Western Palearctic Birding
Chris Lansdell
WP Ticks in the UK, Ireland and on the near Continent
2009
27 October 2009
With a phone call from Lee the previous afternoon and the offer of a lift to the Netherlands that night it would have been rude to say no! The car was filled with Jus (after we'd eventually managed to get hold of him!) and Mick Frosdick who we picked up en-route in Bishop Stortford.
We were booked on a cut price late night Channel Tunnel crossing (just £22 for the whole car each way providing your trip spans 2 calendar days) and were very quickly through and on French and then Belgian dual carriageways as we headed through the night towards the Netherlands. We arrived at the site of Vreugderijkerwaard just west of the large town of Zwolle at about 04.00 and after taking a while to locate the carpark had an uncomfortable couple of hours 'sleep' in the car until the sun rose. As it did we made our way up onto the grassy bank overlooking a flash and pretty soon we were watching a small group of Dunlin flying back and forth and importantly containing an obviously smaller bird. After what seemed like forever they landed and the smaller bird was nailed as the Long-toed Stint. During the next couple of hours we got some great views and by moving to the left managed to avoid the frustration if intermitent views through weeds on the near edge. Curiously a bunch of Dutch birders ignored our encouragement to join us and stayed put getting no views at all! As well as numerous Barnacle, White-fronted and Egyptian Geese we were also treated to a nice juv Pectoral Sandpiper just yards away from the stint plus 2 Great White Egrets, 150 Snipe, 2 Water Pipits, several White Wagtails and a superb male Goshawk low over the fields behind us.
Long-toed Stint, Vreugderijkerwaard, 27 Oct 2009
Vreugderijkerwaard
With the day still young we headed south to Veluwemeer next but failed to find any Black Swans as we did last year. However we did manage a Chilean Flamingo (maybe one for Cat C one day!), 3 Great White Egrets, c12 Goldeneye and huge numbers of Mute Swans, Pochard and Coot. Further down the road c60 Stock Doves rose from the fields.
Next up was the famous site of Oostvaardersplassen where we quickly located the Long-billed Dowitcher of the last few days as it fed unobtrusively amongst Teal. I really would recommend this superb site, in just 45 minutes we'd scored with a superb array of raptors including 2 White-tailed Eagles, c3 Common Buzzads, c4 Goshawks, 1 Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and 2 Hen Harriers! Add several late Swallows, 2 Caspian Gulls, 2 Spoonbills, c4 Great White Egrets, c15 Bearded Tits and waders represented by Dunlin, Snipe, Avocet, Grey Plover, Black-tailed Godwit and Spotted Redshank as well as numerous Barnacle and White-fronted Geese plus loafing herds of Red Deer and 'wild' Auroch Cattle and Konick Ponies and it really was a magnificent sight in the sun. Even the track through woodland on the way back to the car produced Short-toed Treecreeper, Brambling and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Caspian Gull, Oostvaardersplassen, 27 Oct 2009
Long-billed Dowitcher, Oostvaardersplassen, 27 Oct 2009
Spoonbills, Oostvaardersplassen, 27 Oct 2009
Red Deer and 'wild' Auroch Cattle, Oostvaardersplassen, 27 Oct 2009
Oostvaardersplassen
A drive west over the long and snaking Markerwaardijk Causeway was a very entertaining and slightly strange experience and also yielded 2 Great White Egrets, literally thousands of Cormorants and several Common Buzzards adding to what was to be a day tally of c25.
Our penultimate stop of the day was the coastal site of Castricum where after a long walk through coastal dunes/scrub/grassland we reached the lake we'd pinpointed on Google maps. Amongst the loafing flock of c60 Pochard our target bird - the drake Canvasback of the last few winters was quickly picked out. Eventually it woke up to allow some photos of it's bill and despite it being a 'discussion' bird due to broken remnants of a wingtag it's on the Dutch list so Mick was more than happy to boost his WP list by 1! On the walk there were thousands of Fieldfares moving south with smaller numbers of Redwing. Amazingly 2 more Goshawks brought the day total to c7 whilst we also managed a Sparrowhawk and a fly-over Redpoll sp.
Canvasback, Castricum, 27 Oct 2009
Despite some heavy traffic around Rotterdam and Den Haag we reached Hoek van Holland with just a little light left. Apart from 2 chunky billed small corvids flying out across the water we were unable to find an House Crows and assumed they'd gone to roost and not waited for us! We managed only a Peregrine flying onto a gas tower near Den Haag.
Lee then drove all the way back too (top marks mate!) and despite some hold ups due to an accident in deepest Belgium and the obligatory McDonalds stop we still managed to get onto a sligtly earlier tunnel crossing and I was back home at c02.00 minus lots of sleep!
23 October 2009
News of this 1st for the UK broke the previous evening when a local birder posted a picture labelled Yellow-browed Warbler on the internet that was subsequently re-identified! With early news the following morning that despite our pessimistic predictions the bird was still present Justin and negotiated a day off and we left Norwich at 10.00.
