Diary 2008    

Dec 28    I am pleased to put Pam and Frank Bryant's Australia and New Zealand November 2008 Trip Report online today, click here, or go to the Trip Reports page for these and others. There are now 113 worldwide trip reports with a wealth of information and excellent photos available here. I was particularly interested in this report with my upcoming visit to NZ, I can't wait now. 

I haven't had a single entry for the Christmas Prize Quiz so unless you get a move on I will keep the prize myself. I'm really impressed by your enthusiasm for this and for the Forum of course, another ghostly area of the site, but one you'd better get used to pretty soon if you want to know anything while I'm away.  

Dec 27    I am pleased to put Bob Shiret's Pecasseroli September 2008 Trip Report online today, click here, or go to the Trip Reports page for these and others.

Dec 22    Very little birding to report except the beautiful Waxwing at Longlevens, always a pleasure. I have done something I never thought I would but I've exchanged my Leica scope for a Swarovski. The only reason was little to do with optical quality but the weight. Lugging the Leica around Scilly this autumn was the final straw that broke the camel's back so to speak. The Swarovski is about 2/3 the size and about half the weight and will be considerably easier as hand luggage on the upcoming Gloster Birder World Tour. Many thanks to Tony at London Camera Exchange for all his help and advice.

As you will see I have split the Sightings page into two six month blocks for ease of loading.

Dec 02    I eventually managed to connect with the Scaup (along with the Lesser Scaup) at Frampton at the weekend taking me to 200 species in the County this year. A little behind the Three Amigos but I haven't been half as enthusiastic as them. I assume the Lesser Scaup is the Lydney bird, it's a pity it didn't come to Frampton first, it would've saved me a long drive. I also put in far too much time trying to catch up with the Bearded Tit that has been in the Frampton/Slimbridge area for a week or so. It was a complete failure, Martin was far luckier and there are pics here http://www.anserbirding.co.uk/blog/?p=285. It seems to be invisible most of the time and then will show well briefly but you just have to be in the right place at the right time. I achieved the right place at the wrong time and the wrong time at the right place!

Wolves continue to amaze me by staying at the top of the Championship and Glaws hammered Saints to briefly top the Premiership too. On a downside England were feeble and Wales won, which no doubt we will hear about at the pub on Friday. This will be the last meet of the year at the Old Forge and I have prepared a quiz as requested - all are welcome as ever. I hope to see you there.

Nov 24    I haven't done much birding since the Kent trip because I have had too much going on personally at the moment. I did manage to catch up with the Bittern yesterday, which took me to 199 for Glos without really trying and I still need Scaup, Hawfinch and Jack Snipe. I'm trying to find the momentum to get me up to Lincs for the Steppe Grey Shrike, but at the moment lack of holidays and the will to sit in a car for ten hours is sadly lacking. Maybe over the Christmas period.

Glaws went well against Brizz on Friday night and Michael and I watched Wolves beat Blackpool 2-0, which really should have been five. Still it was a nice day out and keeps us top of the league. 

Congratulations on your Graduation on Friday Michael. Well Done! and Happy Birthday Dad for tomorrow (25th).

Nov 16    I am pleased to put Scilly October 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the Trip Reports page for this and others.

Nov 14    Happy Birthday Bridgette. Party weekend.

Nov 13    I picked up this via Birding-NZ - news of a downloadable book about waders called "Invisible Connections"  worth it for the pictures alone. 

"To those with broad-band connections, time on their hands and an interest in waders, the following may be of interest: "I was recently involved in a book led by the amazing Dutch shorebird photographer Jan van de Kam, on the shorebirds of the East Asian Flyway. The book was aimed at people with little specific appreciation of shorebirds or the importance of tidal flats, is in three languages (Chinese, English and Korean), and has masses of brilliant photos from NZ, Australia, Korea, China, Russia and Alaska. It is published by Wetlands International and was given to everyone who attended the Ramsar convention meeting, where it was launched. In an extremely generous move, you can download the book as a 21 Meg pdf (link below). Hopefully this will prompt you to want to buy one when copies reach our shores! It will hopefully be available through the Miranda Naturalists' Trust, and an English-only version may be produced next year. http://www.wetlands.org/WatchRead/tabid/56/mod/1570/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2181/Invisible-Connections.aspx 

As follow-up, you can hear Danny Rogers from Australia talk about the recent Ramsar Convention meeting in South Korea, reclamation, and the launch of "Invisible Connections". http://www.aqob.com.au/details.php?p_id=441&seo=Ramsar_meeting_in_South_Korea_2008&listid=334&menuid=category_id_37&submenuid=categorylist_id_334

And finally, hear Bob Gill talk about godwits flying from Alaska to NZ (don't mind his blip when he says NZ instead of Australia for birds flying 5000 km to Asia..) There may well be more interviews on the topic out there." http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95997182

Dr Phil Battley, Ecology Group, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston, North New Zealand.

Nov 02    A very successful weekend. In the early hours of Saturday morning I travelled to Kent with Andy. Our first stop was at West Hythe for the long-staying GREEN HERON. I was hoping this would be third time lucky for me having missed the previous two birds, although I have seen many in the U.S.A. It was in the event a piece of cake as it caught fish at very close range on the Military Canal. A very obliging bird.

Our next stop was at Bockhill Farm in Siberian conditions where we sought with some initial difficulty the SIBERIAN STONECHAT that was there. Eventually we found it and it was a super little bird, more reminiscent of a little Desert Wheatear than a Stonechat. Two ticks in one day! 

