An exciting couple of weeks...

So, having complained a lot about how poor this spring has been for birding, the last few weeks (basically since our day on Holy Island on the 18th) have been much better. Here's a few of the best bits, excluding the Baillon's Crake I posted about previously...

On the 2nd of June we had a day down on Teesside. The highlight was getting a brief view of the singing Great Reed Warbler, although this was proving difficult in the wind. There were also impressive number of Avocets in the area and we had our first Little Terns of the year.

The next day, the roaming Baikal Teal turned up at East Chevington. We headed up to see it for insurance as much as anything! I'm not overly keen on its credentials so will be keeping it off my list for now. If it gets accepted in the end then I may well put it on however! I have also seen the Teal at Druridge Pools where my first Little Gull of the year was present.

On Saturday, we got up ready for a day on Holy Island, but on seeing the weather outside, decided to go out in the evening instead. However, word came through of a White-billed Diver passing Whitburn so I made the short journey to Newbiggin. A short wait ensued before I picked up the White-billed Diver flying north, and while a bit distant, it was still distinctive.

We did head up to Holy Island mid-afternoon but failed to find a single migrant. A Spoonbill from the causeway was some consolation. On the way home we called into Cresswell Pond where we got some decent views of the Marsh Warbler in the north end willows. Another Spoonbill was here too.

Finally, yesterday I made an evening trip to Druridge Pools after IR relocated the male Red-backed Shrike seen there earlier in the day. It gave stunning views as it sang from the bushes just north of the turning circle and providing me with my best ever views of a male bird.

Red-backed Shrike at Druridge Pools

Marsh Warbler at Cresswell Pond

Baikal Teal

Spoonbill at Cresswell

Little Gull at Druridge

Mallorca - Albufera (part two)...

Finally had the time to edit some more photos from Mallorca and on our penultimate full day of the holiday we returned to Albufera. Highlights included a male Little Bittern a few metres away, a Collared Pratincole, Temminck's Stint, 7 Little Stints, 50+ Spotted Redshank, a Water Pipit and a hybrid Little Egret x Reef Heron. We also had a Marbled Duck, but later found out this was from one of the reintroduction schemes taking place over the last few years to boost the population there...

Little Bittern

Cattle Egret

Sardinian Warbler

Black-winged Stilt

Collared Pratincole

Great Reed Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

Little Egret x Reef Heron

Water Pipit

Iberian Yellow Wagtail intergrade (?)

Purple Heron

Marsh Harrier

GREAT REED WARBLER

After getting brief views of the East Chevington bird last year, I was keen to see another and tonight was my chance. This evening we headed to Cresswell Pond, and soon after arriving we had a view that lasted about a second in the willows at the north end. About an hour later I saw a bird fly out of the willow, which at first I thought was a song thrush, but it landed in the reeds. Sure enough up popped the striking Great Reed Warbler, and it showed nicely for the next minute or so. I managed a couple of very poor record shots. 4 Little Gulls were also at the pond and 25 Black-tailed Godwits flew off.

Great Reed Warbler

Spring Migrants!

I had one of my best days birding ever today. We went to only two sites: Holy Island and East Chevington. Immediately after arriving at Holy Island at 8 o'clock, my Dad did well to find a male Red-backed Shrike in the fog at Chare Ends. Walking around the dunes north of the straight Lonnen we could find no more than a Pied Flycatcher and a few Lesser Whitethroats. While walking down the Straight Lonnen we received news of a probable Lesser Grey Shrike in the main car park. Soon after reaching the car park we were watching the brilliant male Lesser Grey Shrike along the edges of some fields. After seeing the Shrike we decided to have a look in the Vicar's Garden, where we found a Icterine Warbler. At least one Pied Flycatcher and a Spotted Flycatcher were also in the garden. More news of the Rustic Bunting prompted us to go to the Snook, though after thoroughly searching the area it had last been seen we could find no more than a Tree Pipit. On the way back to the car I walked over a dune to find a male and female Red-backed Shrike sitting next to each other in the same bush! A nice addition to my self found list. Some of the migrant totals at Holy Island were:

3 Red-backed Shrike
1 Lesser Grey Shrike
1 Icterine Warbler
2+ Tree Pipit
8+ Lesser Whitethroat
3 Pied Flycatcher
2 Spotted Flycatcher
2 Redstart
4 Garden Warbler
4 Whitethroat

On the way back we had a look for the Great Reed Warbler at Chevington. We heard it singing several times and glimpsed it a few times.

Red-backed Shrikes

Lesser Grey Shrike

Icterine Warbler

Pied Flycatchers