Birding and other distractions

A short visit to Cliffe BB pools to check out the waders and anything else that might be present. Wader numbers were somewhat disappointing on the pools, though the juvenile BW Stilt was still present after being found yesterday. The bird has been elusive though on three occasions this morning it flew around the pool before returning to the right-hand corner where it mostly disappears behind vegetation. After that I went to Rye Street where a flock of 300 Jackdaw was best. BW Stilt juvenile  Rye Street track

This site in W Sussex has been attracting birders to see Honey Buzzards, and we made the trip this morning arriving at 11 a.m. after a two-hour journey. Weather was bright though cloudy. The view over the forest from the watchpoint was fabulous. Several Honey Buzzards were seen though mostly distant. The first one was a wing-clapping individual in flight over the opposite ridgeline. Only one came close, flying swiftly over the watchpoint carrying something, probably a comb from a bee/wasp nest. A Sparrowhawk was also seen in addition to the expected Common Buzzards. A good deal easier to see were two Golden-ringed Dragonflies, hunting just below us and settling on vegetation to consume their prey. This was my first ever sighting of this impressive species. A male Yellowhammer was still in song this late in the season. Honey Buzzard  Golden-ringed Dragonfly (male) The second individual  Yellowhammer  Photo by Keith Cutting 

Arriving at 6 pm there had been no sign of the Franklin's Gull for at least an hour. Plenty of Black-headed Gulls on the river to search through though... However, after half an hour the Franklin's flew in to start feeding in the outflow from the pumping station. It was no more than 20 metres away and often the closest gull.  Described as a second summer individual it seemed to me to be probably first-summer, e.g. on account of the brown primary coverts noted in a brief flight view. Franklin's Gull Franklin's with juv Black-headed Gull Franklin's Gull on the right