Unfortunately failing weather conditions made us decide to pull the plug on the Serins at Rainham Marshes, which Andy needed and it was also slightly disappointing that a Red-flanked Bluetail came on the the pager in Kent when we were nearing home, which also would have been a tick for Andy.

Today I spent a couple of hours in the Holden Tower attempting and failing to see the Water Pipit that has been present. On the sporting front everything fell into place this weekend with wins for Wolves, Glaws and Lewis Hamilton.

Oct 31    Against my better judgment I went with Paul, Richard and Andy to Banc-Y-Lord at Kidwelly (Mordor again, will I never learn!) on Saturday where a Little Blue Heron had been reported, possibly the one seen in Ireland. At least we arrived at high tide at 3pm, unlike getting on for 500 hardy (foolish?) souls that had been there since dawn in horrible conditions. Every distant Little Egret was scrutinised but to no avail. Until this bird settles into a pattern i.e. standing in a puddle 3'x4' for hours on end, I won't be returning. This is simply because the area is huge and birds just disappear into ditches and the tide didn't appear to move them off either, so it is a complete mare. Apart from many egrets we did have a ringtail Hen Harrier, before horizontal rain set in. 

Oct 23    I'm back from Scilly after a very nice break with Andy, Colin and Paul again. I won't spoil you with the details now but I should have a trip report up some time next week. The only downside was acquiring a flu-bug by Thursday, which I still haven't shaken off yet. I'm going to get some sea air somewhere this weekend to aid my recovery and hopefully some birds to go with it. 

I did manage to connect with the Pectoral Sandpiper at WWT before I went taking my County year list to 197. 

Sep 30    It's been a struggle birdwise since I last wrote. I thought I'd have a bash at 200 again since I suddenly found myself on 195 without too much running about. On the 20th I went to Sharpness where several seabird species were needed. There was a big tide but all I noted were three Golden Plovers. The next day on the 21st I thought I'd go to the Forest because there were one or two species I could pick up there and as I'd tired of hilltops looking for Honey Buzzards I thought I'd try New Fancy View. I failed on both counts - no new species and no HB's. Then it got worse; the roadworks I'd sailed through at Over at 8am took an hour and a half from Highnam to Gloucester at midday. Whilst sat there several people rang to tell me of the nice Pectoral Sandpiper on South Lake at WWT. By the time I eventually got there of course it had gone. On Thursday 25th I got a break and a quick dash after work to tick off the Spotted Crake at WWT went without a hitch taking me to 196 species.

On Friday night James refound the Pec Sand. I arranged to join him early on Saturday to relocate it and then organise a walk. It wasn't there. The only bird of interest was a Yellow-legged Gull with characteristics of the atlantis subspecies (see Sightings for a pic). On Sunday Bridgette and I went to Haresfield Beacon where we picked blackberries and I kept an eye out for migrants and HB's. A Whinchat and Wheatear were nice, but again no HB's just a swirl of eight Common Buzzards in the blue sky. I have never in over 20 years seen another birder up there but the site surely has potential and is where the County's only Dark-eyed Junco was found on 1st April 1975. So on Monday back to work and the Pec naturally shows on Monday and Tuesday with no chance of me getting there. 

At last a really good win for Glaws tonight, but Wolves unbeaten run has ended as I knew it would, but at least they are still top.

Sep 21    Congratulations tonight to Mark Hobson who became the last of the Three Amigos to join the Gloucestershire 200 Club with the WWT Pectoral Sandpiper. 

Sep 18    I received this pic from James of baby Benjamin. He says, "No matter how much I try to push Bath Rugby on baby Benjamin he still insists on wearing his Gloster kit and scowling at the Bath logo!" Attaboy!

Sep 14    A good week! I didn't make it in time for the Awre Grey Phalarope thanks to the dreadful road works at Over, but I did catch up with Black-necked Grebe, Shag, Spotted Flycatcher and Osprey taking my County year list to 194. I've had more mails about Nethy the Osprey than any other bird in recent times. I tried to add a few more seabirds at Sharpness this morning but because of the fog I could barely see the river, let alone any birds. A passage Gropper was the best I could manage.

There has been a phenomenal east coast passage of Honey Buzzards this weekend and as with the last time they will surely start to drift west. Richard suggests if you're not working tomorrow head for the ridge and you could be lucky. Get that description down though or you won't get it accepted. I've had a couple in the past but have never been able to honestly get that 100% clincher.

Congratulations to James and Sarah Lees this week on the birth of their son Benjamin, who was born in Gloucester. This makes him a Gloucester Rugby fan by birth and he will be able to avoid his father's failings in following Bath. I'll be happy to introduce him when he's older James. Now how did Bath get on this weekend? Also Wolves continue to win well and survey all from the top of the Championship, it probably won't last of course but it's nice whilst it does.

Sep 06    An excellent morning at Sharpness yesterday with Paul Taylor was rewarded with nice views of a LONG-TAILED SKUA as it went south with an Arctic Skua following a tip off from James Lees and Dave Paynter at the Trust. It was also seen by Ian Ralphs at the Lifeboat Station and then by the Beach Boys at Oldbury and Severn Beach and then in Gwent.

Can I also bring your attention to an evening with Owls at the Barn Owl Centre on Thursday (see News & Events) where there is every chance the Eagle Owl that is in the area will pay a visit.

