A Week off work and to date

With nothing planned I wasn't sure what the week would bring but a couple of local walks and a couple of days each in Devon and Hampshire were pretty pleasant. Good weather nice scenery and a few birds nothing spectacular just some nice stuff during the w/c 22nd Sept.
The local walks were one around Hollingbourne which produced 2 WHINCHAT, 2 STONECHAT and 2 HOBBY, consistent at least also loads of SWALLOWS, HOUSE MARTINS and MEADOW PIPITS. Then a second walk a little further from home but just into East Sussex at Rye Harbour was fairly quiet although CURLEW SANDPIPER was nice and 3 RUFF dropped in. A small flock of Brent Geese were on the flooded beach with several LITTLE GREBE diving around them.
An early start on the 24th saw us in Devon for 9am not much doing GREY WAGTAIL at Cockington was the highlight, we then headed to Berry Head for some reason the Gyrfalcon I've seen a picture of many times over the years wasn't there! not to worry a WALL BROWN butterfly and a pod of about 8 COMMON DOLPHIN were enough to keep me entertained as was a call that I'm pretty sure was Cirl Bunting that I heard as I got out of the car. Again plenty of Pipits, Swallows and Martins were around and a few CHIFFCHAFFS. Onto Becky Falls and the first DIPPER of the trip plus a HOBBY, next stop was the hotel in the middle of nowhere at a place called Portsmouth Arms where the Northcote Manor Hotel was set in lovely grounds with views to Exmoor from the croquet lawn! The next day we walked A bit of the river Lyn with more DIPPERS, GREY WAGTAIL, BUZZARDS and RAVEN. The way back to Lynmouth along the coastal path we found several STONECHAT and a fine PEREGRINE sitting resting on the rocks. The last morning in Devon we walked near Saunton Sands, I was surprised to find 4 DARTFORD WARBLERS on the peninsula above the Saunton Sands Hotel.
After the walk a 3 hour drive to the New Forest was uneventful and we were ready to explore a bit more the following morning. A walk the hotel recommended to us which was very disappointing as I hadn't realised it actually took us out of the forest, which was surprising with all that forest they advertised as being through their garden and straight into it!
A second walk in the afternoon, this time of our own choosing was more productive, a few DARTFORD WARBLERS again, plus CROSSBILL many SISKIN, loads of SWALLOWS, MARTINS and PIPITS still. A group of FALLOW DEER were the first I've seen for several years. The last day away we headed for Acres Down here we had STONECHAT, BUZZARD (6+), WOODLARK and best of all GOSHAWK, we saw 2 and apparently they are doing quite well the first was very distant and the second a silhouette much closer but even so still great to see.

Becky Falls

Dipper

Lynmouth

Small Copper

Croyde

Saunton Sands - Devon

Acres Down - New Forest

So holiday forgotten and a busy week at work, the new patch got neglected. A short visit Saturday the 4th didn't produce much a COMMON SANDPIPER was still around the GREYLAG GOOSE flock was up to maybe 150 or so birds a couple of EGYPTIAN GEESE were also around and a few CHIFFCHAFFS called. Also there were 4 TEAL and a female TUFTED DUCK.
This morning a GREEN SANDPIPER replaced the Common and several KINGFISHERS hovered and whizzed around, 20 LAPWINGS flew south and a flock of 12 TEAL flew east. The highlight came when I heard a familiar call I looked up and a BEARDED TIT flew over it went down in some reeds not far away, I was lucky to see it again and get a couple of record shots before it continued on its way, a brilliant surprise and hopefully not the last, the patch moves to 91 species since 4th July.

Bearded Tit - new to patch today

Bearded Tit again