Wales August 9th to August 15th

   Two nights at Gigrin Red Kite feeding station.  A wander around the nature walk produced a surprising Green Sandpiper a few distant Spotted Flycatcher, Jay,Nuthatch, Great spotted Woodpecker as well as the 300+Red Kite, Raven and 8 common Buzzard

   The Green sandpiper was found on a small pool and viewed from a Hide over looking the pool and wetland patch along the nature walk along with Spotted Flycatcher. The sand piper shot off south after about 2 minutes. Must have been upset by all the Raptors around

  Two night in a campsite next to the Osprey center in Mid Wales produced very distant views of the Spring Watch Osprey's. a few common Lizards. Redpoll and Kingfisher.

    A final two nights at Towyn North wales found 3 Chough en-route nothing of note except for 3 common Scoter off shore. and a stop off at the Pondarosa cafe at the top of horse shoe pass produced Raven, Buzzard, Stonechat and Whinchat. 

    A good few days all in all even if the original plan was for a trip to Gigrin and return home but as the weather behaved we decided to move on to Mid Wales and then on into North Wales for the final stay. a total round trip of 560 Miles and loads of fun with my wife 3 grand children and Darcy a friend of my Grand daughter Skye.

HIDE AND SEEK

   A couple of days in the wind and snow at Chapel st Leonard's to open up the Caravan for the season gave me a chance to visit Gibraltar Point Nature reserve.
  On arrival A Barn Owl flew in front of me while I was still driving. Probably the closest view I have ever had of a wild Barn Owl. Not happy I couldn't get a photo. I parked up and turned round and to see the same Owl in the distance and slowly going off out of sight.
   A quick visit to the visitor centre and a look through the window towards the coast produced Brent Goose, Curlew, Redshank, Skylark a Magpie and distant gulls.
   back to the motor home to drive the short way to the beach car park and there was the same Barn Owl still in the distance quartering the field to the west.
   I parked up in beach car park and headed for one of the hides. from here I had  Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Wigeon, Tufted Duck and a Kestrel.
   Back to the motor home and then decided to walk the beach path a short way to another hide. I found Yellowhammer and Skylark and then there was The Barn Owl again just out of range. Just round the corner and there it was again busy hunting and always heading away from me. In the Hide all I saw was 1 pair of Goldeneye.

  That was it time to head for skegness to pick up the wife, Daughter and Grandson.

Waxwings in Stockingford

  A notification from Dave Hutton via west Midlands birding alerted me to the presence of Waxwings just down the road from my home. So I had to go. 

  Arrived at the location to find only a single goldfinch in Aldi Car park. The arrival Of Bob The Birder and Dave Hutton Kept me from leaving.  

  20 Waxwings arrived and sat in a tree at the rear of a garden.

 Not long after they relocated to the front garden and began to feed on berries at about 6 foot from ground level. exelent  views of waxwings. the best I think I have ever had of these birds.

   BIRDS EVERY WHERE NOT A TICKABLE IN SIGHT

  Rea, Weaver, Great Grey and ural owl to name a few all at Twycross Zoo

  A Little Egret flew in from the North West and messed about with the Elephants for a while then flew off the way it came. Possible wild even though there is a captive colony at the zoo but if wild it wasn't even a year tick oh well..

On Tour Again 13th July to 28th July

   This tour started with the prospect of buying a Static Caravan near Skegness. so we drove to the site where we parked up the Motor home and settled in. A Hobby made a pass over the site while i was filling the water tank. House Martins, Swifts, Swallows and Goldfinches all over the site.

   The following morning we viewed the Caravan and bought it on the spot, a bargain not to be missed.

   A walk up to the dunes produced very little. A woodpigeon, Lapwing, Sandwich Terns and single Gannet. On Sunday the only thing worth viewing was a Peregrine.

   Next we headed towards home and drove straight passed and onto Evesham for yet another Country and Western festival. not a lot of birdin just a lot of booze gun smoke and great fun but did find Buzzards, Green and Great spotted woodpecker, Turtle Dove and swifts around the site.
   Here we were joined by the three grandchildren and headed off for a week in Norfolk. A visit to Titchwell found usual stuff to be expected along with distant views of  6 Spoonbills.

Scotland

   A tour of Scotland with some plans of where to go and what to see.

the weather how ever had other idea's of what was going to be possible. Misty,Cloudy and drizzle prevented a lot. the high tops where for ever hidden in cloud and so we never got to go high. Still a good and enjoyable trip and can't wait to go back.

   En route from home. travel was through the night and so didn't get to see a lot until around  6-30 Friday morning and mostly birds were corvids and buzzards, a few pinkfoots and 1 Oystercatcher at Stirling on a traffic island on the A9. 

   Arrived at Glenmore Forest campsite and immediately had rested Tit on a feeder along with Chaffinch and Coal Tits. by the time my Camera was set though all that was left was a Red Squirrel robbing the nuts.

    We headed off Saturday Morning with a wander around the lanes and a stop at Poorhouse wood Grantown on Spey. had dipper and Corvids, Buzzards, Pinkfoots around the lanes and in the woods Scottish and Common Crossbills High up but nothing else except more Coal tits. Was hoping for Capercaillie hat trick as the last two time I have been here I have had a male Caper but not to be this time.
   arrived back at the motor home and my wife Angela wanted to know why a big black Turkey would be loose in the woods here in Scotland as one was just outside 20 minutes ago. now does that take the piss or what.
   We headed away from the Cairngorms through Inverness and down the side of Lochness. No Monster just a Red Kite. then arrived at our next campsite at Uig Isle of skye with worse weather and visibility condition's than in the Cairngorms.
   following morning brought slightly clearer visbility and Eider out on the bay were found along with Raven, Rock Dove and Hoodied Crows

   Hung around at Uig for two nights in the hope the weather would clear but not to be so headed south.
next camp site we stayed at was Glen Nevis at the foot of Ben Nevis and we never saw more than half way up with all the low cloud.. Did get a bullfinch here as well as a loud Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming first thing in the morning. Also a pair of Goosander on the river.

   We left Scotland and headed South with our next stop Cumbria and a site at Methop Fell that produced Nuthatch and Treecreeper and 2 female with 5 male Goosander.

   Now sat at a Midland Campsite just off the M42 and got this Pied Blackbird LOL nice never come across this befor but have seen one all white back in the 80's at a london park.

Otmoor  Oxfordshire

   Year list ticks  were Skylark, Reed Bunting, Grey lag Goose, White-fronted Goose and Snipe. other birds of note were several Red Kite, Kestrel and Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker Canada Geese, Wigeon, Teal, Mute Swan and a Reeves Pheasant.

Farmoor Oxfordshire

   WInd got really High here and it's really open . good start to the visit with year ticking Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Northern Diver and to finish time spend with the Grey Phalarope. Wind and High Water made photography difficult but a great little bird to say the least.