Wilstone - 21.5.25

Wood Sandpiper

With the water level having been lowered to allow for upcoming works on the banks of the reservoir lots of mud was now exposed and bringing in the odd wader. Today’s bird that’d been enticed was a nice Wood Sandpiper. It was found mid morning and was still present when I finally arrive about 7pm. Just my 5th ever in Herts but my 3rd here it was a most welcome addition to the year list especially as I’d not been able to get over to Rye Meads a few days earlier for the one there alongside a Temminck’s Stint.

As I walked back to the car a Cuckoo started cuckooing loudly from the car park poplars before flying out into the trees on Drayton Bank.

Wilstone - 14.5.25

Avocets

The previous day 3 Avocets were found at Wilstone Reservoir but sadly I couldn’t get up there. This wasn’t a problem as they were still there the following day and so once dinner was finished I headed up and wandered round to the hide. From here I found 2 of the 3 birds showing well on the left of the spit. For some reason I thought they were a Tring tick but I checked my records and found they weren’t as my only Herts bird was also at Wilstone way back in November 2003 so no wonder I’d forgotten!

2 Shelduck and a Hobby were also noted.

More Firecrests - 13.5.25

The last few years has sen the number of local Firecrests increasing. I’ve now found numerous birds while at work and today I found another 3. I won’t put where purely because 1 of the birds had food in its bill so possibly/hopefully breeding there.

Beds + Cambs - 5.5.25

A rubbish nights sleep saw me up stupidly early and despite trying to get back to sleep I didn’t so I thought I’d just get up and head into enemy territory or better known as Bedfordshire. As I drove past Luton I did have a little chuckle at their second successive relegation but I soon arrived at Stewartby Lake.

I walked down a footpath and quite quickly I heard the rattle of a Lesser Whitethroat followed a minute or so later by the beautiful song of a couple of Nightingale. I eventually caught a glimpse of one albeit just the head as it belted out its fluty song. A female Marsh Harrier drifted past and a Garden Warbler was heard too.

As it was still early I checked the sat nav and saw that Grafham Water was less than 30 minutes away so off I headed for just my second visit to the site.

Spotted Sandpiper

I arrived in good time and parked up in the Plummer car park only to see a message that my intended target had flown off 10 minutes earlier. The wind was strong and making it feel cold despite it being the start of May and after 20 minutes of searching it was still missing. I wandered over to the dam and thankfully found it feeding along the waters edge of the south bank. Good views were had in the end and my fifth Spotted Sandpiper was in the notebook. It was my first since the brief Hilfield Reservoir bird in 2012 and only my second spotty one. The only other one was my first one back in 2002 on the Durham/Northumberland border.

It was still early so I then headed to Fen Drayton RSPB. I parked up and walked for less than 5 minutes before I heard the purring of a Turtle Dove. I finally managed to pick it out but just after I got my binoculars on it it flicked up and vanished into the trees. Another couple of Lesser Whitethroat were heard.

Another check of the sat nav showed I wasn’t too far from Ouse Fen RSPB reserve. I’d only been there the previous weekend but as there was something else to see I headed over. The first bird of note was the Great Reed Warbler that was still croaking in its favoured reeds. As I rounded the bend further west of the GRW I picked up a couple of Hobby for the year list. As it was there were at least 40 birds present a number I’d never seen before. 

An Arctic Tern was a nice surprise as it flew over the marsh and the pinging of Bearded Tits was heard but just a split second view of one. After scanning the Hobbies for what seemed like forever I finally managed to pick out the orangey breast of one of the two female Red-footed Falcons on site as it banked. A 3-4 second view is all I managed but it was nice to get in on the National influx of this species.

My quick morning out had turned into a 6.5 hour multi site visit but 7 year ticks were had.

Ouse Fen RSPB - 27.4.25

Bittern

I joined Matt and George Moreton on a trip to Cambridgeshire with my first ever visit to Ouse Fen RSPB reserve. Upon arrival we scanned over a pool to look for a pair of Garganey that’d been see the previous day but no joy. We then walked up the footpath but we didn’t get too far before I spotted a Bittern flying towards us. It landed out in the open and we got it in our scopes. George then said it’s walking left but the one me and Matt were watching wasn’t. There were 2 Bittern and both out in the open! 2 more were heard booming too.

