Western Reef Heron, Foryd Bay, Caernarfon

On Saturday, 6th June, news broke of a Western Reef Heron in Caernarfon, North Wales. A first record for Britain! 

There are two distinct morphs: dark, which is dark grey with a white chin and throat; and a white morph, which can easily be confused with a Little Egret. Best separated by bill colour and structure. Western Reef Heron is common across large parts of coastal West Africa, including parts of southwest Asia and Madagascar.

Unfortunately, we weren't in a position to just drop everything and go. In fact, there was very little chance of an opening until Friday; we briefly considered making the trip Tuesday afternoon, but I had to be home Wednesday morning, so it wouldn't allow for a stopover if we were unsuccessful in connecting with the bird. We kept checking the news services throughout Wednesday and Thursday, and when the bird was still present Thursday evening, we made plans for an early morning start this morning. We set off at 2am with 282 miles ahead of us. 

After a brief stop for coffee, we arrived at the small pull-in by the hide overlooking Foryd Bay shortly before 7am, and luckily there was room to park. There's a small group of birders already present, and most are Essex and Herts birders! They had already seen the heron before we arrived, but it had since disappeared with the incoming tide and hadn't been seen since.

I scanned the bay and found the heron in the eastern corner almost immediately. After letting the others know, we walked back along the road and managed to get much closer views of the bird. 

The eastern corner where the heron was found 

Western Reef Heron

We watched the bird for two hours, until it flew out onto the marshland among the oystercatchers and Curlews. This was our cue to head further northwest and visit South Stack. As we left the car, we could hear Choughs calling overhead. One unfortunately had a broken leg. The cliffs around the lighthouse had thousands of Guillemots and hundreds of Razorbills, but Puffins were proving much more of a challenge. Eventually, after an extensive search, we found two birds. Brian picked out several Manx shearwaters, and I managed to add a single Shag that was drifting on the water among the Guillemots. Ravens were also present and very vocal as they flew overhead.

Chough

South Stack Lighthouse

Heading east, we stopped at Holyhead Fish Quay, and quickly added Black Guillemot to the day total and year list.

The National Trust site at Cemlyn was our next destination, which holds the largest Sandwich Tern colony in Wales. Among the masses of Sandwich Terns were Large numbers of Common Terns and smaller numbers of Arctic Terns. Further scans revealed single figures of Mediterranean Gulls.

Cemlyn Bay

One of the two tern islands

Common and Arctic Terns

Sandwich Tern

I ended the day with a new addition to my life list and nine year ticks.

Minsmere

Brian and I made an early morning visit to Minsmere this morning, having added Stone Curlew to the year list before arriving at the car park. 

The plan was to just have a casual stroll around the reserve, with no targets in mind. A Nightingale and a Woodlark were both heard before we headed towards the beach. Having not had many opportunities to visit the coast this year, I still needed Sandwich Tern and Kittiwake for my year list. Both of which I added soon after entering the East Hide. Wader species were well down on previous years, with only seven species noted during the visit. At the Public Hide, Brian picked out two Roseate Terns among the numerous Black-headed Gulls, Common and Sandwich Terns. 

A Bittern was seen in flight, with another one heard booming. The walk down to the Island Mere Hide added a day-calling Tawny Owl. 

The reserve was relatively quiet, both in terms of birds and people, but we managed a total of 83 species.

The Public and East Hides

Roseate Tern with Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls

Roseate Tern

The Island Hide area, viewed from Whin Hill

Thursley Common, Surrey

Brian, Dad, and I headed into Surrey this morning, with an early morning visit to Thursley Common. We arrived shortly after 6am and walked past the Moat Pond out onto the common.  

Tree Pipits and Woodlarks were singing as we reached the start of the trail, and a distant Cuckoo was heard. As we walked south, Woodlarks and Linnets were dropping down onto the sandy path in front of us. Then two Dartford Warblers appeared from thick cover to feed close to the path.

We had three targets in mind as we left the car park, and we had found two of them within minutes of entering the common. The third target was Redstart, which proved to be much harder to locate. Eventually, we had good views of a single female bird perched right at the top of a lone pine tree. Unfortunately, I only had my phone with me today, and Brian had forgotten his camera battery, so no bird photos.

