North Norfolk, 21st Jan' 2012

Glen H' and Mark F' joined me on a day trip to see the long-staying
Western Sandpiper at Cley. We stopped at Titchwell first, to look for the
Coues' Arctic Redpoll. A small group of Redpolls were feeding in the
trees near the car park and being Redpolls, we were straining our necks'
looking up at them. One bird in particular was much paler with a thin
single under-tail covert streak. Looking from below we couldn't see the
rump, maybe it was....

On to Cley and the Western Sandpiper played a game of hide and seek 

as it fed with Dunlins on the reserve. After an hour, we finally got clear

but distant views and satisfied, we spent what remained of the day watching

Geese.

Brent Geese

European White-fronts

A scattering of Marsh Harriers and a covey of almost twenty Grey Partridge

adding to the mix of a day spent mainly driving.

Musselburgh, Scotland, Jan' 1st 2012

A couple of hours birding along the sea-wall at Musselburgh, prior to visiting Edinburgh
Zoo to see the newly arrived Giant Pandas didn't dissapoint. As always there are good
numbers of sea duck at this site and several drake Long-tailed Ducks showed very well,
feeding close in-shore.Velvet and Common Scoter, Eider, Goldeneye, Red-breasted
Merganser, Red-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe were the highlights on the sea. A small
group of Twite and a very confiding Rock Pipit fed by the footpath.

Common Buzzard through the car wind-screen

Bar-tailed Godwit

Long-tailed Duck

Goldeneye

Slavonian Grebe

Rock Pipit

Redwing

Giant Panda

Leighton Moss RSPB 30th Dec' 2011

An awful day weather-wise, was brightened with Glossy Ibis, Bittern, Marsh Harrier
and star of the show for me, my first sighting of Otter on the reserve.
A Greenshank and Spotted Redshank were on the Eric Morecambe Pools.

Glossy Ibis with Moorhen

Bittern, one of two from the Public hide today

Otter at last!

Spotted Redshank Allen Pool

Glaucous Gull, Heysham, 27th Dec' 2011

Present for over a week now, i decided to pay a visit. The bird was mostly
roosting on the wooden jetty but did fly briefly, allowing better views.
A single 1st winter Little Gull was over the outfalls as were several Kittiwakes
and a single Med' Gull. Three Shags showed very well inside the Harbour.

juvenile Glaucous Gull

Guillemot

Kittiwake

Shag

Little Gull

Northumberland 26th-27th Nov' 2011

A weekend in Northumberland with Sean J birding the areas around Holy Island
wa very productive. Highlights were: Pomarine Skua, White-fronted Goose,
Red-necked and Slavonian Grebes, Great-northern Diver, Long-tailed Duck
and top of the list, the Greater Yellowlegs at Hauxley.

Oystercatchers with Lindisfarne in the distance

around 30 Purple Sandpipers were at Stag Rocks

Bamburgh Castle

Brent Geese

Curlew

Common Seal

Greater Yellowlegs

Eider, Upper Foulridge 12th Nov' 2011

After missing double-figure counts of Little Gull, 6 Red-breasted Merganser
Grey Plover and best of all, an immature Eider on the Foulridge Res's while
at work on the 11th. I visited the following day hoping at least one Little Gull
would still be present. As expected all the birds had moved on.

After an hour on the Lower res' i popped up on to the Upper res and there it was!
A stunning male Eider. Initially, i thought it was an adult bird but after a little fact-finding
the bird is not a fully mature male, owing to it's dark, not pure white tertial feathers.

My first in East Lancs, and my second Foulridge tick within a week, following the
Bewick's Swans earlier.
It spent most of the time sleeping but was much more active the next day.
Two Eiders at Foulridge in as many days, thery're like buses........

'hooked' Great-crested Grebe

sunset at Lower Foulridge 12th Nov 2011



Bewick's Swans

9th Nov' 2011 and for fifteen, short minutes today, Lower Foulridge was graced
with two adult Bewick's Swans, a first for me at Foulridge, lovely.