Sep 04    I was finally rewarded on the 2nd when the Eagle Owl showed well at the Barn Owl Centre and gave me time to get there to see it, but only just - Netheridge Bridge was shut for repair so I had to go all the way around Llanthony Bridge. Congratulations tonight to Andy Chapman who became the latest of the Three Amigos to join the Gloucestershire 200 Club with the Coombe Hill Spoonbill. I think even I can do it again this year, I only need 12 and there are at least six easy ones.

Sep 01    I finally saw a bird I went for tonight, the juvenile Dotterel on the Dumbles, only the second for Slimbridge, the last being April 1975. A nice bird but a better one for Paul Masters who became the latest to join the Gloucestershire 200 Club. Congratulations Paul, it 's decorating for the rest of the year now!

The Quiz is now closed - results soon.

Aug 30    I've spent most of the week chasing shadows it seems. A European Eagle Owl was first seen on one of the security cameras at 11:30pm last Sunday night sat on the gravelled floor area outside the Eagle Owl aviaries at the Barn Owl Centre. It was seen again twice after that on the branches of trees on the outskirts of the aviary area. On take off and within a brightly lit up aviary area it was seen to be wearing no jesses or anklets and no sign of wear to the legs. Monday about six of us together with Vince Jones scoured the grounds around Netheridge hoping to find it roosting but failed. On Tuesday night Vince captured it on camera and Bridgette and I went down, but too late. Wednesday to Friday night I've been down, often stopping until midnight, usually with Neil and the Three Amigos (Paul, Mark and Andy) and seeing nothing. Vince had it calling on Thursday night before we got there. We would have liked to have seen it but have not been lucky, I can only thank Vince and Juliette for their kind hospitality and coffees. The Barn Owl Centre is a lovely set-up currently only opening to the public on Sundays as it is a work in progress since moving from Brockworth. I recommend a visit!

Today another shadow unsuccessfully chased. James found a Kentish Plover at WWT this morning and despite arriving very quickly it was gone and only seen by James, Martin and his daughter Maisie. I wouldn't have believed it until Maisie confirmed it.

This afternoon it was back to Kingsholm for the friendly against Glasgow Warriors. It was good to be back there and nice to see them win, but the scoreline of 30-8 was flattering and they will have to be much better than that next week against the Cheetahs (Leicester Tigers - Cheaters). I also can't let it pass that Wolves beat Nottingham Forest 5-1 and are top of the Championship, and yes I know it won't last but it's a long time since we were top of anything.

Aug 24    I am pleased to put Steve Dark's Uganda May 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the Trip Reports page for this and others.

Aug 22    Well the quiet period has passed with the finding of a moulting adult Red-necked Phalarope by Alan Baxter at Saul Warth, still present today. Then this fine wader was eclipsed by an amazing record of an adult STILT SANDPIPER at Coombe Hill Meadows, for which thanks must go to Les Brown and Lawrence Skipp. A steady stream of birders enjoyed this first for Gloucestershire. I hope you all got to see it before it flew south on Thursday night. It had disappeared before and then come back so there is a chance it may return or will perhaps turn up elsewhere in the Severn Vale, maybe alongside the phalarope or at the Trust. What's next I wonder?

There has been quite a good response to the latest Prize Quiz and I am closing it on 31st August and declaring the winner shortly afterwards. It's not too late to have a go. Click here Quiz.

Aug 10    A very quiet period for birds and sadly for butterflies too with yet another rubbish summer yet again. Then today out of the blue on a small tide with a bit of a breeze a petrel turns up, so you never know.

I received this piece of phenomenal news from Lee Evans on the uk400club@yahoogroups.com :

"Martin Cade has just received notification of a remarkable ringing recovery. A juvenile Magpie ringed at Portland Bird Observatory (Dorset) in July 2007 was found dead in April of this year 140 km away near Lechlade in Gloucestershire; according to the Migration Atlas the median natal dispersal distance for this species is only 1.5 km and this bird looks to have covered one of the longest distances recorded between ringing and recovery by a British Magpie."

Also 12 new pictures added to the Insects Gallery today.

Aug 03    Finally I have finished the restyled Insects Gallery. Hopefully everyone who has been waiting for me to upload pics to it will be pleased. Whilst I am always happy to receive your photos I would particularly appreciate pics of species not already featured in it. There is a limit to my site (200mb) and currently I have used 60% so I will have to become a little more selective. If anyone finds any misidentifications please let me know. Enjoy!

A couple of people appeared to have a problem yesterday with getting on to the site because it was saying Sitemeter was down (although to me it didn't appear to be and it isn't now). It also affected Paul Masters Blog. Paul sent me this fix:

"I found this morning that when trying to access my Blog and The Gloster Birder, Internet Explorer was displaying an error message. A bit of research on the web indicated this a bug related to a Microsoft update which causes a problem on websites using Sitemeter code. Until Microsoft sort this problem their end, the following solution resolved it for me from http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/showpost.aspx?postid=2247375&siteid=1&sb=0&d=1&at=7&ft=11&tf=0&pageid=2

Here is the fix for users of IE 6 and 7 who are getting the "operation aborted" message. (Via user "Ferg" on another web site.) 

Follow These Steps Exactly:

Open Internet Explorer.

Click on the menu Tools -> Internet Options. 

Click on the tab Security. 

