Year List Update - 21st April 2025

 This last week, I've been out and about a few times, and have managed to add 6 more species to this year's Year List.

The first bird, Garganey (149), was a male bird that was seen at Catcliffe Flash, in Sheffield on Tuesday. It was asleep the entire time I was there (!), and quite distant, but I managed to get a record shot, along with a couple of Tufted Duck, a Gadwall and some Teal.

Garganey

The other 5 species, were added today in Lincolnshire. The first one, Common Crane (150), was added in a field about 1 mile away from the Willow Tree Fen reserve. In total, there were 18 birds all feeding in one field. Quite a sight, and not one I was expecting to see!!

3 of the 18 birds present

The last 4 new species seen were Sedge Warbler (151), Reed Warbler (152), Whitethroat (153) and Yellow Wagtail (154), which were all added at RSPB Frampton Marsh.

Yellow Wagtail (with friend)

Whilst there, Jayne and I also spotted a good number of other species, including: Canada, Greylag and Brent Goose, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Ruff, Redshank, Little Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Linnet, Pintail, Shoveler, Mallard, Teal, and, best of all, a self-found male Green-winged Teal!!!

Green-winged Teal (asleep)

Year List Update

 As well as the ringing, Jayne and I had a few walks to try and catch up with a few "year ticks".

The first new bird, Garden Warbler, (164) was seen at Linacre on 4th. The next three: Cuckoo (165), Whitethroat (166) and Redstart (167) were all seen at Burbage Moor and Padley Gorge. The final bird, Pied Flycatcher (168) was found at Linacre on 6th. 

Although not a year tick, another bird I wanted to highlight was this stunning male Garganey that had been reported at Manvers Lake, near  Barnsley, for a few weeks. Unfortunately, it has spent all the time coming to bread (!) along with the resident Mallards, so it may well have escaped from somewhere. Nevertheless, it's still a stunning bird, and great to get close to.

Garganey

Bonaparte's Gull and Red-breasted Goose - 2 Lifers!

 Its not often that a Lesser Yellowlegs has to play second fiddle on a day's birdwatching in Great Britain, but, on today's trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh, that is exactly what happened!!!

Lesser Yellowlegs (we went back later!!)

Jayne and I decided to drive across, after seeing that an adult, summer-plumaged Bonaparte's Gull (1st Lifer of 2024 and my 144th species of the year) had made a reappearance on the Reedbed Marsh, after being found earlier in the week. We walked quickly past the Yellowlegs (!) and saw the gull more or less straight away, sitting on the water, about 20m away, with several Black-headed Gulls. The bird remained on view all day, and we managed to get a few shots.

Bonaparte's Gull (rear bird), with Black-headed Gull

Within the same view, we also spotted 2 Little Gulls - an adult and a 1st winter/2nd calendar year bird (145). There were dozens (hundreds?) of Avocets around the reserve, along with several Ruff (146), breeding Lapwing, Redshank and 2-300 Black-tailed Godwits. Unfortunately, we dipped the Black-winged Stilt (a female, 2nd year bird), so we'll have to go back again for that one!!

Black-tailed Godwit

Walking up to the sea wall, we heard the first Sedge Warblers (143) of the year, and caught a brief sight of a fly-over Yellow Wagtail (147). Two Garganeys (male and female - 148) were seen (fast asleep), along with 2 Little Ringed Plovers (149) and  a stunning, male White Wagtail (150). Also seen were Little Egret and two Great (White) Egret.

The last new bird of the day was a Red-breasted Goose (151 and lifer number 2), that was feeding with the Brent Geese. Although this is a species of more often seen as an escapee in Britain (as was the bird we saw earlier in the year at Clumber Park), this bird "felt" wilder, and, as it was associating with the Brent Geese, stands more of a chance of being accepted as such. It gave good telescope views, and I managed a half decent record shot. 

Red-breasted Goose (1st winter?)

My 142nd bird of the year, Red Grouse, was seen yesterday, on Stanage Moor, Derbyshire.

RSPB Ham Wall - 4th April 2023

 Yesterday, Jayne and I spent a few hours at RSPB Ham Wall in Somerset. It's a reserve we've wanted to visit for a while, and we were not disappointed!!

Reedbeds and Glastonbury Tor

As soon as we arrived, we were surrounded by bird song, including Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and, of course, Cetti's Warbler. We set off and walked to Viewing Point 1, where we heard Water Rail squealing, and the first "booming" Bittern. Other birds seen from this area were: Shoveler, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Pintail (1 male and 1 female), Glossy Ibis, Great White and Little Egret, Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit (c.20), Marsh Harrier, Coot and Moorhen!

