Rufford - 5th February 2022

 I spent yesterday morning at Rufford Country Park. I got there earlier than I usually do, so that I could walk across the the Abbey and have a look for some Hawfinches. It was a little windy, but I managed to get  brief views of 2 birds in the trees around the car park. Walking back through the park, I also spotted 15 Redwings, a large flock of Siskin, 1 Grey Heron, 14 Goosander (8 females and 6 males), 1 Little Egret (my first record for this site), 6 Mute Swans (3 adults and 3 young birds, including W17357) and a whopping 66 Common Gull.

Also on the water were approximately 150 Black-headed Gulls. I spotted 12 darvic-ringed birds: 223A (first ringed in February 2019, and my first sighting since October 2020), 258A, 264A (ringed in February 2020, and the first sighting since), 281A (3rd sighting, since ringing in December 2021), 293A (5th sighting), 294A (first sighting), 295A (2nd sighting), EUM3 (Dutch bird), P519 (Lithuanian bird), JO116 ( Norwegian bird) and 204B, a new bird, first ringed in January 2022. In addition, I also saw the Norwegian-ringed Common Gull JN075.

264A

294A

204B

The Hawfinches were a new bird for the year and bring Year List to 103, following Raven and Chough, that I saw last week in Wales.

Year List update:

101 - Raven

102 - Chough

103 - Hawfinch

Year List 2021 - the final total

 So, it's the final day of 2021 and another year of "year listing" has come to an end. I ended the year on 181 species, including 5 "lifers": Long-tailed Skua, Black-browed Albatross, Elegant Tern, Pacific Golden Plover and White-tailed Lapwing. 

The last two species to add to the blog are: Sanderling (seen in Alnmouth on 29th) and a red head Smew (see yesterday at Widdrington Moor Lake, Northumberland).

Year List update:

180: Sanderling

181 - Smew

Scotland - October 2021

 Jayne and I were in Scotland last week, where we added a few birds to the "year list" and had another couple of possibles.

We were based in North Berwick, where we added the first new bird, Eider Duck. Several birds were seen on a daily basis in and around the harbour and beaches. Other birds seen here were: Black-headed, Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls, Pink-footed Goose (flying over), Pied Wagtail, Rock Pipit, Starling, Nuthatch, Redshank, Turnstone, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Red-throated Diver, Shag, Cormorant and Purple Sandpiper.

Roosting Redshank, Turnstone and Oystercatcher

Whilst there, we also had a trip to Aberlady Bay and Gullane Bents where we added Wigeon, Teal, Little Egret, Common Scoter, Grey Plover and Black-tailed Godwit.

A trip to Musselburgh Lagoons gave us Velvet Scoter, hundreds of Curlew and Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Lapwing, Redshank and Dunlin. In addition we had a possible American Wigeon (or hybrid) and a probable fly-by male Surf Scoter (all black body, with white on the head).

American Wigeon

Year List update:

175 - Eider Duck

176 - Grey Plover 

177 - Velvet Scoter 

178 - Knot 

179 - Common Scoter

Derbyshire Snow Bunting - 9th October 2021

 Last Saturday, Jayne and I popped across to Carsington Water to see if we could see the Snow Bunting that had been reported. We found it, feeding on the weeds on the dam wall and performed beautifully for us. A great "Derbyshire tick".

Snow Bunting

Whilst there, we also had two flocks of Pink-footed Geese fly overhead (13 and a group of c40), which, amazingly, were a "Year tick".

Year List update:

173 - Pink-footed Goose

174 - Snow Bunting

Scarborough, Saltburn and Whitby

 This weekend, Jayne and I had a couple of days on the East Coast. We stayed in Scarborough, and saw Herring, Black-headed and Great Black-backed Gulls. There were also several Terns around, including this one (below), which I presume is either Common or Arctic.

