Nightmare Monday

A tropical storm patiently waited until I was abandoned in the wilderness and then struck like a shower of Joshua Tetley's Leeds piss dropping at 5000 gallons per second per second. I can stand a soaking but this was no.2 in 12 hours so I may have to steal some dry footwear somehow.
My mobile bone got decommissioned as a pure act of kindness but I stripped it and reassembled after drying it out. The only loss is the convenience of What's App which requires verification again; 7 hours to wait is the price to pay which beats the cost of international calls anytime 🤡.

Now for the serious part;  the birds took advantage of my temporary distress and decided to play hide and seek. I was Jekyll, they were Hyde. Hiding everywhere, all 7/8 species of them but I did get a few reasonable pics of Collared Kingfisher & Vinous-breasted Myna.
Also Sunbird sp. & Olive-backed Sunbird. White-throated Kingfisher, 3 Indian Roller, 2 Brahminy Kite. I finally confirmed a pr of  House Swift when they flew low and revealed their white rumps. Eastern Jungle Crow & yawn zzzzz.

I didn't intend to embolden the narrative it just happened because, well I'm having a reet good day 💩🌚

Sunday 29th September

Hard graft today and I can't see the bird list expanding much from now on due to the collossal expansion of building works in the area. I don't know if I judged the seasonal movement right or wrong but I do know there's some mighty pollution present out there.

A monstrous Eagle species that I need to cross reference and just as I was considering it's back being of similar coloration to Brahminy Kite a specimen of the latter flew by my hotel room!

Pr Indian Roller, Forest Wagtail, Asian Glossy Starling, a few of previous mentioned species and a stonking White throated Kingfisher.

Saturday 28th September

Bleedin hot it was in the am making it difficult birding but just before the bins were due to go for a prolonged dip in the oggin a wind sprang up and a drop of rain came down dropping the temperature and my temperament.

Green Sandpiper lending itself for a few photos.
A new species of Dove not found in my inadequate guide cheapskate birder that I am. I also found I may have confused Black Bittern with Striated Heron wish I could blame that on the guide.

Indian Roller, Collared Kingfisher, Magpie Robin, Asian Palm & House Swift. Usual detritus Tree Sparrows etc and a swine Wren tailed like tw@t that wound me up again never to be bottomed.

Who would a birder be?

Friday 27th September

A lifer and a cracker too seen in flight from above namely Asian Fairy Bluebird.
Great White Egret feeding and other smaller egrets in flight. Also Striated and Indian/Chinese Pond Herons plus a single Western Reef Heron.

I saw a large bird perched on a roof near some feral pigeons, my goggles were alone in a hotel room. An Ozstrylian Sheila was photographing it with her mobile bone so I strained my eyeballs to reveal a calmly preening Osprey.

I'm jetlagged up to the nostrils so I can't remember all but other birds are:
4 Brown Shrike, several Forest Wagtail, numerous Common Myna ditto Tree Sparrow and a Sunbird sp. I've still got to fathom out.
A pr Waders were seen in flight; details I picked up suggest Charadrius and yes I am dubius.

Plenty of photos taken and I can honestly say I am no longer crap with the camera. I've stepped up a couple of notches to acceptably pathetic.

Regular Route Produces Results

Started off slow but it improved and had a good finalê.

Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipits, Goldcrest, 3 each Moorhen & Cormorant, BHG & Common Gulls.

Kingfisher. Singing Chiffchaff, WW, 3 Stonechat ditto Mistle Thrush. Kestrel, 2 Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker. 2 Jay were harassing a Sparrowhawk to no avail.

An interesting session culminated with 6 Teal and a pr of Gadwall!

Friday Down South

Walking distance south that is in more sunshine plus a slight breeze.
Birds were keeping a low profile again though I kicked off with a briefly singing Chiffchaff in the trees out back.

1 Pied Wagtail & Meadow Pipit. 8 Linnet (You've got to be in it to be a Linnet).
Jay, Kestrel, Buzzard, f Sparrowhawk.
Bullfinch, 2 LBBG, Caaawvids & woodland expected sp.

I'm feeling peckish so will indulge in some Owl Soup which derives from India - MulligaTawny. What?

Thursday In The Sun

The birding wasn't too thrilling as is usually the case but the weather made for a good 3 hours or so walk.

2 Skylark, c10 Meadow Pipit, 4 Common Gull on the deck.

8 LBBG, c36 mix of small gulls. 1 Cormorant, 4 Stonechat, pr Raven.

Woodland types in small numbers.
Happy to conclude with pr Swallow & a House Martin.

I'm not making any progress with the camera; looks like incompetence is to blame rather than the old age I would be comfortable with.

Fairburn & Swillington Ings

Courtesy of DW on a still calm warm day.

Photo: DW

We connected with the Long-billed Dowitcher immediately at Fairburn and feeding alongside it were single Greenshank & Green Sandpiper.

