The big move ( part 1 )

Its taken me a while to write this due to internet problems, tennis taking up time and generally getting settled in a new country... but I have finally managed to get it started so here we go!!

As you probs already know Me, my Mum and Dad had been planning to move to southern Spain for the past year or so, to try and get my fledgling (excuse the bird pun ) tennis career off to a good start. But aswell as the tennis I was looking forward to the birds I could see on the way. You see, we were not going to take the easy route of JUST flying on a Plane and thus missing on the wonderful wildlife, instead we were going to drive ( and have a few stops on the way!).

After packing up my gear and a few luxury items ( video games, you know..) we set off for Dover. Driving ( not me, my Dad by the way ) I didnt see much except for the occasional Buzzard, kessy and at one point a field full of lapwings. We ended up arriving quite late in Dover so we decided to sleep the night in a Travelodge positioned right next to the port and catch the ferry in the morning.

I remember getting up about 5.00 in the morning, feeling a tad groggy and wondering where I was but the tiredness soon wore off as it all came back and Excitement soon settled in its place. I was hoping for Shearwaters, Skuas and Gannets on the way over the English channel and maybe... if I was really lucky.... some marine life like Whales or dolphins.

We boarded the ferry about 7.00 and walked up to the above deck where you could only just see out of the windows due to the foggyness, I spent about 15 mins looking for someway I could get out on to a open deck where I could get a better look. After finally finding one I admired the white cliffs of Dover in the sunshine as the misty haze receded and took a few photos, even last night in the pitch black from far away you could fainly see them, as if they glowed in the darkness.

But onto the birds, after half an hour looking I hadnt seen much except for a few gulls like Black headed, Herring and Black backed varietys. The ferry was well out to sea now but I still had lots of time so I waited. A few Gannets finally came into view cruising quite near to the boat but not diving, although they were not doing their trademark feeding stunt they were still breathtaking birds and I had only seen them a few times before.

5o minutes had passed and I was absolutely freezing. No other seabirds had turned up but what could I expect, there were no winds and it was sunny, not ideal seawatching weather! It was still very cold after another 10 mins so I decided to walk back down into the interior of the boat to meet my parents and warm up. As we began to pull into dock in Calais, France, a group of Cormorants flew lazily past. I hadnt seen much aboard the boat but it didnt really matter, I could ( and would ) get another chance to seawatch in the coming weeks.

Its been awhile..

Well to say I have been busy over the past few months is a bit of an understatement: I have travelled all the way through France, Northern and Southern Spain ( taking in a few Decent birds along the way ), started training with a Pro tennis coach and moved into a seaside flat In Altea, Spain ( where I have been staying with my Uncle while my parents worked in the UK ).

But im back now in the UK for a week and a bit ( for my 15th) and can finally give this blog the attention it deserves, such as writing up the report for our travel through Spain and france and giving it a few new features and a fresh lick of paint...

So watch this space! the next post coming up involves Griffon vultures, Pied flys and those always lovely Black redstarts ( just dont expect barrel loads of birds ;).

Other shots from Radipole, Lodmoor and Portland....

Me at Portland ( excuse the hat please ). Bloody hot day it was aswell.
Some Canada geese flying in to Lodmoor...
Some so - so shots of the ( not so wild anymore ) Hooded merganser at Radipole lake, Displaying to the Tufties with its weird bubbly call.

The Little owl was showing well at the quarry near the Obs at Portland....

Highlights of the days included: Hobbies at Lodmoor, Curlew sandpipers and Cetti warblers at Radipole and meeting a very nice birder I knew off Birdforum...

Waheeeyy, another bogey beaten!!

Its taken me ages to tick this one off but I finally managed it last wednesday, Its a lovely Whinchat!!

Late update( part 2 )!

~Saturday~
Weather: Pretty sunny and warm, occasional dark clouds over head but luckily no rain.
Location: Middblebere to see whats around and Durlston to see if we could find the Common Rosefinch which had been see lately.
Outlook: Middlebere was a bit slow. A lovely party of Yellow wagtails seen flying overhead, they landed In a Field and started feeding next to the Cows, lovely birds. Inside the hide, there was not much on the lake. No waders, with only a few Shelducks, Swallows, Little Egrets and no Osprey today.

Durlston: We did not manage to see the Common rosefinch today as it had not been seen anyway. Although we managed to find two lovely Spotted flycatchers hawking from a top of a dead tree ( New yrlist! ). Common and Lesser whitethroats were around along with the more commoner Tits, Finches, Warblers. I tried seawatching but it was not very good with only small passings of Gannets and Scoter Sps ( most lickely Common ).

Birding today:) plus the dentist:( wish me luck on both!

A late update (part 1)!

I confess... Ive been a lazy sod lately and have left updating this blog to the last min, so this will have to be a quick update...

~Wednesday~
Weather: A combination of down pours, Sunny patches and strong winds.
Locations: Poor Common to look for Pied flycatchers and Blashford lake in Hants for generally anything interesting...
Outlook: Poor Common was the better bit of the day as the Sun was out and the birds were showing. Green woodpeckers were in abundance and were yaffling from every part of the forest, Bluetits, Great tits, Willow warblers and Jays were scattered around along with the occasional Goldcrest and Robin.
Blashford lakes was a bit quiet, with only small counts of Lapwing, BHG, Tufted duck and Great crested grebe on the lake. Inside the woodland hide was better with lots of Bluetit, Great tit, Greenfinch and a single Siskin, Coal tit and juv Goldfinch...

Lifers galore!!

Last wednesday I got news that a red knecked pharolope had been seen at one of my local non Dorset birding spots: keyhaven, a defo must have for me, as I had never seen a pharolope of any kind before. Not only was there a pharolope around but Cattle Egret, Curlew sandpiper and Ruff had been reported lately!!

Well naturally as a birder I have my twitching genes so I was literally twitching with anticipation and excitement at the prospect of seeing a new lifer ( Apparently this is were the term "Twitcher" derives from! ). When we arrived we followed the steady flow of Twitchers/Birders evidently heading for the pharolope, and were, upon arrival, greeted by a friendly group of birders who quickly pointed out were abouts on the water the red necked phal was...

We stayed for an hour and watched the pharolope doing its curious feeding technique on the lake, I put up my scope so my auntie could get a look at it Such a lovely bird coupled with an amazing view just = priceless. Later on on the day We also managed to see Curlew sandpipers, Ruffs, Yellow wagtails ( 4 lifers!! ) and a Cattle egret ( year tick, we followed a very nice youngish birder to it ).

We also tried Seawatching with that group of birders we met when we arrived, at the chisel beach down the road but the results were not good ( a few Com terns, Gannets ). The leader of the group who suspicously resembles Simon king, gave me a handshake and said "see you around, its nice to know there are young ones out there who appreciate nature" which was very nice :) Yets hope this great birding streak continues...