WWT Barnes, London :: 05 September 2015

After a busy week in Switzerland, Germany, France and the office, Saturday was Ailsa's PiXL Choir event in Vauxhall/Oval. Off just after 7.30am and a reasonably smooth journey down the M40/M4/A4 and over Vauxhall bridge. Ailsa and two friends delivered to the Lilian Baylis Technology School I decided to make the 7.5 mile journey to WWT Barnes London. Journey took 50+ minutes - what a way to live.

Eventually got to the site, paid and tried to remember the best route from my only previous visit, but couldn't. Headed off on the West Route. Stopped at the Headley Discovery Hide but nothing of consequence seen there. Better further on at the Wildside Hide. Nice but distant views of a green woodpecker. Bizarrely I haven't managed to catch up with one of the this year until now. Thanks to a chap in the corner who brought my attention to a sparrrowhawk passing over the lagoon.

Back round, through the Visitor Centre and across to the Peacock Tower. More visible from here but still relatively quiet - I say quiet but in terms of number there was a "swarm" of house martins all across the water and periphery. A good spot by one of the locals of a wheatear bobbing on a far bank was the highlight. Unfortunately missed the snipe that were supposed to be visible from here but had to leave due to time pressure. Grabbed a sandwich in the cafe and off back to pick up Ailsa and friends. Hammersmith Bridge was rammed and so back across Putney and another 50min journey to collect.

Sightings for the day (29) included: coot, moorhen, mallard, feral pigeon, house martin, lesser black-backed gull, woodpigeon, carrion crow, mute swan, canada goose, tufted duck, green woodpecker, grey heron, great crested grebe, black-headed gull, shoveler, sparrowhawk, lapwing, starling, blue tit, cormorant, teal, pochard, wigeon, gadwall, wheatear, little grebe, jackdaw and magpie.

Brandon Marsh :: 22 August 2015

So the spotted flycatcher became the 100th species tick for 2015. Brandon turned up a few extra species and with favourable weather, if not a little hot in the hides - 28.5 C if the car temperature gauge was to be believed.

The usual start with a sandwich in the Badger Tearoom. Nothing on the feeders, partly due to them being mostly empty. Still on the reserve and surprisingly few people around; perhaps the Birdfair at Rutland had drawn them all away, leaving only those avoiding Rutland due to the Birdfair. On the outward trail we saw a large range of butterflies, including a beautiful small copper. While photographing a willow or marsh tit flushed from the bushes but disappeared before an ID or record shot could be taken.

The main purpose was to get onto East Marsh Pool as there were reports of ruff. Nothing from Wright but distant views from East Marsh hide itself. A bonus was the blue morph snow goose either cruising with greylag or sleeping just off the scrape.

In Carlton we were lucky to meet a chap who had spotted a spotted flycatcher. While waiting for it to emerge we caught a willow warbler passing by. The flycatcher eventually rose and showed high into the sky - 100.

Today's sightings (32) included: great tit, blue tit, black-headed gull, swallow, house martin, dunnock, cormorant, magpie, wood pigeon, carrion crow, coot, mute swan, greylag goose, canada goose, moorhen, lapwing, blue morph snow goose, grey heron, lesser black-backed gull, shoveler, mallard, sand martin, robin, green sandpiper, ruff, teal, gadwall, willow warbler, spotted flycatcher, kestrel, shelduck and wigeon.

Clyde Marina / Ardrossan Harbour :: 07 August 2015

While the girls were off shopping in the supermarket I took the opportunity to walk around the Clyde Marina / Ardrossan Harbour. A beautiful sky and calm waters in the harbour and beyond.

Only a herring gull in the marina itself but then three black guillemots around the harbour entrance. A few gulls were bobbing or flying around and these were accompanied by a group of fishing sandwich terns.

Waited for the call to come back to the car watching the terns successfully feed until I had to leave.

Portencross Castle and Beach :: 06 August 2015

Today the weather improved so after lunch we went for a walk between Portencross Castle and Ardneil Farm. The pavement was slightly overgrown which made passage with the wheelchair a little more difficult. We saw swallows in the usual nests in the eves of the house at the top of the path leading down to the beach, but there appeared to be few visits to the nests themselves.

When we returned to the car park near the castle, we decided to have a sit looking out over the water. From here we spotted gannets fishing past us, a single ringed plover which flew past into the rocks beyond and also terns diving as they fished close to shore. In the distance we could see what looked like guillemots or manx shearwaters quartering the waves; unfortunately they were too distant to be sure of an ID but shearwaters are often seen in this area in number and we have seen them from the Ardrossan-Arran ferry previously.

