Lavington and Knepp (23-24 June)

Wednesday 24 June. I took Cookie to Knepp, my first visit there for three weeks. Very little bird activity in comparison although I did hear two Turtle Doves and saw one of them, also seen were 2 Stock Doves, 2 Buzzards, Green Woodpecker, Coal Tit, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Whitethroats and a Treecreeper. The free-flying White Storks were in evidence with one sat on last year's nest, five flying around and a pair with three now almost full grown young. Of the two other nests I'd seen on earlier visits one appeared deserted while our route did not pass the other. I also saw 5 Purple Emperors, two were kindly pointed out to me by other visitors, the other three I bumped into without really looking. Seven Swifts were over the garden in the evening.

Turtle Dove just outside Knepp, just one seen this visit

White Stork on last years nest

one adult in one of this year's nest trees

the other adult, no room in the nest

three close to full grown youngsters

GB5H to the left, GB3H to the right

no surprise the other is GB4H, good luck to them all, not that I support their introduction

Purple Emperor at Knepp

another Purple Emperor at Knepp

enticed onto a finger (not mine)

another Purple Emperor 

Tuesday 23 June. I took Cookie to Cuckoos Corner and we walked up towards Dacre Gardens and back. Birds seen included 19 Swifts, 7 Little Egrets, 2 Buzzards, 5 Sky Larks, 15 House Martins, 12 Sedge and 3 Reed Warblers, 3 Whitethroats, Stonechat and 7 Reed Buntings. In the evening I went to Lavington for my final Woodcock survey this year. I wasn't expecting to do very well for this declining species having had three then two encounters on my earlier visits this year. Flushing a Woodcock off a muddy path before the survey started was a good sign, although I was cursing not having seen it on the ground. Expecting that might be it I was very pleasantly surprised to have six more encounters between 21:33-21:55 probably involving three birds. I also saw three Nightjars and heard a couple more, at least two distant Tawny Owls and two Dartford Warblers.

Reed Bunting north of Cuckoos Corner

startlingly Black and White Bunting from below

Reed Warbler north of Cuckoos Corner

another equally obscured Reed 

Sedge Warbler north of Cuckoos Corner

distant Stonechat

Whitethroat north of Cuckoos Corner

metal ring not seen well enough to read

Nightjar at Lavington

a fly past at 21:32

Woodcock over Lavington, 21:37

how anyone can shoot any birds for fun is beyond me, particularly something as wacky as a Woodcock