Click on the icon Restricted Sites. 

Click on the button Sites. 

Under Add this website to the zone: 

Type the text ‘ *.sitemeter.com ’ (with asterisk and dot & without the quotes). 

Click the Add button. 

Click Close. 

Click OK.

All sites will work again without error messages coming up.

Or you can just use Firefox, which doesn't cause a problem and is much faster anyway!"

I use Firefox as well and it is light years better than MS Internet Explorer and it's free - Get Firefox 3 here.

July 28    I have such a backlog of Insects photos at the minute that I am completely revamping the Insect Gallery this week. If your picture hasn't appeared yet it hasn't been ignored. I hope to have the revamped Gallery up by the end of the week.

July 27    I'm back from a superb family week in Lyme Regis in Dorset where the British weather finally relented and was brilliant all week. I barely picked up my bins in all that time preferring a wine glass as my companion of choice. However I did have an "insurance" look at the first-summer drake Hooded Merganser at Weymouth, ticked off a Balearic Shearwater at the Bill and added Lulworth Skipper to my butterfly list, appropriately at Lulworth Cove. Pics below.

July 03    Apologies for the lack of updates this week, but some evil geek infected me with the Awax trojan, which all but killed the computer. Skip the next sentence ladies. I would like to feed these morons, that sit in darkened bedrooms writing viruses and Trojans, nuts first into a mincer. Many thanks to the guys at www.bleepingcomputer.com who have always resolved my problems for free. 

Oops! I did it again! Sunday I went to Berkshire in the vain hope of seeing the Corncrake that had been there for a week plus. Of course I didn't hear it let alone see it. I have heard one in Britain before but this one was showing occasionally and I was living in hope. Never mind, I'll get one on Scilly. Then I went for a walk on the Downs on the way home but the weather was so poor I didn't see a single butterfly and the best I could muster birdwise was two pairs of Corn Buntings. Pic below.

The return migration has started with a Wood Sandpiper down at the Trust so put away the insect books and dust off your bins. Oh and have a go at the Prize Quiz more rubbish photos posing as deliberate mystery bird shots.

June 27    I am pleased to put Bob Shiret's Turkey May 2008 Trip Report online today, click here, and Rob Miles La Palma April 2008 online today, click here, or go to the Trip Reports page for these and others.

June 22    I am pleased to put Phil Pope's Saturna Island, British Columbia May 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the Trip Reports page for this and others.

Yesterday I faired better taking the short trip south to Chew Valley Lake with Andy L hoping to see the probable American Herring Gull that has been present for a couple of weeks. We arrived at 9:30am and highlights of the morning was a female Goldeneye with two ducklings and a fly-over Peregrine, but the gull didn't come. At 1pm beginning to feel like Captain Dipper's First Mate I decided on the power of positive thinking and got my scope out of the boot. At 1:04pm the gull flew in. It was a real brute, much larger than the Lesser Black-backs that were there and with a hooked bill that wouldn't have been out of place on a Bald Eagle. The first thing it did was viciously seize the nearest LBBG by the scruff of the neck and then drove it away from its favoured perch. I took a few photos but in the strong winds they weren't great, better can be seen at AHG. 

June 18    I am pleased to put Bob Shiret's Cyprus April 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the Trip Reports page for this and others.

June 17    You'd think I would have learned from last weekends dip wouldn't you, but no not me. Because of taking care of family business on Saturday I wasn't able to go for the Bucks Icterine Warbler, a species I have seen many times, but not in Britain. I left very early on Sunday and arrived in Longwick at about 6:30am only to discovered the bird had gone (again!). I did stick it out until 9am with more Red Kites than birders for company before beginning the drive home. I hadn't been in long when I looked at the pager and saw "White Stork at WWT", I wished a plague on Orange (my mobile only works well on the stairs in our house) when I noticed the missed calls. At least I managed to get there in time to pick up my fourth County White Stork and succeeding in ending my run of dips.

I am pleased to put Mike Fox, Sean Murphy and Colin Murphy's Extremadura April 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the Trip Reports page for this and others. For those of you who have sent in trip reports, photos etc I can only apologise and say you are in a queue, and then think back wistfully to the days when the website hadn't taken over my life. It's become a bit of a monster, which some days I feel like killing. So here then is a warning to Mark Moore whose own new website is still in the bloom of youth, click here to visit. I wish you well Mark.

June 7    Following last weekends successful round-up of good County birds including Ring-billed Gull, Spoonbill, Red Kite, Turtle Dove, Goshawk and the stunning Red-footed Falcon early in the week, this weekend would always struggle to compete. The lure of a Trumpeter Finch in East Sussex proved to be too strong, having missed previous ones, so early yesterday Andy L and I travelled down full of hope. Hope however is a very short-lived feeling and it soon became apparent that the Trumpeter had moved on or succumbed. With three Peregrines, two Kestrels, a Hobby and a rabbit-killing Fox in the area hardly surprising. The Hobby sat on the cliffs for most of the morning and seemed to have a smug expression and a far too full belly for it to move far. A Red-backed Shrike at Shopham Bridge was far more obliging, but difficult to photograph in the bright sunlight, and although very nice was in no way compensation for the dip.

May 26    A weekend of typically English Bank Holiday weather - rain, roaring gales, more rain and localised flooding - curtailed birding a little. On Friday evening Jake and I went to Boys Grave where we easily found a churring male Nightjar, which gave a few flight views. Woodcocks here and at Cannop were new for the year. 