We walked the shorter circuit and, after two hours, headed back to the car. We made a fifteen-mile journey further south, hoping to see Honey Buzzards. It was still early when we arrived, but there were plenty of birders already on site. As we set up the scopes, we could hear Tree Pipits, Woodlarks, and Yellowhammers singing. Common Buzzards and red Kites were showing well, and eventually we enjoyed good, if somewhat distant, views of two Honey Buzzards. A Goshawk was also seen, which was an unexpected but very pleasant surprise. 

Eastern Subalpine Warbler: Beachy Head, East Sussex

Early Tuesday morning, an Eastern Subalpine Warbler was found at Beachy Head in East Sussex. Brian had seen several Westerns, but had tried and failed to add Eastern in 2014, when one was found at Landguard in Suffolk. He was keen to go, but family commitments kept him close to home. I had only managed to see two Western Subalpine Warblers and was also keen to go, but apprehensive regarding the walk.

We watched the news closely, as the bird was still present yesterday evening, we decided to make the trip this morning. Brian picked me up at 5am, and after a trouble-free journey, we were parked up at Cadence Clubhouse car park at 7am. The bird had been reported at Cow Gap, but we didn't know where that was. Luckily, as we scanned the area from the hilltop, Brian spotted a birder with a scope. The walk down to the cliff edge was eventful, but we made it down and could hear the bird singing before we climbed down the slope. Seconds later, the bird popped up onto the top of a small bush. 

We spent the next two hours enjoying the bird. It would follow the same circuit each time, allowing us to predict where it would appear. It sang almost constantly and would eventually return to the area where caterpillar nests were attached to the hawthorn bushes. While on site, we also saw Lesser and Common Whitethroats as well as a family of Stonechats.

The hike back to the car was strenuous, to say the least, and required several stops before reaching the top of the hill, but we did have a Peregrine fly directly overhead on the walk back.

Subalpine Warbler was split by the British Ornithologists Union Records Committee (BOURC) in 2014. Two species of Subalpine Warbler ( with four subspecies), Western and Eastern, and Moltoni's Warbler. 

Andy Stoddart, vice chairman of the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) and member of the BOU Records Committee (BOURC) until 2022, provided information and photo ID  to help separate these species in the field. A link can be found here

View from the hilltop before the descent

The slope to reach the Warbler

Eastern Subalpine Warbler

Where the warbler was seen

Stonechat

The climb back to the hilltop, far steeper than it looks!

KGV Reservoir and Dotterel: Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire

On Sunday, Brian had finally managed to see the Barn Owl at the KGV Reservoir

This morning, I joined Brian for another trip to the KGV Reservoir, hoping the Barn Owl would make another appearance. It was a cold start as we walked the east side of the south basin, noting four Common Terns. As we continued walking, Brian spotted what looked like a small wader flying low across the reservoir. It flew along the bank towards us, and we suddenly realised it was a Kingfisher, a new bird for the KGV. Reaching the north-east corner of the north basin, I scanned the marsh, but there was no sign of the owl. Then Brian spotted it flying low behind the trees at the back of the marsh. I've been looking for the owl on every visit for a month, and finally I've seen it.

Barn Owl

The Ravens have recently bred, and the chicks have fledged, and we spotted one of the adults flying around the pylons calling. Then the other adult with the two youngsters landed on the bank close to where we were standing. 

Raven

On Friday, we failed to see the Dotterel at Gamlingay, and when they weren't reported the following day, we thought they had departed. Sunday, and not only are the Dotterel present, but ten are reported, then twelve, and then thirteen! 

After returning from the reservoir today, two Dotterel had been reported again. Brian and I had walked all the fields and surrounding areas on Friday but failed to see them, so we decided to wait for a second sighting. When they were reported again, we decided to make the trip. We arrived on site and could see a small group of birders in the distance. We walked the track to join them and spotted the two Dotterel in the middle of the field. 

I tried to get a photo through the scope, but it was very windy, and the haze wasn't helping. 

Dotterel