Top spot

There I was over the patch this afternoon and having just found a Spot Fly, Monkey called to say ' Vince has found a Spotted Crake over the Chase' which is were I done all my birding as a yound kid. So, I left the Ingrebourne Valley having seen Hobby, Spot Fly, 2 Wigeon and a Common Snipe and 15 minutes later I'm watching the Crake. A very happy Vince was there to meet and greet us and about 15 others birders managed good views too while we were there.

Sabine's Gull at Rainham!!!!!!

I started at Ferry Lane Rainham RSPB this morning to have a look what was on the river, but as soon as I did Paul phoned to say that Andy Tweed had found a Adult Sabine's Gull on the mud at Aveley Bay. Five minutes later lucky me was watching too. A great find! It stayed on the mud for quite a while so other birders got to see this rare Gull too. Also on the river was a good movement of Black Terns which was feeding mid river as were 3 Little Gull. Had Tree Pipit over and Wheatear and a couple of Yellow wagtail. I had a  real good morning but I wasn't the only one, Paul had a cracking morning on his patch at Barking Bay! And last but not least, manged to see the Red necked Phalarope on KGV on Saturday too. Phew! Thanks goes to both finders, you made a lot of birders very happy this weekend.

Sabine's Gull my 2rd for London and a site tick

Turnstone

Here are the last set of photos from the weekend and if you haven't been on Essex's best attraction Southend Pier, you can always get to see Turnstone there and at this time of year some are still in their summer kit!

 

Ring info

We did note on Sunday down at Southend that we couldn't find any Common Gulls with bling on their legs, unlike some of the Med and the Black headed Gulls, which I've sent off to find out the details on. I must admit I havn't rung one myself yet but don't see many Common Gulls with rings on. Some of the large gulls do, I've often thought that I don't see Common Gulls with rings on, maybe its due to them not feeding on the tips where ringing goes on. Who knows?

 

Medmental

I've said on here before that I like Mediterrnean Gulls and after spending the morning at Southend on Sunday, I think I've gone Medmental, I just love them! From Adult down to the stunning Juv's  I can't get enough of them. Mick and Rich were their too first thing but couldn't handle being away from Dungeness, so after a  slow start to the session they left me there with Martin Redfern to enjoy these cracking gulls. And check out those coverts on the Juv!

 

Daily

Here are a couple more photos from Turkey a Graceful Prinia and Hooded Crow which I managed to see each day, along with Red rumped Swallow, Little Owl and White Spectacled Bulbul. It wasn't only birds which were seen everyday, Swallow tail  and Painted  lady Butterflies and Hummingbird Hawkmoths too!

 

Hooded Crow

Birding in Side' Turkey

Most if not all my birding was around Side' beach and  a very small bit of  scrub, Side'  is a very hot place, which I don't mine the heat but it's so dry the grass sounds like your walking on packets of crisps which seemed to flush the Creasted Larks or Graceful Prina in front of me. Birding highlights were a stonking Bonelli's Eagle which is a tick for me! but this was seen at Illca in a farmers field and mountains in the distance. Also had two Scops Owl there too haven't heard one of those since the one in Oxfordshire a few years back. So, back to Side' Short -toed Eagle which was a balcony tick! White Stork, Masked Shrike, Red backed Shike, Red Rumped Swallow, Hooded Crow and a Warbler I can't ID yet loads more too. So not bad when this was a family hoilday  and only went out for a hour or so when the girls were getting ready!

White -spectacled Bulbul

Well, I'm back from a fantastic two week family hoilday break in Turkey. We stayed in the resort of Side' about 45 minute drive from Antalaya. We have been here before and  we liked it so much we had to go back again! With lazy days by the pool and the beach, great food and company we all didn't want to come home. Oh, and the birding weren't bad either. These Bulbul's were around our apartment and it took a couple of days for them to get use of me being around them as the first day or two they would fly off as I hit the shutter button on the camera!