"Commic" Tern

There were also many Razorbills and Guillemots very close in, including 18 in Scarborough Harbour this morning. An adult Kittiwake was also seen, as were 5 Red-throated Divers (3 from Saltburn Pier and 2 in Scarborough South Bay.

Razorbill

Guillemot

Waders seen were: Redshank, Oystercatcher, Turnstone and Curlew.

Year List update:

171 - Hobby (seen at school!! on 6th September)

172 - Red-throated Diver

White-tailed Lapwing

Last month (31st) I went across to RSPB Blacktoft Sands to see my fourth "lifer" of the year, a White-tailed Lapwing. It gave great views from Xerox Hide, and I managed some nice photos. A lovely bird!

White-tailed Plover

Whilst there, I also managed to add a couple more "year ticks", Water Rail and Great (White) Egret.

The last new addition, Whinchat, was seen on Big Moor, Derbyshire, on 1st September.

Year List update:
167 - White-tailed Lapwing
168 - Water Rail
169 - Great White Egret
170 - Whinchat

Pacific Golden Plover and Black Stork!!

 Yesterday I had a drive over to RSPB Frampton Marsh to see a couple of nice birds: Pacific Golden Plover (lifer!) and Black Stork (British tick).

The Pacific Golden Plover was very easy to see, as it fed for the whole visit on a small piece of water on the marsh, about 20m from the sea wall. I got excellent views via the 'scope and even managed a half decent photo.

Pacific Golden Plover

The Black Stork (a juvenile) wasn't quite so easy, as it was at in a ditch about a 45 minute walk from the car park when I arrived! I walked across, however, and got great views of it on the ground, and then several more throughout the day as it flew around the reserve.

Black Stork

Other birds seen around the reserve included Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper, Spoonbill (17), Black-headed Gull, Grey Heron, Swallow, Canada and Greylag Geese, Little and Great-crested Grebe, Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall, Mute Swan and Goldfinch.

Year List update:

162 - Pacific Golden Plover

163 - Black Stork

164 - Green Sandpiper

165 - Spoonbill

166 - Spotted Redshank

Cornwall Gulls

Jayne and I have just had a couple of weeks in Cornwall. Whilst there, we managed to see a few birds, including a couple of old friends (Herring Gulls), one "year tick" and 2 new darvic-ringed Great Black-backed Gulls.

The familiar birds were two Herring Gulls that we saw in St Ives on 6th August. The gulls, W:186 and W:195, have both been seen in previous visits to Cornwall, having been ringed there in 17th June 2014 and 26th June 2014 respectively. 

W:186

W:195

The new birds, two Great Black-backed Gulls, were both spotted in and around Looe. The first one, L:AY6, was seen on two occasions (30th July and 12th August) in the harbour area. It had been ringed, as a pullus, on Looe Island, on 20th July 2012, and had been reported in and around the harbour ever since. My sighting was the first since June 2020.

L:AY6 (12th August 2021)

The second gull, L:BB6, was spotted on rocks on Hannafore Point, opposite Looe Island, on 9th August 2021. It too had been ringed on Looe Island, as a pullus, on 24th June 2013. This bird had travelled a little further than the harbour, having been seen in Dawlish Warren, Devon, in 2016 and 2017, before returning to Looe Island to breed. My record was the first since 2019.

L:BB6

The new bird was a Manx Shearwater, seen flying past St Ives Island, on 6th August.

Year List update:

161 - Manx Shearwater

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

Elegant Tern - Cemlyn Lagoon, 26th July 2021

I was out "twitching" again yesterday! This time, I went to Cemlyn Lagoon, a North Wales Wildlife Trust site, to see an Elegant Tern. This North American species appeared in t tern colony earlier in the year, and has spent the last few months attempting to find a mate. It hasn't been successful, and was still presenting fish to the Sandwich Terns there when I saw it.

