rough-legged buzzard – tonydavisonphotography.com

Birding Shetland – September 22nd – 29th, 2012 – Unst

2012, Birds, Birds of 2012, Year No Responses »

Sep 292012

Birding Shetland - September 22nd - 29th, 2012 - Unst

We arrived at Blackdog, Aberdeen at around 2pm on Friday 21st September 2012. A vast flock of Scoter and Eider duck were on the sea and after some careful searching, I eventually located the eclipse drake Surf Scoter amongst Common & Velvet Scoter. There were also numerous Red-throated Diver, 2 Arctic Skua, 7 Whooper Swan at sea, several skeins of Pink-footed Geese flying south and a fly-by Turtle Dove of all things. The trip had got off to a great start. We were ready for another week, birding on the island of Unst, Shetland. The island of Unst is […]

A Rare Scandinavian Visitor to Notts – 18th December 2011

2011, Birds, Birds of 2011, Year No Responses »

Dec 182011

A Rare Scandinavian Visitor to Notts - 18th December 2011

For several weeks a juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard has been favouring an area of old pit workings just north of the city of Nottingham. It may well over winter here and it seems to be finding plenty of food. Only 20 miles from home, so well worth the visit. The bird showed well intermittently this morning. Often spending time perched in trees and bushes at a distance. During late morning the weather cleared and in good skies and bright sunshine the bird eventually took to the air and spent some time soaring over the large area of rough ground […]

A “peep” in Norfolk – Sunday, 4th December 2011

2011, Birds, Birds of 2011, Year No Responses »

Dec 042011

A "peep" in Norfolk - Sunday, 4th December 2011

2011 has been one of the best years in memory to see American Waders in Britain. At least 17 species had been seen up to 28th November. The only species not found at this time was Western Sandpiper. So it was inevitable that one would be discovered somewhere!. Cley NWT Reserve was to be the host site for this rare wader. It was first identified as a Semi-palmated Sandpiper but as the bird was eventually seen and videoed at close range, the finer points of the bird’s plumage could be seen and it was eventually re-identified as […]