Diary of a Birder Majorca April 1981

A package tour to Majorca to go birdwatching did not seem very ornithological to your work mates who
conjour up topless beautys at Magaluf.
However on a more serious note Dave Cole and I arrived in Palma in pouring rain to be greeted by a 52 seater coach for 6 people.
It poured down as we travelled North to Puerto Pollensa,arrived 18.00hrs we explored briefly beforedinner.

The following morning the weather had not improved much as we set off for the Boquer valley,roughly a 30 minute walk,after climbing through the rocks we were rewarded with views of Peregrine and Blue Rock Thrush.
Later that afternoon we cycled to Albufereta and Albufera marsh,near Alcudia at Tucan pool we saw a pair of Garganey,further on at Albufera we imitated the calls of Hoopoes (UPPUPOOP) which is part
of their Latin name ie "Uppupa epops".
That evening  Dave and I met Ann and Bob Scott's RSPB Group and Pat Watkinson the local rep for the island,also a young American called David Rosanne.
We wangled our way on to the tour bus visiting the Northern mountains,also on board were two Maple Lodge stalwarts Gill and Greta,up through the ascending mountains and boulder strewn landscape.

The coach stopped at Torrent view,at an altitude of 664 metres we saw a pale phase Booted Eagle.
Our next stop was Lluch monastery,scenic views with Firecrest and Wryneck and in the surrounding orchards Cirl buntings and Robins.
A packed lunch at Cuber res,more raptors here including Black vulture.

That night we heard Scop's owl before going to bed,the following morning we took the bus to Albufera marsh Black winged stilts were everywhere but the real surprise was a Marsh sandpiper.
Over the next couple of days we visited Albufereta and the adjacent farmland,meeting Dave Rosanne again noting Short toed larks ,warblers and wagtails,another trip to the Ternelles produced more raptors including Black Vulture,finally a visit to Salinas de Levante with Pat Bishop,thetwo Daves and yours trulyprovided waders and terns,last call for a first year Slender billed gull at Albufereta marsh on our final day.

Local Patch

A visit to Maple Lodge this morning did not turn up any wind blown migrants,but it was pleasant enough in a south westerly wind,Robins were singing as I made my way to Long Hedge a Red Darter obliged briefly,from the hide a Sparrowhawk dispersed Jays on a  Acorn  raid and a Cormorant followed a few Tufted ducks searching for reported Roach and Sticklebacks.

Two splendid Kingfishers flew by,moving on along the path a Small Copper posed in sunlight.
Walking towards the Sluice I thought I might obtain a good view of Kingfisher but my only joy

was a splendid Grey Wagtail.On route out of the reserve I came upon a roving tit flock holding

predominantly Long tailed tits,Chaffinch and Great and Blue tits.Finally before leaving
Ring necked parakeets were calling as were Green an Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

An insect was brought to my notice by a fellow naturalist the Robber Fly. Home now
the promised Autumnal rain arrives curtailing my day.

In pursuit of Pectoral Sandpiper

I was working yesterday,so Pauls text last night  saying he had a lifer pleased me.
This morning Paul took me to see the bird however it was somewhat distant which was
disappointing fron a camera perspective,but good not to dip.
My first record of this north american vagrant was at Marazion marsh in 1976 and another at
Startops or Marsworth in the eighties.
At the moment we were viewing Pec sand, little stint a number of ringed plovers some of the tundrae

race according to Lee Evans,also of note black tern obliged ,yellow wagtail and common sandpiper.
The photo is by Simon West as mine were to distant ,Lewis got a digi scope job picture pending.
Long distant viewing of the Ringed Plovers without a scope was difficult to see the differences for
Tundra sub species,managed a distant shot perhaps Lee could confirm what this individual is, many

thanks in anticipation.Thanks to Sharpy on arrival for the use of his scope be it briefly,he left early to search for his black an white cat ,last seen at the sorting office.
A passage of hirundines were passing through mostly sand martins and the odd house.

Tring reservoirs always a pleasure thanks for the show and my chauffeur Lewis.

