Friday 30 May 2014

FRIDAY 30th MAY 2014

12-18°C,Wind NW 5-16 mph,Cloudy with sunny intervals, pressure 1014 hPa

Liplje

4-6 Bee-eaters 1 pair seen courtship feeding and a couple hours later 4 seen taking it
                          easy on power cables. I live in hope of finding a local breeding colony !

Thursday 29 May 2014

THURSDAY 29th MAY 2014

17°C,Wind W light,overcast bright, pressure 1011 hPa

Liplje
The Ortolan was singing at the homestead north of Horsehead Wood which goes to show how easily birds can be overlooked even inside my 1 km square. Wondering now if this could be the same bird that I heard close by on the 3rd ?
Bee-eaters were hanging out on the power cables at the Lookout catching hornets and giving excellent views. 
The Stonechat again near to the Lookout was really striking, showing larger white collar patch and a huge white wing panel and a white rump. The wing panel was larger even than that illustrated in my Collins field guide. The breast patch was small and fairly pale.
The other male on the south bank was showing no white on the closed wing. This isn't the male of the pair which have probably bred here recently so it must be a new bird that has turned up, which seems late in the season ? will endevour to get a record shot of it.
The Orioles were all in one tree with possibly 2 singing males, they were jumping around at close quarters before some of them started chasing and flying off.

Yesterday - Ortolan Bunting singing

Today - 

15 Bee-eater
Black Woodpecker
G.S.Woodpecker female
Middle Spotted Woodpecker male
Green Woodpecker
7 Red Backed Shrike males
Stonechat (Eastern) 
Wood Lark singing
6 Golden Oriole 
2 Cuckoo singing
Turtle Dove
Wood Pigeon
Collard Dove
Common Whitethroat
Blackcap
Nightingale
Short-toed Treecreeper calling

2 Cirl Bunting singing
3 Yellowhammer 1 singing
Corn Bunting singing

Tuesday 27 May 2014

TUESDAY 27th MAY 2014

 250ml of rain/hail

Liplje

Return of the Redstart today which sang very briefly again from our walnut tree.
Also in same tree the Hawfinch sat at the top for a few minuets giving typical explosive 'tutt'and high pitched calls.
Yet another devotee of our walnut tree the Shrike uses it as a song and lookout post, has anyone ever made a tree list?, for this tree has to be up there with the best  for sheer diversity of species ?
The Swallows sat like the perfect pair on our power cable their metallic blue dress shimmering in the morning sun while the female sang  to the male which is news to me but apparently they do.
Bee-eaters feeding off the edge of Dell wood


2 Swallow
Common Redstart singing
Hawfinch female
2 Bee-eater
Red Backed Shrike

Monday 26 May 2014

SUNDAY 25th MAY 2014

Cloudy in the morning then hot and sunny

Liplje -at home

Bee-eater total now 108

11:30 - 
12 Bee-eater over N

17:20 - 
2 Bee-eater over SE

Red Backed Shrike singing
12 Great Tit 2 ads.+ juvs
House Sparrow singing 
Middle Spotted Woodpecker male

Saturday 24 May 2014

SATURDAY 24th MAY 2014

22°C,Wind light variable,bright with some sun & thin cloud cover, Pressure 1013
 
Liplje - Ciruit 1

The Honey Buzzard came through our garden really close at only 2m off the deck !
The Bee-eaters again seen from our garden later in the day.
The Redstart hasn't returned, I can only think that he was desperately prospecting for a mate ?
4 juv Cirl Bunts in our garden and 2 at Milosh's Plantation

Honey Buzzard
2 Bee-eater over N
Hoopoe singing
Short-toed Treecreeper calling
9 Red Backed Shrike 
9 Nightingale singing
5 Golden Oriole singing
5 Common Whitethroat 1 pair + 3 singing males
3 Blackcap singing
2/3 Turtle Dove singing
2 Wood Pigeon singing
5 Nuthatch 2 juvs 
Middle Spotted Woodpecker 
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
2 Cuckoo 1 singing female calling
6+ stonechat 2 male + female +3 juvs
8 Cirl Bunting 2 males singing + 6 juvs (2+4)
2 Yellowhammer singing
2 Chaffinch singing
2 Tree Sparrow 1 singing
6+ Great Tit juvs
Blue Tit
Marsh Tit 
4+ Long Tailed Tit  juvs
Jay
Hooded Crow
White Wagtail over
Song Thrush
Blackbird

Wednesday 21 May 2014

THURSDAY 22nd MAY 2014

15-29°C,Wind SE up to 10mph,mostly clear sunny,Pressure 1015hPa

Liplje
The Redstart appeared at about 7am and sang from the top of our walnut tree in the front garden for about 3 hours then seemed to disappear ? A real treat as he was very confiding and again unexpected.