Great Reed Warbler

After our fill of those we continued up the path being serenaded by at least 2 Cuckoo’s. All of a sudden I heard the deep croaky song of our main target. After a quick wait we picked it out from amongst the reeds and there it was my second ever Great Reed Warbler. My last was in Surrey in 2002 but wasn’t as showy as this bird. The Cuckoo’s were still cuckooing and then I heard the bugling of a Crane somewhere out towards the north.

Before we left we had another scan of the original pool and Matt immediately picked out the pair of Garganey to end a fantastic morning. Such a shame Hertfordshire doesn’t have a site like this.

Wilstone Yet Again - 26.4.25

More often than not any Whimbrel that appear at the Tring Reservoirs are either brief or fly through so with the current water levels being low one appeared and stuck around so I popped up and thankfully it was still present and showed well from the hide. 

My first Swift of the year was seen high above the reservoir and in the NE corner 2 Egyptian Geese took off from the water and headed NE. 

Whimbrel

200 Up - 25.4.25

A quick after work trip to Croxley Common Moor saw me add Whitethroat and Garden Warbler to the year list. The Whitethroat was my 200th species of the year so far. A female Bullfinch was also seen.

Cassiobury Mega - 24.4.25

There I was in work on a normal Thursday. After a morning of Green Flag work we headed back to the yard in Cassiobury Park and I was about halfway between the van and the mess room when I heard the spinning coin trill of a Wood Warbler! Surely not I thought but it continued to sing and it then showed well in the garden of the neighbouring cottages. 

I put the news out but then had to return to work but once back I walked out the back of the yard to see a handful of familiar faces and thankfully photos had been taken to prove I wasn’t hallucinating! 

This bird was the 2nd record for the park with the previous one seen way back in May 1986. It was also my first in Herts since 2015 and anywhere since 2016. 

Wood Warbler courtesy of Rupert Evershed

Wilstone Again - 21.4.25

Rain had dropped in quite a few Arctic Terns on Marsworth but as I had things to do I didn’t arrive until mid afternoon by which time the rain had stopped and the Arctic’s had gone. But I was rewarded with 3 Black Terns instead which are always a joy to see. The Baikal Teal was seen again and as it turned out was its last day on site which can only help its chances of acceptance.

Black Tern

Herts Mega! - 20.4.25

Female Baikal Teal

There I was sorting through my bags, putting a wash on and enjoying a bit of a lazy day when a message pinged up on my phone saying BAIKAL TEAL still from the hide at Wilstone! Wait what! I’d missed the original message 30 minutes earlier so I quickly grabbed my optics and car keys and 20 minutes later I was on site and to my surprise there were still spaces in the car park. 

At the top of the stairs I year ticked Common Tern followed by a quick power walk round to the hide. Again to my surprise there was room in the hide with just a few familiar faces present. Mike Illet kindly allowed me a view through his scope to get my eye in and I then found it in mine and took the above photo. This female bird was quite well camouflaged against the rocks but the facial pattern was obvious. 

If accepted it’ll become the 1st record for Herts and my 3rd in the UK. 

My 3rd year tick of the visit was a Little Ringed Plover on the right hand side of the spit. 

Scilly + Cornwall - 19.4.25

As the weather was dry I sat outside for the boat trip back to Penzance. 60+ Manx Shearwater, 4 Fulmar and a year tick Great Skua were the bird highlights however non bird sightings were the blow of a whale to the NE of the islands which was most likely a Humpback and brief views of a Bluefin Tuna 30 minutes out from Penzance.

Once I’d picked up my luggage and got back to my car which thankfully hadn’t been towed/vandalised as I’d parked it on a side road saving myself about £80 from not parking in the main car park I headed straight to a Marazion Marsh RSPB where a 5 minute wait finally delivered the main target with just my 3rd ever Savi’s Warbler reeling from the reeds.

The journey home was thankfully uneventful at I climbed into bed just after 11pm.

Just 5 1/2 months until I’m back on Scilly.

Scilly - 18.4.25

 My last full day had arrived already and it turned out to be a quiet one albeit with a Scilly tick.

At Parting Carn the weeks only Sparrowhawk zoomed through and on Porth Hellick pool was a lone Shelduck.

A bare field opposite Pelistry Farm held the weeks 8th Ring Ouzel and during a scan from just south of Watermill Cove I saw 2 more Great Northern Diver but about 2/3rds of the way over towards St.Martin’s I picked up the aforementioned Scilly tick with a female Red-breasted Merganser flying east before I lost it behind the eastern isles.