After a rather frustrating 5 hour drive up the A1 and a fight through the Tyneside urban sprawl we arrived on the South Shields seafront the The Leas at about 15.00. A quick stride over the grass to the sunken hollow of Trow Quarry and within 2 minutes we were enjoying some superb views of the Eastern Crowned Warbler feeding actively in sycamores and a lower silver poplar bush. It really was a surprising looker of a bird with wide dark grey lateral crown stripes, a narrow diffuse yellowish central crown stripe, white supercilia, greyish cast on mantle, bright green wing panel and 2 narrow wingbars. The underparts were clean white with an obvious bright yellow wash on the undertail coverts. The bill was long and strong with a dark upper mandible and pale horn lower. The feeding action was quite clumsy, recalling a hippolais warbler rather than a phyllosc. Sharing the same small patch of trees were a Yellow-browed Warbler, 2+ Blackcaps and a Brambling. The only disappointment of the day was the farm cafe on the A17 being closed on the way home!
Eastern Crowned Warbler, Trow Quarry, South Shields, 23 Oct 2009
Eastern Crowned Warbler, Trow Quarry, South Shields, 23 Oct 2009
Eastern Crowned Warbler twitch, Trow Quarry, South Shields, 23 Oct 2009
15 October 2009
Having missed the 2008 Brown Shrike at Flamborough (due to being in Israel) I didn't think I'd have another chance as soon as this!
After a fairly leisurely amble down the M11 and round the M25 I made the 15 minute walk from the 'village' of Stanwell Moor alongside the King George V1 Reservoir fence and onto Staines Moor I found the 1w Brown Shrike to be showing on arrival in an area of scattered bushes by a stream. Over the next hour it was watched well on and off and at one point was seen to regurgitate a pellet. Generally quite active but also sitting still for periods. Quite a distinctive bird with obvious solid dark mask, warm brown crown and mantle and short primary projection giving a subtly different jizz to Red-backed Shrike. Also of note were several Ring-necked Parakeets over a 3 Common Buzzards on the journey.
Brown Shrike, Staines Moor, Surrey, 15 Oct 2009
24 September 2009
Following a pager message about a lift from Mick Case in Felixstowe and a few hasty phone calls we quickly filled a car with Ghost and Glen from Norwich to make the long drive up to John O'Groats for the foot ferry to South Ronaldsay. Leaving from Glen's house in Cringleford at 17.45 we were up in the NE corner of Scotland by about 06.00 and after a doss in the car we caught the 09.00 ferry with bacon rolls in hand. A 45 minute ferry ride (and a couple of Manx Shearwaters) later and we docked at Burwick quay. LGRE had news that the bird was still present although it had moved a couple of miles from the previous day. A half walk, half run to the isolated hamlet of Flaws followed and I got onto the Sandhill Crane as we moved along the lane. Panic ensued but I managed to get everyone near me onto it as it flew east. Within 20 mins it was re-located on the deck looking NE from Flaws towards Windwick and during the next couple of hours it showed very well in the valley bottom. The remainder of the day was spent wandering the southern part of South Ronaldsay. We found a great cafe on the coast and celebrated with lunch and an Orkney beer but not until after I'd been interviewed on camera by the BBC! Additional birds included 3-4 Hen Harriers, Raven, 4 Bonxies, 4 Wheatears, c12 Twite, loads of wild geese (Greylags and Pinkfeet) and Eider plus the obligatory 'Orkney' Wren. After a very rough return ferry ride it was just a matter of an 11 hour drive home via a petrol station at Perth which gave us free cakes on the outward and return journeys!
The John O'Groats to Burwick ferry
Sandhill Crane, Flaws, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, 24 September 2009
Sandhill Crane twitch
Co Galway, Ireland, 17 - 20 January 2009
Not a dedicated birding trip but with scope and bins squeezed into my meagre Ryanair hand luggage allowance I still managed to get a bit of birding in on this family trip! I had booked some ridiculously cheap flight tickets from Stansted to Shannon back in December and booked a hire car and a holiday cottage in Cleggan close to Clifden for a family trip.
Our cottage, Cleggan
17 January 2009
Our flights landed at about 10.30 in the morning and after picking up our car (we used 353 Car Rentals) we were quickly on our way north towards Galway City. As we had to pass the city en-route to Cleggan I was anxious to make a stop on the way through to have a look at the docks and Nimmo's Pier. Having been once before I knew roughly where I was going but it has to be said the weather was atrocious! We parked by the dockside and while the others walked into town for some lunch I began my search of the docks area in winds and rain that gradually increased to storm force 10 during the next couple of hours! Crossing a chain bridge across the mouth of the harbour probably wasn't the wisest move but I just about managed it. Checking all the gulls I found 2 Iceland Gulls and c10 Kittiwakes of note but despite searching through the Herring Gulls I couldn't find the one I really wanted. After getting soaked through and sheltering on and off in the doorway of a coastguards building (much to the amusement of the Harbour Master who stopped for a chat!) I decided to stagger back to the car and drive the short distance round to Nimmo's Pier where I could see many more gulls in the distance. Reaching the pier I found loads of gulls sheltering at the base of the pier and within a few minutes had found my bird - the adult American Herring Gull back now for its 5th winter in Galway. This surprisingly distinctive bird was joined by 1 Ring-billed Gull and 1 Iceland Gull amongst loads of their commoner cousins.
American Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 17 January 2009 (copyright Tom Cuffe)
American Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 17 January 2009 (copyright Tom Cuffe)
American Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 17 January 2009 (copyright Tom Cuffe)
Iceland Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 17 January 2009
Later that afternoon at Sellema Bay, Cleggan we were caught in a mega hail and rain downpour and I had only 6 Sanderling and a Stonechat for my troubles!
18 January 2009
Being suckers for punishment we ventured out to Aughrus Point on the western end of the Cleggan peninsular the following morning. Despite the extremely high winds it was sunny and dry for our walk around the headland which yielded 3 Purple Sandpipers, 1 Kittiwake, 1-2 Rock Pipits, Raven and a dark 'Icelandic' Redwing. They were topped by the sight of Hannah toppling face first into a boggy field though!
Aughrus Point
Purple Sandpiper in a force 10 (!), Aughrus Point, 18 January 2009
A drive around the famous Sky Road was fantastic for scenery and while we were stopped at the small carpark and viewpoint I flushed a single Jack Snipe out of a boggy patch just over the wall. It flew downhill and into another wet area but I couldn't pick it up again. With the rain threatening again we made our way down into Clifden and had a well-timed coffee in town while I tipped it down outside. I was keen to walk down to the quay on the dge of town so with the sun now out again we all ventured down the lane to this picturesque little spot. Checking the relatively few gulls present I couldn't initially find anything unusual but eventually picked up a white-winged gull preening on the mud. Closer inspection from around the back of a playground revealed it to be a fantastic 3rd winter Kumlien's Gull and presumably the bird initially seen there back in December. As we were leaving a flock of c12 finches flew in and after circling for a bit landed right in trees front of me. Point blank views of some very educational 'Greenland' Redpolls looking like really chunky brown 'cabaret' birds but with heavy flank streaking and paler streaked rumps. The only other birds seen that afternoon were a single Rock Pipit, 1 Mistle Thrush and the ubiquitous Hooded Crows.
Kumlien's Gull, Clifden Quay, Co Galway, 18 January 2009 (Copyright Dermot Breen)
Kumlien's Gull, Clifden Quay, Co Galway, 18 January 2009 (Copyright Dermot Breen)
Clifden Quay
Snow on the Twelve Bens
That night we hit the bars in Cleggan with dinner in Olivers Bar followed by a traditional music session in Newmans Bar which was excellent despite close attentions of a local drunk!
19 January 2009
Today we headed south a little way towards Roundstone and stopped for a morning walk around Dogs Bay and the peninsular just west of the village. For birding it proved a good call with 5 Great Northern Divers and 3 Shag in the bay plus several Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatchers and Turnstone on the beaches. 3-4 Stonechats and 3+ Rock Pipits flitted about and as I walked over the top of the grassy peninsular I flushed an Irish Hare and got some great views of this strange reddish-brown species which was a new one for me. As we headed back towards the car 2 Chough settled on the grass in front of us and despite not hanging around for long were a very welcome surprise. With the weather now closing in again we legged it towards the car where despite pausing to look at c20 Twite which settled on the beach we just made it as the heavens opened again. O'Dowd's Bar in Roundstone beckoned and we were lucky to get seats right beside the roaring peat fire for our coffee and scones!
Dogs Bay and Errisbeg, near Roundstone
A drive back along the lonely and reputedly haunted Roundstone Bog Road was interrupted by only by a dead Badger at the roadside in what seemed a very odd place for one.
20 January 2009
Our last day before an evening flight home and it was raining again! We'd already decided to spend the day back in Galway City and the weather did begin to clear as we got to the city and eventually found some reasonably priced parking by the Cathedral. It was a morning of shopping but after that I negotiated a quick look at Nimmo's Pier again which proved to be quite quiet with just an 2 Iceland Gulls of note. Another Iceland Gull was flying along Salthill seafront as we headed west out of the city to Silver Strand. Almost the first bird I looked at off the beach was a duck and grabbing the scope it was quickly nailed as the wintering female Surf Scoter. Several Shag, 3+ Great Northern Divers, Rock Pipit and Stonechat proved a fitting end to the weekends events. We then headed through the Galway traffic and down through the green fields of Co Clare back to the airport.
Iceland Gull, Nimmo's Pier, Galway, 20 January 2009
The colourful view from Nimmo's Pier (featuring Iceland Gull to the left of the slipway)
Hannah, Jacob and Belinda, Silver Strand
Galway Bay from Silver Strand
2008
14 October 2008
Having discovered only last week how easy and cheap it is to twitch Ireland Jus and I had no hesitation in booking flights and a car for this mega when the news was only a few hours old. This time we even managed to avoid the cost and time of baggage check-in by taking 1 scope and tripod crammed into hand luggage. A few birders lurking around Stansted meant we weren't the only ones who had decided to strike while the iron was hot.
