Wheatear, Hyde Park

This male Wheatear was out on Hyde Park's Parade Ground this morning. It's not a great shot but you get the idea. A nice start to the working week.

Wallasea

Dad took me for a walk along to the Wallasea Wetlands project to scope out one of his old fishing spots. Here's a couple of shots we took along the way. It was flippin' lovely to see the Yellow Wagtails again.



Corn Bunting (3), Yellow Wagtail (8)

Other birds included: 2 Avocet, 2 Greenshank, 40 Grey Plover, c50 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin, 2 Reed Bunting, c20 Sky Lark.

Whimbrel or Curlew?

You decide, because I can't.


My first instinct of this bird at Lion Creek was, 'Whimbrel!' but after further inspection I was undecided. Could it be a male Curlew? The mud obscuring its crown and any possible diagnostic stripe wasn't helping matters. Your theories are most welcome.

Nightingale, Benfleet Downs

This, my first encounter with a Nightingale, left me pretty breathless. What a song! Although my mobile phone movie doesn't really do it any justice. Click image or here to play.

Shag, Southend Pier

Dad and I found this young shag at the end of Southend Pier today. Other birds included a Purple Sandpiper, brief views of a Black-throated Diver flying East (12:30), 2 Great Crested Grebe and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull on the foreshore.

Firecrest, Kensington Gardens

Fiona Barclay at BirdGuides kindly donated these excellent stills of the recent Firecrest at Kensington Gardens 'for your delectation'. Max Whitby somehow captured the footage on his whacking, great big HD camera despite bad light and the flighty nature of the beast. Thanks too to Des McKenzie who found the bird (and a second yesterday!) and has been keeping us all informed at our desks.




... and the four Tawny Owlets (picture also courtesy of our friends at BirdGuides) have been showing particularly well too.

Two Owl Island

Two Short-eared Owls on Two Tree Island tonight.
Saw both birds together but not as a photo opportunity.
Here's a distant shot of one of the birds.