Bonaire and Aruba

Both desert like islands with cactus and xerophytic  scrub holding exotic species.

On Aruba the cacti was in abundance as we toured the island,looking for some
specialites.

Bubali nature reserve holds a variety of species and is not far from the port.

The brown throated parakeet is of the genus Aratinga and showed well from the
Tower hide.Some duck were present on this visit of note Blue winged teal and
Bahama Pintail.

Finally before leaving I saw and photographed a Yellow billed Cuckoo another
lifer American migrant.

The West Indies and Florida Keys

Sorry been of the radar for a while busy on the golf course,so here are some reflections from
March and April.

Grenada well a trip to the beach produced a dove in Grenada but not a Grenada dove.

Prior to Grenada we landed at Princess Keys, part of the Bahamas where I managed to
see Bahama Mockingbird a lifer on a desert island.

The beach here was deserted a few Bananaquits and vagrant warblers in the Tamarisks.

Next up Dominica this lush island was one of my favourites.

Many Voyeurs arrive to see the mating habits of Rallus Aquaticus

Today the sun was shining as I made my way to Maple Lodge,so it was to the Rotunda running
all the way even.I was not first Dale Ayres and Jeff Chapman were wielding their hardware as I
joined them,no sign of the water rail today,however a pair or two Cetti's warbler showed at some
distance.

What got us excited was a pair of Green Woodpeckers feeding on the grass ,however they
were not interested in mating.

Numbers of reed buntings and robins and tits fed on the feeder,I stayed an hour before
speaking to Chris Bessant who had news of a Peregrine in Maple Cross

Latest for H2

Last night in Sarrat  away from the Denham border ,support of the waste of tax payers money
came in a different form Rob Heron and the Tea Pad orchestra played once again at the Cock
Inn.
This Geordie border and Scots mixed band have a new single out it's called High Speed Train
free downloadable soon , check them out .
Playing in Camden town soon to be demolished shame on them wrecking our green and pleasant
land, for me its detrimental to wildlife and peoples lives ,here is the track if you pardon the pun.

I  have put an audio file of the song but can't seem to open it sorry folks Steve Carter

Rallus aquaticus caught in the act

After listening yesterday to commentary of my Gooners turning to Goners it was time to escape to
Maple Lodge away from the overpaid mercenaries wrapped in cotton wool.
I walked to the reserve signed in and made my way to the Rotunda hide where in the cold wind and the
calls of Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler pierced the air.
I managed some distant shots of Water Rail then Dean and Asa Barker arrived in the hide,they
had seen Water rail yesterday and now a pair were copulating at some distance.

What can you say this almost instigates proven breeding all we need now is eggs and young,
but this was amazing after a winter of rain and miscontent.After a while the birds came closer
and performed in front of the hide.

The male was first coming up under the boardwalk at close quarters investigating the area
where the female was.

It was not long before he  was off then a little later the female obliged.

The female posed longer than her partner as we clicked away with our cameras.

It was not long before they had both disappeared,
 had we not been entertained,Rallus aquaticus thankyou.

Wettest Winter on Record

Well the wettest winter on record has severely curtailed my birding,as I think its stupid getting
soaking wet with a dodgy knee. Just a few visits to Maple Lodge and Stockers Lake with my old
mate Paul Lewis.

The Cackling Goose has been present on and off over the last 2 months,also a Bittern has
showed to some briefly.However I have been priveliged to see Water Rail on two occasions.

Here's the rail channel not not HS2 ,it can be good for Bittern and Water Rail.
Meanwhile Stockers has produced distant Little Owl and a variety of duck,but
not I hasten to add the numbers and variety produced in colder winters.

A single female Goldeneye distant in good light from the Shoveler hide on Stockers
also a number of Gadwall including a superb male.

Walking between Bury GP and Stockers produced Great Crested Grebes at close quarters.

Just off the path a Little Egret hunts the flooded meadows for food in a corner of the lake.

Finally back to Maple Lodge yesterday I thought Spring had sprung when numbers of
Snow  drops sparkled in the afternoon sunshine.

Lewis and I spent some time in the Rotunda hide and saw Water Rail and a number
of Reed buntings also the explosive call of Cetti's Warbler was close.

Today Moor Park golf course was closed but not to 200 fieldfare 50 Redwing 2 Egyptian geese
and overhead four Whooper Swans and finally the regular Ring necks.

Maderia for the New Year

Well without sounding to full of myself ,it was territory previously visited but a week away from
the wet winter was not to be sneezed at.
So we flew in to Funchal on Saturday 28th December our hotel was Porto Bay and we had a quiet
day ,the following morning we was off for a drive first to Ponta da Pargo.

Next up Porto Moniz where a singing Canary was giving it some welly as we got out of the car.

Spectacular views here along the coast, we had lunch at Sao Vincente then made our way
back to Funchal.

The next day I was on a half day tour with Maderian Winds a ecological birding group
I had been out with Katarina and Hugo before,we headed for  Machico where a single
Little Egret graced the harbour mouth.

In the river mouth  below a good number of Turnstones , a single Dunlin and Grey
Wagtails.

Upstream the water was a little deeper and a Ruddy Shelduck was amongst the Muscovy's.
which was quite a surprise.

Our next stop was Canical here in the harbour was a number of Yellow legged gulls and

a Herring gull of the nominate race.

 

Another Little Egret obliged here on the rocks giving much closer views .

Before leaving a few Spanish Sparrows obliged then it was onwards to Ponto do

Rosto this headland produced a number of Berthelots pipits  ,four red legged partridges in flight but

only the call of Rock Sparrow.

Finally Santa de Serra and its local park produced  the superb Maderian Firecrest along with chaffinch ,greenfinch goldfinch and blackbird.