WED 29 June Another very wet morning with offshore mist , managed to find a GANNET and 8 MANX SHEARWATER in the bay. At South Huish Marsh only new arrivals were 2 MUTE SWAN. The COOT have 3 young . 2 SAND MARTIN feeding amongst a flock of Hirundine . Hopefully better weather on Thursday SUN 26 JUNE A cloudy morning with a brisk F4 W wind . Joined this morning by Graham & Martin Daw Offshore 4 GANNET, 2 MANX SHEARWATER, 1 FULMAR. , 1 CURLEW ( flew west ), 7 SWIFT Over, . Just outside the car park a RED LEGGED PARTRIDGE in the middle of the road and a WHITETHROAT At South Huish marsh interest in breeding birds - SHELDUCK still 7 young,  2 COOT with 2 yng, 5 MOORHEN + 1 yng, 2 STONECHAT + 3 yng, 2 LINNET + 5 yng,  HOUSE MARTIN feeding young in 3 nests , several juv PIED WAGTAIL, also 2 SAND MARTIN ( no sign of breeding so far ) 1 WHITETHROAT, 7 LITTLE EGRET, 1 m REED BUNTING, 2 REED WBLR and 1 SEDGE WBLR   SAT 25 JUNE A walk arund South Huish marsh confirmed no new arrivals , nice to see the SHELDUCK young have survived. At least 35 MALLARD , BLACKCAP, CHIFFY, 2 LITTLE EGRET, HERON, 4 STONECHAT ( 2 young ) 1juv SONG THRUSH  Offshore only 4 GANNET and 4 SWIFT flew north At South Efford Marsh Eric reports this morning - 11 CURLEW , 1 WHIMBREL, 2 DUNLIN THURS 23 JUNE  Thankfully away from all the referendum turmoil, left Alnwick for a 65 mile drive to a very nostalgic bird reserve - Saltholme RSPB , in the late 1950's these pools were a regular Sat morning visit and more often in school hols . How the area has changed , excellent facilities inc a cafe . A 3 hour visit found a SPOONBILL, 2 BLACK T GODWIT, 2 RUFF, 10 AVOCET ( with several fledged young ) , 1 CURLEW , 10 LITTLE EGRET, 70 + COMMON TERN ( many nests ) , 150 + BLACK H GULL( many fledged young ) , 1 GREAT C GREBE, 20 GADWALL, 4 WIGEON, 60 POCHARD, 50 TUFTED DUCK, 1 TEAL, Large flocks of CANADA & GREYLAG GOOSE, on the feeders 10 TREE SPARROW .  Overnight stay just outside Kidderminster , driving into the hotel a HOBBY FLEW OVER . FINAL addition to the trip total was a m BULLFINCH to conclude at 102 . A really enjoyable few days away 3 of which will be long remembered . Normal service resumes on Sat  TUES 21 JUNE  Only time for 2 visits to a small roadside pool between Seahouses and  Bamburgh- worthwhile , at 10.30 found a WOOD SANDPIPER , STILL SHOWING at 16.00 when a 1st s LITTLE GULL IN with a small flock of BLACK H GULL. Also on the pool- 2 GADWALL, 2 TUFTED DUCK, 1fSHOVELER, 3 LITTLE GREBE, 25 LAPWING, 10 SAND MARTIN , 2 COMMON TERN, 1 ROSEATE TERN , BUZZARD over . Off Stag Rocks Bamburgh 9 COMMON SCOTER, 2 GANNET, in the village a SONG THRUSH . Trip list now 92   Forgot to mention yesterday a fine display by a pod of 9 B N DOLPHIN all round the boat with views down to 15 feet  MON 20 JUNE  Lucky with the weather, clear blue sky and light winds , heavy swell  and high tides prevented us landing on Staple Island . However this did not stop what turned out to be one my best birding experiences ever , I have been involved for at least 60 years .   This 2.5 hour trip is an experience not to be missed, Graham it has to go on your bucket list for 2017, makes La Brenne  look tame by comparison . The sight of over 35,000 birds on the small islands or fishing on the sea is awesome,25,000 GUILLEMOT, 10,000 PUFFIN, 500 RAZORBILL, 1000 ARCTIC TERN , 200 SANDWICH TERN , 200 COMMON TERN, 250 KITIWAKE , 100 CORMORANT AND SHAG .100 EIDER, 1 GANNET , 1RED B MERGANSER After lunch spent 3 hrs looking around  Low Newton pools - 8 GADWAL,  1 m WIGEON, 2 TEAL, 4 LITTLE GREBE, 2 REDSHANK, 12 GREYLAG GOOSE 1 CURLEW, WILLOW WARBLER, REED WARBLER, SEDGE WARBLER,    ROCK PIPIT, REED BUNTING , YELLOWHMMER, 5 COMMON GULL  Trip list now87  Sun 19 JUNE  After  a w/end in Durham  arrived at Amble at 13.00  to pick up the boat trip to Coquet Island , very cold with a F4/5 W wind and cloud . It may only be a small island but the whole area is full of birds , at least 100 ROSEATE TERN , ARCTIC TERN , SANDWICH TERN , 1000's of PUFFIN, , 15 FULMAR , KITTIWAKE , GUILLEMOT, 200+EIDER . IN Amble harbour 4 RED B MERGANSER, 25OYSTERCATCHER , 2CURLEW  Arrived at Hauxley to find the reserve closed , on a nearby pool 2 GADWALL, LAPWING, YELLOWHAMMER, 5 TREE SPARROW 2STONECHAT, HERON .  