tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23806936823378013302024-03-05T07:52:14.283+00:00Birds of Shustoke Reservoir Warwickshire.Shustoke Reservoir lies two miles east of Coleshill on the B4114 Coleshill to Furnace End Road, south of the River Bourne. At 1.5km west to east, the main pool is only 400m at its widest point. The River Bourne feeds the smaller eastern pool (8 acres), the water is then transferred to the main reservoir (92 acres). Disturbance at weekends can be a problem.Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.comBlogger1108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-84518330843162474852020-04-11T12:43:00.001+01:002020-04-11T19:11:18.981+01:0014th March Mirissa to ColomboAfter missing out on Blue Whale yesterday, today was our last chance. On the plus side we had the Captain of choice. Purely speculation but I think tourist numbers had dropped for a number of reasons besides the impending Pandemic, so I think the boats were rationed to spread out the tourists available.<br />
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In the harbour we had the prime seats on the top deck at the front (as we had yesterday) whilst we were waiting Greater Crested, Whiskered and Gull-billed Terns fed in the harbour as well as numbers House Crow.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greater Crested Tern</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">House Crow</td></tr>
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Soon we were out to sea this time heading along the coast in a westerly direction, we were seeing most of what we had seen before Pilot Whales and Spinner Dolphins, but there were many more terns with good numbers of Whiskered Tern and Bridled Terns. We also saw Lesser Crested Tern which was new for the holiday. We travelled miles, but at least we seemed to have a plan, this Captain seemed to be a leader, yesterday's was a follower. One of the fishing boats reported a Blue Whale so we and the other boats headed that way but without success. Our Captain having sailed a good way past turned and slowly made his way back to the area. Twenty minutes past and then one of the crew let out a shout and the boat sped up, in the distance we could see a Spout of water shooting into the air.<br />
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What followed for the next hour consisted of watching the Blue Whale dive, then we hung around waiting for it to resurface before chasing after it. I have to say that they have introduced a code of conduct to stop boats getting too close. Six years ago it was a free for all, so todays is a big improvement. Eventually most of the other boats headed back to harbour, but our Captain wanted one last look, eventually the beast got up not far from us and we had great views, before returning to harbour ourselves.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dolphins</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Distant Blue Whales, tail-up as they say</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Whale</td></tr>
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Soon we were packed and off to Colombo where we had a hotel room booked for a few hours before our flight at 2.00am back to Heathrow.<br />
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The trip was good, for my part there was only two new species, but the mammals were impressive, Our guide Saman was excellent, knowledgable and friendly, he was proud of his country and its wildlife and clearly enjoyed sharing it with us. He even managed to get Andy excited over Forest Eagle Owl and the Serendib Scops. I would heartily recommend Sri Lanka Birding Adventures, I after all have now used them twice – and I wouldn’t rule out a third trip, Sri Lanka is that good!<br />
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Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-59777112797682659752020-04-11T12:17:00.000+01:002020-04-11T12:17:02.405+01:0013th March – PelagicWe were up early where we were greeted with the news that the boat that Saman normally used was not available. To cut a long story short, Blue Whales are not quite as numerous as they once were, we had a good time seeing Pilot Whales and Spinner Dolphins and a large Manta Ray just under the surface. Before long, we started to return to shore, one got the impression that the Captain wasn’t overly bothered, that may be a little unfair, but it was my opinion.<div>
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I was disappointed as this is what I had sold the holiday to Andy and Gemma on – Blue Whale.</div>
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We had the option of visiting a Turtle hatchery in the afternoon, which if I am honest, I wasn’t that bothered about, I could not have been more wrong.</div>
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The people running it were extremely dedicated and they had a number of tanks with several species that were all injured in them. Accidents with fishing nets and boats were the main cause of these majestic creatures loosing limbs, but they, in conjunction with a local vet, create artificial limbs for them and release them back into the sea.</div>
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Also locals bring them the eggs of turtles that get disturbed on the beaches (which are crowded) and the rescue centre hatch these and release them into the wild. I was that impressed that I parted with a £10 note into the donations box (mistake). Andy put his donation in as well. We later found out for 1,500 rupees we could release one of these turtles into the sea. Unfortunately, we only had 3,000 rupees so Gemma released a turtle, I wish Andy, Joy and I had the opportunity but our generosity worked against us for once.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the hotel room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Turtle hatchery</td></tr>
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Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-15351858960601981702020-04-11T11:32:00.003+01:002020-04-11T11:32:53.176+01:0012th March Yala then MirissaYesterday, Saman must have thought that we were struggling driving from Yala to the hotel in the Jeep - which we weren’t, so he arranged for our driver to take us to Yala to meet the Jeep. We arrived just before dawn and stopped outside the park in an attempt to connect with Nightjar. We played a tape and an Indian Nightjar responded but did not show, which was a little disappointing.<br />
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Once in the park, the intention was to try for Sloth Bear so we made our way slowly birding as we went. We hadn’t travelled far when there was a scrum of vehicles in front of us, a quick phone call came to inform us that there was a Sloth Bear on the path, craning out of the side of the Jeep I saw part of it, but it soon walked out of view. We were at the back of this scrum and Jeeps were all jostling for position, a better word for it would be carnage! A vehicle behind us went off the side of the road tossing its passengers over, fortunately none actually feel out of the back, but it was close.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sloth Bear</td></tr>
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Eventually the Bear walked across the road and in front of our Jeep, it really wasn't bothered, it spent the next ten minutes just foraging in the general area before disappearing into the bush. This was not a species I was expecting to see, Saman estimated that he only see's Sloth Bear on a 1 in 10 ratio, so we were very lucky, very lucky indeed.<br />
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We checked out a few of the lakes in the park seeing a good variety of bird, seeing Pied Cuckoo which was a bird I had only seen briefly in the past, so was as good as a tick. Then all hell broke loose as another Leopard was located, the next ten minutes were similar to a ride at Alton Towers as our driver tried to get there as quickly as possible. As we arrived the Jeeps were all milling for position, but it soon became apparent that the Leopard was not in view. We parked up at a reasonable spot overlooking a water hole and waited. 20 minutes passed and I noticed that the vehicles behind us all started reversing, within seconds we were doing the same. The leopard had crossed the road into thick cover, but importantly there was a small water hole 300 yards ahead of the direction it was moving, so our driver got Position A.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YWFfLOqpOgm6aPclfDF0kErr1mg1JRwIIkl3bLBG2Jm3LPOyI_QdXeZHQwQIJEboqkq2HS0aa3W3owH5PcaDbIvc8FuDH3opM6_YRaHLM2WXv4y6IxP3NcJUsxOjZIBhTW8JxoxnaJeU/s1600/20200311_085455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YWFfLOqpOgm6aPclfDF0kErr1mg1JRwIIkl3bLBG2Jm3LPOyI_QdXeZHQwQIJEboqkq2HS0aa3W3owH5PcaDbIvc8FuDH3opM6_YRaHLM2WXv4y6IxP3NcJUsxOjZIBhTW8JxoxnaJeU/s400/20200311_085455.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scrum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our third Leopard of the week</td></tr>
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Ten minutes later I picked up a movement and this cracking animal moving into view, then all hell broke loose as jeeps came from nowhere to join us. The leopard sat drinking about 100 yards away but seemed aware that it was being watched, a German woman who was in the Jeep behind us boarded our Jeep and was trying desperately to photograph the thing on her phone! Saman managed to get her to look through his binoculars, but she seemed more intent on photographing it. Soon the Leopard just walked away and left us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3025MQWLHUBQnibv8l3YQI5yMFuWmpqpiRsg8fzldMeO75hEHwzOZOiRVsmM0xqyY5HxECj7ef-exK0i5jTDejKP47NEr3HX9NJLjnmJGDMQ2Pi0guAWB-mPwMZZ6550-A06pmCW6zjjN/s1600/L1260450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3025MQWLHUBQnibv8l3YQI5yMFuWmpqpiRsg8fzldMeO75hEHwzOZOiRVsmM0xqyY5HxECj7ef-exK0i5jTDejKP47NEr3HX9NJLjnmJGDMQ2Pi0guAWB-mPwMZZ6550-A06pmCW6zjjN/s400/L1260450.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-headed Ibis</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsWkVcUhoNXs-VmGEmBnovvMMMdYUy6B7T9dpiuk4jKhcCGYJIIQnIamVBDmSY2Ha0E8IYRLGiXBjxyyFM1kS1K8V1UdMIBoqCzo_h9c4EFKC1RRVgqkoYyft5Aj5w2Q9eb1xEaZOgCD6/s1600/L1260527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYsWkVcUhoNXs-VmGEmBnovvMMMdYUy6B7T9dpiuk4jKhcCGYJIIQnIamVBDmSY2Ha0E8IYRLGiXBjxyyFM1kS1K8V1UdMIBoqCzo_h9c4EFKC1RRVgqkoYyft5Aj5w2Q9eb1xEaZOgCD6/s400/L1260527.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mugger Crocodile</td></tr>