Upon arrival on the Emerald Isle we got the news we wanted - the bird was still there! So with a bit of pressure off we drove the 50 miles or so from Shannon to Kilbaha on Loop Head and parked by the Lighthouse Inn in the village. Nobody was about though but luckily a local birder pulled up in his car and very kindly offered us a lift to the bird. After hasty thanks and a squelch across a boggy field we were quickly feasting our eyes on Britian and Ireland's 3rd Philadelphia Vireo. It performed extremely well in sallow hedges around 2 fields for and hour and a half before we sought refreshment back in the Lighthouse Inn (Guinness, a bowl of soup and soda bread).
An afternoon walk up the lane towards Loop Head lighthouse revealed a single Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear, c6 Rock Pipits, Coal Tit, c3 Ravens, at least 20 Stonechats and 2 Chough while a Merlin dashed along the clifftop and a diver (either Great Northern or Black-throated) flew south over the headland but was too distant to nail.
It was then just a matter of trundling home on what was dubbed 'the birders special' (aka known as the 20.00 flight back to Stansted) which had about 30 very happy but wet and muddy birders aboard.
Philadelphia Vireo, Kilbaha, Loop Head, Co Clare, 14 Oct 2008
Philadelphia Vireo twitch, Kilbaha, Loop Head, Co Clare, 14 Oct 2008
9 October 2008
My very first twitch to Ireland and a highly successful one. After shopping around on the internet Jus, Andy and I found reasonable Ryanair flights from Stansted to Shannon and agreed on a day. With hindsight the choice of day wasn't the best because the weather was terrible and we missed the only day we could have twitched the Alder Flycatcher in Cornwall but them's the breaks!
The drive north from Shannon to Galway and then through Connemara was extremely slow, frustrating and wet but we eventually arrived at Barnaderg Bay, Letterfrack after about 3 hours. Despite the rain being horizontal we located the Little Blue Heron immediately feeding on grass in the southwest corner of the bay and were able to watch it at length through increasingly soggy optics. After a dry out in a cafe in Letterfrack we returned for another look when the bird was joined by a Whimbrel before making our torturous way back south to the airport. Initial thoughts of possibly squeezing a drive south into Kerry for the Scarlet Tanager on the same day were quickly dispelled due to the distances involved, poor Irish roads and the limited number of hours available.
Little Blue Heron, Letterfrack, Co Galway
Barnaderg Bay, Letterfrack, Co Galway
24 July 2008
Having spent a while in North Hide at Cley seeing a good selection of waders including White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, 2 Curlew Sandpipers and the summering Spoonbills I decided to have a bit of a seawatch off Cley. There wasn't a great deal happening (just a few Gannets, 3 Arctic Skuas and a trickle of Common Scoter) so I started looking at a few auks loafing on the sea close in.
Having id'd both Guillemot and Razorbill about the 6th bird I looked at raised alarm bells immediately. During the 15 mins or so I watched it (at a range of only 50 yards) I was able to clinch everything on it. It was a Brunnich's Guillemot in full summer plumage! Tony Gray came up the beach and I got him onto the bird. He too was 100% happy it was a Brunnich's and went back to coastguards to double check literature before the news was rung out. We returned up the beach (to the area behind north hide) but couldn't relocate the bird. It had been drifting very slowly east. I then walked up as far as Arnolds Marsh scanning the sea but couldn't find it again.
Tony went to Salthouse to look for the bird where it was reported about 2 hours later by Trevor Davies and Mike Sidwell albeit at c300 yards range. It was then reported again off Sheringham the next day by Phil Vines and John Miller.
6 January 2008
4 October 2007
News of a first for the UK in the form of an Asian Brown Flycatcher had broken the previous afternoon and with Justin offering to drive a few excuses to get a day off work were hastily dreamed up! Following an early start and a frustratingly slow drive up the East Yorkshire coast we arrived at the designated parking field on Flamborough Head and began the walk to the Old Fall Plantation safe in the knowledge that the bird was still present. And so it was - showing nicely on arrival in a kindly offered telescope! During the next hour and a half Justy, Andy and myself all enjoyed some wonderful views of this charismatic bird as it flicked actively around in the thankfully quite sparsely vegetated plantation. Keeping approximately 15 - 20 feet up it did occassionally stop still and allow itself to be grilled in the scope. In addition there was a visible passage of thrushes with good numbers of both Redwings and Song Thrushes while we also had brief views of a Merlin as it dashed past.
Asian Brown Flycatcher, Flamborough Head, N Yorks, 4 Oct 2007
Nearby at North Landing we jammed in on a male Red-backed Shrike and a Yellow-browed Warbler both within a few yards of each other by a small sewage works.
The day was to continue in a rich vein when we moved just a few miles north to the village of Buckton. A park and a 15 minute walk later and we were watching our 2nd new WP bird of the day - a 1w Turkestan Shrike. The bird was on view in gorse as we arrived and showed very well as it hunted from exposed perches on the bushes surrounding a grassy hollow not far from the clifftop. This recently split species differs in several aspects from Daurian Shrike having a more clearly defined mask, dark wings contrasting with a pale mantle, more obviously scalloped undersides and a warm brown wash to the crown.