On our way north stopped off for a brief visit to the moors pool atUpton Warren in Worcestershire ,plenty of birds inc - COMMON TERN, TUFTED DUCK, GREYLAG GOOSE ,GREAT C GREBE, OYSTERCATCHER, SEDGE WBLR, REED WBLR, REED BUNTING , 100+ SAND MARTIN, GREEN AND GREAT SP WOODY . Trip list now up to77. Heavy rain tonight , booked for the Farnes tomorrow weather permitting    CYPRUS MARCH 2016 have put a full report of our latest visit on the Cyprus heading WED 15 JUNE      Heavy rain all morning , visit to South Huish Marsh failed to find any new arrivals . Over Thurlestone a flock of 25 SWIFT ( largest flock  this year )  Next patch update will be 26 June  as we are of to Northumberland hopefully visiting Farnes and Coquet  Islands . Will try and update whist away . TUES 14 JUNE An overcast morning with some late sunny spells , W wind F 5 increasing late morning , no rain Nice to get back behind the scope for a couple of hours with some good sightings - 14 GANNET, 14 MANX and 1 BALEARIC SHEARWATER ( first this month ), 3 KITTIWAKE , 2ad BLACK H GULL, 2 1st s MED GULL  1 COMMON GULL , 1 FULMAR, at 11.10 a 1st s LITTLE GULL flew through east , an unusual June record . On the rocks 26 OYSTERCATCHER ( largest count for a long while ) 9 SWIFT and 2 SAND MARTIN over South Huish Marsh SUN 12 JUNE A cloudy morning with light showers and some mist offshore . A SW F3 wind increasing later. Joined by Graham and Martin Daw . An hours seawatch produced 2 Skua's both coming out of a large Gull flock behind a trawler - first a BONXIE at 09.15 and at 09.30 a dark phase ARCTIC SKUA . Only 5 GANNET and 3 sightings of a FULMAR. 8 SWIFT flew north, a FERAL PIGEON flew through. At South Huish Marsh - 35+ HOUSE MARTIN, a few SWALLOW , 2 SAND MARTIN and a SWIFT. 2 BLACKCAP, 1 CHIFFY, 2 SEDGE WARBLER, 1 REED WARBLER 2 SONG THRUSH. 2 new family of MOORHEN with a total of 9 young. SHELDUCK  still have 8 young. On Sat a HOBBY over Thurlestone Marsh . Robert the farmer confirmed a sighting of a BARN OWL on Thursady evening at Horswell wood THURS 9 JUNE   After what seems an age some nice surprises today ., even though some low cloud with a E f3/4 wind . Last night Alan had a CUCKOO near South Milton village , a rare June record . This morning on South Huish Marsh 4 BLACK TAILED GODWIT ( only 3rd record this year- previous 2 were both singles ) Then at 10.00 2m 1f TUFTED DUCK landed on the Marsh, only stayed 5 mins before flying E up the valley. Starlings now up to 15, 1m BULLFINCH in the copse .Pair of COOT still have 4 young, SHELDUCK 8 young whilst MALLARD down to 6. Along the lanes 3 WHITETHROAT, 1m YELLOWHAMMER . At West Buckland Valley - 2 SPOTTED FLY, 4 CHIFFY, 2 MISTLE THRUSH, 2m BLACKCAP, 1 WHITETHROAT, 1 KESTREL and a CIRL BUNTING. In the wood a nice Stoat ( black tip on tail )   WED 8 JUNE With this spell of fine weather with light winds there has been very little to report . The first returning BLACK HEADED GULL were 8 on Mon. Report received of GREEN WOODPECKER in Buckland Valley . Quite a number of Painted Lady along the coast path SUN 5 JUNE Highlight this morning was a lp ARCTIC SKUA whic flew west close inhore at 09.00 , seen by Graham Daw. Only other birds offshore were a few GANNET. On South Huish Marsh at least 10 STARLING were new arrivals, they did include 6 juv's . 1 DUNLIN, , both SHELDUCK ( 8young ) MALLARD (10young) and COOT (4 young ) on the marsh. In the copses a m BLACKCAP and a SONG THRUSH  Earlier a garden Watch from 07.40 produced 27 spaecies inc- REED and SEDGE WARBLER, CHIFFCHAFF, 1 WHITETHROAT , 1m REED BUNTING. A pair of MUTE SWAN flew around the marsh 3 times obviosly trying to work out where the water had gone THURS 2 JUNE An overcast morning with a brisk NE f 4 wind. On the rocks OYSTERCATCHER now 16. Offshore a few GANNET and 2 FULMAR. Flying through a DUNLIN and a WHIMBREL ON South Huish Marsh the COOT have 5 young A walk around South Milton Ley  produced 3 CHIFFY, 6 SEDGE WARBLER, 1 REED WARBLER, 4 BLACKCAP, CETTIS WARBLER., 1 SPARROWHAWK, 2 REED BUNTING WED 1 JUNE A cloudy day with a brisk NE wind. A 45 min Garden Watch produced 26 species  inc - 1m REED BUNTING, 1m STONECHAT, 1 M BULLFINCH, 2 CHIFFY. Offshore a few GANNET. , 1 SANDWICH TERN . OYSTERCATCHER have mostly departed that was until a flock of 12 flew west . On South Huish Marsh the first brood of SHELDUCK- 8 and another MALLARD with 12 ducklings . COOT still on the nest. 2 SEDGE WARBLER, 1 WHITETHROAT, 1m BLACKCAP Buckland Valley produced - 2 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, 2m BLACKCAP, 1 SONG THRUSH, 3 GREAT SP WOODY, GOLDCREST and a SPARROWHAWK . Total species recorded today -53

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