Saturday morning I went to Fretherne but last week's wader influx seemed to be over, however three Turnstones, one in beautiful summer plumage, were County year ticks. In the afternoon due to Bridgette disappearing shopping with her mum, I did my own disappearing act back to the Forest. I tried a few sites for Turtle Doves but drew a blank, probably due to the high winds even though the sun was shining. Singles of Crossbill, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin and Hobby were the best I could muster, I found a Fallow Deer fawn at Woorgreens and a few Dragons seemed to be all Four-spotted Chasers.

Sunday was a completely housebound day whilst the elements did their worse. On Monday morning I received an email from John Phillips who had seen a Purple Heron the previous day at Lydney Marsh. I looked out of the window and although it was raining I thought nothing ventured, nothing gained so I set off over the river again. Using the car as a hide things were looking pretty hopeless but at 11:09am the Purple Heron suddenly appeared in the sky right in front of me being chased by a Herring Gull before disappearing from view. I gave it another hour but it didn't show again, a nice result though.

May 19    A mixed weekend starting with an absolute wader-fest at Fretherne at 6am on Saturday. I've not seen that many waders in close at the top of the estuary for a long time. I had just left Paul T and Richard when an EASTERN OLIVACEOUS WARBLER came on the pager at Portland Bill. Quick arrangements were made with Andy L and soon the four of us were speeding towards the Bill. The weather was poor and the bird was hiding (not surprising as it had just been ringed) and it took us about five hours before we even got a glimpse. Finally it gave itself up but again only briefly. First tracked to the tiniest bush in the hut field and then in flight before it perched up on the huge hedge at the back of the Obs Quarry, giving the diagnostic tail-pumping that finally nailed it. We were fairly damp and muddy by then and it had been looking like the Ferry Bridge burger (where we just dipped Glossy Ibis) would be the day's highlight. On leaving Weymouth we stopped at Lodmoor and saw the Red-rumped Swallow in the pouring rain. So all in all a good day.

On Sunday a Thrush Nightingale was found at the Bill and Paul and Andy decided to go, again it took them all day to clinch it. I decided I preferred staying married and the Glaws semi-final was on anyway. Frankly I wish I gone to the Bill. I can't tell you how gutted I am that Glaws threw it away, again. Anyway with no time for sulking I'd promised we'd go out for a nice meal, so for the first time in 30 years of birding at Frampton we went to the Bell on the Green and had a lovely meal and a few cheering pints of Doom Bar. Very nice.

I am pleased to put Chris Stillman's Gambia April 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the revamped (by Continent) Trip Reports for this and others.

May 12    I haven't posted for a bit because I've been too busy birding with the usual manic activity that May brings. Best bird since I last posted was the Spring adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper in the 100-Acre found by Dave Paynter, which I managed to see thanks to a detour on the way home from a family outing. Thanks guys! 

This weekend has been excellent starting with a lively rarities meeting hosted by Paul and Sheri, for which many thanks. Saturday morning early saw me in the Forest with Andy L where we polished up a few species including nice views of Firecrests. By Saturday lunchtime I was all washed and clean and in my Gloucester shirt waiting for James and Sarah to go to the Bath match. James rang and said he was coming (he had my ticket!) but he would be a little late because Dave Paynter had found a Whiskered Tern in the 100-Acre (Nick must be slipping) and he had to make the detour. So I paced up and down until James arrived and we made it to the ground in time for a pre-match pint. James produced a tatty blue rag from his boot and put it on rather shame-facedly, did I mention he was a Bath fan? Wisely Sarah was wearing red, an altogether better colour. Naturally Glaws demolished the threat of Bath, no sweat (8-6 Phew!) and at least I went home happy. Did I mention James was a Bath fan? In the early evening I went to Frampton and located the Whiskered Tern much to the delight of one twitcher who had travelled from Surrey. On Sunday morning I went back and had better views of the tern and also my first Hobby of the year. In the afternoon whilst I was at a Barbeque at my sister's news broke of a Rose-coloured Starling in the Forest, but it never came to anything, and I'd had one too many sherbets to drive anyway. If anyone knows anything about this bird please let us know. PS Did I mention James was a Bath fan?

Apr 20    An excellent weekend but not great weather yet again. I went to Frampton Saturday morning seeing little other than a sprinkling of migrants and the two Cattle Egrets. I had managed to walk all the way from the car at Splatt Bridge to Saul Warth when Nick Goatman called to say he had found a Yellow-browed Warbler at the pools. I blew my phone bill ringing everyone yet again, whilst running (well sort of!) back to the car and wondering if it could possibly be a Hume's Warbler. I arrived at the site around the same time as Jake, Neil and Richard. It wasn't showing although it was singing occasionally. However none of us had heard a YBW sing. Paul arrived shortly after and it started to be seen flitting around the hawthorns and willows. Doubts started to surface when we glimpsed a crown stripe and then it flashed its lemon yellow rump. Paul beat the rest of us by a nanosecond as we all exclaimed "Goodness me it's a blinking Pallas's Warbler" (a County first). We started to enjoy good views of it and it was singing constantly. A crowd of reprobates soon arrived with many birders not seen out unsupervised for a very long time turning up. (Pic by Graham). 

