Spurn Point - 25th October 2025

 On Saturday, Jayne and I went over to Spurn Point NNR to visit our nephew, who is volunteering there. Whilst there, we had an eight and a half mile walk from the Bird Observatory to The Point, and back, and managed to add 4 new species to the Year List.

The first new species was Whimbrel (200), that we saw feeding around the estuary and beach area.

Whimbrel

The next two species: Snow Bunting (201) and Black Redstart (202) were added on the walk down to The Point.

Black Redstart 

The final new species was a single Yellow-browed Warbler (203) that was feeding in willows around Sykes Field.

Other species seen were: Knot, Redshank, Dunlin, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Brent Goose, Whooper Swan, Chiffchaff,  Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Skylark, Swallow, Buzzard and a female Bullfinch, that we tried, unsuccessfully, to turn into a "Northern" Bullfinch!

Bullfinch

Cornwall Ringing

 Yesterday morning (31st), Luke and I were up early visiting a private ringing site in the Nanjizal Valley in West Cornwall (West Cornwall Ringing Group). Thanks for arranging Luke, and thanks to Kester and Jon for allowing me onto your site.

We arrived at 7am, and got straight on with the ringing. The first bird I ringed was a Chiffchaff (the first of 26 ringed by me that morning!). Other birds ringed were: Blackcap (12), Robin (6), Song Thrush (5), Redwing (3), Blackbird (3), Great-spotted Woodpecker (2;1 new and 1 retrap), Goldcrest (1), Firecrest (3), Cetti's Warbler (3; 1 retrap and 2 new) and, best of all, Yellow-browed Warbler (3 new birds) 67 birds from a total of 80!

The obvious stand out birds were, of course, the Yellow-browed Warblers, the Firecrests and the Cetti's Warblers - 3 new species for me. The Yellow-Browed Warblers were also colour-ringed, as part of a national scheme (see here), to try and find out a little more about their distribution and wintering sites. This site has colour-ringed just over 40, this winter alone!

Yellow-browed Warbler

Firecrest

Cetti's Warbler (10 tail feathers)

The morning was very busy, but we did manage to keep an eye on birds flying over, the best of which was a Merlin (year tick 197).

Gibraltar Point Ringing - 28th September 2024

 A couple of weekends ago, I had a morning's bird ringing at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust's Gibraltar Point NNR in Lincolnshire. It was the first time I'd ringed here, and it really came up trumps, with 2 fantastic species ringed (including a lifer!).

The first new bird, and the lifer, was a Barred Warbler!!! It was aged as a first winter (i.e. born this year), and was one of the first birds of the day. A fantastic start!

Barred Warbler

The second bird, and one that I got to extract from the nets, was a Yellow-browed Warbler. Although not a lifer, it was the very first time I'd seen one in the hand - another great bird!

Yellow-browed Warbler

Year List update: Bearded Tit (189 - seen at Minsmere in August), Reed Warbler (190 - ringed at Blackburn Meadows in August), 191 - Barred Warbler and 192 - Yellow-browed Warbler.

Yellow-browed Warbler!!

Unfortunately, this is not a Linacre report, but instead refers to 2 birds that I've seen today in Holkham Pines in Norfolk. This site is a much more usual spot for this species, but is still an excellent record for me. I tried hard to get a photo, but the only one I could manage was this lovely one of the tree the bird was flitting around in - enjoy!

Yellow-browed Warbler tree (honestly!)

The warblers, were seen on a walk from Wells-next-the-Sea to Holkham, that Jayne and I did today. We set off in Wells, walked down to the beach and along to Holkham Gap. We then walked up through the pines, watched the Yellow-brows, and visited Joe Jordan Hide. Along the way, we also recorded Redshank, Turnstone, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Wheatear (4 by Holkham Gap), Marsh Harrier (2 over Holkham Marsh), Grey Heron, Gannet, Pink-footed Goose Redwing (c.20 over - first of the winter), 1 Grey Partridge (year tick) and a Red Admiral feeding in the sunshine on ivy.

In Wells itself, we also saw House Sparrows, Herring, Common and Black-headed Gulls, Dark-bellied Brent Geese (first of the year), Mallard and Starlings.

Starling

Year List update:

175: Yellow-browed Warbler

176: Grey Partridge

Dark-bellied Brent Goose.