Elegant Tern

Whilst waiting for the tern to appear, I watched (and listened to!!) the Sandwich, Arctic and Common Terns flying backwards and forwards with food for their chicks. Also seen were: Black Guillemot (2 on the sea), Whimbrel (2), Red-breasted Merganser (1 on the sea), Oystercatcher, Grey Heron and Little Egret.

One of the Sandwich Terns was wearing a darvic ring, KJC (black lettering on yellow). It was ringed on the island of Inish, which is on Lady's Island Lake in County Wexford, Ireland (182km) presumably as a chick, on 21st June 2017. It was seen a couple of times in North Wales in August 2018, and then 6 times at Cemlyn this year. Amazingly, the darvic-ringed Sandwich Tern I had at St Mary's Island last week, KAL, (see here), had also been ringed on his island, just four days earlier (17th June 2017)! This bird seems to like the east coast of England, as it has been reported 8 times at Coquet Island in July and August 2019 and 2020, before my sighting on 22nd July 2021. It has also been reported in Namibia, in a place called Walvis Bay, on 16th October 2019. A well travelled bird!!

Year List update:

156 - Elegant Tern

157 - Black Guillemot

158 - Red-breasted Merganser

BLACK_BROWED ALBATROSS!!!!!!!!!!!

 On Monday I drove up to RSPB Bempton Cliffs to see the long-staying Black-browed Albatross "Albert"!

I arrived on site at 5.50am, and saw the bird straight away, perched on the cliffs below Staple Newark, with the Gannets. It was well tucked in, but did keep stretching, and had a brief fly around, before disappearing into the heavy sea fret! A fantastic sighting, and a "lifer" to boot.

Afterwards, I drove further up the coast to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, a regular spot for Mediterranean Gulls. I saw a minimum of  9 on the beach, along with Black-headed Gulls, a fishing Shag and Arctic and Sandwich Terns.

Mediterranean Gull

My final stop of the day was St Mary's Island, where another 20+ Sandwich Terns were roosting. In amongst them were 3 darviced birds, UBB, UVN and KAL. UBB was originally ringed on Coquet Island, on 5th May 2015. It was seen here again in 2018. My sighting is the first since then, and the first away from the island. UVN was also ringed in 2015, on Inner Farne. It has nested on Coquet Island since, but has also been reported in Namibia, in October 2018. I haven't heard back from KAL yet. 

UBB

UVN

KAL

A ringed Black-headed Gull, T73, was also at St Mary's. No details of where and when it was ringed yet, but a local birder said it was a returning German bird.

T73

Year List update:

151 - Black-browed Albatross

152 - Mediterranean Gull

153 - Shag

154 - Sandwich Tern

155 - Arctic Tern 

London and Norfolk - Birds and Insects

 Jayne and I have just had a few days away in London and Norfolk. Whilst there we enjoyed a mixture of sightseeing, theatre and wildlife watching.

Two new bird species were seen: Ring-necked Parakeet and Red-crested Pochard. The parakeets were seen (and heard!) all around, whilst the pochard was seen in Kew Gardens. 

Red-crested Pochard

Whilst at Hampton Court Palace we also spotted a new hoverfly species: Merodon equestris and our first Banded Demoiselle damselflies of 2021.

Merodon equestris

Whilst in Norfolk, we went to RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, hoping to see Swallowtail butterflies and Norfolk Hawker dragonflies. Unfortunately, due to the cold May, both species were yet to emerge. Thankfully, the Marsh Harriers were a lot more cooperative, as were 2 Cuckoos (heard and seen), pinging Bearded Tits , a reeling Grasshopper Warbler and a Grass Snake.

Other insects seen here were: Variable Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly (1), Scarce Chaser (4) and Hairy Dragonfly (5+ seen, including a resting male).

Hairy Dragonfly

The Year List has now moved on to 150 species.