Scilly - 17.4.25

Woodchat Shrike

I was up on the Garrison wondering where to go when news reached me of a Woodchat Shrike at the south end of Bryher. I had a cheeky scope over and could see the finder watching it but I couldn’t quite pick it out so I’d have to head over for a better look!

I seem to get lost every time I go to Bryher and today was no different but eventually I arrived at the south end of Samson Hill and after a few minutes another birder picked it out. For the next 20 minutes we watched it flit between the Gorse bushes and even above the beach. 

Puckies Carn was somewhere I’d never heard of but I found it on the map and headed that way. After a minute or so the female Pied Flycatcher popped into view before flitting over the brow of the hill.

After some lunch news of a Grasshopper Warbler that’d been found by Scilly legend Will Wagstaff near Great Porth had me briskly walking there but for the 4th time this week I missed it.

Great Northern Diver

After a few minutes of not seeing the warbler I scanned Great Porth and found a Great Norther Diver. The campsite was my next destination but I again missed a warbler this time a Whitethroat but as I walked back towards Fraggle Rock cafe I heard the reeling of a Grasshopper Warbler. At last!

By now it was time to head to the quay and as I was waiting for the boat to arrive I spotted 7 Whimbrel flying over the Tresco channel towards Bryher.

Scilly - 16.4.25

 Finally a dry and sunny day. Upon checking the boat times I saw that there was a special wildlife cruise around some of the outer islands being led by Rob Lambert and was then stopping off at St.Agnes which is where I wanted to go anyway.

On board I sat next to fellow Herts birder James Walsh  we travelled over to the islands of Mincarlo and Tean where we had good views of Grey Seals and Puffins and I noted only my second ever ‘Bridled’ Guillemot.

Hoopoe

After our fill of these we docked on St.Agnes and headed straight for the campsite here in a field on the opposite side of the track I immediately got onto the unmistakable shape of a Hoopoe  This was the last remaining bird from the ridiculous fall of the the previous week where on Scilly alone there were flocks of 6 and 8 in places! 

Redstart

It was while watching this I met Steve Williams of Hilbre Island fame who told us of a male Redstart in the neighbouring field. Rob and James gave it a few minutes before going off for lunch but I had mine with me so stuck around and as I was about to leave out it flew and landed on the grass in the middle of the field.

I then headed down Barnaby Lane and out onto Wingletang Down where along the southern coast I added a further 5 male Ring Ouzel and a female Black Redstart.

Ring Ouzel

Scilly - 15.4.25

It was another wet day but more showery and so I managed a full day in the field. At Parting Carn 2 Swallow were zooming in amongst cows and a Yellow Wagtail flew north.

I then visited an area that from memory I’d not been before. Pendrathen Quay just west of Bar Point looks like a place I’ll have to visit in the autumn as it could potentially hold something decent. But today it had a single Whimbrel and a personal Scilly record count of 26 Carrion Crows! 

Scilly - 14.4.25

A very wet day with just 90 minutes of birding achieved around Peninnis. 5 Wheatear and a Yellow-legged Gull were the only birds written in my notebook.

Scilly - 13.4.25

A quiet start with only Wheatears noted around the south side of the island perked up when I reached Porth Hellick. From the lovely new Stephen Sussex hide I had a female Merlin fly one way then the other a Jack Snipe was flying around then vanished but after 2 hours the hoped for bird hadn’t appeared so I left and started on the loop trail. After a few steps a shadow appeared in front of me and as I looked up the hoped for adult Purple Heron flew low over my head and landed in the reeds and vanished. It’d been accidentally flushed by a couple walking the other way around the trail. 

Cornwall + Scilly - 12.4.25

As somehow I turn half a century old in August I thought I’d treat myself to my first ever week on Scilly in the spring. I finished work and went home to pack and left for Penzance at 11pm. 7 hours and 3 short sleeps later I arrived at the Hayle Estuary where from the hide I noted 2 Common Sandpiper, Ruff and Grey Plover. 

It was then time to board the Scillonian 3 for the journey over. Sadly the heavens had opened and so I sat inside and looked out the window noting numerous Auks and 60+ Manx Shearwater.

Just over 2.5 hours later we docked on Scilly and I picked up my luggage and walked to my accommodation. Once unpacked I grabbed my optics and headed out. At Rosehill I spotted singles of  Mistle Thrush and Redwing. At Porth Hellick I racked up the year ticks but sadly the 2 Red-rumped Swallows that’d been found whilst I was on the boat had sadly vanished as the rain stopped.