Turkestan Shrike, Buckton, N Yorks, 4 Oct 2007
31 January 2007
Having returned from a trip to Finland just the previous day it was once again some inventive thinking that secured another day off work. Looking back it was great to get one over on the nasty piece of work who I worked for!
Being in the dead of winter we didn't have the luxury of waiting for news before departing so Justin, myself and Chris Baker made an exceptionally early start to drive up to West Yorkshire. We got the longed for positive news are we neared the site at Farnham GPs near Knaresborough. A stop by the road and a long range 'scope of the pits got us our quarry - Pacific Diver and a 1st for the WP. We then moved down to the parking area by the waters edge and secured definitive views of this curious diver. Almost like a cross between a Black-throated and a Red-throated differing from the former in its diminutive size, weaker/shorter/one-toned bill, complete chinstrap, lack of white flank patch and an obvious black ventral bar seen when the bird roll preened.
Pacific Diver, Farnham GPs, Knaresborough, N Yorks, 31 Jan 2007
Making the most of our day in the north we then visted Bingley and obtained some wonderful views of the long staying 1w Amercian Robin together with a Firecrest by a nearby canal and 2 Nuthatches.
American Robin, Bingley, w Yorks, 31 Jan 2007
Finishing our day at the gull roost at Ogston Reservoir in Derbyshire we clocked both Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull for the yearlists, both 1w individuals
2006
14 November 2006
News of what could be described as 'bird of the decade' had broken a day or 2 before but other commitments at the weekend meant it was early during the working week before we were able to make the dash south.
Chris Baker kindly offered to drive down to the south Devon coast and the crew was completed by Murray Smith and a rare appearance from Julian Bhalerao.
We arrived at the small coastal resort of Dawlish mid morning and found parking quite difficult. A gallant Mr Baker offered to drop us, find a parking space and catch us up. We didn't need asking twice so practically ran along the seafront promenade between the sea and a busy railway line. We reached Corytons Cove and within minutes had obtained some distant views of our bird. Within a very short space of time however it ventured much closer and we were treated to some ludicrously close views of this first for the WP - Long-billed Murrelet. The bird dived to feed only a few feet from the beach and was then in the habit of venturing way out to sea before returning close inshore once again. We watched it gradually float further and further out to sea in the early afternoon as the weather began to close in and the sea get very choppy. Despite a few dubious claims that turned out to be Guillemots the bird was never seen again. We had scored by the skin of our teeth!
Also in the vicinity we jammed in on an adult Mediterranean Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull
Long-billed Murrelet, Dawlish, South Devon, 14 Nov 2006
The Long-billed Murrelet twitch, Dawlish, South Devon, 14 Nov 2006
The rest of the day was mainly one of travelling but we did pause at Exminster before we began the journey back and eventually managed some good views of 8 Cirl Buntings in a weedy set-aside field above the old hospital site. Best not mentioned would be the wet stop at a slummy Avonmouth on the way home where we saw nothing (especially not the long-staying Ring-necked Duck)!
2005
12 November 2005
This one has to go down as the biggest panic of recent years! I was stood by the slipway at West Runton watching a Grey Phalarope paddling about in the surf with my 2 boys Ollie and Henry. Chatting to Robin Abel he suddenly received a pager message - 'Little Swift at Overstrand'!
Cue a mad dash up the slope to the cars as we all headed the short distance towards Cromer. The centre of Cromer was in gridlock which added considerably to the stress levels but eventually I found my way out on the road towards Overstrand. Dumping the car (and my 2 sons who were more than happy not to join me!) I legged it along the path beside Overstrand Hall and onto the golf course. Here I was met by Pete Milford puffing and panting in the opposite direction with news that the bird had flown closer to Cromer and was showing.
So back to the car it was and a squeal along the road to find the path down through the woods through Happy Valley. Gasping and dripping I finally reached the clifftop where a group of just half a dozen birders were present. A glance over the edge of the cliff and there was the Little Swift flying backwards and forwards at very close range. What a feeling - elated but absolutely knackered! Just a few minutes later the bird flew onto the cliff face where it was to roost and a steady but small number of birders managed to connect with it in the fading light.
At dawn the following morning, when I was still tucked up in bed!, several hundred birders (including Justin despite painful problems in the trouser department!) had congregated. But as the sun came up the bird wasn't where it had roosted the previous evening! All's well that ends well though because it was relocated and all enjoyed views as it circled up high and disappeared inland.
Little Swift, Cromer, Norfolk, 12 Nov 2005
5 October 2005
Whilst spending a few days walking solo in the Peak District I decided to cut that short and strike for the North Wales coast for the wintering Black Scoter which had returned once again for it's umpteenth winter in a row.
After a slow trawl through Manchester area and along the A55 I arrived at Llanfairfechan to find the tide well out. Scoter were showing as mere dots in the distance with no chance of identification so I vowed to return to the promenade the following morning at high tide after a night in Snowdonia at Pen-y-pass youth hostel.
