Twite......

 The Twite recovery project folded today , a very sad day for all . I remember flocks of them at Soil Hill , Whiteholme , back of Fly flatts , Langfield |Common held 20 + breeding  pairs when we used to go up and help out the Peregrine watch up there , and at Derby delph they were common...Well done to Tim Walker , Brian Leesey , Nick Carter , Andre Raine , Tim Melling , Steve Downing  etc etc.but Climate Change is upon us......

Swifts ,

 Swift migration is in full flow at the moment with many birds over Northowram and Bridestones the last few days . Swallows seem to have settled down to nest , a few House Martins about as well. Golden Plover , Snipe , Skylark, Kestrel , Fox Moth and Bilberry Hook Wing at Bridestones and55 + Starlings feeding on Northowram Cricket Pitch ,more young every day.....House Sparrows seem to be doing well also...

A dull evening at Bridestones

Lapwing , Curlew , Snipe , Golden Plover , Dunlin , Skylark ,Swallows , Fox Moth , Bilberry Hook Wing ...
 

Romania May 2nd to 11th 2024

4 Demoiselle Crane ..bird s of the trip.......

 May in Romania is an amazing ornithological bonanza, migration off the Black Sea is phenomenal. Last year we recorded 209 species and this year 202 ,(without going into the mountains).In total 231 species in 3 weeks . Goshawk , Artic Skua , Pallid Harrier , Lesser Kestrel , Scop's Owl , Levant's Sparrowhawk , Hen Harrier , Black-eared Wheatear , Quail , Corncrake , Greater Flamingo , Yellowhammer, Kentish Plover , Green Sandpiper , Icterine Warbler, Wood Warbler , Little Bittern , Middle Spotted Woodpecker , Caspian Tern , Cettis Warbler and Desmoiselle Crane were new to Romania for me..

This spring we managed to hit the passage of Black Terns and again Nightjar passage over the sea at Vadu.

A one and a half mile walk in Badabag Forest produced at least 30 Icterine Warbles singing  on territory , 15 Red Breasted Flycatchers and 10 Wood Warblers , Hawfinch were common , the highlight was a male Collared Flycatcher singing from a clearing in the wood . Common Glider was an excellent find and Glanville Fritillary showed exceptionally well . Lesser Spotted and Middle Spotted Woodpecker nests were found. and Syrian Woodpecker was commonly seen.

 On the coat near Istria there were apox 5000 + Black Terns (100's of White Winged Black and a few Whiskered mixed in) feeding just above an area of arable fields and a flock of 400 + Ruff and 10 + Red footed Falcons  in the same fields,  100+ flock of Little Gulls were on one of the nearby lakes.30 Red throated Pipits , 2 Honey Buzzards Drifted over and in the bushes Barred Warbler , Wryneck and Lesser Grey Shrike. White Pelicans were moving north and this is when Gary picked out the birds of the trip 4  Demoiselle Cranes , a lifer for all of us. Even those old buggars who saw the dodgy one at Spurns many years ago  (AC,AZ and NCarter). Gary also picked out a Lesser Kestrel that if accepted will be only the first for  21 years....

 No let up in the birding as we headed to Vadu , Lesser Spotted Eagles ,lots of Monty's Hen and a couple of  Pallid Harrier , Isabeline , Black -eared , Pied and Northern Wheatear , a small flock of 4 Woodchat Shrike , Rollers , Bee Eaters , Red Backed Shrikes ,waders on every small pool , mainly Wood Sands , Curlew Sands , Ruff and Little Stints but occasionally Temminck's and Kentish Plovers. Palla's Gull can be seen flying overhead most days on the coast.

  Vadu was birding heaven , same as last year with many highlights , but 57 + Nightjars in two days was exceptional. Broad billed Sands .

 Great views of Levants Sparrowhawk displaying was another highlight.

 

Romania Moths and Butterflies

 Mallow Skipper

Grizzled Skipper

Scare Swallowtail 

Small White 

Large White 

Green -veined White 

Eastern Bath White 

Eastern Dappled White

Orange Tip

Common Blue 

Small Blue 

Eastern Baton Blue

Brown Argus 

Silver -studded Blue

Clouded Yellow 

Pale Clouded Yellow

Large Copper

Small Copper

Small Heath 

Red Admiral

Wall Brown 

Comma

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Glanville Fritillary

Spotted Fritillary

Common Glider

Lasts years Butterflys not seen this year ,Swallowtail , Camberwell Beauty , Black -veined White , Silver Washed Fritillary and European Map (32 species)

Moths

Four - Spotted

Romania..10th May 2024...Vadu sea watch and migrant search

 An amazing day at Vadu , Romania 

Seawatch 10.00 - 11.30 and 16.50 - 18.00

Nightjar ,x 40 , mostly female singles , 2 x 3(3 f + 2f + 1 m) )and 2 x 2 (3 f and 1 male) l , mostly very low to the sea north , but a few in off...

Artic Skua 4 north and 1 south 

Black -throated Diver  x 4 ,,3 north and 1 blogging

Little Tern x 5 

Hoopoe 1 in off

Bee-eater ----small groups north and in off

Black Tern x 150 + north

White winged black tern x 20 north 

Whiskered Tern x 2 north 

Sandwich Tern x 20 north 

Common Tern x 10 north 

Pallas's Gull x 1 adult summer north

Slender billed Gull x 2 north

Little Gull x 2 north 

Med Gull x 20 + north

Yellow legged Gulls ---30 +

Baltic Gull x 1 adult north 

Pygmy Cormorant x 6 

Greater Cormorant x 10

Great Crested Grebe x 8 north

Grey Plover x 25 north 

Sanderling x 2

Curlew Sands x 10 north 

Dunlin x 8 

Swallows , 100's in off east

Red throated Pipit x 1 (landed on beach then off north)

In the dunes and bushes and small ponds 

Lesser Grey Shrike x 9 , Red backed Shrike x  21, LEO x 2 , LRP x 2 , Quail x 3 , Stone Curlew x 2 , 5 Nightjar in bushes.. 

Spotted Fly 20 + , Barred Warbler x 1 , RB fly x 2 , Pied Fly x 1 , Redstart x 2 , Garden Warbler x 2 , Willow Warbler x 20+ , Blackcap , Paddyfield Warbler x 2 , Icterine Warbler x 1 , Savis Warbler x 1 ,  Whitethroat x 1 , 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Red footed Falcon 30 + , Marsh Harrier x 20 , Bittern x 1 , Roller x 2 , Night Heron x 2 , Purple Heron x 7., Tawny Pipit x 2, Northern Wheatear x 8 ..Crested Larks..Yellow Wags , Dombrowskii , feldegg and supercilliaris

On the main Pond

Broad -billed Sandpiper x 7 , Curlew Sandpiper x 30 , Glossy Ibis x 25 , White Pelican x 20 , Dalmation Pelican x 2 , Black Winged Stilt x 20 , Garganey x 21, Ferruginous Duck x 8  , Little Stint 150 + , Wood Sandpiper x 15 , Spot red x 4 ,  Collared Pratincole x 15, GWEgrets ,Litlle Egret , Lapwing , Ringed Plover