In the afternoon I took my daughter to her first rugby match at Kingsholm and enjoyed watching Glaws run in five tries against Leeds and polished off a few celebratory real ales. I don't know where she learnt to drink like that! A Top Day!

This morning I went back to Frampton early for another look at the Pallas's Warbler and was surprised to only find half a dozen people present, but I suppose the birds in Dorset and Northumberland had already been ticked off by many of the year-listers. I got even better views and was able to listen to its song. It was quite similar to Willow Warbler's song but at one stage it was mimicking Chiffchaff too. With its breeding range including much of eastern Asia, north of the Himalayas and a normal wintering range in south east Asia including India and Indochina I can't imagine it had even heard Chiffchaff before. Therefore it either picked up on the Chiffy's song very quickly or it had been here longer than we thought. Further birding just turned up a few new migrants and the Cattle Egrets again, but the first Cuckoo of the year felt like a proper harbinger of Spring. Well Done Nick for your find and as if that wasn't enough he just happened to be in Norfolk today and bumped into Black Lark!

Apr 14    I spent all of Friday afternoon and Saturday morning searching for the probable White-tailed Eagle in the Slimbridge area. Several birders were out both days looking to no avail with no further reports of it anywhere nationally. Must be hiding in a bush. It was first identified as a bird at about 10am Friday after it was first thought to be a log. Then it moved and was thought to be a Great Bustard. Then it took off and its white tail was seen and it was re-identified as an eagle. It was seen by just five people flying downriver low in a storm.

Two good birds have been found over the weekend in neighbouring counties - a Hoopoe in South Glos at Dyrham and a Penduline Tit was ringed at Pit 68 in Wiltshire and never seen again, as is often the case with ringed birds.

Sunday morning I came out of the house intending to go for the Hoopoe (yes, I know it's out of County but I like them) but when I got to the motorway it was black as thunder southbound so the car just gravitated northwards towards Cleeve Hill where it was sunny. After an hour of seeing nothing I met up with The Great Dipper (Graham) and figured I should just go straight home. However we persevered and I found two Wheatears, then whilst talking to some visiting birders Graham found a male Ring Ouzel flying behind us. Then we found a female and as if that wasn't enough then we picked up a Tree Pipit too. So a Cleeve Hill clean-up at the third attempt and so long as the Hill Trolls don't find anything decent I can avoid the place until next April.

Apr 08    Happy 28th Birthday Lisa! Now I feel old.

Apr 06    I haven't written anything for ages, but that's mainly because I haven't seen much or been anywhere. Over the really early Easter I became "Frozen of Fretherne" watching three big early morning tides and getting cold and wet and seeing little. In changing tack by going to Frampton on the Saturday I missed the only good bird of the weekend on the river, an Iceland Gull flying north. On Easter Sunday, Martin made the excellent discovery of the drake Green-winged Teal on the 100-Acre, one of the best marked drakes I have seen. Again I got soaked but at least it was worth it.

On the Monday evening I went looking for White Wagtail at the Sailing Lake. I found a flock of 40 Pied Wagtails, but not the White. It was the other side of the lake with just three Pied for company. I tried again on the Tuesday evening and failed again, but finally saw Green Woodpecker for the first time this year.

The next weekend saw me back down the 100-Acre with Jake and Jon for company. We saw little other than the first Swallow of the year and a Spitfire, which was better than anything on the flashes. After I had shaken off Jake (he went home) I headed north up the canal towards Saul and found my first Kingfisher of the year, the Cattle Egret hiding behind the houses in the village and best yet three Garganey (two drakes) at Saul Warth, which were a very nice find. 

Now I don't know why I do this, but on the Sunday I went to Cleeve Hill. It was a beautiful morning, the date was right for Ouzels but I saw nothing despite covering most of the hill except two pairs of Stonechats. Then I went to Puckham Scrub and was equally successful in not seeing the long-staying Shrike or the Reeve's Pheasant.

Yesterday morning I went to Fretherne for the tide, met Gordon H, and saw nothing again. Jon called from Cleeve to say he had found Ouzels, however I had had a puncture the previous night and didn't want to travel far on the spare. So I got the puncture fixed and you've guessed it, went back to Cleeve. Well, after freezing for nearly two hours I was thinking back to the heady day when I had at least some Stonechats. A pair of Linnets was quite exciting though. In the afternoon I watched the sad but predicted beating of Glaws by Munster.

This morning I thought, I'll cheer myself up by seeing the Lesser Spot at Highnam. Wrong again, I actually managed to get lost (thanks Mark for the help) and saw little again. However as I was leaving the cheery song of my first Willow Warbler of the year made things seem brighter. Am I down-hearted? Never! That's just birding for you, the next Mega is just around the corner.

Mar 21    I am pleased to put Ian Tew's Jordan January 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the revamped (by Continent) Trip Reports for this and others.

Mar 13    Happy Birthday Michael! 

Mar 08    Just of couple of notes of interest. Firstly if you can help with this contact me and I will pass it on: 

"I was wondering if anyone would know of a location where we could film Sparrowhawks hunting. Somewhere where over a two week period we would have a really good chance of filming predation several times, and at reasonably close range (within a 100 metres). I did look into filming Goshawks but after several visits to possible sites it seems a highly unlikely thing for us to film with a wild bird. Maybe someone has a garden which is frequented by a Sparrowhawk, or know of a track where they see a bird every morning? Ideally a naturalistic setting, on the edge of a wood, maybe near a feeding station? But any garden with broad leaved trees might do the trick. I remember that we filmed this somewhere in Coombe Dingle in Bristol for Springwatch about five years ago.

