18TH - 24TH MAY 2009

On the 18th, the Eurasian Spoonbill was again at Kenfig NNR, while sea watching at Porthcawl produced three European Storm Petrel, two Arctic Skuas, 300 Manx Shearwaters, four Great Northern Divers, seventeen Northern Fulmar, seven Common Scoter, fourteen Northern Gannet, eleven Black-legged Kittiwake, twelve Whimbrel, eleven Dunlin and three Sanderling. Another Arctic Skua was off Port Talbot, 400 Manx Shearwaters, four European Storm Petrel and a Common Tern were at Port Eynon and a Great Skua was off Lavernock Point, while two Lesser Whitethroat and a Spotted Flycatcher were on land there. The 19th saw a return to calmer, but still cool and wet conditions and three European Storm Petrel, thirty five Northern Gannet, a Sandwich Tern and sixty Manx Shearwater were again off Porthcawl. Two European Nightjar were at Llanwonno Forest. A pair of Eurasian Wigeon at Kenfig Rivermouth was an unusual record fro the time of year, while fifty three Dunlin and a breeding plumaged Curlew Sandpiper were at Rhymney Estuary. On the 20th, a European Storm Petrel was off Sully Island, while the 21st produced a Sandwich Tern at Lavernock Point. The 22nd saw the pair of Eurasian Wigeon again at Kenfig Rivermouth and two Common Cuckoo at Llanilid. Pied and Spotted Flycatchers were at Coed-y-Bedw. On the 23rd, Common Redstart, Common Cuckoo, Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler were near Maesteg and a pair of Spotted Flycatcher were in Pencoed, near Bridgend. On the 24th, a Whinchat and a Common Cuckoo were again in Maesteg.

ESTONIA & LATVIA

Our Estonia & Latvia tour 16th - 23rd May 2009 produced 180 species, though the migration was a littler slower than on previous tours. That said, you can't argue with seeing continuous streams of Barnacle Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, Long-tailed Duck and Common Scoter, as well as smaller numbers of Greater Scaup, Velvet Scoter and Black and Red-throated Divers. Several Eurasian Hobby, White-tailed and Lessser Spotted Eagles, Common Cranes, Red-necked Grebe, Garganey, Smew, Great White Egret, Black Storks, Whiskered, White-winged Black and Black Terns were noted along with a few Bean Goose, Montagu's Harriers, Rough-legged Buzzard, Arctic Skua, Honey Buzzard, Red-necked Phalarope, Osprey, Golden Oriole and Hawfinch. Warblers were late arriving, but we still managed Great Reed, Savi's, Icterine, Grasshopper and Marsh while Citrine Wagtail, Penduline and Bearded Tits, Red-breasted Flycatcher, European Nightjar, European Serin, Thrush Nightingale, Red-backed Shrike and Common Rosefinch provided the other passerine highlights. Great Snipe is always a much wanted species and they were seen on the lek, Grey-headed, Black and White-backed Woodpeckers, Temminck's Stint, Spotted Redshank, Capercaillie, Black and Hazel Grouse, Racoon Dog, European Beaver and Pine Marten rounded off a very enjoyable holiday. we will be returning from 15TH - 22ND MAY 2010.

NORFOLK - THE COMPLETE TOUR 17TH - 23RD MAY 2009

Our NORFOLK COMPLETE TOUR 17th – 23rd May 2009 was once again a classic with a whole host of excellent birds present. DAY ONE saw the group meet in the evening while DAY TWO provided some splendid birding with highlights being a Collared Pratincole, Temminck’s Stint, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Turtle Dove, Eurasian Hobby and Bearded Tit. DAY THREE and the Collared Pratincole and more Temminck’s Stints were seen, along with a cracking Woodchat Shrike. Corn Bunting, Little Gull, Eurasian Spoonbill, Turtle Dove, Yellow Wagtail, Common Eider, Common Cuckoo, Red Crested Pochard with ten chicks and breeding plumaged Grey Plovers made for another cracking day. On DAY FOUR another superb selection of birds included three Golden Oriole, twenty Eurasian Hobby, a drake Garganey, a booming Great Bittern, Firecrest, Marsh Tit, Stone Curlew, Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher during the day and four Eurasian Nightjar, ten Eurasian Woodcock and a Tawny Owl on a night visit. DAY FIVE was hampered by very poor weather and the only birds of note were trip ticks in the form of Pink-footed Goose, Stonechat and Goldcrest. DAY SIX saw us back on track with a really close view of a displaying male Honey Buzzard, three Montagu’s Harriers, four Red Kites, Common Cuckoo, Eurasian Hobby, Barn Owl and Mediterranean Gull. DAY SEVEN and the tour finished with more Eurasian Hobby, Red Kite, Tree Pipit and four Wood Lark in an amazing total of 137 species for the week.

