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| Awesome Bald Eagles are everywhere! |
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| Orange-crowned Warbler ~ Arriving in numbers! |
Diary Update #5 🇺🇸 2017
☀️ Monday 15th May 2017 🇺🇸 ~ A glorious day weather-wise with wall to wall sunshine and our last day in Girdwood before moving down to Homer tomorrow!
With the tide out we stopped off at few locations to check out the Bald Eagle populations. Many family parties can be found along the mudflats when the tide subsides and Dee counted a stunning 51 birds in one location!
We spent the best part of the day checking out a number of trails with mixed habitat of woodland, lake and sea shore. One particular lake held a couple of Trumpeter Swans and at one point we managed both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, gorgeous little Goldcrest type birds. Orange-crowned Warblers seem to be arriving in numbers and there distinct song can be heard everywhere. More additions to the list today included: Greater White-fronted Goose, Common Merganser, Whimbrel, Semipalmated Plover, Gray Jay, Greater Yellowlegs and the wonderful Rufous Hummingbird.
Diary Update #4 🇺🇸 2017
☔ Sunday 14th May 2017 🇺🇸 ~ The weather deteriorated overnight with low cloud and light rain and indeed when we headed off for a walk around the hotel grounds after breakfast little had changed!
A new species for the hotel list while I nipped to the car before breakfast, an American Tree Sparrow. After breakfast we spent a while searching the now grass laded (well almost) ski slopes for ground dwellers and our efforts produce Dark-eyed Junco, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Siskin, American Robin and Varied Thrush.
We decided to head back into Anchorage today to check out a few local areas and ended up at the Westchester Lagoon, which is only a 15 minute walk from downtown Anchorage! It also has some excellent mudflats looking out across the Knik Arm. Spring has arrived late here apparently and birds are continuing to arrive back locally only now but it's obvious that things are picking up.
When we arrived at the lagoon we were astonished to find 1000s of Swallows overhead, a major fall and probably brought down by the rain. After several minutes searching they all appeared to be Tree and Violet-greens. Out on the lagoon an array of waterfowl which included: (3) Surf Scoter, (6) Canvasback, Bufflehead, Greater/Lesser Scaup, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal and (12) Red-necked Grebe.
We took a stroll along the coastal trail looking out over the tidal mudflats and here plenty of Arctic Terns, plus (3) Bonaparte's Gull and a couple of Glaucous-winged, which passed through. Waders included Short-billed Dowitcher, Black-bellied Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and a single Hudsonian Godwit. Two Sandhill Cranes were also present and in fact we managed to get quite close (photo above).
A stop at Potters Marsh on route back to Girdwood in what was now glorious sunshine also brought out the families, it's Mother's Day here today, but we did manage some additions to the Alaskan list which included: Savannah Sparrow, Wilsons Warbler and Red-breasted Nuthatch!
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| Several Varied Thrush foraging along the ski slopes. |
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| Sandhill Cranes arrive for the summer from Texas and California! |
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| Green-winged Teal among the many waterfowl! |
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| Lesser Yellowlegs |
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| Numerous Mew Gulls nesting at Potters Marsh! |
Diary Update #3 🇺🇸 2017
⛅ Saturday 13th May 2017 🇺🇸 ~ An amazing fact is that there are at least 320 magnitude 4 to 5 earthquakes in Alaska each year! Why do I mention these statistics? Simply because we were wide awake at 1am this morning, woken by what I can now confirm to be a 4.1 magnitude earthquake, another surreal moment in our Alaskan adventure!
After breakfast Dee and I decided on a visit to Portage, around 15 miles from our hotel and as coincidence would have it another earthquake story is part of it's history. Almost 100 residents lived in Portage until the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. This massive earthquake caused the shoreline to drop between six and 12 feet, allowing high tides to flood the town and surrounding area with salt water. All that remains of the original village are a few structures sinking into the nearby mud flats and scattered stands of dead trees. It also boasts 3 glaciers, one of the reasons for our visit.
After the lake we made several stops to investigate a number of trails and smaller unfrozen lakes which produced some excellent results. Dee managed the above image of a Varied Thrush and below a Hermit Thrush, both quite elusive species but found by call and our doggid determination 👀
On one particular lake we came across a half dozen Harlequin Ducks, also recording Barrow's Goldeneye and Lesser Yellowlegs. It was interesting to watch a steady stream of Herring Gulls passing through the valley at height, seemingly following the river's path and these were occasionally vocal, alerting us to at least two Bald Eagles, which occasionally harassed them! Also of note Fox Sparrow, Steller's Jay, Northwestern Crow and Raven.