The morning saw some perfect viewing conditions with flat calm seas and more importantly the tide well up. The drake American Black Scoter was surprisingly obvious and easily picked out of the relatively small numbers of Scoter. Even at range the yellow-orange on the bill was striking. In a thoroughly enjoyable morning I also managed c30 Common Scoter, c15 Red-throated Divers, c12 Red-breasted Mergansers, Grey Wagtail and a couple of Little Egrets.
American Black Scoter, Llanfairfechan, 5 Oct 2005
Having driven this far I then made the decision not to return to Norwich for an Arctic Monkeys gig that night. Instead I decided to spend another day or 2 in Wales and that afternoon had 2 Chough, 2 Common Buzzards and a Raven at South Stack on Anglesey.
29 March 2005
A UK bogey bird finally falls! Many years ago Andy and I spent a thoroughly miserable day dipping a Killdeer in the pouring rain near Holyhead. Even the previous day (a Sunday) many of us had put in a lot of hours searching for this individual following it's initial finding but without success.
So it was back to work on the Monday and as so often happens it returned to a field along the South Wall at Breydon! An anxious afternoon ensued at work with everything crossed that it would stay out until we could get there. Luckily it did and after a fast drive and a sweaty dash from near the rugby club it was on view as we arrived. Remaining fairly inactive it sat at quite close range in a muddy arable field on a very grey late afternoon. Grey wouldn't be the way to describe our moods though at this 'treble tick' (Norfolk, UK and WP), Killdeer was well and truly in the bag!
Killdeer, Breydon South Wall, Norfolk, 29 Mar 2005 (copyright Murray Smith)
2004
10 October 2004
The day began with me in the Peak District. Having stayed overnight at Gradbach Youth Hostel I was enjoying a food fair in Buxton when halfway through a cookery demonstration I got a call from Justin - 'there's a White's Thrush at Easington near Spurn!'
So, needless to say, I promptly left the Buxton Pavillion and dashed back to the car. The journey across country to the East Yorkshire coast was a torturous one to say the least but I eventually arrived and parked on the verge on what had become quite a busy country lane.
The bird had chosen a thick and overgrown hedge alongside a field just one field along from the small cemetry. Initially a venture into the field produced nothing but a small group of locals decided that every hour they would walk both sides of the hedge working their way towards the masses standing in the lane. That way all would hopefully see the bird as it was flushed and in between times it would have plenty of time to feed up. An anxious wait ensued (during which time Justin and Sonia arrived from Norfolk) but as the flush began nothing emerged. Then, all of a sudden the White's Thrush exploded out of the hedge and flew right towards the everyone! It banked sideways at very close range showing the diagnostic black and white underwing to gasps from the crowd before diving back into the cover of the hedge again.
White's Thrush, Easington, E Yorks, 10 Oct 2004
As that was effectively it for an hour we ventured the short distance towards Kilnsea and got some nice views of a Firecrest close to the Bluebell pub before we got a shout that an Olive-backed Pipit has been found in a weedy field close by. A muddy trudge later and we were in position as the bird flew out of the weeds and sat in a hedge for all to admire.
2003
20 December 2003
A Christmas trip down to Cornwall!
News had broken of an American Robin not far from Hayle and with the news being generally positive Justin and I decided to make the trip. Driving down through the late afternoon and evening though we had to take our chances and hope it was still present the next morning.
We stayed overnight at a deserted Penzance Youth Hostel and were up before dawn and making our way to the dunes at Godrevy Point north of Hayle. We walked through the dunes to the muddy hollow containing cattle and feeders that the bird had been frequenting. Indeed it had been seen to go to roost in bushes there the pervious afternoon. We waited for a what seemed like an eternity as it gradually got lighter but as the weather closed in and the rain began to lash down things didn't look good at all. Then after a couple of hours it emerged from the bushes and flew towards a grassy area behind us. It was watched trying desperately to stay upright on a fence post in the blustery conditions and then feeding on the ground in typical thrush like manner.
Being soaked through and cold but also rather chuffed we decided that a celebratory fry-up in Hayle was in order so joined by Jacqui and Dave Bridges and Tony and Ann Smith we gorged ourselves silly and dried out before the long drive home! The only other bird of note seen all day was a Peregrine on the Hayle Estuary.
Our 2nd 'Yank' of the week and another early Christmas present!
American Robin, Godrevy Point, Cornwall, 20 Dec 2003
17 December 2003
Out of the blue news was eventually put out that a Baltimore Oriole had been present for some while (after probably arriving this side of the Atlantic in the autunm) in the unlikely setting of gardens in Headington on the outskirts of Oxford.
So it was me, Justy and Andy that left in the small hours for the trip down to the Home Counties. Timing it a little wrong we killed time drinking coffee at a service station while it was still pitch black and then got caught in the Oxford rush hour meaning we didn't get there quiet at dawn as we'd planned. A large crowd had gathered and we were treated to the very surreal sight of birders walking around suburban streets carrying stepladders! It looked like a bizarre scene from League of Gentlemen as people jostled and searched for a vantage point to see into the favoured gardens.