My stomach soon began rumbling so I headed to Carn Vean tearoom for some food and had a Tree Pipit fly over calling. 

Ring Ouzel

With a Cornish pastie and beans filling my belly I walked up to the golf course where from the pine belt I picked out 2 of the 6 Ring Ouzels, had a GN Diver in the roads and a Peregrine over.

Norfolk - 23.3.25

Another day out with Brendon saw us head to Norfolk. The journey up was very foggy but as we approached the Brecks it cleared so we thought we’d try our luck at Cavenham Heath for Stone Curlews. We parked up and I set up my scope and as luck would have it straight onto one! I don’t think he believed me when I said there you go within 2 seconds. We could also hear a couple of Woodlark in the distance.

Driving through Langham I spotted a Yellowhammer for the year list.

We then stopped at CleySpy in Glandford so Brendon could get his new scope looked at as it’d blown over in the wind and broken. It couldn’t be fixed but Vortex said to give him a new one and send it back. In the field behind the shop were 2 Grey Partridge which were a year tick too.

Cley was the next stop. We parked up in the beach car park and walked over to the eye field where we distantly saw the flock of 9 Lesser White-fronted Geese. These are part of the ongoing Swedish reintroduction programme so not tickable (but good enough for the year list). 2 GW Egret were noted and from the car park a nice male Wheatear was a nice bonus.

A walk along the east bank added Bearded Tit and a nice female Black Redstart.

We then visited Weybourne where a quick seawatch produced 2 Sandwich Tern.

Little, Pecker and Dick’s - 9.3.25

Apologies for the title but I couldn’t resist! 

I started the day off in deepest darkest Buckinghamshire. Here I heard but unfortunately didn’t see a Firecrest. This was followed by not 1 but 3 Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. They were drumming, calling and even display flighting which I don’t recall seeing in all the years I saw them in Cassiobury Park. 

I then visited Woodoaks Farm where after a bit of searching I managed to find a Little Owl. Sadly it seems Cassiobury has this year lost it resident Little Owls joining the LS Woodpeckers in their park extinction. 

Little Owl

My final destination was Newport Pagnell in north Bucks. On the map Bury Field didn’t look that big but upon arrival I realised it was about the size of Cassiobury Park! How was I going to find a single bird here?! Thankfully I spotted a fellow birder at the northern end so I asked him if he’d been lucky and he said he’d had the bird in question about 10 minutes earlier. About 15 minutes elapsed before another birder looked as if he was on it and sure enough he was. There on the short grass was my 10th Richard’s Pipit in the UK. It showed well for a minute or so before walking into the long grass and then only showed in flight. 

Of those 10 this was only my second away from Scilly with the other one being seen in Norfolk. 

A handful of Meadow Pipits, male Reed Bunting and Mistle Thrush were also noted and typically whilst walking back to the car a Little Owl started calling from an adjacent farm.

Somerset - 22.2.25

After a last minute bit of organisation I once again joined Brendon this time for a trip to Somerset. Our first stop was Steart Marshes WWT. We made good time and walked to the hide and thanks to Cliff Smith I looked in his scope and got straight onto a trio of waders. One was a Dunlin, one was a Little Stint which was embarrassingly my first for over 9 years and lastly was the smallest wader in the world a Least Sandpiper. This was my 3rd in the UK after one in Hertfordshire and one on Scilly. 

After a while something spooked most of the birds and the three waders vanished so we headed off towards Cheddar Gorge. Here we hoped to see a Dipper on the river but we were out of luck so next stop was the wonderfully named Wookey Hole! With some directions I eventually picked one up on the last bit of river visible. It soon flew off and so we headed for home via Salisbury Plain.

A dozen Great Bustard were seen distantly as well as at least 10 Corn Bunting. 

Amwell + Bramfield - 21.2.2

Red-necked Grebe courtesy of Stuart Fox

News broke mid morning of a Red-necked Grebe at Amwell NR so I decided to head over and 40 minutes later I arrived and walked up the footpath to Sheepcote Pit just before the railway line. The last good bird I’d seen on here was Herts 2nd ever Lesser Yellowlegs way back in 2002. Views were very restricted through the trees but eventually the bird swam out into an open area. It was just my 3rd for Herts after a moulting adult and a juvenile together at Wilstone in 2005.

After some more views I headed up to the Gladwin Hide where quite quickly I found the redhead Smew sat out of the water on the edge of one of the islands.

