WAB at Minsmere 19/20th April 08

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

Mrs. Fish, my Grandmother's name was Ruth Weston

Ah yes! We did see that bench! If we'd had known her name we would all have sat there and given you a nice cheesy smile. But at least we know for next visit that YOU WILL come to Nick!

[NickCantle]

DEAL!!! I'm glad you saw it, and well, you just know those cheesy smiles can wait until next time

[pressld2]

Sounds like it was a great weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing the pics too...

Originally Posted by NickCantle

Someone sit on my Grandmother's bench

Not one of these is it?



I seem to have an extraordinary number of photos of benches. Don't really know why, although I suppose they can act as a focal point for landscapes...

Dave P.

[NickCantle]

Not sure Dave, I've not seen it before

[PMG]

Originally Posted by DavyG

Hi W-W & W-M,

Good to hear you had another good day and made it home safely.

As for the Otters, it's great to hear that you saw them.

I can't wait to see the pics.

Dave

I'm delighted too that it turned out such a good weekend ......... I will be at Priory if I have to rob the bank, phone work sick and hitch a lift - I promise but its belt tightening until we see whether I keep my job on my capability part time sickeness review meeting this Thurs...........

In the meanwhile I shall drool over all your pics

Pauline

PS I'm just getting ready for work this evening and cursing the weather - its warm, sunny with light a beautiful breezes and everything is singing and buzzing ...........

[Wild-Woman]

Sorry about the delay to the pictures but my other half's are better than mine (humph!) and he won't be in till later tonight and needs to crop a few.

[Adam Cheeseman]

I hear John got a bit twitchy and dashed up to Winterton to see the Black Lark. I'm not jealous, much

Cheers,

Adam

[John]

How did you hear about that Adam?

Your right of course. It was a bit of a culture shock for our David. The pager announced confirmation of the Black Lark at 17:25 yesterday. Thankfully we were right by the visitor centre and I asked David if he wanted to go. He certainly did and we left at 17:35 and arrived at Winterton at 18:30. The walk was about twenty minutes and David couldn't believe that in just over an hour after the message that there were already about 300 birders there. Thankfully we had good, but distant views of it. David was well impressed.

Back to the Minsmere meet. It was a great weekend done at a leisurely pace. Lots of birds seen but the downside for me was the lack of woodland birds I was hoping to see such as Redstart, Garden Warbler etc. It was very quiet regarding those birds and we even hardly heard a Willow Warbler.

On the upside I had quite a few Bearded Tit plus we also saw some stunning Black-tailed Godwit that were almost into full summer plumage. A couple of Sandwich Tern, a Sedge Warbler and a fly by of a Bittern on both days.

The hightlight for me were the three Otters playing about two hundred yards away from the hide. I have a couple of photos of them but as I am still at Davids (and will be until Sunday). I can't upload any photos until then. Also the Ring Ouzel that showed well on both days. The other highlight was after you had all left. It was just before the pager announced the Black Lark. Near to the visitor centre David and I came across two baby squirrels on a tree trunk not far from the ground and it was a real "awwwrrr" moment watching them.

Today David and I went out to Cambridgeshire and the south end of Norfolk. We had a walk around Lackford Lakes. As usual this site was very quiet. I heard my first Cuckoo and Whitethroat but we didn't see them.

I managed to find David his first two Stone Curlews at an undisclosed site before moving on to Earith where I managed to see the Lesser Yellowlegs there. By this time David was too tired and he slept this one out. On the way back home I was treated to a fly by by a Hobby. Unfortunately David missed it.

Unfortunately I won't be able to upload any photos to this thread until possibly next week so be patient please.

John

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

I hear John got a bit twitchy and dashed up to Winterton to see the Black Lark. I'm not jealous, much

Cheers,

Adam

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by John

I managed to find David his first two Stone Curlews at an undisclosed site
John

did you get any ring combos perchance ? - btw there are alledgedly stone curlew at a site in oxon now (i'll pm you where if you are interested)

[John]

Hi Pete

Unfortunately the site I go to is quickly getting overgrown and pushing the birds further back from the viewing area so they were distant. That combined with the heat haze meant they were not clear viewings.

I would appreciate the Oxon info Pete. I was thinking of going down to Otmoor soon anyway so that would be a good addition.

John

Originally Posted by eeyore

did you get any ring combos perchance ? - btw there are alledgedly stone curlew at a site in oxon now (i'll pm you where if you are interested)

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by John

David was well impressed.

Wrong - he was knackered by this two mile sprint over sand-dunes!

But for a non-ticker, I have a tick few other Wabbers have !!

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by John

I can't upload any photos until then.

He could, but is just too computer illiterate to do it -- I'll
hold his hand ...........

And as for the 1 second Hobby fly by, of course I missed it, I was driving round a bend
(or was I being driven round the bend by my pasenger ?? )

But Stone Curlews was a first for me - remarkably like thick-knees that
I have seen in Southern Africa.


Oh, and John, you have forgotten the magnificent display of the male and female
Marsh Harriers, and those gorgeous baby squirrels that we, and only we, saw
on the Sunday afternoon - Pictures to follow.

Oh, and the sluice posing swallows were back on the Sunday too.