Some cracking photos from the 'Lazee's'.

Monday 17th April 2023.

The Ibsley Water female Black-winged Stilt gracing itself in front of the Tern Hide at Blashford Lakes yesterday. Photo by Emma Parkes.

As Spring is starting to warm up, migrants are coming in thick and fast and that includes a number of scarce birds to the UK also. Last weekend produced a nice variety of migrants and a female Black-winged Stilt graced the shoreline of Ibsley Water on Blashford Lakes. It made a three hour stay at this superb site and then was seen to fly off and no doubt disappointed a few late comers in seeing this enigmatic southern European wader. Thankfully,  ‘Lazee Birder’, Emma Parkes, was there to capture this lovely bird through her lens and allowed me to put some of her lovely photos on my blog.

Some more excellent images of the female Black-winged Stilt. Photos by Emma Parkes.

Good news for those who missed it yesterday for the bird returned again today and seemed to commute between Ibsley Water and the River Avon by Harbridge. Another migrant, the Ring Ouzel, was found today at Old Winchester Hill, in virtually the exact area where I saw one this time last year and a nice male bird too (I had seen the female bird only). Both Sedge and Reed Warblers seemed to be well in now, though I have yet to see any up to now.

Above, a Tree Pipit that was photographed near Woolmer Pond last Saturday. Below, a Sand Martin on Ibsley Water, Blashford Lakes. Photos by Pete Appleton. 

This singing male Blackcap was photographed at Wildern Local Nature Reserve, Hedge End by Pete Appleton.

Birding pal, Geoff Farwell, was birding in Queen Elizabeth Country Park on Sunday and recorded the following sightings: 6 singing Firecrest, a single Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff and a displaying singing Tree Pipit. He also had his first Orange Tip butterfly of the year. Today, I didn't really have time to do any birding, though I did see something very large but very high up heading north high over Southsea this morning and could of quite possibly be something very interesting. Sadly, I did not have my binoculars to hand. I was a bit more lucky with a Common Buzzard soaring over the rooftops from my garden late morning, hotly being harassed by the local Gulls.    

A probable Common Furrow-bee was rummaging around near where I stood this afternoon.