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We continued birding until it was time to return to the hotel seeing a few Mugger Crocodile and a good variety of waterbirds, which included good numbers of Garganey. We left the park and had a group photo, our driver who had played a blinder, received a tip from Saman, Saman who appreciated his performance asked as if we would like to enhance his remuneration, unfortunately we were in the habit of not carrying much in the way of cash. Andy had a little with him and we gave him that, I hope not, but I feel that he may have been expecting a little more, certainly by looking at his face when we took a group shot at the end.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXul57JWwik5kn9GuMIV-9RQHLPL7-8S5UMuowZ_t73XYW2FFzBscqtc7GD9FqmAhPEe2Nv35TidBvMwVbqFBbyXnAlPqxMh_mjdj3ObQO1K5qyJUB-iqrmfSs_AsulF7KNCbb2RskmYSB/s1600/20200312_094620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXul57JWwik5kn9GuMIV-9RQHLPL7-8S5UMuowZ_t73XYW2FFzBscqtc7GD9FqmAhPEe2Nv35TidBvMwVbqFBbyXnAlPqxMh_mjdj3ObQO1K5qyJUB-iqrmfSs_AsulF7KNCbb2RskmYSB/s400/20200312_094620.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saman, Joy, me, Andy, Gemma and the driver</td></tr>
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Soon we had returned to the hotel for lunch, we soon packed and were soon on our way to Mirissa our last destination of the holiday for two days Whale Watching. We arrived at the hotel which was of a high standard with comfortable rooms, the patio doors opened up to the gardens then straight onto the beach. With a few hours to spare we had a wander along the beach with Andy and I walking into the breakers which was fun. Me being me managed to pick up a Whimbrel that flew past. There were also a few Whiskered Tern and a couple of Gull-billed Terns – I wish I could turn-off on occasion.<br />
The food at the hotel was up there with the best of the holiday, being of good quality and plentiful.<br />
<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-84003764711553199352020-04-10T17:58:00.003+01:002020-04-10T19:58:57.114+01:0011th March – YalaWe had a full day at Yala NP which was a 45 minute drive on a Jeep in the cool of the morning, it was a tremendous experience, that time either side of dawn in the Sub continent I find stunning.<br />
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We soon entered the park, us and about another 50 Jeeps, we headed off onto the quieter trails and had a great time, its easy birding and species came thick and fast, also birds tend not to be put off as the Jeep passes as a mobile hide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwxlGQmng0rRC5sDWd2LtKUD02zRfx1LGrqHospNEzBk-aenqI_sWoMqPZe_d22U8y6sg3CxmvpeKU9TX2vAy3kIr3ZUgobWXQiaNgcl1HTBbR6Lnl7OKJ8weLS9Tzf1J0ielRQYC0OGQ/s1600/IMG_3282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwxlGQmng0rRC5sDWd2LtKUD02zRfx1LGrqHospNEzBk-aenqI_sWoMqPZe_d22U8y6sg3CxmvpeKU9TX2vAy3kIr3ZUgobWXQiaNgcl1HTBbR6Lnl7OKJ8weLS9Tzf1J0ielRQYC0OGQ/s400/IMG_3282.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Malabar Pied Hornbill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Du1cS3lua1S-Wa1GzHicqqxBfbunH2sBZi_ay_7iGIFIihNaBmpOzkrXvPKEmus9wk2bNb1ZD6MHfkBXDXPy0Fl9Hmk-FhlgwIYXf-A-9fWl_AmQj4ZA-qvbZybyDuqgw4YKQN3OAMjt/s1600/IMG_3348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Du1cS3lua1S-Wa1GzHicqqxBfbunH2sBZi_ay_7iGIFIihNaBmpOzkrXvPKEmus9wk2bNb1ZD6MHfkBXDXPy0Fl9Hmk-FhlgwIYXf-A-9fWl_AmQj4ZA-qvbZybyDuqgw4YKQN3OAMjt/s400/IMG_3348.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Leopard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFa9xYEnAQMZbpOO4REYXcnl-snbl6D957dwzCgrpRSdgWsJOlOa7uV-g81q_i5oJXRAVbvp405vZC5LJJObNs30YGXWfxaHUQcIU7YrHvmBQYdgJNd_7Ci423ke01P_JkrlN2LGkVbl_/s1600/IMG_3381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLFa9xYEnAQMZbpOO4REYXcnl-snbl6D957dwzCgrpRSdgWsJOlOa7uV-g81q_i5oJXRAVbvp405vZC5LJJObNs30YGXWfxaHUQcIU7YrHvmBQYdgJNd_7Ci423ke01P_JkrlN2LGkVbl_/s400/IMG_3381.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Leopard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16LxrXagqZWCDPRl07dIpOR167Drg9uaHul2hsuHbWWL-bPByi-Qem6hYLlETuNSvF0pkKuSlxxZshrlNVMlpbv5lsVVMiGQkXn_RSuFODIZ_3i0MYOPR42L_7VcL3xeOQM-dz2Lw-12s/s1600/IMG_3424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16LxrXagqZWCDPRl07dIpOR167Drg9uaHul2hsuHbWWL-bPByi-Qem6hYLlETuNSvF0pkKuSlxxZshrlNVMlpbv5lsVVMiGQkXn_RSuFODIZ_3i0MYOPR42L_7VcL3xeOQM-dz2Lw-12s/s400/IMG_3424.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Little Cormorant</td></tr>
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During the morning we received a call to say a Leopard had been located, what followed was a rather fast drive, we arrived with around 20 Jeeps in front of us jostling for position, eventually we got unrestricted views for about five minutes and the Leopard showed really well. Soon we left and made our way to the rest area on the beach as traffic is not allowed to use the roads between noon and 2.00pm?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3m3ULLiST5SCES9bKZJRe6NDlm9KjmYaZ-4jCEhdEdVJu3lqqOmfTLUvZLIQi2YSiLc7tVokrgodEylmxXd4t7KlDusKqlmQ0h0KSA9AiH3M-lb_g4Lc_awhJFVvOh6Ls_yN0pQvCso1/s1600/20200311_133246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3m3ULLiST5SCES9bKZJRe6NDlm9KjmYaZ-4jCEhdEdVJu3lqqOmfTLUvZLIQi2YSiLc7tVokrgodEylmxXd4t7KlDusKqlmQ0h0KSA9AiH3M-lb_g4Lc_awhJFVvOh6Ls_yN0pQvCso1/s400/20200311_133246.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gemma & Andy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wgUy4fHueA-QsDlGkCOBfKbOJIjHdeWWXaURC1WeDMjVogb5RJsvoYy1o_iBnewiiOGCd3IIGgJnxhXapflYwvX4GGH3qgIM2mDhbMeeVF8YsHH3DGlTINaPxWFUo7DYYMl83ZH2EiVm/s1600/20200311_133304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wgUy4fHueA-QsDlGkCOBfKbOJIjHdeWWXaURC1WeDMjVogb5RJsvoYy1o_iBnewiiOGCd3IIGgJnxhXapflYwvX4GGH3qgIM2mDhbMeeVF8YsHH3DGlTINaPxWFUo7DYYMl83ZH2EiVm/s400/20200311_133304.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joy and I</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3GbquWxYsCaYs7tpHinNzzkS3JsJ-YDI_q7Pjr9bkFWIzqBWnZfm6wyy6g-WwSy-wYLz1CqriIc7KJUrouCvQoA9GimbEC1zTowXxECrzGJSUWwTj8Z7EzJOtvjI07fq318aODqTHodD/s1600/20200311_133519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3GbquWxYsCaYs7tpHinNzzkS3JsJ-YDI_q7Pjr9bkFWIzqBWnZfm6wyy6g-WwSy-wYLz1CqriIc7KJUrouCvQoA9GimbEC1zTowXxECrzGJSUWwTj8Z7EzJOtvjI07fq318aODqTHodD/s400/20200311_133519.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Group</td></tr>
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It was rather hot and if I'm honest it was a little boring, there was not much in the way of facilities apart from a toilet. A stall selling cold drinks could have made a fortune. There was also a memorial to a number of tourists who died during the Boxing Day Tsunami. The rest of the afternoon was a little more leisurely and we parked up to stake out a site for Sloth Bear, after an hour I could tell that the heat was getting too the others, so I suggested to Saman that we should call it a day and have another go in the morning as we were due another visit. Also we had the chance of Eastern Barn Owl close to the hotel. We got back, got showered and went out again about an hour before dark. We waited by one of the large lakes in the area and just as darkness fell we found four Eastern Barn Owl which showed well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2ThIokY0oLB0goqIKJSCqkeZ06Uocn5QyqKIDuVtSNNmfYZ8SfYsb6uhpMGBPcr8c2hXxjx9XnmeEGckYCev6io0zP7cgYK_ISaP1wVPAiLBXZ6v_1Ixjt9O_y8AgS2k3otRCHCu31VV/s1600/IMG_3436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2ThIokY0oLB0goqIKJSCqkeZ06Uocn5QyqKIDuVtSNNmfYZ8SfYsb6uhpMGBPcr8c2hXxjx9XnmeEGckYCev6io0zP7cgYK_ISaP1wVPAiLBXZ6v_1Ixjt9O_y8AgS2k3otRCHCu31VV/s400/IMG_3436.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Bee-eater</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZEIZaOQ7nkpu4CBlHTyz3ipu3UjcJn6BpxbA55PbQ6N5WPJ2u_da42NFdEGXTR1wqf5wL8Uld6fYH9vbez7Ua9AprM5XR27bO2z_Aag_4eF_E3ZOG8S1D8sh-oZv8uXdTjQ4hr7l4zUR/s1600/IMG_3469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZEIZaOQ7nkpu4CBlHTyz3ipu3UjcJn6BpxbA55PbQ6N5WPJ2u_da42NFdEGXTR1wqf5wL8Uld6fYH9vbez7Ua9AprM5XR27bO2z_Aag_4eF_E3ZOG8S1D8sh-oZv8uXdTjQ4hr7l4zUR/s400/IMG_3469.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Adjutant and Painted Stork</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcXTkNJ7CDVergRDxTi6pUIjcap9IOVyGPRD54mXv89_VH8Gl9RPqTivvoX83mN1zhk7zs4BMwMkDSnVfJA7P3rPEPSHOZH3L6gLfRbDU3_2LWVgaKUOy87G2afxADeYjXgqpfUKsH_7U/s1600/IMG_3488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXcXTkNJ7CDVergRDxTi6pUIjcap9IOVyGPRD54mXv89_VH8Gl9RPqTivvoX83mN1zhk7zs4BMwMkDSnVfJA7P3rPEPSHOZH3L6gLfRbDU3_2LWVgaKUOy87G2afxADeYjXgqpfUKsH_7U/s400/IMG_3488.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greater Thick Knee</td></tr>
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-19832639356530516002020-04-10T17:29:00.002+01:002020-04-10T19:51:43.915+01:0010th March – Udawalawe NPWe were picked up early – yet again. What followed was a really good mornings birding with a lot of birds seen, before long we had to return to the hotel to pack for the next stage of the journey.<br />
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Of more importance to me was that I had my first new specie of the trip with not one but six Marshall's Iora.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CLc4Tadu8BBQXUYaJIcw3sJyn2iW_Au__25cfEOYmXUnDCpXlkL1kNTFvSikcymE_m9jpNGCfznlBapPbBEcaw3qD3lJg0KSA2kBB6yOBrzEOIrWyA1rgMhQTMARz80bNR3UNKUCNE64/s1600/IMG_3098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4CLc4Tadu8BBQXUYaJIcw3sJyn2iW_Au__25cfEOYmXUnDCpXlkL1kNTFvSikcymE_m9jpNGCfznlBapPbBEcaw3qD3lJg0KSA2kBB6yOBrzEOIrWyA1rgMhQTMARz80bNR3UNKUCNE64/s400/IMG_3098.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asian Elephant </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFysP8plKI-cXOncKY0_ug__mUANAn1Q3sP9xWxmnGGpxGzcdLH8jD661zMVdruF99fiyuM2BPMajlQkq8ogUPx-3c5n5pcFkZvCAeTkX1FwbhWqaNBQc7Xb9FWRvaBsRzR8eoatLbeuyV/s1600/IMG_3164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFysP8plKI-cXOncKY0_ug__mUANAn1Q3sP9xWxmnGGpxGzcdLH8jD661zMVdruF99fiyuM2BPMajlQkq8ogUPx-3c5n5pcFkZvCAeTkX1FwbhWqaNBQc7Xb9FWRvaBsRzR8eoatLbeuyV/s400/IMG_3164.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marshall's Iora</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOthC2SKOdLohVaGH5fUI33l3flp25_Hys7GFDN3mY193jQcM_sfXCRjW_L7WGklfOpCeZZqAWh1jqPyICQYRzJyfOdL4Tyekz5ZyKOxw77xKuhMwkMYsaIxSpJDvJQu5YTX2wrcK219X/s1600/IMG_3209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGOthC2SKOdLohVaGH5fUI33l3flp25_Hys7GFDN3mY193jQcM_sfXCRjW_L7WGklfOpCeZZqAWh1jqPyICQYRzJyfOdL4Tyekz5ZyKOxw77xKuhMwkMYsaIxSpJDvJQu5YTX2wrcK219X/s400/IMG_3209.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chesthut-headed Bee-eater</td></tr>