Moving on to Avalon Hide, we added a stunning male Garganey and a flock of c.30 Sand Martins to the list. What a site!

Brimstone

Year List update - 111) Willow Warbler 112) Pintail 113) Black-tailed Godwit 114) Glossy Ibis 115) Great White Egret 116) Snipe 117) Spotted Redshank 118) Marsh Harrier 119) Water Rail (heard) 120) Bittern (heard), 121) Blackcap 122) Garganey and 123) Sand Martin.

RSPB Frampton Marsh

One year ago Jayne, Luke and I spent the day at RSPB Frampton Marsh in 23 degree heat, and gorgeous sunshine (see here). We were back again today, and the weather wasn't quite as kind (12 degrees, grey and overcast), but the birds more than made up for it. In the 5 hours that we were there, we got some fantastic views of the birds, including 2 "lifers" for Luke (Turtle Dove and Grasshopper Warbler, both heard, but not seen), and 13 "year ticks" for me.

We started off walking from the car park, where we had c.10 Swift overhead. We then heard Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warbler, and a very close Cuckoo (glimpsed briefly by Jayne), before watching 2 breeding plumaged Spotted Redshank, 2 Wood Sandpiper, several Ruff, 1 Greenshank, Redshank, Avocet, Ringed and Little Ringed Plover, Dunlin (1 breeding plumaged bird), Lapwing, Whimbrel (1), Common Sandpiper (1), Little Egret, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Shelduck, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Garganey (one pair), Canada, Greylag and Barnacle Geese, Mute Swan, Brent Geese, Swallow, Sand and House Martin, Pied and Yellow Wagtail, Skylark, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat and Whitethroat!

Male Ruff

Phonescoped Garganey

Year List update:

160 – Swift
161 – Sedge Warbler
162 – Reed Warbler
163 – Spotted Redshank
164 – Wood Sandpiper
165 – Ruff
166 – Garganey
167 – Common Tern
168 – Turtle Dove
169 – Whimbrel
170 – Grasshopper Warbler
171 – Little Ringed Plover
172 – Yellow Wagtail

Norfolk Birding - August 2018

Last weekend Jayne and I spent 3 days in Norfolk. We travelled down on Sunday and popped into RSPB Frampton Marsh to catch up with a Stilt Sandpiper - a lifer. We got good 'scope views as it fed in amongst hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits out on the Reedbed Marsh. Here's a distant, heavily cropped photo.

Stilt Sandpiper

Whilst in Norfolk we had a walk around Blakeney Marshes where we got great views of a Whinchat. 

Whinchat

We also visited RSPB Titchwell, where we managed to find, amongst others,  10 "year ticks" (numbers 189 - 198) and a Garganey.

Year List update:
188 – Stilt Sandpiper
189 – Bearded Tit
190 – Spoonbill
191 – Spotted Redshank
192 – Bar-tailed Godwit
193 – Grey Plover
194 – Common Scoter
195 – Red-crested Pochard
196 – Pintail
197 – Tree Sparrow
198 – Golden Plover

RSPB Frampton Marsh - 16 Year Ticks!!

Today, Jayne, Luke and I went across to RSPB Frampton Marsh in Lincolnshire. We had a superb day in sunshine and 23 degree heat, and managed to see an amazing range of birds including 16 "year ticks" (and an additional one, Hobby, on the drive across). We saw several Linnets here as well, but my first of the year, was seen in Apperknowle on Thursday.

The birds seen are listed below, but the best bird of the day was, by far, the Corn Bunting. It was found by Jayne (thank you, thank you, thank you!!!), and was first in the UK since, well, I can't even remember, that's how long ago it was. The bird in question, was found sitting on a barbed wire fence by 360 Hide, and very kindly sat long enough to get a half decent picture.

Corn Bunting

Other highlights were a stunning male Garganey, 300+ Brent Geese, a day-flying Barn Owl, 2 Whimbrel, Greenshank, breeding plumaged Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, lots of singing Whitethroats and last, but by no means least a "plastic fantastic" drake Wood Duck!!

Wood Duck

A few butterflies were also flying about, including  2 Peacocks and (new for the year) Speckled Wood and Large White.

