5th May 2018

Another look at Lyde Road today produced another flight view of the Cuckoo which was as mobile as ever. There was no sign of yesterdays garden warbler but 2 Reed Warblers were still present. Fingers crossed they will breed here. Otherwise a couple of Grey Wagtails was the best managed.

4th May 2018

Headed down to Lyde Road after work again today and it paid off with a singing male Cuckoo heard on arrival, a new Yeovil species for me. It sounded distant to the south, so I started to head in the direction of the bird. Before I got far, the bird started singing again, but right next to me! Eventually I got my first flight view as it was mobbed by a couple of jackdaws. The bird was extremely mobile, and showed a few more times throughout the evening. I also had the 2 Canada Geese over again plus a singing Reed Warbler and Garden Warbler (annoying didn't see the latter).

29th April 2018 (Pembrokeshire and Dorset)

Made an early start up to Wales this morning for the GREEN HERON. As I was walking to the bird, it was reported as still present. Sure enough, the bird was showing well in the shadow of the morning. As time went on, the bird became a bit more active, but showed pretty well the whole time I was here. A great looking bird, I shouldn't be so surprised that one turned up as the last bird coincided with the last american bittern in the UK.

GREEN HERON - Llanmill

Next stop was Portland Bill in hope of seeing the two Golden Orioles. I had a 1st summer bird here last year, but an adult male was certainly worth a look! Thankfully, both birds were showing well when I arrived in the top fields, and the male was a real stunner!

Golden Orioles - Portland Bill

I'm glad I decided not to go for a red-rumped swallow at Belvide res, as a full adult male oriole is probably a rarer sight in the UK these days. Portland was alive with migrants, and other highlights included 9 Redstarts, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and singles of Whinchat and Garden Warbler plus an interesting brown bird with a rufous tail that I never got a good look at.

28th April 2018

Visiting my Grandparents in Taunton today. They told me that a female Redstart had been in behind garden briefly this morning. Looking out their back window, the bird instantly flew up! Unfortunetly, it went straight into a large oak tree, and didn't show again for the rest of the time I was here. Singles of Peregrine and Blackcap were also seen whilst waiting.

27th April 2018

I was in Weymouth this evening so had a look around Lodmoor this evening. There were large numbers of Swifts and hirundines around the reserve, plus plenty of warblers. 2 lesser whitethroats and a sedge warbler were singing but never provided any views. The best species of note was my first Whimbrel of the year, a few Bar-Tailed Godwits and a Common Sandpiper.

Whimbrel - Lodmoor

Bullfinsh - Lodmoor

22nd April 2018

I headed back down to Lyde Road this morning to catch up with a singing reed warbler found by Adam. There are large numbers of singing Whitethroats on patch now, so it seems likely that this is indeed a breeding site for the species.

The bird was singing in the reedbed area when I arrived. I never got a view of this bird on the deck, but a second non-singing Reed Warbler (a pair?) showed well in the vegetation along the railway line before chasing the second bird. I previously struggled to see this species in Yeovil as a migrant, but hopefully they may breed here. I wish I knew about this site sooner!

21st April 2018

Had a look at the Openspace this morning for the first time this year, however it was rather unproductive with just singles of Jay, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler plus at least 6 Blackcaps. A flyover linnet was a bonus - a scarce spring species at this site.