This is for the birds programme in a 10 part BBC series called "Life" which will cover most groups of "Life" on the planet.  Thanks very much, Best wishes, Paul Williams, Researcher, Life, BBC Natural History Unit".

Secondly, I received this from Vince Jones:

The Barn Owl Centre have now moved into their new location at Netheridge Farm. Hempsted. Here is a link to their news page on our site. http://www.barnowl.co.uk/news.asp?ArticleID=73

Mar 06    I am pleased to put my Florida February 2008 Trip Report online today, click here or go to the revamped (by Continent) Trip Reports for this and others.

Mar 01    I'm back as you will obviously have noticed by now. Thanks for all the kind comments regarding the hole in your lives whilst I've been away. I'm glad some of you at least found the Forum. I had 19 lifers in Florida including some real goodies like LONG-BILLED CURLEW, BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD and BROWN BOOBY to name just three. A trip report is nearing completion.

Today together with Martin and Harriet of Anser UK I joined as a last minute member of a trip to twitch the WALLCREEPER at Wimereux near Boulogne. We had a very successful day connecting with most of our targets. I will write a short trip report for that too soon. I can thoroughly recommend the trip and it is nice and easy by Chunnel and probably no more expensive or time consuming than twitching Cornwall or Scotland. The bird is likely to stay for a few more weeks yet. Pic by Martin.

Feb 03    I caught up with the Egyptian Geese at Ashleworth early on Saturday, quite a scarce bird for Glos and today I saw the wild Pink-foot at WWT which now thinks it's a Greylag and then had a turn around CWP which was freezing. 

I pleased to introduce Lewis Thomson's new site, which can be found at www.ltimages.co.uk. Please have a look at Lewis's images which I am sure you will have already seen regularly in the Sightings pages.

As to the rugby what can I say - that was just about the most pathetic capitulation I have ever seen from an England team! I think I could have put a team of birders out there second half that would have held that lead.

Jan 28    Happy Birthday Donna! 

A good weekend! I went to the Glaws-Wasps game Saturday, which we won by one point. Exciting for the neutral but a uncomfortable otherwise. Wolves even scored four goals away from home and I can't remember the last time that happened.

On Sunday I set off at 4:30am for West Wales to catch up with the second-winter PACIFIC DIVER that is wintering at Llysyfran C.P. near Haverfordwest. I got there in two hours 40 minutes so not too bad. Everyone else I usually twitch with had seen the Yorkshire bird last year whilst I was in Arizona. I did see what was purported to be the Cornwall Pacific Diver at Penzance, but it was nearer to Scilly than the shore so I didn't tick it. I found the bird to be easy to see and very obliging although it was about as far from the car park as possible. Because of the weird light conditions yesterday nobody was getting particularly good photos. I just took a few record shots. I was nice to have a Black-throated Diver here too to compare with. There was also a Black-necked Grebe and I had a Red Kite on the way back. I also had a Harrier species go over the M4 at Junction 20 heading for Severn Beach, but as I was going fast and was alone I couldn't identify it. It took me  just a little longer coming back but the trip was very worthwhile and I'm glad I made the effort. 

I seem to be going back to Mordor with regularity these days - my last tick was the Pechora Pipit very near here. 

Jan 20    After a tough weekend dipping everything in the Forest last weekend I returned this Saturday. I started at Boy's Grave and quickly located the Great Grey Shrike at the bottom of the clearing despite nearby tree-felling in action. I decided to walk around the bottom edge to get a better look and a mentalist dog walker went along the top. He spent 30 minutes hurling a large stick into the clearfell near the pond for his dog to fetch, so I didn't see the shrike again. I guess it just hid. What an idiot, in the winter he's just flushed a shrike but if he does that year round it is potential Nightjar habitat in summer and I think someone may have to fall out with him. I also had Crossbills and Ravens here. Next I tried Parkend Church for Hawfinches but there was no sign. There were none at Brierley earlier in the month either so I don't know where they are hiding. At Cannop ponds I added Goosander. In the afternoon I visited my Dad and on the way back I travelled over the top and dipped Bramblings in the fog and then had my first look at the Cattle Egret since New Year's Day. There also seems to be a good population of Little Egrets feeding here, now with 20 together. I also checked the Sailing Lake in Frampton. It is possibly higher than I've ever seen it and has overflowed into the adjacent fields. Nothing of note here other than my first Great Crested Grebes of the year.

Today I went up to Cotswold Water Park early morning. I called at Driffield first and found two pairs of Grey Partridges and then on to Harnhill for possibly (sadly) the only guaranteed Tree Sparrows in the County. Next I went around a few of the pits and added Red Crested Pochard and Goldeneye for the year but couldn't find any Smew. Two were reported in Wilts though. I think the weather is too mild, we need a cold snap. I came back across the top again and third time lucky found the Bramblings, 10+ but probably many more in the fog. I'm really going off the CWP these days, it seems to be being developed everywhere. It's awful to see Pit 57 now, once one of the loveliest places in the County to enjoy birding, and now it feels like a lake in a housing estate and very few birds either.

I don't know what I've got to do to make the site more interactive. The Forum could potentially be great with nearly 300 members but possibly only ten are active. I suggest you go and have a look because I am off to Florida in a few weeks and this is where you can exchange info while I'm away. As for the Guestbook nearly half a million visitors and just 24 entries! 