A few more stops on route back to the hotel produced a surprise while parked up next to the railroad track (photo above). Back at Girdwood a stroll around the local trails and an area of flats known as Moose Meadow produced our first Black Bear, ably spotted by Dee. Unfortunately he got spooked by a light aircraft landing at the local airport and shot off before we had a chance to obtain a photo. What could perhaps have been the same individual was spotted by Dee again in the hotel grounds while we were having dinner this evening!
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| Portage Lake ~ Still almost completely frozen! |
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| Varied Thrush ~ Shame about the branch!! |
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| Hermit Thrush ~ A real floor forager! |
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| Arctic Tern ~ Amazing what you can find on the tracks! |
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| Harlequin Duck ~ Sadly the photo doesn't do him justice! |
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| Another Dee photo ~ This time Steller's Jay |
Diary Update #2 🇺🇸 2017
✈️ Friday 12th May 2017 🇺🇸 ~ The 3 1/2 hour flight from Vancouver up to Anchorage was relatively uneventful! That is until we were on approach and completing a steep right turn, hitting what the pilot later described as 'Wake Turbulence'. I swear we were seconds away from a complete barrel roll, gasps in the cabin before a sudden jerk corrected us immediately onto level flight! I've flown many hours but that will go down as my "Seconds From Disaster" encounter! However, what I can tell you is that the scenery as we approached Anchorage is some of the most stunning I've ever encountered on a flight anywhere in the world!
After picking up the hire car we made our way out of Anchorage to drive the 30 or so miles to our hotel for the next four days in Girdwood. We did make a short stop at the Potters Marsh Wildlife Viewing Area, which is on route and in fact ended up with quite a good starter list during our 30 minute stay. Species of note included; Tree Swallow, Green-winged Teal, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher, Mew Gull and Several Arctic Terns! Just prior to leaving our first Bald Eagle of the trip, which was being harassed by a Raven. Even more exciting was a Douglas DC6, which I haven't seen flying for many years and came practically overhead, sadly Dee was off somewhere else with camera!!
After checking in a pre dinner walk around one of the small lakes in the hotel grounds produced Barrows Goldeneye, Richardson's Canada Geese and the whole pine forest area seemed alive with Pine Siskin, Redpoll and White-winged Crossbill, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Dark-eyed Junco and several Violet-green Swallow also during the walk.
With sunset not until 10.35pm tonight an after dinner walk at 10pm was as surreal as it gets, with at least three Varied Thrush, one of my favourite birds, singing there one pitched whistling call and a distant Hermit Thrush in full song, I'm already beginning to fall in love with Alaska!!
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| First image of the visit this recently arrived Tree Swallow! |
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| One of a pair of Barrows Goldeneye on the hotel lake. |
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| Record shot of White-winged Crossbill |
Diary Update #1 🇨🇦🇺🇸 2017
✈️ Thursday 11th May 2017 🇨🇦 ~ Finally our next adventure begins and Dee and I are delighted to be back in Vancouver, a place dear to our hearts and somewhere we had the privilege of living for a short while in 2011. Unfortunately this brief encounter is only an overnight stop as we're heading on to Anchorage Alaska tomorrow morning!
With Alaska of course being such a huge expanse and many areas inaccessible we've decided to concentrate on an area of which the furthest point from Anchorage will be 230 miles, staying at the Kenai Peninsula Suites, Homer. Firstly though our tour begins at Girdwood, around 40 miles from Anchorage and our total stay in Alaska will be 12 days before heading back to Vancouver for a week.
The weather here in Vancouver currently is overcast and rainy and watching some of the TV channels it would seem that the whole province has suffered some huge flooding recently. Birding has already begun to take centre stage and my good friend Derek Killby informed tonight that just across the airport from where we're staying is a recently discovered Ferruginous Hawk! I just hope it's still around in ten days Derek, by which time you should have found other hidden gems👀
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| Stunning Greenland at 37,000ft |
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| Frozen lakes, rivers and sea over Greenland! |
Diary Update #28 2017
⛅ Friday 5th May 2017 ~ First post of the month after a mini break from birding over the past few days. In fact I've spent little time at Brandon Marsh recently too and the only bird of note, for me anyway, was a Marsh Harrier on Monday Morning.
There has been some decent sightings though over the last week which have included: Whinchat, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel.
