Thursday 8 August 2013

July and first few days of August

I was away for 2 weeks in Florida where i saw: Florida Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobwhite, Burrowing Owl, White Tailed Kite, Eastern Towee and Crested Caracara.  This was all at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve. What a great place ! Apart from that I had mixed flocks of Least, Forster's and Common tern. There was also a few over summering White pelicans.  I also was very lucky to see hatching pelicans which was very awesome.

So my Florida trip was nice, a few birds, very hot and lovely beaches.



Back on Patch,

I had a flyover Redshank early on in July, then on the 13th I had a Red Kite.
Then after i got back from holiday there was 2 reports of Turtle Dove but considering that was the only patch bird i had missed i was happy, usually its a lot more! Wader migration was kicking off with plenty of Common Sands and Green Sands. A Redshank on the 26th also.On the scarcer front a Turnstone, Dunlin and Wood Sand were recorded on the 28/29/30th. Thats 8 waders sp in a week! Pretty good for here! I had a flypast Wood Sand on the 31st. Though after that the wader migration stopped almost completely with only a Green Sand seen since. Nevertheless i will continue to hope, Ruff, Black-Tailed Godwhit and Greenshank are all a possibility later on.
4 Teal were there this morning (8/8/13).
 It seems I must get ready for the passerines migration, I had c.5 Spot Flys feeding in a large Goldfinch flock. It wont be long now till the Winchats, Redstarts, Wheatears  (hopefully!) and the chance of something rarer!


Further afield I have not been much, but a trip to Pennington got me a Long-Billed Dowitcher, Curlew Sands, Little Stint, Little Ringed Plovers, Sanderlings and the  juvenile Redshank which caused a bit if a stir a bit earlier for being mistaken for a Lesser Yellowlegs.

I will hopefully be going to the BirdFair at Rutland next weekend which should be great fun.

Now bring on autumn!! That patch Yellow-Browed Warbler will be seen by me!!!



Cameron
White Pelicans

Anhinga

Gator!

Northern Harrier ( a very rare bird for Fl in July)

Eastern Towee

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Common Nighthawk

Northern Bobwhite

Three tern species on display here.

A rubbish recodshott of the LBD

Red Kite