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After our return we went in search of White-naped Woodpecker a species that I had missed on my previous visit. We parked up in someones garden and sat down to wait at the roost site. I set up the scope and waited, it soon became apparent that there was a beak sticking out of the hole! There was also a Jungle Barred Owlet in the garden which we took in turns to look at. It was whilst Joy was off enjoying this bird that the Woodpecker put in an appearance, then it promptly disappeared. It was at least 20 minutes, just before we had to leave both birds reappeared. That left us time to get back in time to watch 1000s of fruit bats leaving the roost near the hotel. It was soon the end of a great day with more importantly the Woodpecker providing me with my second and last tick of the holiday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSCHDOS-BAiZetBVfKUfw4yndDe4IBHjFLp_WjYb8rCAsNg8FFI0gpe_lOu23KL9eHiYJAEQe70XFZJ5YLjMPIOPoPzcptIuuOHrkCcfBLra3uUB2OtS1p33iKzb5yTfcl0CxKnaei1Lj/s1600/L1260491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSCHDOS-BAiZetBVfKUfw4yndDe4IBHjFLp_WjYb8rCAsNg8FFI0gpe_lOu23KL9eHiYJAEQe70XFZJ5YLjMPIOPoPzcptIuuOHrkCcfBLra3uUB2OtS1p33iKzb5yTfcl0CxKnaei1Lj/s400/L1260491.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-naped Woodpecker</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjFNUFsHo63sjraav3i_uXOXyShN-mRjLPDsdf_EMcBIXC7AWgZmwYjd1TdZhhL2h9W9ctY8wYiv49CZJCIjVI_xz50RvJrctjRMcbJvTTo8W7iik62QzPHT5m9_8_Px3OAwqRnaNpSlm/s1600/L1260492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjFNUFsHo63sjraav3i_uXOXyShN-mRjLPDsdf_EMcBIXC7AWgZmwYjd1TdZhhL2h9W9ctY8wYiv49CZJCIjVI_xz50RvJrctjRMcbJvTTo8W7iik62QzPHT5m9_8_Px3OAwqRnaNpSlm/s400/L1260492.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barred Jungle Owlet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoKfh7t3rLyP-RLUX10Ih9CrFimw4rP_8ZwRNz6T45IFDh_jC5ULkueCU9i0K2assiszybjdmIUCyCLewO-bva034C7ep-NEvu4vB6Q-EobUyb-hz-2JDJ_8If1_Tc_jT8g3zmzjjDqWs/s1600/L1260508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoKfh7t3rLyP-RLUX10Ih9CrFimw4rP_8ZwRNz6T45IFDh_jC5ULkueCU9i0K2assiszybjdmIUCyCLewO-bva034C7ep-NEvu4vB6Q-EobUyb-hz-2JDJ_8If1_Tc_jT8g3zmzjjDqWs/s400/L1260508.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-naped Woodpecker</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi91m0Uiezsp67A_zBBKYlU5sU58OKekp1B9m19tWqQXKbA29R65RLPedWo9mnBvZj_Aw6HPjSzyo7GPsX43IG_UMIEW9VoDTLROxsDUWAPFcvwt8QM9syzmwDkF7yGbskuDHleculC7eO/s1600/20200310_161746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi91m0Uiezsp67A_zBBKYlU5sU58OKekp1B9m19tWqQXKbA29R65RLPedWo9mnBvZj_Aw6HPjSzyo7GPsX43IG_UMIEW9VoDTLROxsDUWAPFcvwt8QM9syzmwDkF7yGbskuDHleculC7eO/s400/20200310_161746.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Fast Food – achoo</td></tr>
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Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-9445632024228008562020-04-10T17:16:00.000+01:002020-04-11T10:49:44.173+01:00Monday 9th MarchWe started off with a pre breakfast visit to the entrance to Sinharaja Forest Reserve mainly to have another look at Sri Lankan Blue Magpie which had proved rather elusive on our walks, the only ones we had seen were in the same place on our first day at Sinharaja. Despite a coach load of locals who all wanted to sit by the feeders we managed to see a couple plus a Sri Lankan Grey Hornbill. Unfortunately as it was quite early the light was not good enough for photography.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_AEI-iVmsB_sTDoJI63vpDotv2E5vrrv44aHYVnueoV5VRqtFVz-tUFCAxrC99din1sN_zvr2-IHFYtdBda3RxhIHCmyKot1l19TSE7dKxnLmwbM3gjDrDIiOUMjLRAXGadGVrSyj18N/s1600/IMG_3001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0_AEI-iVmsB_sTDoJI63vpDotv2E5vrrv44aHYVnueoV5VRqtFVz-tUFCAxrC99din1sN_zvr2-IHFYtdBda3RxhIHCmyKot1l19TSE7dKxnLmwbM3gjDrDIiOUMjLRAXGadGVrSyj18N/s400/IMG_3001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sri Lankan Grey Hornbill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtI_Jala2U4wepK9NNTCdGhtEKwpzzSgGkroMyFTvK2DNA_2YoK_4dtuiOLtMXPzTdwtO1Ts-3BItXu48AiXprU7nSaAc9g9AKE9q0u32UMJdtrt5zE-JjPQS16C2EAQxRdBCKtc1PJfBp/s1600/L1260442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1449" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtI_Jala2U4wepK9NNTCdGhtEKwpzzSgGkroMyFTvK2DNA_2YoK_4dtuiOLtMXPzTdwtO1Ts-3BItXu48AiXprU7nSaAc9g9AKE9q0u32UMJdtrt5zE-JjPQS16C2EAQxRdBCKtc1PJfBp/s400/L1260442.jpg" width="361" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sri Lankan Blue Magpie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnKK2NrRRvveM1KoYgTlcH-4Z9bbKY5SVe1VvSGcmQ2qutvUOrnbCdC6uV-WQJYXSnWAnk-wjE3fiM0ZWrfM01WKeWmCzQoJAFMGbRfm_NcFMQ-8yOXEI8Iv_BE4EmUVygAswLjjcOL30/s1600/20200309_065816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnKK2NrRRvveM1KoYgTlcH-4Z9bbKY5SVe1VvSGcmQ2qutvUOrnbCdC6uV-WQJYXSnWAnk-wjE3fiM0ZWrfM01WKeWmCzQoJAFMGbRfm_NcFMQ-8yOXEI8Iv_BE4EmUVygAswLjjcOL30/s400/20200309_065816.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sinharaja Entrance</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6rH_vplUXnVvaRj1sx2QgpVcmmKBtjCbzJ7SD6jO9fPhyzg8N0c-jkBuiQIfVKLbMzlOylm-q_e5gPFWkzR9_4TO8BX4goTkHXQhOSCnusEv7R_vVpuY4jHadoW2DC0jdyXu5sHn4olv/s1600/IMG-20200309-WA0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ6rH_vplUXnVvaRj1sx2QgpVcmmKBtjCbzJ7SD6jO9fPhyzg8N0c-jkBuiQIfVKLbMzlOylm-q_e5gPFWkzR9_4TO8BX4goTkHXQhOSCnusEv7R_vVpuY4jHadoW2DC0jdyXu5sHn4olv/s400/IMG-20200309-WA0001.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Blue Magpie Lodge</td></tr>
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Soon we were off with a trip to an Elephant relocation centre on the way to our next destination. The others enjoyed the parade of Elephants while Saman and I slipped away, as he had an Indian Scops Owl to show me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo0BM0kLAmrR7Rt9Gmua9KP4M7rBqfL_X4-NUe-LBo0LgWNdENOEHMqWUGncU6WdITGi9LQv39CgrwbpP2q3GL1QUCatME7Kk3YgpS9Xn7s843LL3sfGH2-rm2tX81_1qoazyea_R57DM/s1600/IMG_3035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWo0BM0kLAmrR7Rt9Gmua9KP4M7rBqfL_X4-NUe-LBo0LgWNdENOEHMqWUGncU6WdITGi9LQv39CgrwbpP2q3GL1QUCatME7Kk3YgpS9Xn7s843LL3sfGH2-rm2tX81_1qoazyea_R57DM/s400/IMG_3035.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Scops Owl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DhptBNb6-pEgPRiv_WiHotMg19JVYvITzWElYDZQqG3SuBfrsKyUq01em5yNKWMakU-2UOZ5HtVlxOLiVyUUoqiaVNayiZgtY73hAH8k5uEdr3ijUJugKg7bkE7pHzNifj1yvJ5mZkso/s1600/IMG-20200309-WA0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DhptBNb6-pEgPRiv_WiHotMg19JVYvITzWElYDZQqG3SuBfrsKyUq01em5yNKWMakU-2UOZ5HtVlxOLiVyUUoqiaVNayiZgtY73hAH8k5uEdr3ijUJugKg7bkE7pHzNifj1yvJ5mZkso/s400/IMG-20200309-WA0007.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This time a little more cryptic</td></tr>
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We arrived at our hotel which was luxurious, Saman want to take us birding later, but as he only lived a few miles away I told him not to bother and just go home for the evening, he was very reluctant but I insisted, there was a nice pool and we all needed a break. There was an large area of scrub and a lake within walking distance so I told him if I felt the need to go birding I would enjoy identifying birds on my own for an hour. At the time I had no intention of birding, but later in the afternoon Andy said he fancied going for a walk. We walked from the hotel seeing a good variety of waterbirds before heading into the scrubby area for an hour. We did really well seeing a good variety of birds in a short period including Barred Buttonquail which was a real bonus.<br />
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-70637044643967980912020-04-10T16:18:00.001+01:002020-04-10T18:25:17.945+01:00Sunday 8th MarchAt breakfast this morning we were joined a Cinnamon Bittern in the dinning area, it eventually flew off, but was remarkable small when seen out of its preferred habitat.<br />
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We had another trip into the rainforest with the Jeep picking us up early. It was a very similar day to yesterday, but we saw more of the endemics such as Red-faced Malkoha and Ashy-headed Laughingthrush really well. In a way it was better and yesterday, a little more relaxed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW6ExnpksrDtCK1IdQ8ms7CgLjZSJrvxwcBe238F7WKmITJpsW3jPDbaqVRPibFGWGNrbgu1cwu7mLo3VAGuDx0Ww8z4A2VGkDzYKPhutMuqcMqxWJB1pvdKuxh3lbblPHKNxWahrvq5c/s1600/IMG_2901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCW6ExnpksrDtCK1IdQ8ms7CgLjZSJrvxwcBe238F7WKmITJpsW3jPDbaqVRPibFGWGNrbgu1cwu7mLo3VAGuDx0Ww8z4A2VGkDzYKPhutMuqcMqxWJB1pvdKuxh3lbblPHKNxWahrvq5c/s400/IMG_2901.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-capped Bulbul</td></tr>
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After lunch the resident guide who had been unsuccessful during the morning in trying to locate Serendib Scops Owl went to try another roost site whilst we searched again for Scaly Thrush. I tried as best as I could to explain to Saman that the Thrush didn’t matter as I had seen one before, but his profession pride wouldn’t allow such a relaxed approach!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjZ4-TiUTWL07fUTzxHrMcosCFCHI8Cs2blwWZ4mY7EWYyyhKzUHOrJVuPIRxJ8yaRvciN3qiMrpLE76y4gVHwGDs4BIKHC_e03FP6jHDSXwfm7TRxwHqa0NhD6zu-YrqBM4mlomjuieY/s1600/L1260399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjZ4-TiUTWL07fUTzxHrMcosCFCHI8Cs2blwWZ4mY7EWYyyhKzUHOrJVuPIRxJ8yaRvciN3qiMrpLE76y4gVHwGDs4BIKHC_e03FP6jHDSXwfm7TRxwHqa0NhD6zu-YrqBM4mlomjuieY/s400/L1260399.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serendib Scops Owl</td></tr>
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Our guide reappeared sporting a broad grin and announced he had located an Owl. What followed was hard at the time but magical in retrospect. We had to walk through thick cover following a faint path through the jungle, clambering through the underground, up and down muddy banks until we arrived at the roost site. It was that cramped for space that we could only view the bird one at a time. Everyone seemed really chuffed to eventually see it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXHGE3k4Sd8YkgFk4Xxi5YWJ698x-oNiz_94vd7ekEsRnaUF_b0SrugmEwrz4EvByIc5YZ0z0-3dt5OEJk6TrbnrPbG5zt6f7Uqhyphenhyphen98TyMof6xz2-GPNtQnWLL2nuwcVFyq0UPbRQzGpw/s1600/20200308_111057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1265" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXHGE3k4Sd8YkgFk4Xxi5YWJ698x-oNiz_94vd7ekEsRnaUF_b0SrugmEwrz4EvByIc5YZ0z0-3dt5OEJk6TrbnrPbG5zt6f7Uqhyphenhyphen98TyMof6xz2-GPNtQnWLL2nuwcVFyq0UPbRQzGpw/s400/20200308_111057.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">My second Serendib Scops Owl<br />
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We had an enjoyable rest of the day and after we arrived back at the Blue Magpie Saman asked me if I would like to see another Serendib Scops Owl and Green-billed Coucal – ? For whatever reason none of the other wanted to join me. I think tiredness and a relief that there were no more Leeches for the rest of the holiday had lulled them in to a false sense of security – they were staying put!<br />
