Bit of a catch up.
19.10.23
Fellow Birdforum member - Dave, visited, stayed at the cottage at the end of the grove, and we went birding.
Not a bad day, picking up lots of the local birds, explored a couple of new areas for me and had cracking views of an Otter a few metres away. Aside from Pygmy Cormorants, Red backed Shrikes, Warblers, heard Penduline Tits , several raptor species, Snipe, Green Sandpipers, and a few I’ve forgotten it was nice to see 6 Lapwing flying over flooded farmland at Eskikoy. Oddly reminiscent of my Lancashire childhood.
Since then there’s been a tailing off in migrants though still Alpine Swifts & Red Rumped Swallows passing through. Lots of ChiffChaffs, Lesser Whitethroat, Stonechat, Robins and Spotted Flycatchers around. Also a nice crisp Willow Warbler from the balcony.
28/10/23
Birding on the bike this morning though mammals are taking a lot of my attention these days. Wild Boars and Long eared Hedgehog making lots of noise in the crisp fallen leaves early this morning plus Bats are making the most of the midge flocks , I just need a reliable guide for the detector.
Up to 10 Little Grebes on the lakefront ride, Great Crested Grebes further out and 1 Black necked Grebe off the forest edge same place as last year. Pygmy Cormorants all easily visible wing drying in the reeds that start by the beach. Also here a Ferruginous Duck, hanging on the edge of the reedbeds with a couple of Coots.
Several Common Kingfishers as is usual along the lake and pretty much everywhere else throughout the day.
Next to the river and dump, Green Sandpiper flushed from beneath the bridge with a Little Egret, Purple Heron unusually tolerating a nearby angler and 3 Grey Herons lifting from the marsh behind.
A female Marsh Harrier headed inland along the river, thankfully as then I heard White throated Kingfisher somewhere back over the marsh. Picked it up in the trees that grow on some swampy island out there and then watched it joined by a second bird. Great views of a stunning local speciality. Even got a crap photo.
Meanwhile around me a flock of Spanish Sparrows fed along with ChiffChaff, Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroats, a lone Penduline Tit, 3 Siskins , Linnets, lots of Cetti’s Warblers, Stonechats, Crested Larks, a single Meadow Pipit, Grey & White Wagtails, and a flyover Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which are easy to watch here, investigating the reeds for food.
Water Rails were noisy from here and all through the morning along the lake and in the bigger ditches.
Next stop was the now completely flooded meadow behind the dump, no rain recently so presumably a combination of high tide and more flow allowed from the uphill streams. It was heaving with Dragonflies, frogs, midges and Dice Snakes plus a Grass Snake passing by my feet at just over a metre away. On the wetland at the back were 3 Cattle Egret, a Great White Egret, several Grey Herons & Little Egrets, 3 Green Sandpipers and a Ruff.
In the woods behind a Syrian Woodpecker came into view for a few minutes and a Green Woodpecker called further back. Jays by the way are everywhere.
I finished off outside Hamitkoy. More of the same birds , lots of Stonechats, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Woodlark , a Wood Sandpiper on the small pond, and a Long legged Buzzard over the orange groves. Sparrowhawk and Common Kestrel (not common here really) circling over too.
Again , after some patient waiting and Terrapin false alarms an Otter calmly swam up the same channel as last week.
Two final birds- Goshawk mobbed by 2 Hooded Crows across the fields from the flat, and a dusk Little Owl on the power line out front. Last mammal- Brown rat high in a tree from our friends balcony.