Year List update:

140 - Redstart

141 - Lesser Whitethroat

142 - Peregrine Falcon

143 - Bittern 

144 - Cetti's Warbler

145 - Ring-necked Parakeet

146 - Red-crested Pochard

147 - Marsh Harrier

148 - Bearded Tit

149 - Cuckoo

150 - Grasshopper Warbler

Linacre Nestboxes - 3rd May 2021

 It's been a couple of weeks since I last checked the nestboxes at Linacre, so I popped down for a couple of hours this morning, before the rain and wind started!!

It was a mixture of good news and bad news (as is always the case with every nestbox season). The bad news was that all three owl boxes, that had been used by Mandarins this year, appear to have failed. A quick check yesterday afternoon, revealed cold, uncovered eggs and no females. The better news, however, is that this morning's tit box check revealed a total of 32 active nests, the first chicks of the year (7 Great Tits, still naked and blind, so most likely very recently hatched),  my first ever record of a Coal Tit using a nestbox, and a pair of Pied Flycatchers entering a nestbox!! In addition, the Mallard's nest with 8 eggs was empty this morning (hopefully fledged successfully), and another nest, with 6 eggs this time, was found on the floor in the woods.

Pied Flycatcher

After checking the boxes, I walked around all three reservoirs, and spotted the following waterbirds: Mallard (72; 51 adults and 21 ducklings from 4 broods of 8, 1, 5 and 7), Coot (12; 7 adults and 1 brood of 5 - first of the year), Moorhen 14; 9 adults and 1 brood of 5 - first of the year), Mandarin (7 males), Tufted Duck (30),  Canada Goose (5; 3 flew over and 2 on the top reservoir), Greylag Goose (2 on the top reservoir -  second record of the year), Great-crested Grebe (4 adults), Grey Wagtail (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 adult) and  a 1st summer/2nd calendar year (born 2020) Black-headed Gull - only my second May record of this species. 2 Swallows were also seen over the top reservoir.

Black-headed Gull

Whilst on site, I also had a short time on the ringing site, where I saw a pair of Bullfinch (first Linacre record of the year!), a singing Song Thrush, 1 singing Willow Warbler, and, best of all, my first Whitethroat of the year. 

Year List update:

139 - Whitethroat

RSPB Frampton Marsh - 1st May 2021

 Jayne and I had our near annual trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh today. Because of lockdown, there are quite a few common species missing from my "year list", so today's trip added a whopping 24 species!!

The day started well, with our first Swift of the year, followed closely by Reed, Sedge and Garden Warbler. As always, this site held lots of waders, the best of which was a male Dotterel. Unfortunately, it was slightly too distant for a photo, unlikely a very "showy" Jack Snipe and Wood Sandpiper.

Jack Snipe

Wood Sandpiper

The total number of "new" species seen were:

114 - Reed Warbler

115 - Sedge Warbler

116 - Garden Warbler

117 - Greenshank

118 - Yellow Wagtail

119 - Shelduck

120 - Shoveler

121 - Swift

122 - Wigeon

123 - Teal

124 - Brent Goose (Dark-bellied)

125 - Wood Sandpiper

126 - Dunlin

127 - Ringed Plover

128 - Dotterel

129 - Black-tailed Godwit

130 - Bar-tailed Godwit

131 - Whimbrel

132 - Goldeneye

133 - Common Tern (4)

134 - Little Egret

135 - Avocet

136 - Golden Plover

137 - Jack Snipe

138 - Ruff

In addition, there was a male Ring-necked Duck on the reserve. We managed to see it, asleep(!), but later reports suggested that it was a Tufted x Ring-necked Duck hybrid, so it won't go down on the list. 

Bempton and Scarborough - 13th April 2021

 With a relaxation of lockdown rules allowing travel further afield, Jayne and I decided to have a day trip to the coast, visiting RSPB Bempton Cliffs and Scarborough. The weather was great, with bright sunshine, no wind and 12 degrees.

First stop was Bempton Cliffs, where we spent a couple of hours walking along the cliffs, recording the following species: Gannet, Puffin, Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Herring Gull, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Linnet, Pied Wagtail and Tree Sparrow.

