Before dawn in Cyprus, the air rings with birdsong – but it is not real. Hidden in the undergrowth of bushes across the mediterranean island are electronic lures which broadcast a manufactured chorus. The pieces of technology mimic the calls of migrating songbirds and draw the unsuspecting creatures down into carefully placed death contraptions each […]
Tag: Lesser Whitethroat
Migrants – Jubail
A steady trickle of migrants have been passing through the Eastern Province in the last couple of weeks with several Red-backed Shrike appearing. Lesser Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Redstart, Pied Wheatear, Tree Pipit and Western Siberian Stonechat were also seen in small numbers. Very few Yellow Wagtails have been around recently compared to recent years […]
Purple Heron at Burnham
We attempted to find the Baikal Teal at Ouse Washes today but failed despite checking every hide and walking around six miles in the process. We did find a few Garganey and a Black winged Stilt along with Barn Owl, Marsh Harrier, Ruff and a dozen Greenshank. Hopefully the Teal will give us another opportunity. […]
Migrants passing – Jubail area
The last few weeks a few more migrants have been passing through with plenty of warbler seen. Most have been Eurasian Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat and Barred Warbler but also a few Eastern Olivaceous Warbler have been seen and one or two Asian Desert Warblers. Wheatears have also arrived with Black-eared and Pied being the most […]
Wheatears and Wagtails at Landguard
A nice morning at Landguard NR in Suffolk where the place was alive with Wheatears, Willow Warblers and Wagtails with both Yellow and Pied in the dozens feeding and getting ready for the off. I found a couple of Lesser Whitethroat and Common Whitethroat before fly overs from both Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk. Common Tern […]
North-west China (Xinjiang) – 6th May (Day 16)
Today was on a knife edge, and stress levels in the group were high, we had two endemic birds to see and only around three hours in which to see them – it could go well or horribly wrong. If the latter then the only bird I would have gained from the Luntain part of […]
Martin Down and Pennington Marsh
The last couple of weeks have been manic at work with some very early starts for breeding bird surveys, late nights reviewing documents and getting the company ready for the new and extremely tedious General Data Protection Regulations which come into force later in May. However, I have managed to get out a little to […]
Nightingales in the valley
After a very difficult week at work I needed a little birding therapy this morning without the driving so an early run over to Fishers Green gave me just the wind down I needed. The dawn chorus was in full swing as I arrived with at least three Nightingales singing and waiting for the girls […]