This weekend Wolves finally managed to win and Glaws beat Ulster but not before making us sweat, and the reward - a quarter final against Munster.

Jan 16    Following Steve's spot of The Biggest Twitch dedicated to following Alan Davies and Ruth Miller around the world, I picked up on this carbon-friendly effort on one of the Florida lists I'm currently subscribed to, it's called Bird Year and sounds quite an adventure for this family. I'd like to mention John Overfield at this point who is attempting a birding year by bike in the County, with which I wish him well. Richard Price alerted me to this one a one-click Save The Whales petition at http://www.whalesrevenge.com/

Jan 14    A live event at Slimbridge. Click here for details

Jan 10    Apologies to Ben I should have done this sooner - Ben Macdonald has a new website at http://www.freewebs.com/benmacdonaldbirding and I wish him well with it. Have a look for yourselves.

Jan 08    A hastily arranged holiday - brilliant, I've managed four whole days at work before cracking - took me to Norfolk with the boys to twitch the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW at Cley. Just about a year after seeing 75+ in Arizona I didn't expect the chance to add one to my British list. We left at 4am and arrived on site at about 8am. We were met by Richard Millington who gave us the story of the bird and then said it had never appeared before 10:45am yet and then it flew in at 8:17am. We should really thank the Lord for this one. The householder noticed the bird last week, didn't know what it was so he drove to Norwich Library and looked it up. Then on Sunday morning he went to church and casually mentioned to a birder in the congregation that he had a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW at his feeders and do you think it might interest anyone?!!! Quickly arrangements were made for his feeding station to be moved from his tiny garden to the driveway viewable from the road. Over 1000 birders have now visited since Sunday. A brilliant bird. 

Surprised at having had stonking views four times by 9am we decided to spend the rest of the day birding. We toured the popular North Norfolk sites and highlights included five Marsh Harriers, 70 Snow Buntings, two Lapland Buntings, two Black Brants, the resident Sacred Ibis of unknown origin, 25 Twite and a Red Kite on the way home to name but a few. A fabulous day!

Jan 02    Steve Dark has alerted me to this website http://www.thebiggesttwitch.com/Default.aspx dedicated to following Alan Davies and Ruth Miller around the world on their quest of seeing over 3,662 different species of birds in twelve months, from 1st January to 31st December 2008 and beating the current record. Some of you may have met Alan and Ruth whilst twitching the Black Scoter at Conwy. I did and was glad to have them there as many birders over the years had gone away ticking bright-billed Common Scoters. As Alan was the warden and (I believe) original finder I ticked it with confidence with his help.

Jan 01    A Happy New Year to you all, I hope it is a good one and filled with lifers. 

I started the year at Fretherne and amassed a reasonable list of 70 species during the day, with a further three heard only. Bonuses included a Cattle Egret, a Tundra Bean Goose, a Merlin and a Cetti's Warbler. 

2007 was a memorable year and highlights by month in the County were:

January       The Glaucous-winged Gull, sadly not twitchable, a Bittern at WWT and a long-staying Glaucous Gull in the Severn estuary.

February     A Great Grey Shrike in the Cannop valley and an unseasonal Temminck's Stint at WWT.

March         A female Ring-necked Duck at WWT and a surge of early migrants.

April           A Marbled Duck arrived at Saul Warth shortly followed by 17 Glossy Ibises initially at Frampton and a Stone Curlew on Cleeve Hill.

May             A Hoopoe at Wotton and a Great White Egret at Saul.

June             Fairly quiet with Spring rarities lingering.

July             The floods which will never be forgotten.

August         A Spotted Crake at Coombe Hill Meadows.

September   Two Ospreys at Symonds Yat.  

October       A quiet month with a Great Grey Shrike (or two?) at Ashleworth and another back in the Forest.

November     Water Pipits at Ashleworth, returning Bittern at WWT and elusive American Golden Plover and Siberian Chiffchaff there too.

December     A Cattle Egret at Fretherne.

On a personal note I've had a busy year birding in Arizona, the French Alps, Majorca and Scilly with the occasional mad dash the length of the country for the odd rarity.  In the County the wonderful flock of 17 Glossy Ibises take some beating. In the UK there have been a lot of great birds this year, from the Scottish Barrow's Goldeneye in January via the Cornish White-billed Diver and Gyrfalcon in March, the Kent Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in August and the Blackpoll Warblers amongst others on Scilly in October. However my favourite is a bird I thought I would never see on the mainland let alone at a range of six feet, November's Welsh Pechora Pipit. I saw loads of great birds in Arizona in February including California Condor, displaying Anna's Hummingbirds and brilliant Burrowing Owls, Lammergeiers in the Alps in the Spring and midsummer Eleonora's Falcons on Mallorca. However my bird of the year is Alpine Accentor which I finally got to grips with in May after several hardcore dips in various mountain ranges.

I want to thank everyone who has been brilliant company on these various trips particularly Paul, Andy, Tony, Richard and Colin who have been my regular companions but most of all I want to thank Bridgette who I can't speak too highly of.

I would like to congratulate Graham on winning the Birding League with 198 species, a great achievement, and to anybody who thinks not reaching 200 is a failure - try it sometime! I hope you do, I know Graham is off to a good start.

Finally I was surprised and pleased to find that people have finally been posting in the Forum, long may it continue.