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We drove a couple of miles and then we started to make our way up a sleep slope of around 250 yards, then there was the quarry roosting about four foot of the ground oblivious to our presence. We then visited an area quite close to the Blue Magpie where the impressive Green-billed Coucal put on a great performance.</div>
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Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-33785887686603398922020-04-10T15:49:00.003+01:002020-04-10T19:45:58.422+01:00Saturday 7th March<br />
Sinaraja Rainforest<br />
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We were up early for breakfast then met the Jeep that was to take us uphill to where we would enjoy a days birding. At the entrance we had to wait for the office to open to obtain tickets, but whilst we waited a couple of Blue Magpie visited the feeders and there was an Indian Blue Robin showing really well.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLottMLkECrNTRKNkrecnOqVPZhf5zKbVE5OluFAYSn0VskI3O2EEFrjeapA_jFroL9tWzMalMcq-np9KRuYutXkgmCEuD-6vSNqi_5GGvaItOKOdrfz0STwY3UJiSmscSsb_7hL1_VJl/s1600/20200307_140607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLottMLkECrNTRKNkrecnOqVPZhf5zKbVE5OluFAYSn0VskI3O2EEFrjeapA_jFroL9tWzMalMcq-np9KRuYutXkgmCEuD-6vSNqi_5GGvaItOKOdrfz0STwY3UJiSmscSsb_7hL1_VJl/s400/20200307_140607.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sri Lankan Junglefowl</td></tr>
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Soon we were making our way uphill to the entrance proper. We stopped half way up where a local had created a screen from which Sri Lanka Junglefowl and hopefully Sri Lanka Scrubfowl fed. We gave it an hour and had good views of Junglefowl and Emerald Dove but we had to leave.<br />
Gemma notice that the back of Joys shirt had blood coming through, on pulling up her shirt a bloated leech dropped out. There was a little mild panic, but I could not see where the leech had bitten her as there was no obvious wound. More worrying we couldn't find the leech! Five minutes later Andy noticed Joy had blood coming through the front of her shirt! Joy by this time was a little distressed and Gemma was one or two notches higher than that. Saman stopped the vehicle at a restaurant of sorts and managed to get access to a room where Gemma took over and took Joy inside for a closer examination. Fortunately they were both Leech free, it transpired that the Leech had its fill around the front and in trying to get away had gotten trapped between joy and the back rest, this forced some blood out which accounted for the blood on her back!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBb-xtLLOa0CU-UqIqDL2rJ3vJYXiL15eOMXEwudWje6qo-mphebo6HAeAkDuP-R_hJlozzavukVWZGlyB83voxHuoTkKTUSLEoajkTdQKdBXPy3FYkgjm9cs2LubcHZFGPtjEsbg1WhC/s1600/IMG_2937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBb-xtLLOa0CU-UqIqDL2rJ3vJYXiL15eOMXEwudWje6qo-mphebo6HAeAkDuP-R_hJlozzavukVWZGlyB83voxHuoTkKTUSLEoajkTdQKdBXPy3FYkgjm9cs2LubcHZFGPtjEsbg1WhC/s400/IMG_2937.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sri Lankan Frogmouth</td></tr>
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However we enjoyed a good mornings birding along the track, with great views of Sri Lankan Frogmouth, but it was hot and certain members of the group who shall remain nameless were more concerned with Leeches than birds! We saw several endemics but struggled with Sri Lankan Scaly Thrush. We clambered through thick vegetation in search of them and I had to leave my scope, so I hung my hat on the scope as it was getting in the way. Over the next hour we managed to miss the birds, although at one point they flew past us, we heard them and got the briefest of views. I could tell the others were tired, so we retired to the rest area, I picked up my scope and went to replace my hat I noticed a leech inside it!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1McI9IdmI3TXG7wTnsnNKf1_qHovAySqCzLktq3rptC6fBWwNnz6x7r_ySP-98xEprZkAdXmqFSqbvVwGEld1JKuzMvSlRSelxgXjjj9KDM5qBUTIfL4tkaIsN4tqQglxN0rlngUtIgFY/s1600/IMG_2950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1McI9IdmI3TXG7wTnsnNKf1_qHovAySqCzLktq3rptC6fBWwNnz6x7r_ySP-98xEprZkAdXmqFSqbvVwGEld1JKuzMvSlRSelxgXjjj9KDM5qBUTIfL4tkaIsN4tqQglxN0rlngUtIgFY/s400/IMG_2950.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water Monitor</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrJz1o-KyQsBzFNR-JiW8rvr_V9j47M_8tVxbS3Djmaz2AjSjXlQmIl3BP6KgMlbrIJaj2GkNXcDa8F62bOPj9slOr-dob6hWg3QNq1ezOWSLwtJ4Gm6dn8aTCu4Zs4g0frJEuWrGzOu5/s1600/L1260278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrJz1o-KyQsBzFNR-JiW8rvr_V9j47M_8tVxbS3Djmaz2AjSjXlQmIl3BP6KgMlbrIJaj2GkNXcDa8F62bOPj9slOr-dob6hWg3QNq1ezOWSLwtJ4Gm6dn8aTCu4Zs4g0frJEuWrGzOu5/s400/L1260278.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Pit Viper</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-naped Monarch</td></tr>
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The rest of the day was spent birding back along the trail, later than afternoon Saman and I went birding on our own, we had a walk along the road with the best bird a Crested Serpent Eagle just outside of the Blue Magpie.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crested Serpent Eagle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sri Lankan Green Pigeon</td></tr>
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By this time we had been on the go solid for three days and we were all knackered. I was literally falling asleep eating dinner, so as soon as we got to the room I was away. Within five minutes Joy woke me up to remove a large beetle from the bathroom. I got a glass and deposited the thing outside. I had no sooner dropped off again than Andy appeared knocking on the door of the room. Saman he said had found a Forest Eagle Owl and told me to fetch you. With that we quickly dressed and were soon watching this majestic creature whilst it sat on top of one of the largest trees in the garden. Unfortunately it had its back to us, but still it was a big boy, I fetched my scope and a steady stream of people took a turn at looking at the bird. Saman was in his element so we left him and my scope and went to bed again. Ten minutes later the door was knocked again, quick come its turned around. We got dressed again but by the time we got there it had flown off! I slept like a log.<br />
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Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-50210010391913756212020-04-10T15:17:00.000+01:002020-04-10T19:38:31.269+01:00Friday 6th MarchWe were up early as is always the case for a pre breakfast birding session. This involved birding in the grounds of the local village. We crossed the river via a rather dodgy bridge that I remember from last time, although I was concentrating on where I was walking Saman pointed out a couple of Asian Openbill sat in a tree downstream – was I bothered!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5ZnUWL_adl4w6Fg_jjNyoLnuepQJ8QUgrawMzvddSAh9hD0mSI3S4A6NLXqPRb6M2OO2GvqioiZN6dKYWDFXdqntvyICeiNiMWikbaqLxYV1YNvihRi2I1mQioIfqUuv5hw0hxA7xF5K/s1600/20200306_062344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5ZnUWL_adl4w6Fg_jjNyoLnuepQJ8QUgrawMzvddSAh9hD0mSI3S4A6NLXqPRb6M2OO2GvqioiZN6dKYWDFXdqntvyICeiNiMWikbaqLxYV1YNvihRi2I1mQioIfqUuv5hw0hxA7xF5K/s400/20200306_062344.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy and Gemma on the bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9lv7ayh_CCMstU0Hg8boWgOTCM5qWsEhVONNohPLq8_UesWGXELUankSdh-fyiNcQyrWBV_JPqIelQnnu1-RrMJvYfsiaerLgGjY91Ih4B7MLv-WJ8hrPRHp5BAl4HhNCvMYZ8QqdWef/s1600/20200306_082558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9lv7ayh_CCMstU0Hg8boWgOTCM5qWsEhVONNohPLq8_UesWGXELUankSdh-fyiNcQyrWBV_JPqIelQnnu1-RrMJvYfsiaerLgGjY91Ih4B7MLv-WJ8hrPRHp5BAl4HhNCvMYZ8QqdWef/s400/20200306_082558.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bridge</td></tr>
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After crossing the river we stopped in a clearing and saw a good variety of birds including the impressive Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, we saw numerous other birds. Eventually we carried on birding as we went. I had taken my scope, but being rather tired, not to mention advance years, I was regretting taking it. Saman asked if we would like to see an Indian Pitta, "Yes Please" I've seen them before, but they are notorious skulkers, so the chance of a good view appealed.<br />
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Saman spoke to a local man whose house was rather basic and we were invited in to what passed as a back garden, but was little more than a clearing in the jungle. As we stood there the bird was calling and showed briefly, before getting closer in response to a play back, I could see the bird in deepish cover at about 40 yards distance. Saman offered to fetch my scope which I had left at the front of the house. He was so helpful, that, although I thought there would be no chance of any photographs I felt I would disappoint him if I said no.<br />
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He dually arrived with my scope which I set up and took a couple of shots which picked up part of the bird but not a lot else. Then Saman played the call again and lo and behold the bird flew in no more than 10 yards away and sat there looking at us. It really was amazing views, plus it stayed there and allowed me to photograph it. My scope had my camera and four different phones on it during the next ten minutes!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvQDw3e33KDiL1V8IBqQEWhZ2LxYx9afun4BNTI-s_bhFevi6-PLPfeBE5HTed1PW-OvF-YdL7CaGRJRGQpnkVwLh5zutsh1r_M1tFR-1uP4mNf19q2Bimh8MAdFtPKnB6e2eYtW_7-NM/s1600/tmp-3202975750-H8ZUdL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="774" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvQDw3e33KDiL1V8IBqQEWhZ2LxYx9afun4BNTI-s_bhFevi6-PLPfeBE5HTed1PW-OvF-YdL7CaGRJRGQpnkVwLh5zutsh1r_M1tFR-1uP4mNf19q2Bimh8MAdFtPKnB6e2eYtW_7-NM/s400/tmp-3202975750-H8ZUdL.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">India Pitta</td></tr>
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Saman later approached me to get my thoughts on tipping and whether we wanted to tip the hotel staff and others. I explained that whilst I had no problem tipping I would be happier if I gave him money and asked him how much it would cost to cover everything. We agreed a figure with the proviso that he came back to me if it ran out. He explained that he liked to spread the money out, giving everyone a stake and a financial interest in the bird. I hadn't realised that he had tipped the guy who's garden we had been watching the Pitta. I suppose if he gets a bung for every group he's happy and has an interest in the bird.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTysxUCIIX3V5x1K1bBUC4sa0jTrk-w6YL8vhI8HYBo-2y3FlsiG39z3X51mnJqsdKZ6mMI17I4Z5P7Q-BQpYynrUhIQxg4sRhYhyphenhyphen_sQxf0jm-l4-n6idMsmvRafHrCckt6I1ACE1QZcI7/s1600/L1260252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTysxUCIIX3V5x1K1bBUC4sa0jTrk-w6YL8vhI8HYBo-2y3FlsiG39z3X51mnJqsdKZ6mMI17I4Z5P7Q-BQpYynrUhIQxg4sRhYhyphenhyphen_sQxf0jm-l4-n6idMsmvRafHrCckt6I1ACE1QZcI7/s400/L1260252.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tickell’s Flycatcher</td></tr>