11TH - 17TH MAY 2009

On the 11th four Sandwich Terns were at Blackpill and a Garden Warbler was at Sker. Fourteen Black-tailed Godwit and two Little Egret were at Kenfig Pool and five Arctic Terns, two Sandwich Terns, a Common Tern and 95 Manx Shearwater were at Lavernock Point. On the 12th, a Tree Sparrow was again present in the Monknash area, seventeen Manx Shearwater and seven Sandwich Terns were off Porthcawl. A Black-tailed Godwit was at Cosmeston Lakes. The 13th saw a female Marsh Harrier arrive at Kenfig Pool and the 14th saw a Spotted Flycatcher there. Another Spotted Flycatcher and two Garden Warbler were at Pant Norton, Ogmore. Two Cattle Egrets were briefly on Gower and a first summer Iceland Gull was in Cardiff. Torrential rain on the 15th produced a Lesser Whitethroat at Kenfig Pool and three Black-tailed Godwit off Porthcawl. More rain on the 16th and a Eurasian Spoonbill was at Kenfig Pool, along with a Common Cuckoo and Spotted Flycatcher, a Pomarine Skua was off Mumbles Head and three Arctic Skuas were at Rhymney Estuary. Four hundred House Martin were in Maesteg and a Garganey was at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. More torrential rain on the 17th and the Eurasian Spoonbill was again at Kenfig Rivermouth, while a late pair of Northern Shoveler were on the pool. An Arctic Tern was at Rhymney Estuary and a breeding plumaged Great Northern Diver and a European Storm Petrel were off Porthcawl.

NORFOLK 12TH - 14TH MAY 2009

Our mini Norfolk tour 12th - 14th May 2009 produced some excellent birding as ever. DAY ONE saw Common Nightingale, Little Tern, Montagu’s Harrier, Little Gull and Common Redstart as highlights. DAY TWO produced a splendid Citrine Wagtail at Cley, while twenty Black Terns, male Ring Ouzel, two Temminck’s Stint, three Wood Sandpiper and two Little Owl provided a fine supporting cast. DAY THREE produced a female Kentish Plover, two Dotterel, forty Black Terns, a Little Stint, a few more Temminck’s Stint, a second summer Mediterranean Gull, thirteen Common Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Black Redstart and a Peregrine to round off a brilliant couple of days.

NORTH WALES

Our NORTH WALES tour from 5th - 10th May 2009 produced some excellent birding depsite the often very difficult conditions that often resembled December rather than May. We were delighted to welcome back Alan Davies who led the tour for the first time in a few years following other committments and as ever, he did us proud. The weather throughout was dominated by howling gales, but was mainly dry, but did this stop us from finding the target birds - not a bit of it as we recorded 128 species! Nineteen Pomarine Skua were a superb find at Criccieth, while other interesting seabirds included Manx Shearwater, Northern Gannet, Black Guillemot, Atlantic Puffin and Little Gull, while Whooper Swan, Red-breasted Merganserand Common Eider were also noted at coastal locations. Amazingly eight Black Grouse braved the elements to lek and Red Grouse, Hen Harrier, Red Kite, Twite, Pied Flycatcher, Red-billed Chough, Northern Goshawk, Ring Ouzel, Osprey, Dipper, Wood Warbler and Common Redstart were among the many breeding highlights. As expected in those conditions few migrants were noted, but Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Whimbrel, Black and Bar-tailed Godwits and Lesser Whitethroat were among those that were noted to round off a superb effort by all concerned. We will of course be running this very popular tour again from 3rd - 8th May 2010.

1ST - 10TH MAY 2009

MAY began quietly with just Common Cuckoos and Whimbrel reported from a few places, along with fifty Common Swift at Cardiff Bay on the 1st. The 2nd produced a the Lesser Scaup in Cardiff Bay, a Hawfinch at north Cardiff, a Whinchat in Maesteg and a Barn Owl at Kenfig Pool. On the 3rd, a Hen Harrier was at Kenfig Pool and a Wood Warbler and Common Cuckoo were in Maesteg. A Eurasian Hobby was at Aberthaw Marsh. A cold day on the 4th saw four Common Scoter off Kenfig Sands and more poor weather on the 5th kept things quiet, but the first Spotted Flycatcher was at Lavernock Point and a Manx Shearwater was off Rhymney Estuary. Two hundred Common Swift were over Cardiff Bay. On the 6th, the Iceland Gull was again at Ogmore Estuary and an Osprey was in Miskin. Two Wood Warbler were in Aberdare. A brighter day on the 7th produced two Little Terns over Kenfig Pool, along with seventeen Dunlin and fifty Common Swift. Eighty Dunlin and 100 Common Swift were at Rhymney Estuary. Four hundred Common Swift and the Lesser Scaup were in Cardiff Bay and a Grey Plover was in Sully Island. On the 8th, a Manx Shearwater and a Northern Fulmar were off Kenfig Sands and forty Sanderling were on the beach. Five Bar-tailed Godwit were at Pennard, Gower and two Wood Warbler were again in Aberdare. The Iceland Gull was again at Ogmore Estuary and a Whinchat was at Kenfig Pool. On the 9th, 48 Manx Shearwater were off Sker and an excellent count of 62 Common Whitethroat were around Kenfig Pool and 400 Manx Shearwater and a Great Northern Diver were off Mumbles Head. Common Redstart, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers were at Coed-y-Bedw, Cardiff and a Whinchat was at Llanilid. A Eurasian Hobby was on North Gower. The 10th produced Common Cuckoo, Whinchat, Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler in Margam Forest and a Whinchat and Common Cuckoo were in Maesteg. The Iceland Gull was again at Ogmore Estuary.

