landing in view they quickly moved further from view and many into the grass cover.

By now there were four of us in the hide and as a kingfisher gave us a flypast I briefly chatted with the chap to my left. The kingfisher landed on a distance fence and moved between the various perching points. We followed its progress until eventually lost from view. Later it became apparent that this had been Carl Jones who I talk to and follow on Twitter - it was good to meet in person but if only we'd realised while sitting beside each other.

I'd arranged to be home before lunch as my wife was heading out for a tennis match in the afternoon so made my way back to the car and back down the motorway.

After lunch my wife left and I decided that I'd have another try at catching up with the hobby visiting Balscote Quarry, hunting for dragonflies. The site was very quiet, and it was until Mike Prentice arrived that much happened at all - a bit more spotting of butterflies and a likely brown argus was called. We had a long catchup which made for a nice afternoon but no view of anything other than a couple of distant jay passes. Eventually Mike couldn't take any more of the excitement and went off to see what he could see elsewhere (wheatear at the local airfield?) but I hung on in there. After my three-hour vigil I was presented with a hobby on the far hedge line, and it swooped through the back pool I presumed chasing the large dragonflies I'd seen over the water. However, it rose up and I could see a bulkier prey in its talons. It circled briefly and I got a view of a small bird in its grip - perhaps house martin. While successful this was not going to result in a hunting display, and it left almost as soon as it had arrived. Nice, but damn.

I prepared to head home when a barn owl poked its head out of the owl box, stared down a stock dove which took to the wing, then returned to the safety within. A fine end to a long and generally very quiet visit.

Balscote Quarry & Pitsford Water :: 14/15 August 2021

I didn't rush to get out of bed having driven home from Scotland for 9½hrs with only a ½hr snack and toilet break - the joys of traffic and closure of the M6. As it approached late morning, I decided to get some fresh air and visit Balscote Quarry to see if I could connect with the semi-regular hobby visiting the site. As I arrived a drizzle started - not what had been forecast. Fortunately, the bench was dry and so I popped on a waterproof jacket and settled in. There was little in the bowl and more activity around and over.

A red kite cruised through, and three buzzards rose from the trees by the main Stratford Road. Watching the buzzards, a smaller raptor joined them and I was convinced that it was the arrival of the hobby. Lowering my bins I grabbed my camera and went to take a photo to confirm the ID at this distance only for the bird to disappear beyond the trees. Damn. A few minutes later a kestrel appeared in roughly the same area and so I decided it must have been wishful thinking.

Another raptor crossed the bowl again at the main road end, but this time was clearly a male sparrowhawk - it didn't stop and cleared the hedge and was gone. Up to 18 linnet could be seen at a time, with a pair of whitethroat still being very active around the site they have been seen taking in food. A male kestrel showed around the site but then another raptor came in low across the bowl - I saw it late and it disappeared behind the scrub and landed on the rocks on the far side. I jumped up and crashed off a volley of photos only to find it was the female kestrel - again no cigar.

Five buzzard took to the wing and added to the raptor total but not the species I'd hoped for.

The next morning I again had a bit of a lie in before making for Pitsford Water. The car park was filling up and I started with a crossing of the causeway finding lots of Canada geese, a few greylag and a strung-out flock of lapwing. There wasn't anything of note through the bins as so I made for the bird hides on the left shore. I took note of the usual common species as I went and the handfuls of pochard mostly asleep on the water. As I passed the feeder area I could hear sparrows but couldn't get a look at them so pushed on - I'd try again on the return. I soon arrived at the Bird Club hide and scanned the waters edges - a lot of juvenile moorhen and a single little egret - as I scanned back a great white egret left the trees behind and dropped onto a stick, followed by another. A third joined briefly but then disappeared back out of view.

I was taking a few photos which turned out to be more complicated due to the environment around the bird - the brilliant white just lit up against the dark background - a fiddle with the camera settings resulted in some better captures - another bird to add to the year list. I was scanning the area and thinking how many perching points there were when a kingfisher dropped onto one of the sticks to the left and surprisingly this is my first of the year. I took a record shot but it was not worthy of even including here. I continued on to see if I could find another angle but in vain. Neither could I pick out the RC pochard (in eclipse) that has been reported in this vicinity.

On the return to the car park I stopped again at the feeder area and this time could see some of the sparrows flitting around - one gave a long enough view to take a photo and I could confirm that they were tree sparrows - another first for the year - I'm so glad to see this group seem to be doing well where so many others have vanished. A great visit and some fresh air to try and clear the headache I'd been experiencing for the last couple of days since the epic drive.

West Kilbride Seamill Beach :: 09-12 August 2021

This pandemic has resulted in an absence of many things but my regular trips to visit family in Scotland has been a big one. We hadn't been since November and even that was a fleeting visit and for all the wrong reasons - prior to that it had been Christmas 2019. The weather on the way up was horrible with occasional aquaplaning in the car, and reduced visibility due to the intensity of the rain.

Monday morning arrived and I arose early, looking out the hotel window over the garden, beach and onto the water. There was a very slight residual drizzle, and I was in two minds whether to venture out - hell, I hadn't been for such a long time, and the drizzle was only light, so I got dressed and snuck out. Onto the beach and I could see the usual roost of gulls on the rocks as the sea had already largely gone out - a shame as I prefer incoming tides; there were great black-backed, lesser black-backed, common and black-headed. A couple of curlew; oystercatches fed amongst them and along the water’s edge.