Viewing conditions were difficult and for some while it looked like we'd dipped because nobody was seeing the bird. Then it was finally located in an overgrown hedge bordering 2 gardens to the enormous relief of all. After that we gained access to one of the gardens and got some truly memorable views at close range. Thereafter it became more widely ranging and was seen in treetops in other surrounding gardens.
Baltimore Oriole, Headington, Oxford, 17 Dec 2003
Baltimore Oriole twitch, Headington, Oxford, 17 Dec 2003
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Baltimore Oriole twitch, the Oriole is showing well on the left!
Having scored in the morning we were able to take in a couple of sites to the NW of London on the return journey. First stop was another suburban cul-de-sac close just off Elstree High Street where we wasted no time in finding the small but expanding (and very vocal!) colony of Monk Parakeets in their favoured trees. Then it was on to Grovelands Park at nearby Southgate where we counted an impressive 133 Mandarins and a solitary female Ruddy Duck.
Mandarins, Grovelands Park, Southgate, Herts, 17 Dec 2003
6 June 2003
Although this mega had been present for a few days other committments meant it was Saturday before I could make the lone pilgrimage to South Stack RSPB on Anglesey. Although I left very early it being mid-summer meant it wasn't long before I'd got positive news that the bird was still present and showing well. I therefore hastened my journey along the A55 and after what seemed like an age finally pulled into the small carpark. Here it was a short walk through the heather to where the bird was showing and I obtained views of this enigmatic first for the UK very quickly - an adult male Black Lark, all the way from the Russian Steppes!
And what a great bird! Completely different to anything else I'd seen, almost like a cross between a finch and a lark - and black! It was watched at length feeding on the sort-cropped heather at a range of just 10 - 12 meters. The close range views were just as well because the weather was very foggy which somehow seemed to add to the sense of occasion. Eventually the bird flew over a stone wall and out of view so I wandered along the clifftop footpath towards the tower. Despite the fog I did manage some views of Razorbills and Guillemots at the seabird colony on the cliffs and then bumped into a nice group of 4 Chough on the return walk. For the botanist there was also a small group of Northern Marsh Orchids
Black Lark, South Stack, Anglesey, 6 June 2003
Moving away from the sea the weather improved dramatically so bathing in the glory of such a stonking bird I decided to spend the afternoon on the east side of Anglesey. A Hobby livened the drive through the lanes to what is surely the most picturesque part of the island and I reached the cliffs at Fedr Fawr in bright sunshine. Here 2 Black Guillemots were very quickly found on the sea under the cliffs and felt almost like new birds it being so long since I'd seen one. As a very pleasant afternoon drew to a close I managed to find some youth hostel accommodation at Betws-y-coed after several phone calls to others that were full with the idea being to drive home the following day.
I made just one stop on the return journey, at Llanymynech Rocks near the interestingly named Pant in Shropshire. This was in the vain hope of finding a late Pearl-bordered Fritillary which didn't happen. A surprise find however was a female Club-tailed Dragonfly presumably from the River Severn population some miles away. 2 Beautiful Demoiselles and a Peregrine completed the picture.
2001
25 September 2001
September gone mad. Just days after the PG Tips panic the 2nd ever twitchable Green Heron turns up in Humberside!
Securing time off work Justin and I arrived at Messingham Sand Quarries only to find the bird had gone missing and hadn't been seen for 6 hours! We held on to the hope that as the evening wore on it would become more active (if it was still there at all) and had some fortune in the fact that just before we arrived there had been an enormous storm which had soaked everyone on site!
We needn't have worried though because by sheer good luck it was re-located 15 minutes after we arrived and depsite the initial scrum we got some excellent views of it preening sat high above the water in a willow. From here it flew down to the waters edge and sat on a low branch giving even better views.
Then it was home for tea and cakes!
22 September 2001
A Blakeney Point stonker and a bit of a fiasco to get there for it!
I was working at Carrow Road on matchday duties when I got a call from Justin about a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler having been found. He'd decided to forget the match and get up to the Point as soon as possible. Leaving Sam my colleague to cover for me (basically to pretend I was somewhere else around the ground if anyone asked!) I ditched my fluorescent yellow jacket, Justin picked me up just round the corner from the ground and we sped up to the coast via Holt to collect by bins.
The trudge up Blakeney Point is never a good one and when you're in a hurry it's a lot worse. Luckily the bird had chosen sueda c300 meters east of Halfway House so the walk could have been much longer. Upon arrival the bird proved to be very elusive and refused to leave the cover of the thick sueda. It was numerous times by the large crowd (rather regrettably in a random and unorganised way and without much thought for the bird) and good flight views were had on several occasions. This together with a couple of brief views of it running on the deck allowed all of the ID features to be seen.
Thereafter it was decided to leave the bird and collect a few bonuses which were nearby that afternoon. This proved a good call as we notched up some great views of an Ortolan after a stomp to The Hood and a Grey Phararope was paddling about in the surf just off the beach by Halfway House. There were also singles of Redstart, Wheatear and Arctic Skua.
