What have you seen

lots of bird spots today but undoubtedly the highlight was a wood lark.  didnt manage to get a snap and as we are moving in the morning not likely to get another chance.

Hi OP

Checked last years calendar and was very surprised to find we visited Red Kite Touring and Clywdog reservoir mid August, which suggests barring another takeover the same conditions should apply in mid July.

Is this the reservoir you refer to and are you using Red Kite site or is there one better situated between the estuary and the reservoir?

Would you expect the juveniles to fledge late June or earlier?

Now moved to the Baltic and on a site with plenty of birds.  The return migration of cranes hasn't started yet although we saw 4 on the journey up here.  Lots of stonechats, skylarks, also hares and deer.  Feel a good 5 days coming up.  If the weather stays ok might try to rent a canoe.

BM, I will use the Red Kite for both the Reservoir and the Esturay, distance wise it isn't too far.  

Not sure when the reservoir birds fledge as a couple of years ago the male and a juvenile were still about in September and the female and other youngster had already gone.  As you say last year with all the chicanery anything could have happened.  The guy at the reservoir viewing point reckoned the female was still visiting her old partner at the Esturay, he said she never returned with any fish.

Fantastic day, saw and counted 22 x Sky Larks, red deer, lots of traces of wild boar and Owl pellets.  Decided to take a look around at 7pm to see if anything was showing when I was taken completely by surprise by a White Tailed Eagle flying over me.  Got a picture but blurred as didn't have the camera set up properly.

Onep, where about are you? We visited the Baltic coast last May. You're a bit earlier than us but if you're hanging around any of the areas we covered last year I might be able to provide info.

I love the way White Tailed Eagles just float around. Here one minute, gone the next.

We were wandering around the grounds of Cholomendly Castle today and it was lovely to see our first Bluebells along with our first Wood Sorrell (very early) whilst there was still quite a lot of Wood Anenomes out. The Magnolias were still showing well and some Cowslips were peeking through.

Saw our first Blackcaps and Willow Warblers of the year and a couple of Partridges.

Hi WN we are at Nature Camp Prutchen, staying till this coming Sunday and will then head Southish.  Seen a few Cranes but too early for main migration North.  Would have been great to see upto 100k all together, still there's hopefully another time.  

The banks of the A47 Norwich bypass are always smothered with Cowslips at this time of the year.  I'm addicted to their scent!

Hi OP

Not able to get away at present, so rather envious.

I got chatting to the president of the local Hawk and Owl trust, I believe, last week and he told me he uses a set up that although I have not tried yet, seems a good set to have as the default set so that as soon as it is turned on, a pic is possible.

He uses a shutter speed of 1/1000 and auto ISO. not my preferred set but if the camera was in this set when turned off, it would enable a sharp and correctly exposed pic when something sudden turns up when the camera is needed in a hurry. Then set as preferred when settled.

Thanks BM I'll give that a good.  I guess if I had been on burst the result might have been better.  When I get home I might publish on here but still got time to perhaps see it again.

Hundreds of Hirundines over Colemere today, with a few Swallows amongst them. 

Had a nice lunch sitting on a bench watching 2 Treecreepers when a blue rocket shot past, whistling as he went.