You need very fine & warm weather to stand any chance of seeing Mountain Ringlet. Such a day was forecast for Sunday 3rd July 2011. We set off for Honister Pass in the Lake District, Cumbria at 5:30am. We arrived at the car park around 9am, setting off for the long climb to Mountain Ringlet […]
A trip out to the North Norfolk Coast is always a good bet when there is little to do on the local patch scene. Two scarce waders in summer plumage were on show, a fine Temminck’s Stint at Titchwell and a Pectoral Sandpiper at Burnham Norton. It is not often that we get
A stunning first summer female RED-FOOTED FALCON had been hiding itself away from local birders since Friday 17th June. It had been favouring horse paddocks at Breaston right on the Derbys/Notts border. News came out onto the pager systems to-day about the bird, which I believe had been discovered by “Non-Birders” not specifically knowing what
An immature drake American White-winged Scoter was amazingly discovered by local birders amongst a huge flock of moulting scoter at Blackdog, Aberdeen on 11th June 2011. This was a first record for Britain of this scoter species and not surprisingly, it took the local birders some time to clinch the ID. Reading various reports
A mixed bag to-day – first thing this morning it was like a summers day, clear blue sky, sun shining so a walk around Calke Park at Ticknall seemed like a good idea. First surprise of the day was the sighting of two separate Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, along with 3 Green &
On Monday 6th June 2011, a female White-throated Robin was trapped on Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland. This was the third record for Britain and most modern day Birders & Twitchers albeit needed this bird. No way could I make it on the Monday, so keeping my fingers crossed that it would stay overnight, I
Early morning at the DWT reserve at Willington Gravel Pits produced just 8 Black-tailed Godwit of note. They very quickly departed after about an hours stay, heading off west. The first gatherings of young Blue & Great Tits were noticeable in the hedgerows. Still a variety of common warblers singing. A
A week relaxing in Cornwall to re-charge the batteries. Some birding, some butterflies and some plants. No “heavy stuff” but nevertheless pleasant to see “Cornish” Chough, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, a few new plants and stunning views of Common Dolphin in Coverack Bay for a couple of hours on the 29th May 2011. Other butterflies