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After breakfast we caught a ferry across the river to visit the Kitagula Forest Reserve. What followed was a pleasant hours birding although we failed to see the target species Serendib Scops Owl, Saman went off in search but returned half an hour later having failed to locate one. He explained that other guides under pressure from "'togs" had gardened around the sites removing vegetation to get better photographs and the birds where now much harder to locate. We saw several good species including Malabar Trogan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malabar Trogan</td></tr>
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We returned to the Hotel for lunch and departure, then followed a long drive to what was to be the highlight of the trip The Blue Magpie lodge. It was a long drive and we arrived just after dark. I had explained to Andy and Gemma that the Blue Magpie was a little basic, but since my last visit it has been upgraded and is much better with all rooms now having Air Conditioning. The dining area has been expanded and the food was to the usual standard – good but basic.<br />
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-32302194277741497612020-03-18T10:34:00.000+00:002020-03-18T10:34:54.110+00:00Sri Lanka - Day 1THURSDAY – MARCH 5th<br />
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It was with a mixture of surprise and excitement when my youngest son approached me about participating in a Wildlife Holiday with Joy and I, plus his partner Gemma. Since adolescence his interest in birds has been minimal, so I was a little concerned he may get bored if it was largely a birding holiday. We had quite a debate before deciding on Sri Lanka, mainly as it provided the opportunity for a Safari like break with a good variety of mammals, mixed with some birding.<br />
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Joy and I visited Sri Lanka in 2014 having a great time and seeing all the endemics, we didn’t do quite so well with mammals missing out on Leopard. As we were limited to ten days we decided that we would omit traveling to Horton Plains and Kandy. Not only would it cut down on the travelling but would give us more time in the National Parks.<br />
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We partook an afternoon drive to Heathrow to catch our 8.40pm flight to Colombo, everything went like clockwork (it usually does when Joy organises things). The flight was 10 hours and none of us slept much so we arrived a little dishevelled. Once we cleared customs we met our guide Saman Gamage, who at 6ft was tall for a Sri Lankan. He was enthusiastic and keen to get started, as we waited for the mini bus he pointed out our first birds with Oriental Magpie Robin and House Crow.<br />
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Soon we were packed and on our way, mercifully the bus was equipped with very effective Air Conditioning. Our first destination was the Plantation Hotel, Kitulgala – a three hour drive. Before long we were being shown to our rooms where we showered and rested before we met at 5.00pm for a little birding.<br />
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We drove all of 200 yards before we disembarked and Saman led us down a lane towards the river. We saw Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon plus Spot-winged Thrush and a host of other species. The target for the evening was the endemic Chestnut-backed Owlet and as dusk approached we could hear one calling from thick cover. Saman and I saw it briefly but darkness was falling quickly. We met another couple with their guide but the Owl was playing hard to get. It was nearly dark when we returned to the vehicle and we were ready to board when some frantic waving had us running back to rejoin the search. There in a tree silhouetted against the moonlight was the Owl calling his head off, not great views but I had seen the bird previously.<br />
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It was then back to the Hotel for dinner and an early night.Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-68740814080448679262019-11-02T18:01:00.000+00:002019-11-02T18:01:00.350+00:00The weekIt has been very quiet this week with only the addition of a pair of Goldeneye the only highlight. A small group of seven Pochard were observed by they are far later than is usual, with the odd bird usually returning by late September.<br />
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Five Siskin were seen but that was about it. Today Saturday a walk around produced a group of 125 Canada Geese and an impressive 13 Greylag.<br />
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-69632311603147097002019-10-23T16:25:00.003+01:002019-10-23T16:26:31.095+01:00Shustoke Monday 21st OctoberHaving not visited for a while I spent the morning at the Reservoir. I had just left the car park when a Rottweiler galloped past me. The owner quiet happily related a story of his dog being attacked by two Swans as it swan in the Reservoir! I pointed out that it would have happened if his dog hadn’t been in the water. He seemed to take exception to this statement, at that moment I noticed a Med Gull quite close in and my focus shifted. He carried on, then stopped turned round and asked me if I was all right!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX16mgNmF6TU0YkQmQx8BThbFhmsNuPBGSxcfFv8L1bxTDwKjm3VKfl6tVXU_Rq_LN3F56MwHNWOjJYhKW5kmlcrnjuX5BEH-Y6D1Yjk2mxeV2qY7UdjyjX9GNlhorrYTIzFUgXkm0Qei/s1600/20191021_113506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1331" data-original-width="1566" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX16mgNmF6TU0YkQmQx8BThbFhmsNuPBGSxcfFv8L1bxTDwKjm3VKfl6tVXU_Rq_LN3F56MwHNWOjJYhKW5kmlcrnjuX5BEH-Y6D1Yjk2mxeV2qY7UdjyjX9GNlhorrYTIzFUgXkm0Qei/s400/20191021_113506.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Med Gull, Shustoke Reservoir</td></tr>
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I returned to the car to get my scope then couldn’t find the bird for about an hour, they seemed to be disappearing to go and feed, they must be ploughing the field locally. At that point a steady drizzle started falling so I was just about to head off when I relocated the bird.<br />
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This was my 111 species of the year for Shustoke Reservoir, I have got a good chance of a few more. I am hoping for 120 but I think that might be a bit of a tall order unless Ladywalk evict a few Willow and Marsh Tit for starters, come to think of it a Cetti’s would be nice!<br />
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On Tuesday I made another visit with the best bird being a Dunlin, although there was a steady passage of Redwing and Skylark overhead.<br />
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Wednesday was a waste of time with the fog not lifting the whole time I was there.<br />
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-15556919403864305342019-10-23T15:18:00.004+01:002019-10-23T16:15:43.987+01:00Norfolk week 12 to 19 October<h3>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Saturday</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we arrived on Saturday we went straight to Titchwell where it just so happened there was a Hooded Merganser a rare American duck. I didn’t get too excited as I have seen them before and it is unlikely that it will get excepted, although the date was spot on and it has the company in the UK of a lot of other “Yanks”. The fact that it departed the next day may well strengthen its credentials, but somehow I doubt it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then we walked out to Thornham Point in search of a Grey Phalarope but we missed it by minutes and although we waited for over an hour it failed to reappear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the course of the week we saw Bearded Tit, Grey Phalarope, Yellow-browed Warbler and the usual variety of species at Titchwell in about six visits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The other site that we like is Burnham Overy Staithe were we walk out along the sea wall to Gun Hill then east to the Pine belt that continues on towards Wells-next-the-Sea.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8hV3zOagup3RDG_lmX3vonFyVJ6M0jLKT8OOLeG6QPt2u2u_gZ6-PfTEmZfSIky3KI75Qv0rGVlXJTtT38MYnXQo3NlO3nzjG3pvijasMy955SLq_Jiwqo_lvm9FniKQRFFHZMGVvjsM/s1600/L1250929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1600" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8hV3zOagup3RDG_lmX3vonFyVJ6M0jLKT8OOLeG6QPt2u2u_gZ6-PfTEmZfSIky3KI75Qv0rGVlXJTtT38MYnXQo3NlO3nzjG3pvijasMy955SLq_Jiwqo_lvm9FniKQRFFHZMGVvjsM/s400/L1250929.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Hooded Merganser, Titchwell</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sunday</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today was a bit of a wash out, fortunately there was plenty of sport on the tele. I watched the Rugby in the morning and the Football in the afternoon, I managed to get out in a lull in the rain during the afternoon where I managed to get good views of the Grey Phalarope, it had relocated a few hundred yards away from where it was yesterday and it gave good views, due to the weather there were few people around.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the walk back I bumped into Keith Warmington and his wife and I explained where the bird was located, then it was back to the cottage were we got ready for the main event.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Grey Phalarope, Thornham Point</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Whooper Swan, Titchwell</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joy and I book tickets to see the 3 Degrees at the Palace Theatre in Hunstanton, it was ok but not really my bag. It was a little cringe worthy when half way through they asked a member of the audience to stand up as they had received a letter from his wife. She relayed that one of their songs was “Their Special Song” and they had been happily married for years! Then at the end she wrote that her husband had been recently diagnosed with cancer. After a round of applause they started singing their big hit, “When Will I See You Again”. I think “Take Good Care of Yourself” would have been a much more appropriate selection!