I decided to head south and approached the small bridge over a burn that runs down the side of the Seamill Hydro Hotel. As I'd hoped, three dippers were feeding around the bridge and the rocks beyond - two adults and a juvenile. I stopped to take photos, extending the ISO due the early hour and overcast sky. They treated me well and landed on the bridge itself, on one occasion in a pair. It was worth coming out just for that.

I made my way over the bridge and found that my usual path to the rocky point beyond was overgrown; so circled round the scrub on the southern edge and doubled back - other than more gulls and curlew I didn't see anything extra so continued on, pulling the waterproof cover over the camera and lens and then popped the lens cups over the bins.

I saw redshank in the pools but too distant for a photo and eventually reached the point at which I climb off the beach and onto the path, right at the end of the village. Here I could see a couple of common sandpipers feeding but as I took a quick snap they took to the wing and moved well out of reach. This though left a rather confiding juvenile dunlin at relatively close quarters - I stood for a while, watching it feed.

As I watched a flock of waders flew past; initially I wondered if they might be black-tailed godwit but reviewing a quick photo they turned out to be oystercatchers (27) on the move.

Along the next stretch I heard and then saw a couple of sedge warbler but really too far out of view, even for a record shot. I reached my usual spot for rock pipit and found only pied/white wagtails. Making my way out to the point of rocks into the water I then saw a couple of meadow pipit and then at last a couple of rock pipit. Soon a couple more showed a bit closer. As I stood, I could see three sandwich terns out to sea, with only gannets and passing shag further out.

With the sea still out there didn't appear to much else to add and so I made my way back for a shower and breakfast.

The following morning started brighter, and the forecast was set fair - hoorah. Again, I stopped at the burn and was treated by the dippers - not on the bridge this time but still good views.

I repeated the route from the previous morning, but this time my trousers didn't get wet from brushing through the grasses. I then made a concerted effort to try and pick out a whimbrel from the numbers of curlew showing. This was all in vain until quite a bit further on I had some luck, and a single individual was in view - another year tick! - not a strong stripe through the eye but the black crown in evidence.

The sedge warbler showed again as I passed but this time there was a samll porthole through which I could see the bird fully, and then the rock pipits dropped in for their photo.

Offshore I could see some birds on the move and discovered a group of eight manx shearwaters, just discernible with my bins - the photos just turned out to be black blurry blobs. As I turned for home, I heard a call and on investigating found a single ringed plover - soon after three others flew past at some distance. It was quite approachable, and I could get a decent view and a photo.

As I reached the first houses I saw four common sandpiper, but two of them also saw me and flew off. I did get a short time with the remaining two, but it wasn't long before they also departed.

Later that day we were in Troon having fish and chips from the 'Wee Hurrie" on the quayside when Charlotte pointed at some rocks and said she'd seen something move (and it wasn't a seal, perhaps an otter?). It was at distance but after a while I found that she was right, and an otter could be seen diving and feeding in the surf - we watched for a few minutes until it was lost from view - a great encounter. Well done Charlotte!

The next morning I set out again and decided to make a change this time heading along the beach towards Portencross. The first stretch is mainly sand and other than the usual suspects there was nothing new to add. Passing the West Kilbride golf course, a small flock of curlew (25) took to the air, split up and headed both to the north and south. I went to the edge of the course but couldn't pick out any stragglers - there had been others on the water’s edge so a good number on show. I found a small flock of ringed plover and dunlin around an expanse of rocks covered in seaweed but they were quite easily spooked - I took a seat on a rock and let them march around. As I waited I noticed a turnstone emerge and as it walked across I kicked myself for not spotting a mediterranean gull in the nearby pool. The turnstone worked its way across - I took a photo with the turnstone, ringed plover and mediterranean gull all in shot.

I walked on until I reached the path up passed the golf course and onto the Portencross Road. There wasn't anything else close and so I turned back for breakfast, stopping only to see the flock of ringed plover and dunlin again.

The next morning was again dry but not as sunny - I opted for another trip towards Portencross but didn't see any dippers before I set off. I'd look when I got back. No sign of turnstone or the mediterranean gull, and the ringed plover were even more skittish than the previous day - only a pair of dunlin were confident enough to continue feeding as I passed by. From the golf course I had 48 curlew take to the wing and yet more showed on the shore and in the rocks.

At the turn I saw some gannet feeding close to shore as was a pair of shag. I could resist taking a few photos before making my way back.

There was a bit of a noise as a grey heron passed through restricted airspace and a few gulls had got up to move it on. The heron had to make a few dog fight manoeuvres but appeared to be used to this sort of attention. The situation soon resolved itself as the heron put distance between it and the disgruntled gulls.

Reaching the rocks opposite the hotel I could pick out grey seals on the rocks and decided to take a record shot - I was surprised that there were not more - usually I see greater numbers at low tide. Dropping past the hotel wall I could see the usual large number of oystercatcher and then redshank beyond. The dippers gave a final show before breakfast called again.