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| Another month, another obliging Shrike. This time an adult Lesser Grey at our frequented "patch" of Shingle Street in Suffolk. Click on the image below for more: |
| Shingle Street, Suffolk July 8th/9th/11th 2006 |
| Click on the shot below for some more mediocre images of the Pine Grosbeak of unknown origin in Herts. It has since been confirmed as an escape. Scroll down for nicer birds. |
| Gilston Park, Herts July 14th 2006 |
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| Decent views were had of this juvenile Roller at South Gare, although it was not close enough for any decent images while I was on site. Not surprising that it left after just one afternoon, as this surely must be the nastiest place I've visited while twitching... beating such gems as Dungeness, Sizewell and Torness Power Stations, Landguard, and Minsmere on a Bank Holiday weekend. The bird still looked pretty smart despite being a juvenile, especially in flight when it's bright blue underwings stood out. I've seen one or two other decent birds lately, including the Pec Sand at Southwold (poor record shots was the best on offer photos-wise), and the nearby Ukrainian ringed Caspian Gull, and my first properly tickable views of an Aquatic Warbler; at Seasalter in Kent (great scope views, pointless photos). |
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| With the Isabelline Wheatear sorted on Saturday, we turned our attention to Winterton in east Norfolk for Sunday's action, with Pallid Harrier and a showy Rose-coloured Starling on offer. After the inevitable tedious battle across Norfolk from Josh's house in South Lincs, we joined birders standing about in fields waiting for the Harrier to put in another appearance just south of Winterton village. Having already seen Pallid in the UK (the male in Kent in c.2000/1/2/3) and not being overly bothered about a year list, I got bored quickly and went to check out the Rose-coloured Starling, which had apparently been "at people's feet". It was indeed showing well on the ground inside the BT compound, and soon ran over towards the fence and the birders watching from behind it. I got a few reasonable shots before it disappeared into gardens. The bird was clearly in a pretty p*ss poor state, as it regularly lay down in the grass and didn't look far from keeling over and snuffing it altogether. A revolting swollen tick on the bird's neck was presumably at least partly responsible for it's apparent illness. However, it continued to find the odd worm and spider, and eventually even managed to fly off into some gardens and out of view. Click here or on the image below for more! |
| Winterton, Norfolk September 24th 2006 |
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| The appearance of an Isabelline Wheatear on Anglesey tempted Marc Read, Josh Jones and I into a long distance twitch. The species has previously been pretty irritating, as two one-day individuals have appeared at Landguard (25 minutes from home for me!), on days when I couldn't get there! The first chose a Friday when I was still at school, and the second turned up last year on the only day I visited Scilly... The drive was predictably dull, not helped by problems on the A55 causing us to take an alternative route along slower roads, but finally getting to grips with the Isabelline Wheatear just about made it worthwhile. Eventually the bird came close enough for better views and some record shots, so the drive home was less tedious with the knowledge that I hadn't left completely empty-handed photo-wise! Click here or on the image below for more: |
| South Gare, Cleveland August 18th 2006 |
| Carmel Head, Anglesey September 23rd 2006 |
| The news of a Canada Warbler in Co. Clare was met with a mixed reaction from myself, because, a) it was in Ireland, a place I'd never been to before and not really thought about twitching b) I'm not sure I'd heard of one and eventually c) it's an absolutely stunning species. After seeing a couple of images, discovering that it was cheaper than I initially thought and confirming that Josh would be able to take a day off school, I booked the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin on Tuesday evening. Everything went smoothly, and we ended up at Kilbaha on the west coast of Ireland at about 10am. The bird was seen after about 30 minutes wait, and the nearby Red-eyed Vireo was also picked up pretty quickly. A quick look for a reported Red-breasted Flycatcher on the harbour wall revealed that it was in fact a Spotted Flycatcher... (although there was apparently a Red-breasted a mile or so away) Heading back to the Warbler spot, better views were eventually obtained, and a few record shots taken hand holding the lens. Click here or on the image below for more |
| Kilbaha, County Clare October 11th 2006 |
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| The Red-eyed Vireo showed briefly but fairly well, although not coming out in the open: |
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| Above: assorted Canada Warbler twitchers © Josh Jones Below: Jones himself, clearly delighted with the addition of Canada Warbler to his lists © Josh Jones |
| Above: awaiting the appearance of the Canada Warbler, looking absolutely buggered © Josh Jones |
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| This juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper showed down to a few yards on the pools at Salthouse Click here or on the image below for more |
| Salthouse, Norfolk October 12th 2006 |
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| Recent birding October 27th 2006 etc |