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Monday</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the morning we visited Titchwell again as Joy wanted to see the Grey Phalarope, it had not been reported and everyone coming back said it had gone. I like searching through the Buckthorn for migrants so we carried on. I also thought the bird might have been overlooked, it wasn’t always on show yesterday when I was there and was apt to hide amongst the vegetation. And it proved to be and we picked the Phalarope up on another small pool. The bushes held a few Goldcrest but little else. We check the sea out on the return walk but it was quiet apart from a few Red-throated Diver.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the afternoon we went to Burnham Overy Staithe where the intention was to walk out to Gun Hill. However, the weather was on the turn and although we saw the group of eight Cattle Egret we decided to return to the car, we just arrived as the heavens opened so we called it a day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tuesday</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We parked at Burnham Overy Staithe and walked out to Gun Hill then to the Pine belt that carries on East to Wells. Bird wise it was quiet, but there was a light passage of Skylark, Redwing, Fieldfare and Chaffinch heading West. Amongst the Chaffinch we managed about six Brambling during the course of the day. The eight Cattle Egret were on show as well as four Great Egret. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Cattle Egret, Burham Over Staithe</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Other birds of note at Gun Hill were a couple of Ring Ouzel, but we could not find the reported Whinchat and just missed a Short-eared Owl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the pines we found a Yellow-browed Warbler and enjoyed the rest of the day birding then it was back along the sea wall on the return to the car.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the evening Joy and I had tickets at the Palace Theatre for Wishbone Ash. I was never a big fan, like everyone my age into Rock I owned Argus, a best off plus a couple of the latter albums which I wasn’t that keen on. But I was pleasantly surprised and they were excellent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then as we walked back along the road to the car a Barn Owl appeared hunting along the cliffs, surprisingly it was to be our only one of the week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wednesday</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spent the day morning at Chosely Drying Barns walking the inland path that runs parallel to the coast, apart from a Blackcap and a couple of Yellowhammer it was rather quiet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the afternoon we went to Holme and walk the footpaths there, there was little in the way of migrants but we had a good number of species including a four Barnacle Geese and a Med Gull on the sea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thursday</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I didn’t fancy driving much as it was my birthday and I just wanted a days birding so we spent the day at Titchwell. We had a good day without seeing anything stunning with a Whinchat the highlight. Three Red Kite at Thornham Point were very confiding and circled over us for a while.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Red Kite, Thornham Point</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Friday</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We spent the morning at Burnham Overy Staithe where once we arrived it was obviously very quiet, so we cut our losses and returned to the car. Unsure where to go we decided on the reserve at Cley and parked at the East Bank where we circled the reserve clockwise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The reserve at Cley is a shadow of its former self and for the first half of the walk we saw very little. On the sea there were a few Red-throated Diver, with a few Razorbill and a good number of Guillemot. A group of feeding gulls included a Little Gull and a Med Gull but apart from a Peregrine it was quiet. For the second time this week we got back to the car before the rain started.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-24586537837297345822019-10-07T11:43:00.001+01:002020-02-23T09:45:31.850+00:004th October – Shetland Day 7With the wind changing to light north-easterlies we were expecting some fireworks but the relality was that the weather was too good with bright sunshine.<br />
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We birded around Sumburgh with the highlight a couple of Snow Bunting, we then retired for a coffee before driving the short distance to Quendale Mill were an Arctic Redpoll had been reported.<br />
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We saw a Mealy Redpoll and a Yellow-browed Warbler and there were Redwing and unto seven Brambling plus a steady stream of Goldcrest that seemed to be coming in off the sea. Also seen were a group of Twite and a Chiffchaff which resembled a Siberian Chiffchaff.<br />
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We drove to Sandwick/Hoswick to search again from Purple Sandpiper, this time we were successful. Then news broke of Hump-backed and Minke Whale off West Burra so we jumped into the car and headed that way. We found a suitable vantage point and eventually Keith picked up a Minke Whale at about three miles distance. We persevered for a while but the Hump backed could not be located so we left.<br />
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We decided to revisit Levenwick and bird the rest of the day there. We parked at the car park and quite a few other birders had had the same idea, but it was dead with little to see. Apart from a couple of Redstart it was dire.<br />
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We walked up to check out the garden the Rubythroat had been in a few years back, Bob and I moved along to check up the drive and the edge of the field leaving Keith at the far end. I saw a movement to my left, turned and Keith had gone, I assumed he had jumped the fence into the garden! Then I saw the bottom of two boots appear in view followed by Keiths head peering at us! He had stepped back and had disappeared “Del Boy” like straight into a ditch! He seemed wedged tight and Bob and I helped him out, it was the funniest thing I have seen in years.<br />
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As we got back to the car we saw both Merlin and Peregrine it was a fitting end to a great week.<br />
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Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-50754864323515918472019-10-07T11:27:00.001+01:002020-02-23T09:43:29.207+00:003rd October – Shetland Day 6We started this morning at Skat Ness where we split up, Keith heard a Lapland Bunting, fly over but the best bird we could all manage was a Jack Snipe. Then Bob who had wandered off phoned to say he had an unusual warbler, we eventually tied it down and it proved to be our only Garden Warbler of the week, the only other bird of note was a Whinchat.<br />
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We then had a trawl around the Sumburgh Head area with the Semipalmated still present on the beach at Grutness. We birded from the Hotel and scanned the bay north picking up a Long-tailed Duck. After a coffee we headed north, with nothing much to go for we though we would have another look at yesterdays Greenish Warbler which showed really well now the wind had dropped.<br />
Also the Shrike decided to play ball and we all had good views of that as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvaAgaNgW3e1BL3l0cTUXmYSpTGzsaGaq0vL6wkEBFp3SS4DstHKfhIaQr3C7yfDEzo-z2FVmWeSV8f8shoDndbE1ld-eVNl_SJR6EDySukCYALDsLcwKmT5IRMacG_Sqwy3D6cHXAL5u/s1600/IMG_4792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvaAgaNgW3e1BL3l0cTUXmYSpTGzsaGaq0vL6wkEBFp3SS4DstHKfhIaQr3C7yfDEzo-z2FVmWeSV8f8shoDndbE1ld-eVNl_SJR6EDySukCYALDsLcwKmT5IRMacG_Sqwy3D6cHXAL5u/s400/IMG_4792.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenish Warbler, Cunningsburgh</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6kKs2JsAA7PJcXcVUKzu-TSeKMl3k2yOzMMjeajDcpJi-I4gOgN1LLl3iJw2PrbxowZQ-9-xnbjr7y57XcIbPVRhMdS5pL7tGYDHN2OgiG1C1HVy6p5kReMCxbs2ExEtiw0qU-2ukzV7/s1600/IMG_4804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6kKs2JsAA7PJcXcVUKzu-TSeKMl3k2yOzMMjeajDcpJi-I4gOgN1LLl3iJw2PrbxowZQ-9-xnbjr7y57XcIbPVRhMdS5pL7tGYDHN2OgiG1C1HVy6p5kReMCxbs2ExEtiw0qU-2ukzV7/s400/IMG_4804.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-backed Shrike, Cunningsburgh</td></tr>
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We then drove to Hoswick and the Swinister Burn were we eventually got good views of the Olive-backed Pipit. On the way back we dropped into Levenwick where we connected with a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers and a Lesser Whitethroat.<br />
<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-56943292026391561782019-10-07T11:02:00.002+01:002020-02-23T09:40:24.638+00:002nd October – Shetland Day 5After breakfast we drove to Lerwick where a Barred Warbler was present in the middle of the town, we arrived at the spot and were on the bird straight away as it fed in the sycamores on the edge of a bowling green.<br />
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Next we headed for Sandwick where we were unsuccessful in locating a Purple Sandpiper. We then drove to Quendale where the only bird of note was a Fieldfare – which would be the only one of the week.<br />
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We were on the verge of returning to the chalet for a coffee when news broke of a Greenish Warbler at Cunningburgh,. We drove straight there and fifteen minutes later we were standing with a small group admiring this stunning little bird. Just 50 yards away was a Red-backed Shrike which proved elusive and we only had a couple of brief views.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenish Warbler, Cunningburgh</td></tr>
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News of a pod of Orca off the coast at Bigton saw us heading in that direction, but a chance encounter with some birders driving the other way, saw us abandon our Whale hunt – for a while, later the same pod were relocated off Wester Quarff so we headed north again arriving there at the same time as a birding group from Heatherlea.<br />
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The Ocra had been seen heading north and it was assumed that they would turn around when they arrived at the bridge that crossed from the Mainland to Tronda so we waited in the rain for them to appear, but it would appear the bridge didn’t discourage them and they must have passed under it.<br />