Click to enlarge and you may just detect Greenshank, LB Dowitcher and Green Sandpiper

A couple of Snipe were seen in flight. Gadwall were out in force. Also 1 Grey Heron.

Swillington was having a day off but we managed a single Ruff on arrival and a couple of Ringed Plover later on. Lapwing were present in good numbers.

A Cettis Warbler called twice briefly. Other players were Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron ditto m Pochard, few GCG similar Shoveler & expected Gadwall, Tufted etc.

Congrats to DW on a lifer and I'm more than happy to have seen a LB Dowitcher in the UK.

Monday 16 September

A bright pleasant day for a long walk and surprise surprise there were some birds available too.
1055 hrs: 7 Jay, c10 Blackbird, 5 WW, 1 Chiffchaff singing briefly, 2 Blackcap one of which was a female. 2 Bullfinch.

2 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Pied Wagtail, 2 Grey Wagtail. Few small gull sp. 1 GSW
1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk (looked like a male) chasing a couple of Meadow Pipit.

Birds nearer home: Herring Gull, LBBG one of which I thought was Intermedius but I'll let it go. Common Gull & BHG.
1 Skylark, 2 Wheatear, c40 Meadow Pipit, couple Goldfinch.

Also a few Speckled Woods doing the rounds and a couple Small Tortoiseshell.

Friday 13th Birds

Unlucky for some.

A long walk along a familiar route - again.

Stage1: 1 Skylark few Meadow Pipit, c19 Canada over > E, c36 Common Gull.

Stage2: 6 Skylark, 2 Cormorant ditto f Tufted Duck, several small gulls incl some Common. 4 Stonechat, Pied Wagtail, 2 Moorhen. Pr noisy Raven flying E.

Usual woodland denizens in small doses.

Thursday Local Walk

North: 3 Skylark, pr Pied Wagtail, 10 Common Gull, 9 House Sparrow, c100 Starling. Meadow Pipit thinly scattered over a wide front generally moving W.

South: 3 Chaffinch, 3/4 Goldfinch, 2 Dunnock. More Meadow Pipit movement similar to earlier sighting.
Several BHG & 3/4 Common Gull, Caaawvids.

Sunday & Monday Birds

Sunday night approx 2140 hours Tawny Owl calling from Black Dyke Mills as I walked home.

Monday: I was soaked to the skin by the time I got home and why not? I had certainly worked and walked hard enough for it.
A small number of Meadow Pipit on the move along with a Reed Bunting and a pr Pied Wagtail.

This duck appears to be suffering from radiation sickness

1 Raven seen well as it flew over low down ditto Grey Heron.
4 Cormorant, 2 f Tufted Duck, few small Gull sp. mainly BHG, 3 LBBG. 2 Jay & inevitable Goldfinches. Also a Goldcrest or three & a WW.

No Goodies Whatsoever Today

An odd afternoon up North in t'parish and then down South. Not too hot, only a slight breeze in the main from the N generally but by golly the birds were having none of it. This was in stark contrast to this am at around 0920 hrs when the skies were grey and it was cold; didn't stop the movement of several Meadow Pipit though, up high.

6 Stock Dove, few Woodpigeon & Jackdaw. Mebbe 9 Goldfinch, couple Meadow Pipit.
So I turned my hand to the insects that outnumbered the birds.

Some Goodies Today

1 Skylark, 3/4 Meadow Pipit ditto Swallow, 3 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat. Couple Goldfinch , Linnet.

Then: 1 Skylark ditto Linnet, few Swallow, c45 Goldfinch. 2 Cormorant, 3 LBBG, small Gull contingent, 1 Nuthatch.

Finally: 4 Stonechat, pr Whinchat, Raven giving it some noise, loadsa Swallow, couple  Meadow Pipit, Moorhen. 

Rodley Nature Reserve

Courtesy of Daves M&W. Quiet overall but with a fair bit of enjoyable sporadic activity.

For your delectation two thirds of a GWE

Great White Egret, 4 Grey Heron, c50 Gadwall,  Kingfisher, 4 Little Grebe. Pr Herring Gull, few BHG.

Few Coot, couple Moorhen. Plenty of Swallow, several House Martin, few Goldfinch.

Low Moor Dams

1105-1305 hours. Harold Park lake was the quieter of the two stretches of water but it did have c20 LBBG moving over > NW. A single Herring Gull was also present as were a few BHG.

Park Dam provided more interest and some photo opportunities but whoever took these needs a reet kickin.

I was more than happy to get a late Swift as I've not had a September bird for a few years. 2 House Martin were flying over the water at the same time.

14 Tufted Duck seen along with 4 GC Grebe & 2 Little Grebe, the latter being one adult and a juvenile.

5 Mute Swan, plenty of Coot, 6 Moorhen, Blackbird, Dunnock. A Painted Lady was one of just a few butterflies seen.

Nearer home: 1 Swallow, 5 BHG, c22 Goldfinch & c12 Mistle Thrush in flight.