While having breakfast in Southam after a doctors appointment early on today five Swift over the town centre were my first local ones of the year. After lunch and completed chores I ventured along to Stockton Cutting in search of butterflies. Despite the blustery easterly wind, which has dominated for most of the week, shelter can be found in the warm sunshine and it does produce.
As I was walking across Tasker's Meadow towards the cutting a Lesser Whitethroat was singing well and a raptor which suddenly swooped low over the meadow turned out to be a Hobby, which departed heading off over the canal, empty handed.
I began at the bottom of the cutting recording Brimstone, Orange Tip and Green-veined White, before my first of at least twenty Dingy Skippers. At the top of the steps more Skippers and further into the open area a single Green Hairstreak. Also of note today: Green Tiger Beetle and a couple of Bee-fly's!
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| Quick snap of Marsh Harrier at Brandon Marsh on Monday ~ Fred Stokes |
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| Dingy Skippers out in force today! |
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| Green Hairstreak ~ One to be found today! |
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| Green Tiger Beetle ~ Stockton Cutting |
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| Bee-Fly ~ Love the long proboscis for drinking nectar! |
Diary Update #27 2017
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| Wood Sandpiper ~ Fred Stokes |
A phone call from Fred Stokes had me scurrying back a short time later but alas it was too late for the bird of the day: A Wood Sandpiper, which unfortunately didn't hang around long enough for me 😡
⛅ Sunday 30th April 2017 ~ Dee fancied a day out and decided that I should perhaps take her to Summer Leys Nature Reserve, a reserve she'd not visited before! Well of course I couldn't refuse, having had a good day there on Friday.
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| Whimbrel ~ Two of three seen today! |
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| Two Greenshank on the West Bank |
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| Possibly the third Whimbrel of the day! |
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| Dee practicing flight shots on the Lumix FZ1000 ~ Kestrel |
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| Lovely Brimstone photo from Dee today! |
Diary Update #26 2017
⛅ ☔ Thursday 27th April 2017 ~ Brandon Marsh continues to frustrate, in more ways than one, with little movement on the birding front. That said there were a few highlights today which included my first Hobby of the year from the Carlton Hide (later on Farm Field) and a Grasshopper Warbler, which showed beautifully but for an all to brief period!
⛅ Friday 28th April 2017 ~ I had planned my usual visit to Brandon Marsh today but instead decided on a change, heading off to Summer Leys Nature Reserve in Northamptonshire. There came a point when I regretted my decision, having took nearly two hours (normally 40mins) to get there due to a motorway closure but I'm glade I persevered!
My first stop was the Pioneer Hide and it wasn't long before I was scanning thirty or so terns, mostly Common but eventually picking out two Arctic Terns before a single Black Tern took my eye. I was chatting away to a nice lady called Sue about the terns when a commotion to the right caught our attention, a group of Black-headed Gulls mobbing a Bittern. The bird circled twice before dropping down into the reeds at the scrape area. A delighted Sue and I said I'd give her a mention ✋ to my reader! Several Little Egret to be found today and a brief view of a Great White Egret in flight over towards the Paul Britten Hide was an added bonus.
Several Swifts also today along with the many mixed Hirundines as I made my way around to the Paul Britten Hide, which has better views of the wader scrape. The usual warblers on route but sadly not a great selection of waders with just (4) Redshank and a single Common Sandpiper noted. A nice Male Yellow Wagtail also dropped in for a short while. Further along the track a Hobby, (2) Red Kite and (4) Common Buzzard enjoying a thermal, with excellent views of a couple of Hobby low over the water from the viewing screen a short while later. The feeders at the Charles Towler Hide offered an opportunity for a male Bullfinch photograph before I headed off to complete the circuit.
Just before completing the circuit and reaching the car park my first Garden Warbler of the year, heard and seen! Denis Woodward was now in the hide and so we met up in the car park and he and I tracked back for the Garden Warbler, which showed extremely well, long enough in fact for a photo! We departed a little after 2.30pm with the two Hobby and single Black Tern still showing well, a very enjoyable visit!
⛅ Friday 28th April 2017 ~ I had planned my usual visit to Brandon Marsh today but instead decided on a change, heading off to Summer Leys Nature Reserve in Northamptonshire. There came a point when I regretted my decision, having took nearly two hours (normally 40mins) to get there due to a motorway closure but I'm glade I persevered!
