'In cop'

Two amourous Black-headed Gulls at Broom GP, 30th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Octagon Barwits

Two Bar-tailed Godwits at the current wader-fest that is Octagon Farm, 30th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Another Yellow Wag

Singing Yellow Wagtail at Broom GP, 30th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Sand Martins at Broom

Sand Martins at Broom GP, April 2007 by Steve Blain.

MVCP Photos 27-28th April 2007

Here are a couple of photos I took this weekend at the MVCP, cheers Martin Green

Ruddy Bar-wits -passage hasnt Ouzed up yet !

Turnstone at Broom GP until 0620hrs


7 Arctic Terns, part of 15 N at Broom GP


part of 33 Bar-wits NE at Broom GP


part of 33 Bar-wits NE at Broom GP


2 Whimbrel NE at Broom GP


7 Bar-wits NE at Broom GP


Ring Ouzel - 1 of 2 males at Willington GP

Different day same wit !

part of 22 Barwits NE at Broom this morning.

Two Barwits

Two male Bar-tailed Godwits (and a Black-headed Gull) at Broom GP, 27th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Barwits and Spotshank

Three Bar-tailed Godwits and a Spotted Redshank at Broom GP, 27th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Spot Red

A lovely dusky Spotted Redshank at Broom GP, 27th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Broom Bar-wit Bonanza !

Various different flocks of Bar-tailed Godwits thru Broom this morning, totalling 46 birds.

The Broom Little Tern !

Little Tern

Ok, I know it's an ultra-naff photo, but this Little Tern at Broom was a Beds tick for me! Thanks to Mark for the very swift phone call. 26th April 2007, by Steve Blain.

Yellow Wag again

The same male Yellow Wagtail as photographed yesterday, Broom GP, 26th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Yellow Wag

Male Yellow Wagtail, Broom GP, 25th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

2 Wheatears near Broom

These two Wheatears were in a field near Broom village, 24th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Oystercatcher nesting?

This old industrial site near Wyboston had what appeared to be a nesting Oystercatcher. In most recent years, Oycs try and nest on the islands at Wyboston Lakes. Last year they nested on the gravel carpark of the watersports centre. This was predated but maybe this site will succeed! Note the other bird in the photo - also nesting here perhaps?

Spring Whinchats

Two of three (two males and a female) Whinchats at MVCP, 22nd April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Gropper

Grasshopper Warbler singing at MVCP, 22nd April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Barton Hills Wheatears

Wheatears seemed well spread in Beds but nowhere numerous in the last two weeks of April. Here is a montage of three birds at Barton Hills NNR on April 22nd. Note the bird at the bottom, almost certainly aware of a female Kestrel that was passing at the time. The male Redstart present on site for both days of the same weekend was far too elusive to allow a view in the telescope, let alone capture as a photo.

Firecrest

Firecrest, Beds, 22nd April 2007 by Steve Blain.

A Grand Day Out

Martin Palmer and I spend a very pleasant few hours at MVCP on Friday 20th April. We saw 7 Shelduck and an Arctic Tern on the Pillinge and a male Wheatear on the field between the Pillinge and the access track. After lunch at the visitors centre I returned to the Pillinge and as well as the birds already mentioned I saw a pair of Ring Ouzels on the meadow in-front of the centre. (MVCP Mega-tick for me!) I believe the female Ring Ouzel may have been seen shortly before I saw it by a couple of birders I met at the Pillinge. I think this is only the second record of Ring Ouzel for the MVCP/Stewartby Lake site

Martin Green

Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit, South Beds, 21st April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Arctic Tern at Broom

This Arctic Tern was with two Common Terns and stayed for a few hours during early afternoon. 17th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Adder

Although not avian, this Adder gave stunning views at a private site in Beds today, 14th April 2007, by Steve Blain.

Barn Owl flying

A Barn Owl hunting a field margin, 14th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Garganey at Broom (more)

A shot of the unpaired drake Garganey at Broom GP, 14th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Singing Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff at Stewartby Lake, 14th April 2007 by Steve Blain.

Woodlark at The Lodge

It doesn't look much, but it's the first record of Woodlark for the Lodge in quite a while - and it's on the newly cut area created especially for it! 11th April 2007 by Steve Blain.