A Hoopoe had been discovered in a large garden out in the countryside near Beverley in East Yorkshire. It was frequenting the garden lawns of a large house. The bird had been present for about three to four days and so I had my chance on Sunday 11th May. For the last three weekends I have been involved with clearing a family house, which has been a very difficult and emotional experience. So this was my first birding trip for a few weeks and I was looking forward to seeing the bird. The Hoopoe was showing well down to around […]

My wife and I spent the Easter weekend, 18th – 21st April 2014, in Speyside, Scotland. A few days in the highlands were better than none at all, and we were lucky enough to see a few good birds. RSPB Loch Garten held the regular Capercaillie watch but this year the birds were not reliable and on the two mornings I visited, despite a male on the camera, it didn't show itself from the hide, to the assembled audience. The regular pair of Osprey were doing well and the female laid her third egg early on Saturday morning. I found […]