RSPB Ham Wall

Friday saw us taking our daughter and partner down to a small village just outside Bath for a wedding. We planned to make a day of it so after a lovely lunch in the village pub we carried on down to Ham Wall about 50 minutes away.

After seeing a notice on the RSPB web site about building works and no access from the Car Park we opted to park at the Glastonbury side of the reserve and walk from there. As it transpires when we eventually reached that end of the reserve it was all open and accessible.

Anyway it was nice to do it differently! We strolled along the main path seeing our first Willow Warbler of the year and headed off towards the new hide. Of course we soon stopped for a coffee at a bench in front of one of the first observation platform. Highlight from here were some Pintail out on the lagoon, a nice start along with the Shovelers and Teal that were also there.

We carried on towards the hide, when two chaps that we had seen about a little earlier by a small screen passed us and asked if we had seen the Glossy Ibis, we said no and they explained that was what they had been looking at, so we went back just in case:

Only our 3rd sighting of a Glossy Ibis in the UK. Mind you we are going to Lesvos soon, where they are two a penny!

On to the new hide, what a monster! But it offers excellent views over the reserve, giving us some great sightings of:
Marsh Harrier

 Tufted Duck

 Bittern

 Great Crested Grebe

and Gadwall

along with Cormorant, Little Grebe, Wigeon, a Sparrowhawk and Snipe.

We spent a while in the hide as the Bittern and Marsh Harriers were showing regularly. At about 5ish we headed on to the Shapwick side of the reserve, as we left the hide we had a marvellous sighting of a Short-eared Owl, a real surprise!

We went to the next viewing platform and tarried there a while chatting to some nice people and sharing what we had seen. A couple of Bittern showed while we were there as well.

A Grey Heron gave me a nice fly by shot:

From the platform we crossed the track to the screens and the far hide. Plenty of Egrets about here, both Little and Great White! The GW being another first for the year. We walked on to the raised hide and heard a piercing call. A Water Rail walking through the reeds underneath us, no more than 4 feet away. Getting a shot was difficult because of the reeds, it then disappeared for a few minutes before coming back with a fish!

Time was now getting on and we wanted to go to the bridge near the car park as we had seen Barn Owls from here on previous visits sadly speaking to another very friendly and informative local we had just missed one! Always the way. We stayed as long as we could but had a good walk back to the car now and we had to get back to the village pub as we had booked a table.

As we walked briskly back we were stopped by a lady we had seen previously who was in search of a reported Ring-necked Duck. She told us that she had indeed found it, she then took the time to set up her scope for us and so we had our first ever sighting of a Ring-necked Duck, quite distant but a sighting none the less.

We now had to get a move on and get back to the car pausing briefly to add our first Blackcap of the year. A great afternoon, we just love Ham Wall and the area, just wish we had had more time.

Glencairn, Cape Town, South Africa

We have just come back after a week just outside Cape Town. It wasn't a holiday but at the the last minute we took our bins and camera just in case we saw anything. Luckily we did get a couple of hours here and there to get out for a walk and see what was around;
Speckled Pigeon

Lesser Striped Swallow

Red-winged Starling

Steppe (Common) Buzzard

Orange Breasted Sunbird

Cape Sugarbird

Malachite Sunbird (eclipse)

Reed Cormorant

Cape Turtle Dove (Ring-necked Dove)

Southern Double Collared Sunbird

Cape Wagtail

Cape Weaver

Common Waxbill

Cape White-eye

Cape Sparrow

Southern Boubou

Common Starling

Fiscal Flycatcher

Cape Bulbul

Other seen:
Hartlaub's Gull, Kelp Gull, Cape Cormorant, House Sparrow, Grey Heron, Hadada Ibis, Cattle Egret, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Pied Crow and African Hawk  Harrier

The Northern Lights and a King Eider or Two!

We have just returned from a 12 day cruise from Southampton up to the top of Norway. The sole objective being to see the Northern Lights with anything else being a bonus. First off we appear to have been lucky as the for the whole trip the Captain said that the weather was the calmest he had ever seen for the North Sea in winter.

We set out from Southampton about 6 hours late as they couldn't start one of the engines, not a good start. We then cruised the next day until arriving in Stavanger our first port of call. Along the way a few birds were sighted,
Fulmar

 Razorbills

As well as these various Gulls were seen as well as Guillemot and Gannet. We arrived the next morning in Stavanger and had a wander around that we enjoyed greatly. Of course there were some birds about, a couple of Eider showed well:

A pre-breeding plumage Cormorant then turned up:

It was great in the clear waters of the harbour watching both the Eider and Cormorant diving and zooming around under the water something we hadn't seen before.

Stavanger itself yielded Hooded Crows in abundance, some Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Mallard and Common, Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gull on the park lake behind the Cathedral. As we wandered around the quiet lanes of the old town we found a little area with a few benches and picnic table an ideal spot for a coffee. A neighbouring garden had feeders were we saw Starling, Tree and House Sparrow and a couple of Greenfinch.

So back onto the boat by 3.30pm for a departure shortly after. As the boat departed it raised about 20 Grey Heron from a small island, most we have ever seen in one go. Next stop Tromso in a couple of days.

We arrived in Tromso in the morning of the 1st. The scenery on the way had been spectacular as we hugged the Norwegian coast:

 Not sure I fancied a swim though

There were plenty of birds around at the port, mostly Eider, but as I looked out of our cabin window, just below us was a group of 6 duck, I had a quick glance through the bins, just before going up on deck, thinking Eider. I was kind of right, but they were King Eider, fantastic. I quickly phoned Jo & Jimmy in the next cabin to give them the heads up, as I desperatley tried to put the 500mm lens on the camera. When done looked back and they had gone! Frightened away as the ship docked! C'est la vie!

We went up on deck, to look around, there were plenty of Common Eider and a few passing Long-tailed Duck, but then we spotted this little beauty:

So a life first for us, well pleased. We saw a group then for a while hiding behind a Russian Trawler docked behind us, so sadly I never managed a close up. But what a result.

We then spent the day exploring Tromso in the freezing cold (only -5 so quite warm for the time of year!!)

So after exploring we headed back to the ship for dinner and to set sail for Alta.
Another morning found us docking at Alta, well 4 miles outside actually, right at the end of the runway at Alta airport. More on that later.
We were in a bay that was full of Long-tailed duck:

I would say there was over a thousand of Tina's favourite Duck. As well as the Long-tail there were also plenty of Eider:

Red-breasted Merganser, Black Guillemot, Gulls and this Red Fox scavenging at the end of the runway:

That night was a trip out for the Northern lights. Before that though we did get a showing from the back of the ship:

Later on we were going to get away from the city to get the best chance and boy did we get it! We were out until 01:30 and had two hours of a spectacular show.

I have over 90 shots but I won't put them all up here, probably even much better ones than these. But it gives you the idea!

We were so lucky the, as next night proved cloudy and nothing was seen.
Finally at Alta I mentioned we were docked by the end of the runway, so a little bit of heavy metal is in order:

We left Alta the next day after an explore round the very small town and steamed down the coast then through the Sognefjord to Flam. Sadly we traversed the fjord at night in both directions missing the fantastic scenery. I think P&O dropped a very big clanger there, surely they could have timed some of this during daylight!

Anyway at Flam the only additional bird was a few Goldeneye, but the main event was the Flam railway, a spectacular journey up the mountain side.

After Flam it was the long cruise back to Southampton. We did see a few distant whales one morning but much to far away to identify.

So that will do for this post.
TTFN