A few more migrants

Although I wasn't able to get to Meering on thursday to see the Whinchat, I did call into Holme Pierrepont en route to Grantham, hoping for some waders; whilst there were a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, best was in fact the 1st summer Little Gull on the A52 Pit. This had been seen the day before but I hadn't really considered that it would still be around, so a pleasant surprise.

Little Gull (left)

This morning at Collingham, there were loads of warblers around the site, but I still can't find a Garden Warbler there. It was also very nice to hear a Turtle Dove purring, albeit briefly, from the Northcroft Lane area, and a Cuckoo  calling away too. But no waders on Mons Pool!

Yankie Wigeon

After an anxious day at work today, I knocked off a little early and paid a visit to Holme Pierrepont (conveniently located on the way home). After a bit of a search, I tracked down the drake American Wigeon on the A52 Pit - although it was never close. A full fat Notts tick, and obviously a Notts yeartick too, as was an Oystercatcher on Blott's Pit.

Ticking over

I am definitely not keeping a county yearlist this year. However, I am going to keep track of what I see... so in that context, I decided to swing by Holme Pierrepont on the way home from work yesterday, bagging the drake and redhead Smew on the pool on the NW side of Blott's Pit. It was then on to Kilvington, where I couldn't locate the Red-crested Pochard; in fact a Little Egret was the only bird of note. I wrapped things up at Hawton Works Grassland in the hope of Short-eared Owl; no luck on that front, but a Barn Owl was rather nice.

Today I had another crack at the gulls at Cotham Landfill. As is often the case, this was a frustrating experience; very blustery conditions and having to look into the sun made it hard going, and then all the gulls took up, most heading towards Pykett's Pond with the rest settling out of site on the plateau immediately north of the landfill. So I took a rain check and went in search of roosting Long-eared Owls. I did manage to find these, 5 in all, although I walked past them three times before finding them on the fourth! I grabbed a quick couple of shots and then left them in peace - great birds. Another quick look at the gulls revealed that most had failed to return, so a darvic ringed GBBG was the best I could manage! L68 on blue - it'll be interesting to see where that's come from.

This arvo a visit to Collingham was in order. I added three patch yearticks - Linnet, Lapwing and Pied Wagtail, but there wasn't much else of note - 2 Redshank and 2 Curlew was about the best, plus the two Egyptian Geese again (really, where were these when we needed them on the 1st..??).

So all in all, that puts my county yearlist on 98 and my patch yearlist on 66. 

Terning to spring

A quick trip out to Collingham and Mons Pool tonight didn't produce anything of great note, however it was great to be out at dusk listening to the Song Thrushes. An evening out last night at Holme Pierrepont (before a Notts Birders committee meeting) was slightly more productive, with plenty of singing Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers, hirundines and 4 Common Terns on the rowing course. 

And having seen the Baikal Teal at Minsmere back in 2001, I've not been  feeling frustrated that such a mega turned up two hours from home on a monday... or whether I should twitch it given its dodgy wing!

I'll have a Slav

With more quality birds on Foula today, I consoled myself with a little birding between work and a Notts Birdwatchers committee meeting this evening; I headed for Holme Pierrepont, a site that is close to my office but one which I rarely visit. I was after the Slavonian Grebe that had been seen there yesterday. I located it at the eastern end of the A52 Pit, and got some rubbish pics (bad light, choppy water etc.) - a Notts tick for me.

Slav Grebe at Holme Pierrepont

Slav Grebe at Holme Pierrepont

Slav Grebe at Holme Pierrepont

Also present was a 1st W Little Gull briefly, and large numbers of hirundines - probably at least a thousand, and mainly Swallows.