| Recent birds seen include the Red-flanked Bluetail at Thorpeness in Suffolk... I had a couple of goes at photographing it with next to no success. The number of people on site combined with the bird's preference for the middle of thick thorn bushes and mobile behaviour made it virtually impossible to get any images worth having. I perhaps should have gone back in midweek when the crowd numbers had subsided, but I'd had quite enough of it all by the end of the second attempt! This is the second Red-flanked Bluetail I've seen, following the one at Skegness on my birthday in 1999. Far more satisfying was a Melodious Warbler in Cornwall (having dipped several at Portland (including one which had been present for about 10 days then disappeared 20 minutes before I arrived in the middle of the day and was never seen again, and one which had been singing at Landguard all morning then decided to shut up/disappear/be eaten by a Sparrowhawk 15 minutes before I arrived) in addition to seeing images of hundreds of the little sh*ts in the hands of Martin Cade on the Portland site).... Equally, if not more even more satisfying, was the creature in the image below... |
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| I have previously failed miserably to see Little Auk... even when there's plenty going past places like Southwold, the passage immediately dries up (or they all turn into Guillemots) as soon as I appear, or the one that swam past observers at Harwich after I had given up looking for the Snowy Owl. This intriguing sequence of reports (from Birdguides.com) also hides a painful story.... 18:12 29/01/05 Little Auk Suffolk Benacre no further sign since release but 6 Scaup still and nearby 150 Snow Buntings on Kessingland Beach 13:31 29/01/05 Little Auk Suffolk Benacre 12:45 released at Benacre Pits in northeast corner on bank; also 6 Scaup (3 drakes) 17:10 24/01/05 Little Auk Suffolk Benacre 15:30 no sign on Benacre Pits this afternoon but the Scaup still present 12:13 24/01/05 Little Auk Suffolk Benacre still at Benacre Pits; also 6 Scaup (3 drakes) still and presumed hybrid Scaup x Tufted Duck 17:13 23/01/05 Little Auk Suffolk Benacre 16:00 one on the Pits and 6 Scaup still I raced to Benacre pits as soon as I heard it was still there on the 24th... but it had gone... how? why? It should be quietly drifting about on the pit, sadly probably thinking about dying, but surely able to survive for an hour or so more!? Perplexed, I assumed it must have gathered some strength and flown off. However... a report on the 29th revealed that some kind soul had taken it into care, just before I got there (of course this is good news as it probably gave the Auk a chance of survival etc), but its a shame they didn't say so! (and maybe said when they were going to release it!). Little Auk took on a mythical status, previously held by species such as Wryneck (of which I dipped about 10 before finally seeing one), and the chance of seeing one was over until late Autumn 2005. Late October 2005 saw a strong passage of Little Auks past Norfolk... sadly they chose my birthday, when I was otherwise engaged, so that was another season wasted. Of course none of this matters now, as I finally caught up with one of the Little sods at Snettisham RSPB on 27th. I've never been so close to running for a bird. A couple of blokes on their way back reported that "it's apparently still there, but we missed it!" I've got no idea how they managed that. It was there in the middle of the pit, diving and flapping a fair bit, and being harassed by Little Grebes. The desperate image above is due to the fact that it was dark and the bird was miles away, but for now, I don't care. Success at last, the next target being to photograph one properly... some behaving like this would be nice. |
| Snettisham RSPB November 5th 2006 |
| With last weeks Little Auk at Snettisham providing little more value than a tick, the news that at least one of the birds present at Snettisham this weekend has been showing very well forced me to go back in the quest for images. The bird did indeed show well, often too close to focus, and at one point no more than 1 foot away from where I was sitting on the shore. Click on the image below for 17 more images... many of which are probably the same as it didn't really do a great deal! |
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| Other recent birding includes a successful trip to Lincolnshire, with Black Kite (a UK tick), 2 Red-breasted Geese (my first since a 1st winter in Norfolk in 2000 or something) and 2 more Little Auks(!) seen. |
| Dawlish, Devon November 11/12th 2006 |
| The Long-billed Murrelet is apparently very unusual. It doesn't breed in colonies or even close to the sea, but in old conifers on islands in the North Pacific... so one on the sea off Dawlish in Devon is an interesting record to say the least. Read more about this amazing but ridiculous bird here I managed to get to the bird on the first day, but the light was generally terrible and photo opportunities limited, so a return visit was in order the next day. This was of course a mistake as there far too many people about and the light wasn't really much better! I managed a few mediocre images, but there's definitely room for improvement, maybe a midweek trip is required. Click on the image below for more: |
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| West Bexington, Dorset December 16th 2006 |
| Having finally got rid of all my coursework, finished lectures for the Christmas break and having a free day with nice weather, some photography was in order. An adult Grey Phalarope in Dorset was just the ticket, it showed well. Click on the image below for more: |
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