September 3rd
A day of few highlights on a Batumi scale anyhow, but I shouldn't complain at things like these views of Lesser Spotted Eagle.
The other top sightings were another poorly-seen Steppe Eagle, and a glimpse of a juvenile Red-footed Falcon.
Some Georgia ticks included Blackbird, Goldfinch, and Robin!
At one point, I caught myself saying ''...only a Golden Oriole''. I'll never forgive myself.
September 4th
Once again, passage was pretty average, so having some ringers working behind the station was a nice distraction.
Ortolan Bunting are a daily occurrence as fly-overs, but to see a bird in the hand was brilliant.
Earlier in the week, I glimpsed a Nightingale sp. in the bushes behind the station, which on occurrence, was very likely to have been a Thrush Nightingale, but I couldn't be sure. It was therefore nice to see the ringers catch a definite one to have a close look at.
This night was affected by a huge thunder storm, and none of us got enough sleep as a result!
Day five dawned to a mutiny in the camp!
Most of the group were keen to go off to the local market, leaving just the two of us who wanted to go birding!
Luckily, Craig was able to take us keen ones out for the morning in the smaller vehicle.
We just stayed local, first just checking whether those pesky Eagle Owl were back at their roost. They weren't.
So, we headed up into some scrubby habitat not far from where we were on the first day.
A Hobby immediately appeared above us, and proceeded to chase House Martin, coming very close indeed.
The plants and insects were of particular interest here, with familiar things like Chicory...
...and some less so like Berger's Clouded Yellow.
At least four Ortolan Bunting were singing competitively around us, with one bird showing itself off particularly well.
What a spot this was, with plenty of Lesser Butterfly Orchid around.
This large beetle caught my eye, and I found out later that it's the wonderfully named Peach Flathead Root-borer (Capnodis tenebrionis), the pest of the local Apricot fields that Andrew told us about.
Lots of Rose Chafer beetles buzzed around too.
After a quick look at the massed Griffon Vulture resting on a cliff, we proceeded to a wooded area along the banks of a river, a favoured area for woodpeckers of four species.
Rather predictably, we only encountered the two commoner ones, with Wryneck in particular evading us again! They are supposed to be common round here!
What we did manage to see though, was the strange sight of a pair of Crossbill fledglings sitting about in deciduous woodland, plus yet more interesting plants and insects.
These included this pretty Goat's-beard...
...and a few more daunting Fritillaries, though this one stayed still enough to prove it to be a Glanville Fritillary.
Also in this area were a few Hornet, a Burnet Companion moth, and the largest Ants I've ever seen.
We headed back to our accommodation to meet up with the rest of the group for a lovely lunch, eaten on my spacious veranda.
In the afternoon there was a threat of rain, so we again headed out to a couple of local places. The first was a walk through the strange oil shale landscape.
Orchid were again prominent, such as this Woodcock Orchid.
Plus, we finally found a Lizard Orchid in flower, just.
Whilst I knelt down to take this picture, someone spotted something behind me. It was a terrific find sitting brilliantly camouflaged in the vegetation. The local Praying Mantis, called the Conehead Manits! What a beast.
I experimented with taking photos through my scope from a distance.
We reluctantly moved on, and found a load more goodies, such as this Common Broomrape (form maritima, as its parasitizing a species of Eryngium (Sea-holly family))
Someone did well to spot this Fox, staring at us from the other side of a deep quarry-like depression.
Time to move on, and we headed for a fantastic heath-like habitat, not looking for anything in particular.
Whilst here, we had more views of Rock Sparrow sitting on wires, Red-backed Shrike, Tawny Pipit and Ortolan Bunting all showed well, plus we added yet another Orchid to our trip list, Fragrant Orchid.
Despite the increasing dark clouds, I picked up a large raptor being mobbed by a smaller one. Round here, there's a good chance that any BOP in this situation is likely to be a Golden Eagle, and indeed this was! A Peregrine was having a right go at it.
We had got pretty far from the vans by this stage, so it's no surprise that the heavens chose this point to open!
Luckily, it was near the end of the day anyway.
By the time we had got back the rain had stopped, so I thought it was worth a quick nip out before tea.
I headed up a road from the village cause I'd heard that an interesting Orchid had been found. Indeed, there it was by the road, the absent from Britain Violet Bird's-nest Orchid, with its flowers not quite out fully. Still a spectacular thing.
Also here I found some Slender Broomrape...
...as well as plenty of Roman Snail enjoying the damp (here with Garden Snail for comparison).
The first day of the week with no bird lifers, but still very enjoyable. That will all change tomorrow I hoped, as we are headed for the semi-desert of La Crau!
5th
This was the first of my three days working in Bridport, which was a bit of a pain, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to check Ferrybridge every morning, seeing as there was a Semipalmated Sandpiper about, and the site's usual visitors (Debby and Pete) are away.
Frustratingly however, the high tide was coinciding with the time I'd be passing in the morning, so stopping there would be pointless. On the up side, whilst walking around Bridport, I saw and heard birds that I'd been missing on Portland. Coal Tit, Goldcrest,Long-tailed Tit, and Treecreeper to be precise.
When I finally finished work, as the tide was now low, I thought there might be some mileage in checking Ferrybridge anyway on my way home, despite the usual holidaymaker flushers.
There were the usual pair of Bar-tailed Godwit present, plus a couple of Little Stint, though only one showed well.
6th
I wasn't planning on any birding this afternoon, as I was absolutely knackered, but then I heard the Ortolan had been seen again down the Bill. No sign of it where it had last been seen at the Coastwatch (drinking from the pond!), so I went on a wander bout the Bill in the hope of bumping into it. No luck, but it was great to see so many Whinchat about. I counted 18.
Back at the Obs, just standing on the patio produced 5 Spotted Flycatcher. There had clearly been a substantial fall overnight, but such a shame I couldn't have been here earlier. It was nice to meet Jonathan Scragg (Vice-chairman of the New Generation Birders group no less!) here, and we had a look through the moth traps. Nothing of much note, except nice Blood-vein.
And a shiny as ever, Burnished Brass (with Flounced Rustic).
7th
Today was supposed to be a day of no birding, as I worked in Bridport in the morning, then drove back to Aldershot in preparation for my trip to Spurn.
However, with various 'Ortolan showing well' messages appearing, I thought I better give it another go down the Bill.
On arrival at the small crowd, it was feeding unseen in a stubble field, and it apparently hadn't shown for a while. After some time of waiting, some individuals put in upon themselves to flush it. Normally I wouldn't condone this, but to be honest I needed to get away, and it was a lifer!
It didn't take long for it to take flight, and after initially flying directly away, it then went right over my head calling quietly. It came down in the strips below the Higher light, and a short vigil here produced it landing on a distant fence, and my first proper view of an Ortolan Bunting! It then dropped down onto the path behind, and we eventually got good prolonged views as it fed here. After a bit of heavy-footedness, it flew again, and went back to it's previous haunt. Fantastic views were then enjoyed, as it sat on a fence close to the path. Magic!
I'm now back in Aldershot, and looking forward to a visit to my old patch tomorrow, then off to Spurn on Monday! Bring it on!