Speckled Wood (courtesy of Luke)

Year List update:
123 – Linnet
124 – Reed Warbler
125 – Whitethroat
126 – Ruff
127 – Greenshank
128 – Black-tailed Godwit
129 – Brent Goose
130 – Avocet
131 – Dunlin
132 – Curlew Sandpiper
133 – Barn Owl
134 – Ringed Plover
135 – Little Ringed Plover
136 – Hobby
137 – Whimbrel
138 – Sedge Warbler
139 – Garganey
140 - Corn Bunting

Montagu's Harriers!

Yesterday I went to the RSPB's Blacktoft Sands reserve following news on the Bird Guides website that a pair of Montagu's Harriers were present, and viewable from the hides. Normally I wouldn't mention this rare breeder, but, as I said, the news has been put out in the public domain by the RSPB, and the site is now being guarded around the clock. The birds are best viewed from the Singleton Hide, and whilst there we (Jayne and I), saw the female bird on 3 occassions, as she flew up out of the reeds to see off the local Marsh Harriers that were also flying about. See here for more details about this species.

Whilst on site, we also visited the other hides, and heard or saw several good birds including 8 species for the Year List. The first new bird was Cetti's Warbler, that was heard, but not seen, singing loudly from the reedbed - a first for me at this site. Along with the Montagu's, there were also several Marsh Harriers flying around the site (year tick), along with Pochard, Shoveler, Avocets, 1 Swift and Shelduck (all new for the year). Moving to Xerox Hide, we also spotted a Greenshank, and a pair of Garganey, that were fast asleep on one of the islands.

                                                             Greylags and a pair of Garganey

Year List update:

116 – Cetti’s Warbler

117 – Marsh Harrier

118 – Montagu's Harrier

119 – Shelduck

120 – Shoveler

121 – Pochard

122 – Swift

123 – Avocet

Summer Migrants...at last!

The weather this spring has been, to put it nicely, poor! Cold, northerly winds and rain have meant that few summer migrants have managed to push north so far. I did, however, manage to add a few ticks to the "year list" with a visit to the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's Carr Vale reserve on Monday, where I managed to pick up a couple of male Garganey, and 2 fly-through Sand Martins. Another addition to the list was a  remaining winter visitor, the Wigeon.

Year List update:

88 – Garganey

89 – Sand Martin
90 - Wigeon

New Binoculars and 6 Year Ticks - what a day!!!!

I haven't had any new binoculars for the last 14 years, so, with a big birthday coming up in April this year, Jayne offered to get me some as a special treat. Thank you darling!!

We decided to go to RSPB Old Moor to have a look and take advantage of my volunteer card that gets me a 20% discount off their own brand optics. I'd already read a few reviews of their HD bins and so decided to give them a go. It was only when I looked through the new bins that I realised just how old and filthy mine were!!! Anyway, to cut a long story short we decided to go with the 8x42 bins and set off around the reserve to put them to good use.

Me and my new bins!!!

First stop was Wath Ings Hide where a stunning male Pintail (1st year tick) was busy feeding just in front of the hide. This type of duck is known as a dabbling duck and feeds by "upending" and sieving small insects and plant material from the water. Just like this!

Pintail "upending"

Other waterbirds present on the reserve were Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Goosander (3 females), Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Black-headed and Mediterranean Gull, Gadwall and Pochard. 

Small birds (passerines) feeding in the garden and on the "Tree Sparrow Farm" included a male Bullfinch, Reed Bunting, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Collared Dove. A Green Woodpecker (2nd year tick) was seen from Wader Scrape Hide.

After a spot of lunch in the cafe (stuffed pepper and all the Sunday lunch vegetables, lovely!) we headed over to nearby Wombwell Ings (also an RSPB site and part of the whole Dearne Valley project) where a pair of Garganey (3rd year tick) and several Little Ringed Plover (4th year tick) had been reported. Both species were seen, although the Garganey were quite distant and fast asleep! Here's my best effort, photowise.

Garganey (male)

Also present here were a pair of Shelduck (5th year tick), 2 Dunlin and the usual waterbirds.

Back at home I decided to drive up to Leash Fen again in search of a Great Grey Shrike (6th year tick) that has been present for several weeks. The luck of the new binoculars was still with me, and thanks to a couple from Dronfield (thank you very much if you're reading this) we managed to locate the bird on Ramsley Moor. Although pretty distant, it was sat on the top of a tree in unmistakable Shrike-like fashion and I just about managed to get this shot. Pretty awful I know, but better than nothing!

A very distant Great Grey Shrike

A super day and to misquote a famous TV cookery judge "Birding doesn't get any better than this!!!" see you again soon.