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With the light fading and the rain falling incessantly it was a visit to the chippy in Lerwick and then back to the digs for an early night.Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-82936482907007595782019-10-07T10:31:00.002+01:002019-10-07T10:31:54.690+01:001st October – Shetland Day 4After breakfast there was nothing rare on the Islands that we hadn’t connected with so we went first to Loch of Brow and Loch of Spiggie where we saw Pochard, Goldeneye, Wigeon and Scaup and a single Slavonian Grebe.<br />
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Our next stop was the small hamlet of Duncansclett on West Burra were there was an American Golden Plover, on arrival it started raining. We had no information as to where the bird was and if it wasn’t for the fact that we saw a couple of birders about a mile west of us who were obviously watching something we may have given up. Anyway, after the rain stopped we trudged our way towards them. The hill side was alive with waders with Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Curlew and an American Golden Plover! The scenery was excellent as it is throughout Shetland and we enjoyed 30 minutes enjoying the bird.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Golden Plover, West Burra</td></tr>
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As we sat in the car, a long staying Snowy Owl was relocated on Ronas Hill so we headed that way, we found the track up Collafirth Hill and parked by the masts. There were a steady stream of people heading back over the tundra. We started walking in the general direction and I met a birder I knew who gave me directions, 30 minutes later we reached the edge of a ridge but there were no birders. The scattered boulders and peat hag made for awkward walking, I was used to it but the others weren’t. We had a discussion about what to do and were undecided. A couple of birders on the next ridge appeared and I suggested we get directions from them and make a decision. We spoke to them and they said the bird had located even further away, I was happy to crack on – the others not so keen, but we decided to go for it. Although the terrain was confusing the mast was clearly visible so getting back wasn’t an issue. We headed off to the distant ridge and at the bottom of a drop I turned around to find the others had stopped. I tried to phone but there was either no answer or I couldn’t hear due to the wind. I decided to head for the next ridge and see how the land lay, on arrival it was still a good half a mile away.<br />
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With the others having stopped I though I had better head back abandoning the Snowy Owl. I could see the mast in the distance but I had no idea where I had come from, the terrain was that confusing. I walked back quickly, gaining height over the secondOK ridge, but could see no sign of the others. I tried phoning again this time getting an answer, they had gone upwards to get a better view but Bob had started to make his way back on his own, a bad move. I gained height quickly and saw Bob in the distance. I phoned him and told him I would catch him up, I then phoned to other to make sure they were OK with getting back and they said they were on there way. I then saw them pop up over the ridge, so I headed off in pursuit of Bob who was nearing the masts. As I rushed to catch him up I saw him fall. It seemed an age before he got up and waved at me, as I got closer I could see he was bleeding from a cut to his eye. Apparently he had fallen on three occasions bruising his knee and thigh. The atmosphere in the car seemed a little strained and I felt a little guilty at leaving them and relieved that Bob had made it back on his own. If he had fallen and been badly hurt it would have difficult to find him.<br />
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We decided to have another look at the Bee-eater but it didn’t play ball so we headed south, on route our luck changed with news of a Red-backed Shrike near Gott, we were the first to arrive with several cars arriving soon after, we managed to get a parking spot and had good views of the bird.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-backed Shrike, South Califf, near Gott</td></tr>
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-66281141539075764502019-10-07T09:07:00.001+01:002019-10-07T09:44:54.590+01:0030th September – Shetland Day 3We started around the Hotel and saw much the same as yesterday with the addition of a Red-throated Diver and a Great Skua.<br />
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We then visited Loch of Hillwell and Loch of Spiggie where we added a few padders to the week list including a family party of Whooper Swan. There were also a couple of Little Stint on the beach near the outflow.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whooper Swan, Loch of Spiggie</td></tr>
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We then visited Loch of Hillwell and Loch of Spiggie where we added a few padders to the week list including a family party of Whooper Swan. There were also a couple of Little Stint on the beach near the outflow.<br />
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Our next stop was Hoswick and the Swinister Burn, we parked in Hoswick and immediately saw a Yellow-browed Warbler which showed well briefly. At the start of the burn there was one, possibly two Pied Flycatchers. We walked up the burn meeting a couple for the Midlands on route who were into photography. Later we got talking to them and the male who professed to not being a birder showed us a picture he had taken of a Little Bunting, it was in fact an Olive-backed Pipit, which Julian knew was present but the rest of us had not idea of!</div>
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Then followed a couple of hours of frantic searching in which we all had brief views of the bird as it led us a merry dance.</div>
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News of a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Channerwick had us heading in that direction, the bird was present in a tree with at least three Yellow-browed Warbler and a few Goldcrest and a Blackcap all of which were hard to pick up.</div>
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With the light starting to fade we dropped into Pool of Virkie for a quick look through the waders where we picked up the Semipalmated Sandpiper again.</div>
<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-44884661807253074112019-10-07T08:54:00.003+01:002020-02-23T09:28:26.865+00:0029th September – Shetland Day 2We rose early and after a hearty breakfast Keith and I walked from the Hotel seeing Wheatear, Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher on the track to Sumburgh Farm. The walled garden held Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap. The two quarries were a little disappointing with just a couple of Redwing and a Song Thrush, earlier there had been a Short-eared Owl. Next stop was the beach at <span style="background-color: yellow;">Grutness</span> where we connected with the Semipalmated Sandpiper as it fed with a mixed flock of Dunlin, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Sanderling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turnstone, Grutness</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semipalmated Sandpiper, Grutness</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semipalmated Sandpiper, Grutness</td></tr>
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Our next stop was Wester Quarff where we saw a couple of Yellow-browed Warbler but there was no sign of the reported Red-breasted Flycatcher, but it was dull and there was a slight drizzle so it was probably just keeping low.<br />
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We returned to Sumburgh and had another look for the Little Bunting which we failed to see and had probably departed. It wasn’t all bad as we popped into the cafe at the Lighthouse for a coffee and cake. Whilst there news broke of a Bee-eater at Ollaberry up in the north of the island. When we established that the bird wasn’t a fly-over we decided to go.<br />
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It took just over an hour to arrive on site where the biggest crowd of the week was watching the bird. With a steady drizzle falling we joined the crowd of about 20 to 30 people and were soon watching the bird which was resting in a local garden. Eventually it flew across the field and performed for 30 minutes. We walked down the hill into the village birding as we went, we met a birder who had been watching a pod of 20 Long-finned Pilot Whales in the sound from the headland. With time getting on we headed towards the headland and picked up the pod of whales as it swam past at about three miles distance. On the way back we stopped at Brae for Fish and Chips at Freddies, which must be one of the best in the country.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee-easter, Ollaberry</td></tr>
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-23312239850631318712019-10-06T15:53:00.002+01:002019-10-06T15:57:53.294+01:0028th September – Shetland Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Early start, Bob arrived just before 6.00am and after picking up Julian we headed to Manchester for our flight to Shetland. At the APH parking we met the last of our group Keith aka The Captain.<br />
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The flight was uneventful and quick and soon we had got our car for the week, booked into the accommodation and were out birding. Our first stop was a showy Little Bunting which we found immediately as it fed outside the cafe at Sumburgh Lighthouse.<br />
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Next up was a Isabelline Shrike at Levenwick, it fed along a fence line but unfortunately it was rather distant, it was pretty active and was feeding well, catching and eating a variety of insects.<br />
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The next stop was a small hamlet called Brake, which is near to Loch of Hillwell. We saw a group of birders in a field and made our way towards them. There were two birds on offer, Bluethroat and a Siberian Stonechat, we met up with some familiar faces and waited for the Bluethroat to show, unfortunately it didn’t put in an appearance, but some activity at the end of the field proved to be the Siberian Stonechat which we enjoyed, though again it was rather distant.<br />
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We then drove to Pool of Virkie with the hope of catching the Semipalmated Sandpiper, but it could not be found amongst the good numbers of waders. With that and all being a little tired we retired to the accommodation and after a good meal at the Sumburgh Hotel we turned in for an early night.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isabelline Shrike</td></tr>
