Minsmere 09/09/06

[pheonix]

Fairly 'quiet' day at minsmere, i say quiet but there was a total of 87 species seen by the group i went with which in my books is a good day.

Most species fairly common, my highlights were as follows;
- Several stonechats,
- Great black-backed gull (a first)
- Bittern flying (a first)
- Little stint (first)
- Common sandpiper
- Spotted redshank
- Dunlin (first)
- Curlew sandpiper (another first)
- Common scoter flock
- Marsh harrier - several
- Hobby - several
- Willow tit

seen by group but not myself;
- Bearded tit
- Pintail
- Red-footed falcon - has been around for about a week but eluded me!

Birds not seen at all that disapointed me;
- Redstart
- Flycatchers
- winchat
- Wheatear
- Terns
- Avocet
- Pipits
- Wagtails (minus a quick glimpse of one pied)

Also as we were leaving a Deaths-head hawk moth was bought on to the reserve caught in a nearby garden!

All in all i had a good day, practising my wader ID mostly, will try and visit again in may next year to top the total to over 100 birds!

Thanks for the tips

[canonman]

Hi
Have been to Minsmere myself it's a great reserve was it very busy when you were there.
Still say if you managed to see 87 birds thats not a bad day, and you did see birds you had never seen before, that makes it all worth while.
i'm going again in March or April next year cannot wait for it to come around.
Mick

[Andy Warne]

That's a pretty good list, Bittern is always a tricky one to see and a couple of nice waders in the Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint.
Did you get to see the Death's Head Hawkmoth?? If so then I'm extremely jealous, would love to see one.

[aeshna5]

A good list- I'm envious of Death's Head HM as I've not seen one; there was a Camberwell Beauty photographed about week ago on Buddleja there.

I think virtually every time I visit Minsmere I usually see at least 1 + up to 3/4 Bitterns flying around- must be the best place to see flying Bitterns in UK- only occasionally see them on ground.

Few years ago in May a female Red-footed Falcon flew out from a tree infront of us near heathy area on route to Island Mere Hide- it was great to find my own rarity as I've seen a couple that had been found by others before. You can never go wrong at Minsmere + nice to end the day with tea + cake- probably sound like a dude now?!

[pheonix]

Was my first time there and definately going to try and go again, probably in May. It wasn't overly busy reall, not as i expected, the hide where you could see curlew sand and little stint was packed though. A lot of firsts for me as i've not really been birding that long, a little disapointed that there weren't more passirines about.
I did see the death's-head briefly before staff put it in the fridge, its alot bigger than i thought it would be - and apparently they squeak?!
I think i was the 'Dude' yesturday everyone had expensive equipment compaired to mine (can't afford the best on my wage) and unlike everyone else i wasn't able to ID everything the second i saw it. I have to say though people did seem to want to run everywhere to get ticks rather than sit and enjoy the birds.

Have just seen that there has been a red-backed shrike turn up there today..... Gutted!!

[Pete]

uh willow tit?

I ask because they are unusal over here. I've seen Marsh on the feeders by the cafe.

[pheonix]

It took many people and a fairly large discussion to decide, but it was the call and how large the bib went down that disided it, there were two and marsh there to compare with. Personally i couldn't have told you it wasn't a marsh tit, but there were many very experienced birders with me.