Today's Images: WHITE-TAILED PLOVER at Rainham RSPB (Matthew Deans), the male LITTLE BITTERN at Walton Heath (Jonathan Lethbridge) and LAUGHING GULL in County Antrim (Derek Charles)
The fabulous WHITE-TAILED PLOVER that spent all day at Rainham Marsh Aveley Lagoons (Essex/London) on Wednesday (7 July) relocated today to Gloucestershire, where it moved from the Dumbles to the Top New Piece and showed well from the Zeiss Hide for much of the afternoon. Access to this WWT reserve is free to members but £9.25 to non-members so join tomorrow if visiting.
In Broadland Norfolk, the singing male RIVER WARBLER remains on territory at Thorpe Marshes, where special access restrictions operate for this evening and over the weekend (for full details of these, visit the Rare Bird Alert Pagers site at http://www.rarebirdalert.com/). The car park field is situated to the NE of North End Road at TM 435 985 - £2 per person admittance.
In Somerset, the LITTLE BITTERNS continue to show frequently, flying in and out of the reedbed every 20 minutes or so. Park at Ashcott Corner car park at Shapwick Heath NNR, then walk east for 0.7 miles to the gate and viewpoint overlooking Loxton's Marsh. Nearby, on the opposite side of the main road, the long-staying GREAT WHITE EGRET remains on Noah's Lake, often viewable from the hide.
In South Devon, one of the adult-type GULL-BILLED TERNS remains about the Exe Estuary, roosting on a sandbar viewable from Mudbank Lane in Exmouth early morning and then later off Exton Railway Station.. Throughout the week, it has made repeat visits at high tide to Bowling Green Marsh RSPB, Topsham. In the same area, the very long-staying adult summer-plumaged SLAVONIAN GREBE can be found on the estuary off of Cockwood.
The BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER continues its summer sojourn at Titchwell Marsh RSPB (North Norfolk), favouring the well vegetated northern part of the Freshwater Lagoon. Every now and again it ventures out in to the open and feeds with the Ruff, Spotted Redshanks and other waders on the mud to the north of the Island Hide. A single SPOONBILL visited the pool today, with 6 nearby at Pat's Pool, Cley NWT.
An adult TEMMINCK'S STINT remains at Saltholme Pools RSPB (Cleveland) whilst in neighbouring County Durham, a female DOTTEREL is still present at Crimdon Dene beach. Meanwhile, in Kent, the PURPLE HERONS are still nesting and feeding young and a GREAT WHITE EGRET is present at Denge Marsh.
A KING EIDER in eclipse plumage was discovered amongst loafing Common Eiders this afternoon at Filey Brigg (North Yorkshire) and is presumably that which passed Flamborough Head to the north last weekend.
Three RUDDY SHELDUCK and a Black Tern were noted at Egleton Reserve, Rutland Water (Leics), today.
Scotland remains relatively quiet, with between 2 and 4 drake SURF SCOTERS off Blackdog Rocks, north of Aberdeen, and a PECTORAL SANDPIPER and 3 Green Sandpipers at Rossie Bog (NO 273 115), 2 miles east of Auchtermuchty, in Fife. The eclipse drake RING-NECKED DUCK remains one mile NW of Ladybank (Fife) at Angle Park GP.
The first LAUGHING GULL in Britain and Ireland this year concerns a second-summer individual present for a second day at Ballycastle (County Antrim) (see photographs above).
In Broadland Norfolk, the singing male RIVER WARBLER remains on territory at Thorpe Marshes, where special access restrictions operate for this evening and over the weekend (for full details of these, visit the Rare Bird Alert Pagers site at http://www.rarebirdalert.com/). The car park field is situated to the NE of North End Road at TM 435 985 - £2 per person admittance.
In Somerset, the LITTLE BITTERNS continue to show frequently, flying in and out of the reedbed every 20 minutes or so. Park at Ashcott Corner car park at Shapwick Heath NNR, then walk east for 0.7 miles to the gate and viewpoint overlooking Loxton's Marsh. Nearby, on the opposite side of the main road, the long-staying GREAT WHITE EGRET remains on Noah's Lake, often viewable from the hide.
In South Devon, one of the adult-type GULL-BILLED TERNS remains about the Exe Estuary, roosting on a sandbar viewable from Mudbank Lane in Exmouth early morning and then later off Exton Railway Station.. Throughout the week, it has made repeat visits at high tide to Bowling Green Marsh RSPB, Topsham. In the same area, the very long-staying adult summer-plumaged SLAVONIAN GREBE can be found on the estuary off of Cockwood.
The BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER continues its summer sojourn at Titchwell Marsh RSPB (North Norfolk), favouring the well vegetated northern part of the Freshwater Lagoon. Every now and again it ventures out in to the open and feeds with the Ruff, Spotted Redshanks and other waders on the mud to the north of the Island Hide. A single SPOONBILL visited the pool today, with 6 nearby at Pat's Pool, Cley NWT.
An adult TEMMINCK'S STINT remains at Saltholme Pools RSPB (Cleveland) whilst in neighbouring County Durham, a female DOTTEREL is still present at Crimdon Dene beach. Meanwhile, in Kent, the PURPLE HERONS are still nesting and feeding young and a GREAT WHITE EGRET is present at Denge Marsh.
A KING EIDER in eclipse plumage was discovered amongst loafing Common Eiders this afternoon at Filey Brigg (North Yorkshire) and is presumably that which passed Flamborough Head to the north last weekend.
Three RUDDY SHELDUCK and a Black Tern were noted at Egleton Reserve, Rutland Water (Leics), today.
Scotland remains relatively quiet, with between 2 and 4 drake SURF SCOTERS off Blackdog Rocks, north of Aberdeen, and a PECTORAL SANDPIPER and 3 Green Sandpipers at Rossie Bog (NO 273 115), 2 miles east of Auchtermuchty, in Fife. The eclipse drake RING-NECKED DUCK remains one mile NW of Ladybank (Fife) at Angle Park GP.
The first LAUGHING GULL in Britain and Ireland this year concerns a second-summer individual present for a second day at Ballycastle (County Antrim) (see photographs above).
