Well 2012 has really kicked off with a bang! A day birding in the NE at Hartlepool and the surrounding area certainly got us some good birds. At Hartlepool Fish Quay an obliging brute of a 1st winter Glaucous Gull put on a great show. Also in the harbour – Black & Red-throated Diver; […]
My year list for 2011 was slightly better than last year, I managed to see 267 species in Britain and I had 4 lifers plus an armchair tick (Siberian Stonechat) so I’m creeping along ever closer to the big 500! My highlights of the year were trips to Speyside, Scotland in April; Shetland in September
My 2012 year list got underway at Carsington Water this morning. A very grey and overcast morning and later heavy rain put paid to the day. We ended on 70 species with highlights being the adult winter Great Northern Diver at Carsington along with a Redshank & a pair of Pintail; 6 Goldeneye; drake Goosander;
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
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
Chew Valley Lake & Blagdon Lake, both sites now in Somerset, must rank as two of the best inland waters in Britain for attracting rare birds. Chew Valley had managed to hold on to a cracking wader for well over a week. A juvenile Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, along with a supporting cast of 2 Long-billed Dowitcher
Yesterday, Saturday 12th November 2011, two lucky observers watched Derbyshire’s fourth/fifth Glossy Ibis for 15-30 minutes at Willington Gravel Pits, before the bird flew off and disappeared, much to the disappointment of several top Derbyshire Listers!! Lucky for me I didn’t need it for my Derbyshire List!! Needless to say there was no further sign
This morning I went looking for the Great White Egret at the local Gravel Pit complex at Barrow-on-Trent. No luck despite extensive searching, viewing from the footpath at Ingleby. Just a few Grey Heron & a single Little Egret and three female Goosander on the river. Oh well !! A couple of Common Buzzard put
