A.W.Birder: Always on the lookout for fine birds...

Sunday, 16 February 2014

Yellow-rumped Warbler

It's been a busy week at work so today was the first chance I got to get up to Durham for the Yellow-rumped Warbler that's been about for a few weeks (but only became available last Sunday). The bird appears to be a first winter male Myrtle Warbler. Will be worth another look if it can be tempted to hang around for another couple of months!

The bird was easy to find, as it was coming to a set of bird-feeders put out to stop people looking into gardens and hopefully make the bird easier to connect with, this worked very well. Unfortunately it was mainly a case of looking into the sun so I didn't get any decent shots - a couple of poor record shots below. The bird did show well though and was quite vocal and easy to pick up on call. First time I've seen one of these since I was in Costa Rica.

Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler

Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (off my phone)

Thursday, 6 February 2014

Thaiscapes

Some landscape pictures from my Thailand trip. Full trip report here.

Doi Chiang Dao from the pools area

Doi Chiang Dao from the scrub

Wat Tamphaplong, Doi Chiang Dao

Sunrise at the base of Doi Inthanon

Sunrise onto Wat at the base of Doi Inthanon

Early morning on Doi Inthanon

Buddhist Monk on Doi Inthanon Summit

Sitrithan Waterfall, Doi Inthanon

Wachirathan Waterfall, Doi Inthanon

Doi Lang looking into Burma

Lake from Baan Maka, Kaeng Krachan

Chiang Saen Lake from a boat

Chiang Saen Lake from the Harrier Roost area

Sunday, 2 February 2014

Thailand Trip Report

I've finished my Thailand Birding Trip Report which is available below.

This was an excellent trip. I recorded 460 species with a lot of highlights! I've put a few pages of photos up already - will put some of the non-avian highlights/landscapes etc once I've sorted through those.

Part 1: http://awbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/thailand-photos-part-1.html
Part 2: http://awbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/thailand-photos-part-2.html
Part 3: http://awbirder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/thailand-photos-part-3-uk-megas.html

Thailand Birding Trip Report Dec 13-Jan 14

Saturday, 25 January 2014

North Duffield Carrs 25.01.2014

Had my first proper trip of 2014 at North Duffield Carrs today. Was there for a bit less than 90 minutes late afternoon. Had 47 species. List in photo below (assume you know the BTO 2-letter codes and can read my scrawl)! Highlight was a large number of waders and a Peregrine giving them all a hard time!

In other news I'm busy putting together my Thailand trip report, about 3/4 of the way through and should hopefully have it sorted by next weekend. Still got some more photos to sort out too. Whilst writing my trip report I've found one species I'd missed off my list - just the small matter of a Banded Kingfisher that I'd photographed but forgotten to log!! Revised Thailand total is therefore 460 species...

Tuesday, 14 January 2014

Thailand Photos... Part 3 (the UK Megas...)

One of the highlights of my Thailand birding trip was seeing a range of passerines that would make any UK/WP birder salivate at the lips (not all necessary the best looking of birds but high value in the rarity stakes). These included birds such as Siberian Blue Robin, Siberian Rubythroat, Pallas's Grasshopper, Lanceolated, Thick-billed, Arctic, Eastern Crowned, Pale-legged Leaf, and Two-barred Greenish Warblers, Red-flanked Bluetail, Brown Shrike, Asian Brown and Taiga Flycatchers, Blue Rock Thrush, Eyebrowed Thrush, Daurian Redstart, Siberian and Stejneger's Stonechats, and Amur and Eastern Yellow Wagtails.

Along with the above there was some more regular passerine fare such as Richard's and Olive-backed Pipits, Little Bunting, Pallas's, Yellow-browed, Hume's, Dusky, Radde's and Greenish Warblers, Common Rosefinch, Bluethroat, Hoopoe, and Wryneck etc...

By now you'll be familiar with my photography prowess and it will come as no surprise that I didn't manage decent pics of most/any of the above (often in low light), though I did get a few record shots (below in no particular order)...

Siberian Blue Robin

Siberian Rubythroat

Red-flanked Bluetail

Blue Rock Thrush

Daurian Redstart

Taiga Flycatcher

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Little Bunting

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Olive-backed Pipit

Amur Wagtail

Monday, 13 January 2014

Thailand Photos... Part 2

Here are a selection of random bird photos from my recent trip to Thailand... A few Cuckoos, Tits, Owls/Raptors, Thrushes, Flycatchers etc... nothing particular...

Still working through my list and will then get onto my trip report...

Asian Emerald Cuckoo