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-16336300070493715202019-09-20T16:26:00.001+01:002019-09-27T06:53:25.445+01:00Friday 20th SeptemberHad a rather busy week, so birding has been at a premium, although today for a change I visited Middleton Lakes RSPB. There was little on the feeders although there was a carpet of Brown Rats under them.<br />
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It was rather quiet with a pair of Hobby, one adult and a jug feeding over the reserve. We were scanning Jubilee when all the birds went up, I scanned for something overhead, but nothing, then I picked a Raptor up headed south-east over the trees in the distance. I was surprised to see a Marsh Harrier, how it managed to spook everything from that distance came as a surprise. It was a cream-headed bird and it just continued on its way.<br />
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On the North Pit there was a good variety of wildfowl including a Pintail, in all honesty it was too warm for birding so after a three hour stint we headed home.<br />
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-71504020151788614502019-09-16T14:09:00.001+01:002019-09-16T14:09:03.934+01:00Sunday 15th SeptemberFARLINGTON MARSHES<br />
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We had a rather eventful Saturday resulting in a loss of a few hours sleep, so it was a pleasant surprise that news broke of an Easter Olivaceous Warbler at Farlington Marshes, Hants. This is a bird that I needed so we decided to wait for news the next morning before committing ourselves to the drive.<br />
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As it happens it was seen very early so after a coffee we took a steady drive to the south coast and arrived in two and a half hours, with Motorway all the way. We parked up and made our way to where the bird was performing well. We were around 30 yards away but as usual some needed to get closer. What followed over the course of the next two hours summed up what is wrong with birding. Firstly, cameras outnumbered telescopes by about six to one, one or two photographers appeared not to even have binoculars! The fieldcraft/good manners was crap with people wandering between birds and the bird. At various times people were claiming the bird when it was Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Robin and even Blue Tit!<br />
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Joy and I got good views and relocated the bird in a Sallow, the assembled crowd then joined us forming an orderly line in front of us, as I said – no manners!<br />
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Having had a couple of interrupt nights sleep we left for home and I had a leisurely afternoon watching the conclusion of the cricket.<br />
<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-91105783370196435102019-09-14T18:00:00.000+01:002019-09-14T18:00:02.845+01:00Friday 13th SeptemberStarted off with a walk around Shustoke but apart from five Common Sandpiper it was pretty quite, the stubble field has been ploughed over but the Linnet were still present, though maybe only c.80 present.<br />
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Joy and I then drove to Draycote for our first visit of the year, we used to visit monthly and probably will again in the future, now nearly all the road works are completed making it a little easier to access now.<br />
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We started off along the dam finding a Wheatear and then a Turnstone at the end of the dam there were two Ringed Plover and a Ruff feeding on the edge. Whilst scanning through the far bank a Greenshank flew through my field of view and it would be the only sign all day. There were around a dozen Teal from the hide and a single Common Sandpiper.<br />
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The next stretch was quiet apart from a pair of Raven closely followed by a pair of Sparrowhawk. Between the Valve Tower and the outflow there were eight evenly spread Little Egret taking the days total to c.15. At the Outflow there were three Shoveler, Wigeon and a Gadwall. Along the southern shore it was relatively quiet apart from three or four Common Sandpiper and another or the same Ruff.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLnKZmyrqJFJndeAH5eqxunBFAtfr3BaK_pANC_nTnbiOy9MN31H8cTBRg3VXJzGwDBTaAQUiSFYG7s0G2LjJheQLUYekLsMSOOyl7N2UyT0_zIOwq-u3Z5CScG_SjrMWGywsa-265KNM/s1600/L1250690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLnKZmyrqJFJndeAH5eqxunBFAtfr3BaK_pANC_nTnbiOy9MN31H8cTBRg3VXJzGwDBTaAQUiSFYG7s0G2LjJheQLUYekLsMSOOyl7N2UyT0_zIOwq-u3Z5CScG_SjrMWGywsa-265KNM/s400/L1250690.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruff, Draycote Water</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmGa-kIhvTYcwGu2kgnfOstkEVBPTtN9pLHm_grXjB9y-bwpmFVxBvW3VN3PYJ10JcltF8HJTmOpMYJU1Q8ZWrjPbt_kpTTDyaWdLNZ_hrqzoelh-GHDpk385pfn571K5sBPL0y8tseXk/s1600/L1250662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmGa-kIhvTYcwGu2kgnfOstkEVBPTtN9pLHm_grXjB9y-bwpmFVxBvW3VN3PYJ10JcltF8HJTmOpMYJU1Q8ZWrjPbt_kpTTDyaWdLNZ_hrqzoelh-GHDpk385pfn571K5sBPL0y8tseXk/s400/L1250662.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turnstone, Draycote Water</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RvCuruNyy5xXOHhDV_6qzk39IDwx4GdOP-0OHlEKPLW1hWiCW4qM3CClRG1k9TLIaIVvqYz5-bB9GFP9__znVe9ovNOEETRbRZgSv6rrhj6it476WmQ_hfaPNXnTr5dh1uDbg0hAoaeb/s1600/L1250653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9RvCuruNyy5xXOHhDV_6qzk39IDwx4GdOP-0OHlEKPLW1hWiCW4qM3CClRG1k9TLIaIVvqYz5-bB9GFP9__znVe9ovNOEETRbRZgSv6rrhj6it476WmQ_hfaPNXnTr5dh1uDbg0hAoaeb/s400/L1250653.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheatear, Draycote Water<br /></td></tr>
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<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-80316782142912152732019-09-11T17:56:00.001+01:002019-09-12T03:10:05.695+01:00Wednesday 11th SeptemberI visited the Reservoir in the morning specifically to check out the stubble field for potential Whinchat as I need it for my Shustoke year list. On arrival seven Shoveler were flying round, for a change I thought I would check out the River Blythe, birding the fields towards Ladywalk. It was a bad move as the path was very overgrown, it took ten minutes of pulling out Himalayan Balsam and brambles before I could cover the 20 yards to freedom. I needn't have bothered there was very little apart from a Little Egret.<br />
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I made my way back around the Reservoir where I couldn't locate the Ringed Plover, whilst at the east end there were two Common Sandpiper, also absent were the two Wigeon.<br />
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On arrival at the stubble field I walked into the middle, then made my way along adjacent to the road, there was no sign of yesterdays Wheatear but in the distance I saw the flock of c.120 Linnet flying round.<br />
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I though I might as well check them in case they might have dragged something good in with them. I did see a bird perched on stubble but it was too far away to have an idea what it was. I made my way closer when the flock took to the air in panic and I was astonished to see a female Merlin making its way at speed through the scattering Linnets. It appeared to have been unsuccessful but nonetheless passed quite close giving great if brief views before it carried on over the Reservoir, I lost sight of it as it made its way westward. In 20 years I think its my 4th record and a fitting bird to be my 110th for the year!<br />
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In the afternoon I visited Wishaw again, but it was far too windy, a few each of Meadow Pipit and Skylark was the best I could manage. I did though connect with a Hobby that I disturbed from an Oak tree as it was enjoying lunch, it flew off with what looked like a Swallow hanging from it talons.<br />
<br />Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2380693682337801330.post-45955260261925264562019-09-10T13:48:00.002+01:002019-09-11T17:37:20.505+01:00Tuesday 10th SeptemberAfter a good day yesterday I found myself visiting the Reservoir again, on arrival a Common Sandpiper flew from the edge. The Ringed Plover was also still present together with two more Common Sandpiper, unfortunately it was soon flushed by a dog and as far as I’m aware it carried on going. Yesterdays two Wigeon were still there as were a pair of drake Gadwall.<br />
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I checked around the small pool seeing Treecreeper (missing from Saturday) then decided to check out some of the areas I had covered on Saturday on foot. I carried on towards Furnace End and checked out the churchyard, then worked my way through the fields back to the Reservoir.<br />
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The stubble fields on Bixhill Lane still held c.100 Linnet and c50 Goldfinch and today a single Wheatear, why could I not have connected with this on Saturday.<br />
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In the Afternoon I visited the Wishaw area where I saw 2 Whinchat, there were c.50 Swallow, Yellowhammer and a few of both Skylark and Meadow Pipit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd800jVwz5HhnFhGp8eU5mkeR3nXagp0G0Qs9q_GfKaEqNKAu7d2A2sg_Mbok2KxL4mnpSc5owiEAsBUbPNa6WkH2VSbqUknr1tPacU6Jh0op2ZYf5W6kf6M1bIgovieVQf8qHwUGqcJe/s1600/IMG_4704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd800jVwz5HhnFhGp8eU5mkeR3nXagp0G0Qs9q_GfKaEqNKAu7d2A2sg_Mbok2KxL4mnpSc5owiEAsBUbPNa6WkH2VSbqUknr1tPacU6Jh0op2ZYf5W6kf6M1bIgovieVQf8qHwUGqcJe/s400/IMG_4704.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Common Sandpiper</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6L4UzYJxMCh7lZPbLRLNaDtZuGPVxbZNDfwL-j9Ic-i7__mqznBzcVUkM4g2HjQJAf8_kJVOJ0Ihy2pA9uskjeaM6LkFbZb8_LOIacCrh5OFA7jN6xFCWFa7B2XliX2uyxCm8yj-MtEM/s1600/IMG_4708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6L4UzYJxMCh7lZPbLRLNaDtZuGPVxbZNDfwL-j9Ic-i7__mqznBzcVUkM4g2HjQJAf8_kJVOJ0Ihy2pA9uskjeaM6LkFbZb8_LOIacCrh5OFA7jN6xFCWFa7B2XliX2uyxCm8yj-MtEM/s400/IMG_4708.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ringed Plover</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CrgLuvHasg3CdGsv40vG3lytUS3ZCrlBqW9Uep5-tbiwFSeXSiWaoEKEMYNGtNTUNSXNmb2KM7HLJ1hgP1aW43h_MNyDICH8XGMUbb4qCbVCbSjviQyXh2LocfSmZDBoDWmMwfvPuAZM/s1600/IMG_4715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0CrgLuvHasg3CdGsv40vG3lytUS3ZCrlBqW9Uep5-tbiwFSeXSiWaoEKEMYNGtNTUNSXNmb2KM7HLJ1hgP1aW43h_MNyDICH8XGMUbb4qCbVCbSjviQyXh2LocfSmZDBoDWmMwfvPuAZM/s400/IMG_4715.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two Wigeon<br />
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Pete Forbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03005798184259253425noreply@blogger.com0