Lesvos 2025 Part 4

 The Lesvos adventure continues,...............................

So we start with a beautiful Red-backed Shrike

and a White Stork posing nicely on a shed roof near the Kalloni Salt Pans.

Out Kavaki way, we came across a pair of Turtle Doves, which was delight,

then a Black-eared Wheatear down on the rocks

and a magnificent Blue Rock Thrush, but it never cam close enough for a decent photo.

Another bonus was a an Subalpine Warbler.

Continuing on from Kavaki to Petra/Molyvos resevoir there were plenty of Ruddy Shelduck, with one obliging with a flyby,

Followed by a buzzard.

A nice Black-headed Bunting, but for the life of me I can't remember where!

But this Egret was back at the Tsiknias River,

as were these White Storks.

Curlew Sandpipers at the Saltpans...

Another Stork...

And yet more Bee-eaters

I couldn't resist more Spur-winged Lapwing shots

as well as more Curlew Lapwing Photos.

Spoonbills! At the eastern side of the Saltpans we found 30 Spoonbills in one of the channels,

that then decided to relocate and join the Dalmatian Pelicans and Flamingos.

Another bird we see everywhere, but a rarity in the UK. A Corn Bunting, because they are so common I tend to forget to photograph them, so here's one!

Little Tern catching its lunch.

Yellow Wagtails..

We hunted for this one and were finally rewarded, a Collared Pratincole.

That's a great bird to end part 4 with.

A Week in Sometimes Wet and Windy Norfolk - RSPB Snettisham

We spent a week in Norfolk staying in Wells-Next-the-Sea, it's a great location for getting easily to all our favourite birding sites, although the accommodation left a bit to be desired.

Day 1 a Sunday took us to the RSPB reserve at Snettisham for the day, it was much brighter day than we expected with a surprise thrown in too. Having said that the tides were really against us! I think you could have almost walked all the way to Holland it was that far out, subsequently the waders were a long way away apart from a few just in front of the first hide:

A Ponderance of Golden Plovers, was a short way off, but too far for a deceit photo. (A Ponderance by the way is one of a few collective nouns for any type of Plover, along with "Deceit", "Brace", "Congregation" and "Wing".)

On the other side of the hide overlooking the lagoons there were plenty of Canada and Greylag Geese, Wigeon, Cormorant, Lapwings and Teal.

We took a walk clockwise from there around the lagoon to the temporary hide come screen. So that we could get a better view of four Whooper Swans that were nestled down on one of the scrapes:

A Little Egret presented itself well before flying off:

I remember not that long ago when we used to get very excited about seeing an Egret, they seem to turn up in numbers most everywhere now, still great to see though, especially when they are fishing.
After a bit of a chat with some locals we moved on to the next hide, where despite the sunshine these Wigeon ere keeping themselves tucked up.

 Also the Whoopers decide to come out and do some "Whooping" We have this on film, Tina did a great job, when I have edited it I will post it on the blog.

 Despite the sun you could tell there was some rain about.

There were also a few Goldeneye about, but proved very difficult to get a photo, they wouldn't come near the hides.

 Cormorant flying past!

We the had a surprise, there were what appeared to be three Little Egrets on the far side of the lagoon, when I noticed that Egret number three was in fact a Spoonbill!

We returned to the first hide and waited for dusk to watch the Pink-footed Geese come in, unfortunately by this time it had also started raining, but it was still a great sight.

On Tour - Northumberland - Part 2

We called in at a number of reserves on the coast south of Amble on the Tuesday, my favourite reserve though at Hauxley was closed because of major refurbishment works, opening again today (24th) I believe, sad to have missed it, we will have to wait until our next visit to the North East.

So we started at Druridge Pools, (Northumberland Wildlife Trust) visiting both hides and the screen, with the undoubted start being the Spoonbill,

there was plenty of other birds about of course, plenty of Shelduck with ducklings.

 A pair of Swallows had a nest in one one of the hides, we were as quiet and still as possible and they got used to us, not before giving us an angry look from just outside the door though.

 Plenty of Tufted Duck about

 as well as of course Black-headed Gulls,

 and a flock of about 8 Black-tailed Godwit.

 Not many Lapwings, but one patent with a youngster

Also seen at Druridge, Curlew, Teal, Gadwall, Kestrel,Coot, Moorhen, House Martin, Swift, Shoveler, Canada & Greylag Geese, Great Crested Grebe, Redshank and Mute Swan.

From Druridge we drove the 5 minutes down to Cresswell Pond, again NWT, the start here were 5 Little Gulls resting up on the scrape,

and a couple of Tree Sparrows sunning themselves,

There were a few Avocets along with chicks, but mainly right over the other side of the Pond, not good for a any photography. One little start was a male Reed Bunting singing his head off to the right of the hide,

there were a couple of females about, but they weren't interested.

In addition at Creswell; Shelduck, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Redshank, Sedge Warbler, plus the Hirudines, Corvids and Gulls.
We stayed a while before driving to the Ice-cream shop in Cresswell Village, purchasing said Ice-creams and sitting on a bench overlooking the sea, just in case any dolphins passed by. (Happened to us a few years ago!) But not this time.

Time to head north again, this time stopping at East Chevington (NWT) for Marsh Harriers and aq late afternoon cup of tea. No sooner had we made the tea when,

a male Marsh Harrier came through bringing something back to the nest, a great end to a quiality days birding!