Common Redstart singing

Lijg town centre

Lesser Whitethroat singing
Black Redstart singing

WEDNESDAY 21st MAY 2014

11-26°C,Wind S/SE light, Sunny, Pressure 1020 hPa

Liplje - circuit 1

Marsh Warbler seen and heard at close quarters in bushes.Lovely soft grey brown above, creamy off white below with hint of yellow with whiter throat and fairly prominent whitish orbital, and eyebrow in front of eye. Legs pinkish. Contrast noted between fringes and centres of flight feathers.None of the warm tints of Reed and no red/brown on rump.
Song rapid, sustained and full of mimicry - House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Swallow, Blackcap, Blackbird amongst others I didn't recognise. Sweeter less harsh than Reed Warbler.
No suitable habitat that I know of near by so I guess this is a migrant. Really chuffed to have seen this bird which l hadn't expected up here.
Quail in grassy set aside off the South Bank, heard only.
Cracking male Redsart in Milosh's plantation, would be nice if it remained to breed.
1 Wryneck seen sunbathing in dead tree.
Good to hear 2 Corn Buntings singing as they haven't been all that consistent but both in previous locations.
Greenfinches seem to be putting in more of an appearance.
Evidence of at least 3 pairs of Cirl Bunting having bred, this pair at Milosh's my pair at home and the pair at the Grave yard.

Marsh Warbler singing
Quail singing
Common Redstart male
Bee-eater over calling
2 Wryneck calling
9 Red Backed Shrike 3 pairs + 3 males
3 Golden Oriole singing
6 Nightingale singing
5 Stonechat pair with 3 juvs
2 Common Whitethroat singing
Blackcap
2 Corn Bunting singing
3 Cirl Bunting pair with juv
2 Yellowhammwr singing
2 Greenfinch 1 singing
Chaffinch singing
Cuckoo singing
4 Swallow
Great Tit
30 + Starling juvs
Jay 
Raven
2 Hooded Crow pair
2 Buzzard


Tuesday 20 May 2014

TUESDAY 20th MAY 2014

11-25°C,Wind light variable.mostly sunny with light cloud cover. Pressure 1019hPa

Thursday 15th May - 570ml of rain

Friday 16th May - 425ml of rain. Liplje -at home
2 Bee-eater over SW
3 Bee-eater over E
2 Spotted Flycatcher 
Hawfinch 1 juv
Hobby
Cuckoo singing
Blackcap singing
Cirl Bunting singing
7 Marsh Tit 4 or 5 juvs


Total rainfall for the 4 days is 1570ml !


Today -
Mionica


White Stork
Black Redstart
Nightingale


Vrujci - 
Black Stork over
2 Common Redstart 1 singing
Serin singing
Greenfinch singing

Wednesday 14 May 2014

WEDNESDAY 14th MAY 2014

12°C,Wind N 10-25 mph, overcast heavy rain since last night (575ml at 17.30 !)
Pressure 1004

Liplje

Tuesday 13 May 2014

TUESDAY 13th MAY 2014

Liplje - at home

Bee-eater total now on 86 for last 7 day viz mig
Adult Great tit (with juvs) inspecting used nest box. Would like to think same birds might have secound brood in same box.

09:05
8 Bee-eater over N
Cirl Bunting singing
Yellowhammer singing
Cuckoo singing
2 Nightingale singing
Golden Oriole singing
Chaffinch singing
Blackcap singing
5 Marsh Tit 3+Juvs
4 Great Tit 1 singing,2+ juvs
5 LongTailed Tit 4+ juvs
Jay
Green Woodpecker

Monday 12 May 2014

MONDAY12th MAY 2014

8-18°C,Wind NW 6mph,overcast dull,rain showers,brighter & sun later, 
Pressure 1015 hPa

Liplje

17:05 - 
4 Bee-eater over E

Sunday 11 May 2014

SUNDAY 11th MAY 2014

Clear sunny light cloud later

Liplje
Stonechat juvs were newly fledged ,stil being fed by parents.

