BIRDING IT UP with BIG SI!

Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th April
Had a very enjoyable couple of days, with my old mate Big Si who, after many many years of no great interest in birds, he as re-kindled his interest and has become obsessed - I love it! We spent a couple of days visiting some local birding haunts and it was a pleasure to share his fresh eyes and enthusiasm as we clocked up some new birds for his "new" list.

We started with some great views of Peregrine Falcon at a quarry site in Gloucestershire which later followed with a pair of Red-breasted Merganser and Willow Warbler at the patch and a last ditch attempt to try and find the Bittern, which seems to have now departed.
Today we began with Gannet and Fulmar off the seafront and then a cracking Dartford Warbler and a pair of fine Stonechat on the nearby heaths. We then ventured out to Bowling Green where a group of 25+ Black-tailed Godwits were a treat along with single Greenshank and Spotted Redshank showing the first signs of summer plumage. A sleeping Spoonbill at Powderham was an added bonus and it even was so good as to put its head up for a few seconds! The day ended in style with a good slap up lunch at the Walled Tea Garden in Dunsford followed by great views of a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, plenty of Marsh Tits and a cracking Dipper.
I very much look forward to the next instalment of birding with Big Si - BIRD IT UP!