Black-winged Kite!

On 7th September 2025, a Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus), appeared in Hickling Broad, Norfolk. It then toured around other Norfolk sites, before relocating to Hempstead Marshes, Sea Palling on 7th May 2026, and has been reported pretty much every day since! It is just the 3rd British record in the UK, but this species is moving north, through mainland Europe, breeding in France, The Netherlands and Hungary recently, and has also attempted to breed in Denmark (see here). Surely, it won't be long before we get the first British breeding attempt?

Whilst driving back from our holiday in Suffolk, Jayne and I did a detour, and got some excellent (if somewhat distant!) views, as the bird flew around the fields and perched up in the bushes. This bird is my 187th species of the year, my 6th "lifer" of the year, my 309th British bird and my 525th World tick! Here's a very distant record shot! 

Black-winged Kite

Amazingly, on the drive across, we also spotted a Hooded Crow, feeding by the side of the road, just outside Great Yarmouth. Unfortunately, it is no longer deemed a separate species from Carrion Crow, so can't be officially added to the "Year List".

Oban - 9th - 16th August 2025

 After our week in Anstruther, Jayne and I drove across to Oban, to meet up with the rest of the family. Whilst there, in between the touristy bits, we managed to add 3 new bird species to the "Year List", a new butterfly for the year and add a new species of butterfly and mammal to the Life Lists.

The 3 new birds were: Greenshank (190), when 2 were spotted on the loch near our holiday home, Black Guillemot (191); 2 birds in and around Oban harbour and Manx Shearwater (192), with a flock of c20 seen from the ferry, whilst crossing over to Mull.

Black Guillemot (moulting into winter plumage)

The new species of butterfly was a Scotch Argus, that flew past us on the beach (!) and landed, very briefly, hence the awful photo, on Ganavan Sands, Oban.

Scotch Argus

The other butterfly species seen were: Red Admiral, Green-veined White and Grayling (seen on Isle of Luing).

Grayling

Other species seen, whilst up there were: Common Buzzard, Raven (3 over the Isle of Luing and over the holiday accommodation), Hooded Crow (no longer on the Year List since being  "lumped" back with Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Turnstone, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Gannet, Kittiwake, Herring, Common, Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed Gulls, Stonechat, Swallow, House Martin (nesting on our holiday home), Starling, a single Skua species (probably Arctic), seen harrying the terns (probably Arctic as well) on the ferry to Mull and some "pigeons" that could possibly be Rock Doves (seen on the Isle of Luing).

Hooded Crow

Mammal wise, we spent an enjoyable few hours out with the Heart of Argyl Wildlife Organisation in the Knapdale Forest on a "Beaver Walk", where we managed to watch an adult beaver swim the entire length of the Loch of Barnluasgan!!

European Beaver

Whilst on the ferry across to Mull, we saw a small pod of approximately 6 Common Dolphins (no photos unfortunately). The final animal of note, was a single Red Squirrel, seen disappearing into the bushes!

Scotland Trip - October 2023

 Jayne and I have just returned from a family break in Pitlochry. Whilst there, we saw a few new birds and some lovely Red Squirrels.

We visited RSPB Loch Garten, and, after a short while (10 minutes), spotted my first ever British Crested Tit (191). It was feeding on peanuts, by the footpath to the centre. It flew in, fed for about 30 seconds and then flew off!

Crested Tit

Whilst there, we also heard Crossbills (192), a flock of 15 Whooper Swans and a skein of c50 Pink-footed Geese.

We saw Red Squirrels on several occasions, including this photographic individual at Killiekrankie.

Red Squirrel

Our final sightings of the week was a flock of 9 Waxwings (193), that were seen on 3rd at The House of Bruar retail park, and a single Hooded Crow, that was feeling by the A9!

Waxwings

RSPB South Stack - 26th July 20221

 After yesterday's visit to Cemlyn Lagoon, I drove across to RSPB South Stack. The target species was Chough, and I was not disappointed!!

I parked in the first car park, and the first bid I saw and heard was.... Chough!! In total I saw a minimum of 16 birds, which flew over my head calling, before landing on the cliffs about 10m away. Wow!! Many of the birds were darvic-ringed, and I managed to get 6 numbers, so I'll update with details as soon as I get them back. Here are a few photos.

Choughs!!

Whilst walking along the cliffs in the sunshine and 20 degree heat, I also spotted a Hooded Crow, a pair of Ravens, Jackdaws, Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls, Linnet, Meadow Pipit and Stonechat, including this juvenile bird.

Stonechat

There were lots of insects buzzing about too(!), the highlights being a Wall Brown and several Grayling.