Local patch

Lewis rang and duly arrived at0930hrs, so we strolled to Woodoaks where 9 blackbirds were feeding in a hedgerow,overhead a passage of hirundines obliged House martins and Swallows,making our way to the dump a Kestrel flushed a Whinchat as we closed in a few photos and it took off,it  then settled on a barbed wire fence where Paul and I got a few photos,along come Sharpy who only had fair views as it pushed on along the fence,after a natter we walked to Maple Lodge where a Hobby and two Kingfishers was the only highlight,on leaving met Geoff Laptop briefly.

Sundays resumee of Dungeness and All Our Yesterdays.

It was a great day as the rain was not bad enough to spoil our day,I was looking forward to this trip,
Tony Donnely and Darren Thomas good birders and good friends are a welcome in pursuit of birds.
For me in the mid sixties to the late seventies I got hooked on birding, a pair of 10x50 's  round my
neck  as I fished for  Bream proved just the ticket as I watched a Kingfisher land on my
rod.Paul Trodd and Kevin Downer were keen ringers at Maple Cross Sewage Farm now Maple Lodge
N.R.Paul became my mentor although my junior,and with him I visited Tring res mostly Wilstone,my
ex wife got on with Pat ,Paul's wife and we stayed with them in Dunstable a few times.
But what really done it was a trip to Norfolk in 1978 taking in the Brecks and East Wretham where we had Monty,s and on to Cley the mecca and Nancy's Cafe.
Paul narrowly missed the roundabout at Royston on the way back so what we had 100 species in a day
and God knows how many lifers.

Back to the present Sunday's trip to Dunge was a time warp a great day with friends the wind up and the crack,alas no beer.pictures by Paul Trodd and Steve Carter

Dungeness with Bedfordshire birders

I was picked up around 0630hrs by Darren Thomas and Tony Donnely then on to Stanstead Abbots to pick up Jane we arrived at Dungeness 0855hrs.
We met Paul Trodd a boyhood friend of mine from the seventies although my  junior he was my  birding
mentor..
Our first port of call was the moth trap it held a variety of moths and a large beetle.

We walked the reserve proceeding to a hide where a Ruff with a gammy leg obliged.then I found a Pintail,mostly common ducks obliged.Outside the hide an influx of hirundines showed mostly house martins,a couple of common sandpipers showed in flight and at rest,while passerines were in the scattered bushes.

Walking on we noted Wheatear ,Marsh harrier in flight and the elusive Cetti's warbler.underneath a sheet of corrugated tin a grass snake was soon in our leaders hand. As we moved around the reserve a vast array of species obliged of note Great White Egret,Hobby and 3 Spotted Redshanks.
It was then back to base the car park for lunch.
,
We  were soon off again to the ARC pits where we were treated to a wader fest and the threatening rain arrived as we all bundled in to the hide.
Of special note Bar wit ,Little Stint a juv in belt and braces plumage noted by Darren,then a possible Merlin flushed a Cettis from  the now named stringers hide?.
The rain came down as the Golden Plovers huddled together while Curlew Sandpiper and Curlews both  species with down curved bills showed well.
The rain eased we moved off to grill Yellow wagtails and Whinchats,before making our way for a sea watch.

A Glaucous Gull obliged on the beach before the watch ensued.The sea watching was brilliant,because everything was close stunning Little Gulls,parasitic Arctic Skuas both dark and pale phases,Gannets ,Black Terns,Guillemot also a Grey seal.

Our last look at Dungeness was from the cafe where the Dymchurch railway held it's last passengers for the day,also some tired birders having tea.
Finally back to the reserve where most of us got the devishly elusive Cattle Egret,making 3 egrets in a day.
96 species seen approx some seen on route,Thanks to Paul Trodd for a great day check out.

               www.plovers.co.uk

More Greenshanks at the Lodge

On Sunday the 21st of August there were 2 Greenshanks and2 Green Sandpipers viewable from the Rotunda hide at Maple Lodge,warblers present was reed and chiffchaff,that evening around 22.30 hrs I heard Tawny Owls calling in the recreation gound at Denham Way.

Also I have Goldfinch breeding in the Yew tree in my garden and a frog in the rockery.