Wednesday 6 July 2011

Summer days

We are staying a few days at a cabin near Son (where we were a few weeks ago). The Spotted Flycatcher pair have 3 well grown young in a nest on the top of a pile of wood behind a garage only 1 metre above the ground. A juvenile Redstart was a sign of succesful local breeding and a male White Wagtail was very busy collecting food. Warblers were still singing including Willow, Wood, Garden and Chiffchaff. Woodcocks fly over the cabin in the evening and nearby a male Red Backed Shrike is still present where we saw a pair before so hopefully the female is on the nest.
A nocturnal tour revealed 4 Quails singing in the same area as before and in addition a Corncrake. This bird performed superbly and finally gave me views of a species i have only ever heard before. It was singing about 100 m away and flew towards me after i took out the i pod. It landed less than 5m away and started singing at full volume. I could see the corn stems moving as the bird came to within a couple of metres but i could still not see the bird. It then moved across the road and started singing from amongst low clover but still invisibly before again flying and giving good views. I will post a video when i am back home.
A visit to Kurefjorden turned up a few returning waders: 3 Temminck's Stints, 6 Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plover, 4 Ruff, Greenshank, Wood and Green Sand, Curlew. Also a female Shoveler, 20 odd Teal, 4 Wigeon plus many Eider, Red Breasted Merganser, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan and a few Great Crested Grebes.

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