16 Bee-eater 12 over E, 4 over E
Hobby hawking/feeding on wing
5 Red Backed shrike 4 male
Corn Bunting singing
8 Stonechat 2 pairs + 1 male + 3 juvs

SATURDAY 10th MAY 2014

Liplje - from home

6 Bee-eater  3 over N, 3 over NE

Thursday 8 May 2014

THURSDAY 8th MAY 2014

15 °C,Wind NW light, thin cloud cover becoming brighter,Pressure 1019 hPa

Pearl-Bordered Fritillary
Liplje - at home

32 Bee-eater as follows - 

08:15
6 Bee-eater over E

14:10
4 Bee-eater over E 

15:30
9 Bee-eater over W

18:00
13 Bee-eater over NE



WEDNESDAY 7th MAY 2014

Clear hot and sunny 
 
Liplje at home
2nd day of hearing the Lesser Pecker close to home

16 Bee-eater 12 over N, 4 over E
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker drumming

Tuesday 6 May 2014

TUESDAY 6th MAY 2014

17°C,Wind light variable,clear sunny,Pressure 1021hPa

Liplje 07:10 - 09;20

Just fantastic birding today with so many excellent species.
The density of species just seems incredible at times, today I stood in one spot and saw both Shrikes, Bee-eater, Ortolan Bunting, Corn Bunting, Stonechat, Whinchat, Black Redstart, Common Whitethroat and Barn Swallow and heard Nightingale,Wryneck Golden Oriole, Wood Lark and Cuckoo !
The Woodchat was a treat sitting out obligingly on a dead stump sallying forth for insects but returning time and again to same perch.
The Honey Buzzard was soaring and  noticed ginger tints on the transparent secoundaries and inner tail.
Black Stork was initially quite low and gave excellent views over Milos's as it soared round on the thermals.
Bee-eaters gave notice via that classic call, just love these birds which have a charm and special character all their own. The party of 6 seen while gardening at home.

The jury is still out on this Bonelli's Warbler, haven't yet managed to see one and the songs Ive been listening to on-line are putting it in the Western camp ?
The Ortolan sat on top of hedge/tree line singing what seemed to be a couple of different phrases one sounding very much from the yellowhammer book.
Wrynecks seem to have gone very shy and this is first Ive heard for a while
.

Woodchat Shrike male ?
3 Red Backed Shrike 1singing, 2
male + female
Bee-eater over E
Honey Buzzard over N
Black Stork over W
Wryneck singing 
Bonelli's Warbler singing
Ortolan Bunting singing
Corn Bunting 
Cirl Bunting singing
Whinchat male 
Black Redstart singing 
5 Common Whitethroat singing
3 Golden Oriole male + 2 1st yr male/female 
6 Stonechat 3 pairs
6 Nightingale singing
Blackcap 

19;00
6 Bee-eater over E

Monday 5 May 2014

MONDAY 5th MAY 2014

7-15°C,Wind NW 5-15MPH,Cloudy with sunny intervals,Pressure 1019

Liplje
First Spotted fly this year. In Garden/forest clearing just below our home.
It appears I have been mistaken thinking I had heard Wood Warbler previously. The short phrase I heard I now believe to have been Eastern Bonelli's Warbler. It dawned on me today when again I heard It and as before thought that if it was Wood Warbler it was not singing the complete song just the trill part. This may also explain my inability to locate it ? the previous 2 or 3 seemed to have moved on or at least are no longer singing in the same area.
Although I could probably tick this species I guess I need to able to rule out Western Bonelli's Warbler. Will Certainly be looking harder next time.
Hoopoe pitched up in our Walnut tree raised its crown and gave a quiet ''poo po po'' and flew off.Roll on the garden ticks !
 
Spotted Flycatcher
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler ? Singing
Hoopoe

Sunday 4 May 2014

SUNDAY 4th MAY 2014

 7-12 °C,Wind W 1-20mph, overcast dull raining all day and half of yesterday-350ml (3in) of rain, Pressure 1010 hPa

Liplje

breifly saw a  Hypolais type warbler yesterday morning giving a sub song I didn't recognise with some buzzing notes.
Picked up pale yellow underside, short pale eyebrow and flesh coloured bill.
More likely Icterine but I cant rule out Melodious as was not in full song and no wing colouration or leg colour observed.

Icterine/Melodious Warbler ?

Thursday 1 May 2014

THURSDAY 1st MAY 2014

11 °C,Wind light variable,cloudy with brighter intervals, Pressure 1009hPa

Liplje
Black Woodpecker flew in and fed on our walnut tree while I was working in veg. plot, must be getting used to me ?
The Great Tits in our nest box are close to fledging

Black Woodpecker male
Hoopoe singing
2 Turtle dove singing
2 golden Oriole singing
14 Great Tit 12 nestlings