29 May 2001
This one was an after work sprint down to Sizewell on the Suffolk coast.
News had broken earlier in the day and after a sweaty and anxious wait I arrived at a packed power station carpark and walked along the seaward side of the power station to the north end. Quite a crowd had gathered all looking into a large area of scattered gorse and broom bushes just behind the beach. The bird was proving pretty elusive but the encouraging news was that it did show occasionally. Within a short space of time it did just that and I'd scored with the 4th Marmora's Warbler for the UK and a bird I'd wanted for some time after being unable to go for one at St Abbs Head previously.
The bird showed on and off allowing a good appreciation of it's smokey grey plumage, obvious red eye, pale orange legs and surprisingly conspicuous pale yellow basal half to the bill. Even at range it could be heard to give brief snatches of song. This was very Dartford-like.
2000
26 August 2000
Black Duck was one of those species which I'd vowed never to travel far to see. So when one turned up in Cornwall I waited until a scheduled family holiday in the south west before taking it in.
Driving through the night to avoid the worst of the summer holiday traffic we arrived at Stithians Reservoir just after first light. I'd made a point of driving so I could ensure this was the first port of call! I quickly located the bird from the Golden Lion Causeway and as expected it was decidedly unimpressive! I ran through the id features to ensure I wasn't looking at some dodgy hybrid and then headed off in Helston for a well-earned cooked breakfast with 2 very sleepy children!
14 January 2000
A day birding on the Suffolk coast had begun at Sizewell where a 2nd winter Glaucous Gull had been picked out from the masses of gulls around the power station outfalls. Of note were also c200 Kittiwakes whilst a lone Snow Bunting graced the beach.Nearby at Dunwich Heath a very creditable 9 Dartford Warblers were located on a circuit of the heath but prize of the morning went to 4 or 5 juv Pomarine Skuas which were watched well from the clifftop. The sea also held an amazing 400 Great Crested Grebes plus 20 Red-throated Divers.
The examination of a finch flock at Westleton paid dividends with 4 Bramblings picked out.
For what was left of the day we decided to check the gulls that congregate around the pig fields near the water tower at Blythburgh. We put a lot of effort into checking thoroughly and were rewarded with a 1w Caspian Gull picked out and around the pig pens just to the west of the crossroads together with c8 wintering Lesser Black-baked Gulls.
1999
8 December 1999
Oh what a dream bird - an Ivory Gull within easy striking distance of home! So it was a quick streak down to Aldeburgh on the Suffolk 'Heritage Coast' and a short yomp south from the carpark towards the martello tower. The bird was present and showing extremely well on the stony beach halfway to the tower and was watched well both there, on the nearby groynes, sat on the sea and also on the River Alde immediately behind the beach. It would feed quite happily on ham sandwiches but wouldn't take bread with no filling! A 1w individual showing well developed black markings including superby black-tipped primaries and remiges. Stocky and well built for a small gull it was surprisingly graceful in flight. Just 2 Rock Pipits momentarily attracted our attention away from an absolute stunner.
Following that we ventured to Lake Lothing, Lowestoft where we eventually managed to locate the long staying Great Northern Diver towards the western end.
2 October 1999Short-billed Dowitcher, Greatham Creek, Teesside
7 February 1999
Lesser Canada Goose, Holkham Freshmarsh, Norfolk
1998
31 May 1998
Chestnut Bunting, Salthouse, Norfolk
1997
2 July 1997
Black-headed Bunting, Isle of Sheppey, Kent
29 June 1997
Semipalmated Plover, Dawlish Warren, South Devon
27 April 1997
Spectacled Warbler, Landguard Point, Suffolk
23 March 1997
Little Crake, Bough Beech Reservoir, Kent
7 January 1997
Snow Goose, Choseley, Norfolk
1996
21 November 1996
Steppe Grey Shrike, Holland-on-Sea, Essex
10 November 1996
Black and White Warbler, Whitlingham Lane, Norwich, Norfolk
26 October 1996
Great Knot, Seal Sands, Teesside
16 October 1996
Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Holkham Meals, Norfolk
14 October 1996
Northern Waterthrush, Portland, Dorset
2 October 1996
Western Bonelli's Warbler, Landguard Point, Suffolk
25 September 1996
Blyth's Reed Warbler, Warham Greens, Norfolk
2 May 1996
Little Bittern, Snettisham, Norfolk
20 April 1996
Harlequin Ducks, Girvan, Ayrshire
17 April 1996
American Coot, Stodmarsh, Kent
10 March 1996
Redhead, Bleasby GPs, Nottinghamshire
1 March 1996
White-billed Diver, Tattershall Bridge, Lincolnshire
22 February 1996
Cedar Waxwing, Nottingham
1995
23 September 1995
Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Whitley Bay Cemetry, Tyne and Wear
17 September 1995
Citrine Wagtail, Kelling Quags, Norfolk
20 August 1995
Pacific Golden Plover, Elmley, Kent
12 August 1995
Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Beach Farm, Benacre, Suffolk
21 July 1995
Least Sandpiper, Sidlesham Ferry, West Sussex