White Throated Dipper

Today I spent some time looking for White Throated Dippers on the small creek that runs through the Ludwell Valley Country Park and at first there was no sign of any at all , but then I came across a pair of them and they performed quite well feeding and at rest ! also seen was a Eurasian Sparrowhawk , a Common Kingfisher , a Great Spotted Woodpecker and quite a few Long-Tailed Tit .

White Throated Dipper ( Cinclus cinclus ) . The Ludwell Valley Country Park . Exeter . Devon

Waders In Gambia

I didn`t see that many waders in the Gambia but here are a few that I managed to photograph including the bird of the trip the very smart looking Egyptian Plover .

Egyptian Plover ( Pluvianus aegyptius )

Spur-Winged Lapwing ( Vanellus spinosus )

Black-Headed Lapwing ( Vanellus tectus )

Senegal Thick-Knee ( Burhinus senegalensis )

African Wattled Lapwing ( Vanellus senegallus )

Wood Sandpiper ( Tringa glareola )

Black-Winged Stilt ( Himantopus himantopus )

Birds of Prey In Gambia

Gambia is a superb place for watching birds of prey , and here are a few photographs of some of the birds I managed to see including the magnificent Bateleur a bird I have always wanted to see !

Hope you enjoy them

Dave

Bateleur ( Terathopius ecaudatus )

Martial Eagle ( Polemaetus bellicosus )

Brown Snake Eagle ( Circaetus beaudouini )

Short-Toed Snake Eagle ( Circaetus gallicus )

Wahlberg`s Eagle ( Hieraaetus wahlbergi )

Hooded Vulture ( Necrosyrtes monachus )

Western Marsh Harrier ( Circus aeruginosus )

Lizard Buzzard ( Kaupifalco monogrammicus )

Grasshopper Buzzard ( Butastur rufipennis )

Dark Chanting Goshawk ( Melierax metabates )

African Goshawk ( Accipiter tachiro )

Shikra ( Accipiter badius )

Black Kite ( Milvus migrans )

Yellow-Billed Kite ( Milvus migrans parasitus )

Black-Shouldered Kite ( Elanus caeruleus )

Grey Kestrel ( Falco ardosiaceus )

African Harrier Hawk ( Juvenile ) ( Polyboroides typus )

Some Herons From my trip to Gambia

Goliath Heron ( Ardea goliath )

Purple Heron ( Juvenile ) ( Ardea purpurea )

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea )

Black-Headed Heron ( Ardea melanocephala )

Black Heron ( Egretta ardesiaca )

Squacco Heron ( Ardeola ralloides )

White-Backed Night Heron ( Gorsachius leuconotus )

Intermediate Egret ( Egretta intermedia )

Western Reef Egret ( Egretta gularis )

Gambia

To all my viewers this will be my last post for a while as I am off to the bird the sun soaked Gambia for eleven days , will update on my return .

Dave

Great Grey Shrike

News that a Great Grey Shrike had returned to Colaton Raleigh Common saw myself and a few other birders there this morning in hope of seeing it but after much searching the bird wasn`t seen today ! but there was a few other birds around with numerous Common Stonechat , 4 Dartford Warbler , 3 Common Reed Bunting , a late Northern Wheatear and my first Fieldfare of the Autumn .

Fieldfare ( Turdus pilaris ) . Colaton Raleigh Common . Devon