Gannet

After Bempton, we drove up to Scarborough where we had a walk along the South Beach up to the harbour area. Herring Gulls were everywhere, and the first new species was an adult Great Black-backed Gull. Other species seen here were: Redshank, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper (one on the breakwaters), Rock Pipit and, best of all, a Great Northern Diver. 

Great Northern Diver

Year List update:

93 - Tree Sparrow

94 - Gannet

95 - Kittiwake

96 - Fulmar

97 - Puffin

98 - Razorbill

99 - Guillemot

100 - Great Black-backed Gull

101 - Turnstone

102 - Great Northern Diver

103 - Rock Pipit

104 - Purple Sandpiper

105 - Red Kite (seen on the way home, near Leeds)

Blackcaps and Willow Warblers are back!

On Saturday I went down to Linacre to check for spring migrants. The Chiffchaffs were in very good voice, and had increased to 10 singing birds. In addition, two new species had arrived, with 4 singing Blackcaps and 2 Willow Warblers present.

Other species seen or heard around the site were: Tufted Duck (61), Mallard (48), Canada Goose (3), Mandarin Duck (10), Coot (10, including 1 on a nest), Moorhen (10, including 1 on a nest), Grey Wagtail (4), Great-crested Grebe (2), Lesser Black-backed Gull (3 adult-type birds), Buzzard (2), Siskin (heard), Mistle Thrush (2) and Stock Dove (3).

A few spring flowers had started to bloom, with Marsh Marigold, Wood Anenome and Lesser Celandine in flower.

Year List update:

77 - Blackcap

78 - Willow Warbler

Red-necked Grebe - Carsington 2nd April 2021

Jayne and I went to Carsington on Friday and had a few hours walking around the dam wall, Stones Island and Hide area.

The highlight of the trip was a breeding plumaged Red-necked Grebe that we saw by the dam wall. No photo unfortunately, as the blog won't let me upload any!

Other  species new for the year were: Gadwall, Redshank, Willow Tit and Barnacle Goose ( 2 feral birds.

Year List update:

72 - Red-necked Grebe

73 - Gadwall

74 - Redshank

75 - Willow Tit

76 - Barnacle Goose

LONG-TAILED SKUA!!!

 News broke of an adult Long-tailed Skua in the Mayfield Valley, Sheffield, on Thursday. At first, it seemed like it would be a fly-through, with just one observer catching up with it. Thankfully, however, it hung around on Friday, and was reported again this morning.

I popped across, and eventually found it hunkered down in a field, sheltering from the 40mph winds and horizontal rain and hail! It spent most of the hour and a half I was there, sitting tight, with just one, very brief moment to stand up, stretch its wings and sit back down again.

Thankfully, I managed a couple of have decent photos, which is always nice for a LIFER!!

Long-tailed Skua

Year List update:

63 - Long-tailed Skua (lifer)

Year List 2021

It's the second day of 2021, but, due to COVID 19 restrictions I've not been out birding yet this year. Instead I've started this year's Year List from the back garden and from a shopping trip to the supermarket!!

The first bird of 2021 was Carrion Crow, followed quickly by Blackbird and a single Goldfinch on the feeders. The biggest surprise of the year, so far, was the 6th species I saw, a Raven, being mobbed by 2 Crows as it flew low over the garden!! Here's the list so far.

Year List update:

1 – Carrion Crow

2 – Blackbird

3 – Goldfinch

4 – Magpie

5 – Lesser Black-backed Gull

6 – Raven (garden on 1^st!)

7 – Starling

8 – Chaffinch

9 – Woodpigeon

10 – Black-headed Gull

11 – Coal Tit

12 – Collared Dove

13 – Greenfinch

14 – Jackdaw

15 – Rook

16 – Mistle Thrush

17 – Blue Tit

18 – Wren

19 – Robin