MALLORCA

Our inaugural Mallorca tour 25TH April – 2ND May was another huge success. The house party style that we chose for this tour gave us the freedom to really explore at a pace to suit ourselves and had the advantage of having many wanted species within the grounds of our amazing villa. DAYS ONE & TWO saw species such as Sardinian Warbler, Eurasian Serin, Cirl Bunting, Balearic Warbler, Booted Eagle, Osprey, Woodchat Shrike, Stone Curlew, Firecrest, Wood Warbler, Black Redstart, European Bee-eater, European Scops Owl and Yellow Wagtail get our trip off to a flying start. DAY THREE saw us at the amazing S’Albufera Marshes where a stunning array of birds were seen. Moustached, Cetti’s and Great Reed Warblers gave superb views as they sand from reed tops, Marsh Harriers, Red Crested Pochard and Purple Heron were seen in good numbers, while Black-crowned Night Heron, Common Nightingale , Kentish Plover, Common Greenshank, Black-winged Stilts and Little Ringed Plovers were also well represented. However, it was the scarcer species that really made the day as we notched up four adult Audouin’s Gulls, Squacco Heron, a Temminck’s and four stunningly marked breeding plumaged Little Stints, breeding plumaged Curlew Sandpipers, two Wood Sandpiper, a couple of Stone Curlew, a Northern Goshawk and a dark phase Eleonora’s Falcon that were both mobbing a Golden Eagle low overhead, two Purple Swamp Hens, four Red-knobbed Coot and most unexpectedly a Short-eared Owl that gave scope filling views as on rested on a marshy bank – superb! On DAY FOUR we ventured into the mountains and were rewarded with good numbers of both Griffon and Black Vultures soaring overhead along with a Peregrine and large numbers of Yellow-legged Gulls. A pair of Woodchat Shrikes put on a fine display as did a couple of Tawny Pipit, but a pair of Greater Short-toed Lark and a male Subalpine Warbler were far more elusive. Migrants were in a short supply, but quality made up for the lack of quantity as a Wryneck gave superb views a it called form the branch of a pine tree and a couple of male Common Redstart also showed exceptionally well. A pair of Firecrest were also noted along with Booted Eagles. DAY FIVE saw us get superb views of displaying male and a pair of Balearic Warbler, as well as Spectacled Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Common Nightingale, Eleonora’s Falcon and migrants such as Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart and Willow Warblers. DAY SIX produced more superb birds on the hottest day of the trip. Waders were much in evidence as we made our way to the south of the island and the Salt Pans. Grey Plover, Dunlin and Spotted Redshank were noted in breeding dress, while five Collared Pratincole hawked insects and rested at very close range. Five Greater Flamingo, Pied Avocet and Water Rail were also noted, along with our first Crested Lark and Gull-billed and Little Terns. Turtle Doves and Common Hoopoe were noted in several places, while a sea watch off Cap dos Selines produced some superb views of Cory’s and Balearic Shearwaters and large numbers of European Shag and a few Audouin’s Gull. We rounded off the day at the very picturesque site of Porto Colom, where we enjoyed excellent views of Pallid and Common Swift side by side as they fed over the clear blue seas. On DAY SEVEN heavy rain persisted throughout the morning and meant a trip into the mountains near Arta was abandoned. Instead, we had a quick look at Boquer Valley, where two Western Bonelli’s Warblers were new for the tour and where another cracking male Pied Flycatcher was present. We drove to Albufera Pools and Sewage Works and were rewarded with a pair of Marbled Teal resting on a bank and two Red-rumped Swallows and a Pallid Swift among a huge cloud of hirundines and Common Swifts. Other notable species here were Spotted Redshank, six European Bee-eater, Red Crested Pochard, Little Ringed Plover, Purple Heron and our first Common Pochard of the tour. Thankfully, the rain stopped mid afternoon and a walk around the grounds of the villa produced more Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Stone Curlew, Woodchat Shrikes and Common Redstart. DAY EIGHT was our final morning and a walk around the grounds saw a couple of Booted Eagles and an Osprey over and a Tree Pipit to round off an excellent tour. We will be returning next year 24TH APRIL – 1ST MAY 2010 and if you would like to join us, please register your interest early as places are already limited.