Hawaii 5 0 LA to Kaui

A flight to LA and overnight at the Marriot hotel,the next morning a walk produced American Crow,a hummingbird probably Costas,before the courtesy bus to San Pedro

Arrived and embarked for four days at sea which yielded little
pelagically.

On Thursday we were 257 nautical miles from LA a porpoise obliged it was
Beaufort force8 ,late afternoon a few Bullers shearwaters obliged.

Friday the 7th a possible Laysan Albatross and Red tailed Tropicbird around 1030hrs a Band rumped Storm Petrel its obvious white rump in flight.

Captains night brought out the suits but no penguins (well perhaps one or two)

Give me 5 Green Sandpipers with Lewis and Carter

High 5's today at Maple Lodge as we tried too emulate Sir Geoffreys claim and so it came to pass in the Kingfisher hide so aptly named Paul and I grilled the low water levels in search of waders.

Here's three of the five on show but to be fair it took 2 hrs to confirm there were 5 as they were fairly mobile.

This was the closest bird but nice to see a party of them,however the elusive Kingfisher showed on arrival briefly and again 2 hrs later giving stunning views .

Not quite perfection this female did not stay too fish for the Sticklebacks below her.

Thanks for the show of two splendid birds at the Lodge.

Late August Puerto Pollensa Majorca

A wedding anniversary and birthday was a long weekend in Majorca ,the weather was fine as we arrived in Palma arriving at our hotel early evening in time for dinner.The hotel Ill D Or had changed since we were here 31 years ago.

 

On  the Saturday I walked the Boquer valley it was fairly birdless just a few joggers and one birder as I reached the end of the valley the view was about the same alas no Marmoras warbler.

The warblers name has now changed to Balearic warbler,today I had to be content with the more common Sardinian Warbler another red eyed skulker.

Making my way back another bird this time possibly a migrant showed well it was the spotted flycatcher a couple of hours prior to breakfast well spent.

We relaxed in the sun at this lovely hotel over the next few days.

This superb hotel is great for requirments and the excellent staff catered for our needs,plus the weather proved lovely but hot at times.

This is how it was in the late 50's still going strong with its fantastic Lobster paella.

Another mornings birding at Albufera marsh before leaving ,a taxi to English Bridge I entered the reserve at 9 am.

My first bird was Cetti's warbler calling followed by a roosting Night heron.

A long walk to get a permit from where I visited some hides the mosquitoes were out in abundance I stayed a while and noted the now common Purple Gallinule,this beautiful bird hunted by Romans and Egyptians now prolific at Albufera.

Some more species of note ie Wood Sandpiper and Kentish Plover and a number of Little Egrets obliged before I succumbed to the mosquitoes and returned to Puerto Pollensa.

 

A trip with my Olympus

Well I have part exchanged my Canon gear for Olympus due to a number of reasons for richer or poorer time will tell.
I made my way to Maple Lodge after some thought and found it mid summer overgrown and poor visibility.

Arrived at Long hedge hide after visiting Teal hide which was quiet except for a party of mixed ducks.

Cormorants were hunting in a pack like wolves or pike shoaling the fish up
A nesting Great crested Grebe was doing the rounds looking for fish too.

Soon a Mute swan with two cygnets obliged only one in photo.
All this was surpassed by the ubiquitous  Black headed gulls.

Finally leaving the reserve a number of young rabbits looked appetizing for our ever increasing predators.

Farewell to Iceland once more

Got up around 430 hrs a cup of tea packed the vechile and we were off,just ouside Grundafjiordur  we said goodbye to Haforn  the sea eagle.

As we were driving along Trausti explained the Icelandic Saga of Snorri the
farmer.

The Berserkers,one of which was infatuated with the farmers daughter,leading to the deaths of both Berserkers in a sauna.

Numbers of Whooper swans and pale bellied Brent on route and more
Ptarmigan coming in to summer plumage.

Arctic Skuas copulating was eclipsed by an Arctic Fox photographed by
Anna was the icing on the cake.

Alas once again no Gyr falcon for yours truly perhaps next time.

Olafsvik to Rif and Auks and Orcas

Leaving Grundafjordur another white tailed sea eagle obliged along with Harlequinn ducks as we crossed the river at Tunguos.

Moving on to Olafsvik we were spoilt for choice a variety of waders mostly
Knots and on the other side of the road  a pair of Red throated divers were absolutely splendid

The town of Rif held more waders as we walked along territorial Oystercatchers and nesting Eider gave good views.

On the other side of the road at Rif Red necked Phalaropes or Odins chickens were within touching distance.

It was now time to look for Auks and Saxholsbjarg cliffs fitted the bill here Brunnichs Common Guillemots along with Razorbills and Puffins a few showed well.

The Brunnichs were superb but were soon upstaged out at sea.

by a large pod of Orcas ie Killer Whales and on the horizon numbers of Sperm whales spouting and fluking.

Reluctantly on to  Arnastapi for nesting Kittiwakes in the blow holes was good for the photographers.

The run home passed  Lysa for Pintail not a hybrid this time and at Hoftun distant Slav grebes and divers finally back in Grundafjordur Haforn the sea eagle once more.

Alftanes via Hvalfjordur to Grundafjordur

Arriving in Alftanes the home of the president of Iceland here were a number of waders obliged along with Gadwall and good numbers of
Brent Geese.

Amongst the Brent  geese  there were2 dark bellied bernicla bernicla.
A student and the Irish Brent Goose Association were checking rings.
We stopped in Reykjavik briefly too look at the pond and its ducks and gulls.

Driving around Hvalfjordur we stopped for lunch and photographed a sheep pen and a waterfall. Next up Borgarfjordur here a number of Shelducks here.

Finally at the Berserkjahraun valley a White tailed sea eagle obiged an adult showing its white tail.

Further on 3 more birds obliged a single immature plus a pair.

We arrived at Hotel Framnes in Grundafjordur after a great day