The sky and sea were looking blue in the breeze which set off the rocks and castle walls beautifully. Once Dad felt uncomfortable in his chair Mum, Dad and Magnus headed back up to the house while we continued down onto the beach. The gulls were all close due to the tide being quite close in. At the turn we could see that the fishing terns had been sandwich terns and were being kept company by curlew on the rocks offshore. A beautiful day for a walk on the beach.

Today's sightings (29) included: house sparrow, kestrel, feral/rock pigeon, blackbird, house martin, collared dove, chaffinch, blue tit, great tit, jackdaw, pied wagtail, woodpigeon, willow warbler, goldfinch, magpie, herring gull, swallow, lesser black-backed gull, greater-black backed gull, gannet, oystercatcher, ringed plover, redshank, curlew, sandwich tern, common gull, black-headed gull, rook, and cormorant.

Brandon Marsh :: 27 June 2015

Out birding with her indoors. A stop at the Badger Tearoom for lunch before we went onto the reserve proper. The area outside the tearoom was overgrown and much of the ground area was not visible - we were honoured with good views from a great-spotted woodpecker.

On the reserve the conditions were so peaceful and there weren't too many people around - it was good to see a few families around. We did come across rather an odd looking long-tailed tit fledgling with brown head rather than the dark / black I am used to seeing. It also had a very long tail from our viewpoint.

From teal hide we saw the green sandpiper but the (probable escapee) fulvous whistling duck had moved on. From the final hide we were treated to a hobby hunting over the fields and returning each catch to a tree opposite - nice. On passing through the Visitor Centre, everyone had gone and we were treated to the swallows darting around the beams and roof - a good way to finish.

Today's sightings (38) included: magpie, feral pigeon, swallow, blue tit, great tit, reed bunting, great spotted-woodpecker, blackbird, carrion crow, willow warbler, tufted duck, woodpigeon, common buzzard, long tailed tit, greylag goose, canada goose, lapwing, common term, black-headed gull, lesser black backed gull, herring gull, oystercatcher, starling, cormorant, mallard, sand martin, coot, moorhen, wren, green sandpiper, redshank, grey heron, mute swan, goldfinch, linnet, chiffchaff, hobby and pied wagtail.

Seamill, Ayrshire :: 11 June 2015

A short walk on the beach before setting off home after the funeral. Quiet, still, warm and an absolute indulgence. People greeting you as you passed by, birdsong and a feeling of calm. Just 15 minutes each way to take in the morning adding great black-backed gull, ringed plover, eider, herring gull and sand martin to the year list.

The species noted (22) included: ringed plover, house martin, herring gull, swallow, feral pigeon, great black-backed gull, collared dove, sand martin, eider, jackdaw, starling, lesser black-backed gull, blackbird, woodpigeon, grey heron, oystercatcher, mallard, pied wagtail, black-headed gull, rook, goldfinch and house sparrow.

RSPB Otmoor :: 16 May 2015

A glorious afternoon at RSPB Otmoor. Even on entering the reserve, red kite and hobbys were soaring and diving - a great reception. Not to be outdone, hobbys were in an abundance as they hunted dragonflies all across the reserve. The return of swifts was evident with groups joining swallows as they streaked across the sky, fields and water. Caught a good view of a turtle dove as it purred in a tree just off the bridleway - it could be heard from some distance and didn't disappoint in showing itself on a number of ocassions. Nice chat with a couple of guys also on a solo visit.

Large numbers of reed bunting sang, joined by whitethroat too. Just passed the first screen, we were lucky enough to have direct sight and sound of a cuckoo - my first of the year. Just to be seasonal the skylarks also erupted like fireworks, singing to great heights then dropping back to earth.

Sightings for the afternoon (39) included: hobby, carrion crow, red kite, kestrel, chaffinch, lapwing, magpie, blackbird, great tit, swift, goldfinch, reed bunting, pheasant, mute swan, mallard, blue tit, turtle dove, little egret, coot, oystercatcher, canada goose, greylag goose, grey heron, redshank, woodpigeon, shoveler, skylark, common tern, tufted tuck, pochard, gadwall, cormorant, cuckoo, swallow, great crested grebe, buzzard, common whitethroat, moorhen and greenfinch.