A Spotted Sandpiper, the North American equivalent of our Common Sandpiper, has been over wintering at the National Water Sport Centre, at Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire. The bird has been present and site faithful for several weeks now and is very obliging with patience. A real treat as any North American wader in the Midlands is […]
January 2018 was a particularly difficult month for me. My brother passed away so suddenly and unexpectedly on the 5th and so the rest of the month, apart from a week in Bulgaria that had been prior planned, has been spent taking care of his estate, arranging the funeral and doing those awful jobs that
During the mid-part of January 2018 I made a visit to the Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria and Romania. I must thank Chris from Wise Birding and Dimiter, his local representative in Bulgaria, for the arrangements, for the friendship and for helping to make this trip happen for me. It came at a most awkward
The 5th January 2018 kicked off with the first year & patch listing. There is nothing better than finding a good bird on your local patch and I did exactly that, a fine male Hawfinch at Staunton Harold Reservoir. Along with a few Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Goosander and Goldeneye, I managed to
A flock of 40 odd Redpolls, consisting of Lesser, Common and a single Coue’s Arctic, had been faithful to a small garden on Hazlewood Common near Aldeburgh in Suffolk. We had planned our New Year celebrations around a trip to Dunwich, staying at a really nice pub and so this coincided perfectly for a visit
A male Penduline Tit has been resident on a small local wetland area called Plock Court Wetlands at Longford, near Gloucester. So, worth a visit, as these birds are not so easy to see in Britain. Male Penduline Tit always reminds me of a miniature Red-backed Shrike and this bird was very active feeding on
A male Desert Wheatear was found during this past week, in fields alongside the Cleveland Way near Whitby, North Yorkshire. Desert Wheatear often turn up late in the year and are always worth looking at. A trip to the coast had been previously planned for today, Boxing Day, so Whitby very quickly became the destination. I
This winter there has been a small invasion of Parrot Crossbills into the UK and at least 12 birds have arrived in Derwent Dale, Derbyshire. Larger and much bulkier with a heavier bill and a metallic “chup chup” call helps to tell them apart from the more usual Common Crossbill. There was a flock of