My first stop was the Pioneer Hide and it wasn't long before I was scanning thirty or so terns, mostly Common but eventually picking out two Arctic Terns before a single Black Tern took my eye. I was chatting away to a nice lady called Sue about the terns when a commotion to the right caught our attention, a group of Black-headed Gulls mobbing a Bittern. The bird circled twice before dropping down into the reeds at the scrape area. A delighted Sue and I said I'd give her a mention ✋ to my reader! Several Little Egret to be found today and a brief view of a Great White Egret in flight over towards the Paul Britten Hide was an added bonus.
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| Bullfinch at the feeders ~ Not too many photo opportunities today! |
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| Record shot of my 1st Garden Warbler of the year! |
Diary Update #25 2017
⛅ ☔ Monday 24th April 2017 ~ With the Wildlife Trust's minibus becoming less available to the team we reverted back to the old ways for the Brandon Marsh Volunteer 'Away-Days' and packed everyone in to three separate cars, our first stop Paxton Pits Nature Reserve Cambridgeshire. Two Red Kites on route and the traffic remarkably good for the journey.
Target bird for this particular site was the Nightingale and within a half hour of arriving we stood in awe watching one of these normally secretive birds perched high in the hawthorn singing his heart out! While enjoying this spectacle a Lesser Whitethroat, another secretive and hard to find species was also entertaining us nearby with his distinct song and although not as accommodating as the Nightingale offered the odd glimpse. We took a circular route around the Heronry Lakes, passing for a short while along the River Ouse. The lakes currently have a large nesting colony of Cormorant and an impressive count of 24 Common Terns was also recorded, along with the usual warblers and Hirundines. At least two Cuckoo and a second Nightingale before heading off.
From here on to Cavernham Heath National Nature Reserve, a stunning SSSI habitat of heathland and woodland near the village of Tuddenham in Suffolk. More target species here, this time Woodlark and Stone Curlew.
After parking up we walked the track that runs up as far as the River Lark. It's not long before your scanning for Stone Curlew and listening for Woodlark and while doing so we picked up other species including Grey Partridge, Red-legged Partridge and many Skylark.
However, todays target species were found in the same locality as each other and we enjoyed lunch while watching Stone Curlew and listening to singing Woodlarks, both offering some excellent views. Wheatear, Yellowhammer and at least a half dozen Stonechat by the time we returned to the car and on to RSPB Lakenheath Fen. Well I say WE on to Lakenheath but only in my car with Alan, Geoff and Kevin, the other lightweights heading off home 😉
Lakenheath was actually quite chilly with the predicted cold front moving in, a strong breeze had also developed and we had to brave the odd downpour. It was worth the effort though recording two pairs of Marsh Harrier, more Cuckoo's and a single Glossy Ibis. Waders included: Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Bittern were heard booming on two occasions!
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| Nightingale ~ Paxton Pits |
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| Record shot of Stone Curlew ~ Cavernham Heath |
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| Wood Lark ~ One of several today at Cavernham Heath |
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| Woodlark |
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| Boeing V22 Osprey ~ Indulging my 2nd passion! |
Diary Update #4 Spain 2017
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| A baron Laguna Dulce ~ Another disastrous loss of habitat! |
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| Gulled-billed Terns were in double figures today! |
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| Wood Sandpiper |
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| One of three Juvenile Stonechat |
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| Singing Crested Lark |
Back at the Villa on our last night before heading home Turtle Dove, with Scops Owl, Red-necked Nightjar and Tawny Owl all heard while having dinner a great end to an excellent short break.
More images of the day...
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| One of three Juvenile Stonechat |
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| Greater Flamingo |
Species Seen:
Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, White-headed Duck, Red-legged Partridge, Black-necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Bittern, Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Grey Heron, White Stork, Greater Flamingo, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Bonelli's Eagle, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Lesser Kestrel, Peregrine, Moorhen, Coot, Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Little-ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Redshank, Greenshank, Ruff, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Slender-billed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Whiskered Tern, Rock Dove, Collared Dove, Turtle Dove, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo, Tawny Owl (h), Little Owl, Scops Owl (h), Red-necked Nightjar, Swift, Pallid Swift, Hoopoe, Bee~eater, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crested Lark, Short-toed Lark, Barn Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, House Martin, White Wagtail, Iberian Yellow Wagtail, Robin, Nightingale, Stonechat, Wheatear, Black Wheatear, Blackbird, Blue Rock Thrush, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Sardinian Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Pied Flycatcher, Wren, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Crested Tit, Short-toed Treecreeper, Woodchat Shrike, Jay, Jackdaw, Raven, Spotless Starling, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Serin, Common Crossbill, Corn Bunting, Rock Bunting
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