A day out in North Norfolk provided some real cracking birds with 9 species of Raptor being seen during the day. Hunstanton seafront is always a good place to start and we soon found a single Snow Bunting, 5 Mediterranean Gulls and after a tip-off, a fine Purple Sandpiper. Plenty of common waders and […]
Foremark Reservoir, Derbyshire – 3rd January 2011. The gull roost held a 3rd winter Glaucous Gull and the redhead Smew was still present, also c25 Goosander and 3 adult Yellow-legged Gull also in the roost. Eyebrook Reservoir & Rutland Water, Leicestershire – 9th January 2011 – Both sites are well worth a visit in the
At Staunton Harold Reservoir this morning I found a superb flock of Redpolls and after carefully checking through the flock of around 80 birds, I discovered at least 30 Mealy Redpolls mixed in. At least 2 birds appeared to be colour ringed. Unfortunately I was not able to determine the colours and
The first bird for 2011 was a Wood Pigeon, rapidly followed by Collard Dove, House Sparrow, Black-headed Gull, Starling and Blackbird all in the garden and so the new years Bird List began. Throughout the day a total of 67 species was seen. Highlights included – Yellow-legged Gull; Caspian Gull, Goldeneye and Yellowhammer all
Throughout 2010 I managed to see 260 species in Britain. My highlights of the year were trips to Speyside, Scotland in April; Citrine Wagtail, Great Reed Warbler & Franklin’s Gull all new species for Derbyshire; Oriental Pratincole in Lincolnshire in May (my 2nd); Shetland in May – (a stunning summer plumaged Long-tailed Skua was holding
The first bird for 2011 was a Wood Pigeon, rapidly followed by Collard Dove, House Sparrow, Black-headed Gull, Starling and Blackbird all in the garden and so the new years Bird List began. Throughout the day a total of 67 species was seen. Highlights included – Yellow-legged Gull; Caspian Gull, Goldeneye and Yellowhammer all at
Sandhill Crane – A 3rd record for Britain. Sandhill Crane – Grus canadensis – Windwick, South Ronaldsay, Orkney – 26th September 2009 An adult Sandhill Crane was discovered in stubble fields in the area of Windwick on South Ronaldsay, Orkney on Tuesday 22nd September, the third record for Britain of this North American Crane. According
Apologies for the poor quality of these digiscoped images. The bird was at some distance when I was observing it. This gull was previously discovered at Stanton Harcourt Gravel Pit complex, Oxfordshire, during December 2007. Two local Derbyshire birders then discovered it in the day-time roost at Poolsbrook, Derbyshire on 16th February 2008. The bird was very distinctive