Grayling

Year List update:

159 - Chough

160 - Hooded Crow

Loch Craignish and Oban

Whilst in Scotland, Jayne and I decided to drive over to the west coast. We first went to Loch Craignish, where we had a 2 hour boat trip with Craignish Cruises, seeing Hooded Crow, Black Guillemot (20+), and White-tailed Eagle. Here's a very heavily cropped photo of said Eagle.

White-tailed Eagle

Whilst out on the water we also visited a small colony of Harbour Seals.

Harbour Seal

Back in the marina we had good views of Hooded Crow, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser, Common, Herring and Black-headed Gulls, and what looked like a pair of Rock Dove. I haven't added them to the year list, as I can't be 100% sure they're pure Rock Dove, but they did look pretty good.

Rock Dove?

Later in the day we drove up to Oban, where we had lunch in The Little Potting Shed, vegetarian/vegan café, and also got great views of a rather scruffy looking Hooded Crow, and a much smarter looking Black Guillemot.

Hooded Crow

Black Guillemot

Year List update:
154 – Hooded Crow
155 – Black Guillemot
156 – White-tailed Eagle

Hooded Crow - new Derbyshire Tick

Hot on the heels of this morning's Iceland Gull, I was out again this afternoon to try and catch up with a Hooded Crow that had been reported on Birdguides website (see here). The bird was reported near Beeley Moor, and I dropped lucky again, seeing the bird within 5 minutes of our arrival. It was perched up distantly in a Hawthorn hedge. Here's my very best shot!!

Hooded Crow

As the post title indicates, this is my first record of this species in Derbyshire, so I was very happy to see it. Looking in the Derbyshire Ornithological Society's  The Birds of Derbyshire, it's interesting to note that this species was much more common here in the 1920s, when it was described as "numerous", and then again in the 1960s and 1970s, with up to 24 records in the latter period. Between 2000 and 2010 there was just 1 record in Derbyshire, a single bird at Carsington Reservoir on 21st October 2007, making this bird only the second record of the millennium.

Year List update:

105 – Lesser Redpoll (3 on the garden feeders on 1st March)

106 – Hooded Crow

Two Unexpected Year Ticks

Jayne and I have just spent a couple of days in Dublin, celebrating a couple of friends' birthday, and, as well as having a very great time, we've also managed to add a couple of new, unexpected species to the "Year List"; Hooded Crow and Pale-bellied Brent Goose.

The first bird, Hooded Crow, was quite a surprise, as I hadn't even thought about this species being present in Ireland! Checking the Bird Watch Ireland website however, shows that it's the main crow species in Ireland (see website here). We saw this species a couple of times, including in the middle of Dublin. We also saw a few other corvids, namely Jackdaw, Rook and Magpie.

The second species, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, was an even bigger surprise, as we spotted these birds whilst driving back to the airport! Six birds were flying over, and then landed on the River Liffey. Again, the Bird Watch Ireland website shows this race of Brent Goose to be the commonest one in Ireland, with the Dark-bellied race being much less common (see website here). My only English records of this race is in  Holy Island, Northumberland, with these birds consisting of birds that breed in Svalbard. The Dublin Bay population breeds in Arctic Canada and Greenland, before spending the winter in Ireland. See this excellent Bird Guides article of the different races.

Year List update:
120 - Hooded Crow
121 - Pale-bellied Brent Goose

Lesvos - 21st April 2011

Way back in April I travelled to the Greek island of Lesvos with my wife and daughter to celebrate my 40th birthday. I wrote up a report about the trip, but, not being  very technically minded I've never actually managed to upload it to "the web". I thought, therefore, that I'd put a series of posts on the blog highlighting the most exciting parts of the trip. Here goes....

Day 1 - We arrived in Lesvos in the afternoon and drove across the island to our resort of Skalla Kalloni. We'd chosen to stay here as it is located quite centrally for many of the birding sites and, as we found out on the way across, it is also very popular with English birders.

Our hotel

As soon as we arrived I went out onto the balcony where I had my first lifer of the trip, a Thrush Nightingale singing in the garden! This was followed quickly by the second lifer, when a Black Stork flew over the hotel. Also here were the first of many Crested Larks, House Sparrows and a Hooded Crow.

Walking into town for a spot of tea, we stopped off at the Kalloni Pool just outside the hotel where we met up with a lot of birders. The air was filled with Swallows, House Martins and Swifts, whilst Yellow Wagtails of the Blue headed and Black headed races were feeding with 2 adult male Red throated Pipits.

Red throated Pipit

In the nearby fields there were dozens more Yellow Wagtails and another "trip tick", a Nightingale. This bird sat out in the open singing away, very unlike british birds which are usually very difficult to see.

Nightingale

Walking along the beach on the Gulf of Kalloni into town we spotted a beautiful adult Mediterranean Gull, several Whiskered Terns and the Greek race of Jay which, unlike the british race, has a lovely black crown.

We ended our first night in a lovely taverna - very nice!