Smew

With 2 nice county birds under the belt I decided to try for the hat trick by heading to the village of Bramfield. Here in the grounds of the village church I learned that I’d narrowly missed my intended target and it was another 30 minutes before I finally laid eyes on my first Hawfinch of the year as it flew in from the NE and quickly vanished behind the trees.

Norfolk - 19.2.25

 As I’m off for the half term week I thought I’d have a day out in Norfolk and as I had a rubbish nights sleep I was up and on the road by 5.30am. My first stop was Lynford Arboretum where I hoped I’d see some Hawfinch but sadly there was no sign. I did however manage a Marsh Tit year tick so all wasn’t lost.

I then headed a few miles up the road to the not so secret location where within a few seconds I’d seen 2 Goshawk flying over the woods.

Heacham beach was my next stop off point where again within a minute I’d seen the small flock of  15 Snow Bunting after they were flushed by beach goers  on the sea was an adult Mediterranean Gull and a few Red-breasted Merganser.

I then paid my second visit to Old Hunstanton beach of the year  this time I was more successful as 5 Shorelark were showing well. The Glaucous Gull however was present just before I arrived but had again vanished and wasn’t reported again until I was about 10 minutes from home!

Shorelark

To break up the journey home I popped to Welney where hundreds of swans were in surrounding fields. I scanned through and as soon as I’d ticked a Whooper Swan for the year I moved onto the WWT reserve where from the car park I year ticked a single Tree Sparrow.

My final stop was Sandon in North Herts but sadly no sign of any Grey Partridge or Corn Bunting.

Cornwall - 2.2.25

After almost 12 hours sleep (I must be getting old!) we awoke to drizzle and a slightly less windy day. Mousehole was our first port of call and after maybe 20 minutes Brendon said he had a good candidate for the Pacific Diver out by the bouy. After a few minutes I got onto it and yes it looked so good because it was one! My 3rd Pacific Diver in the UK and after missing the long returning Cornish bird from a few years ago it was nice to finally add it to my fledgling Cornish list. Yesterday’s eagle was number 200 but it’ll go down once some lumping of species on the British list comes in. 

As I was watching the diver 6 birds flew into join it. They were 6 Black-throated Divers! The most I’d seen at the same time was 3 on a couple of occasions so this flock doubled that record. After a few minutes the 6 flew off SW and we headed off to the Hayle. Again not much was happening on Ryan’s Field but just past the hide I disturbed 2 crests from some bramble. In the brief view I had they both looked to have white eye stripes. I picked them up in a tree and sure enough they were Firecrests. A few seconds later a male Bullfinch zoomed passed us at eye level and onto the year list. With nothing of note on the estuary we treated ourselves to a lovely Philps pastie!

On our way home we popped into Dozmary Pool near Bodmin where at the far end was a pair of Ring-necked Ducks but the weather was so awful I watched them for about a minute before retiring back to the car. 83 species were seen over the weekend including 13 year ticks which took my year list up to 146.

Cornwall 1.2.25

Booted Eagle courtesy of Chris Griffin

Back in October a pale morph Booted Eagle was found in the far SW of Cornwall but sadly I was on Scilly at the time and despite giving it a couple of hours once we got back to the mainland we didn’t see it. Fast forward to November when a dark morph bird was found at Henley on Thames but again I failed to see it and I thought that was my chance gone.

But then on 12th January a pale morph bird was seen just to the north of Marazion Marsh and it stayed faithful to a small area. Sadly for various reasons I couldn’t get down there until the start of February. Photographic evidence showed it was the same bird from October but where had it got to for 3+ months?!

So along with Brendon we set off from my house at 2am I drove down and arrived just after 7.30am. I parked in the A30 lay-by and got set up. Considering it’d been present for nearly 3 weeks there was still around 30 birders present and at about 8.50 someone said they thought they had it on the ground at the end of the pines and sure enough there it was. It jumped in the air a couple of times showing off its distinctive underwing before flying up onto a hedge. Here it sat for a couple of minutes before it took flight and went behind a farm before being seen crossing the A30 just to the north. BOOTED EAGLE was at last on my list!

After that excitement we headed into Penzance where on the rocks adjacent to the Jubilee Pool we saw at least 60 Purple Sandpiper, 20 Ringed Plover and 70 odd Sanderling. On the far side of the pool a Kittiwake was showing well.

We then headed over to Mousehole where from Cliff Road we saw many more Kittiwake, numerous auks and at least 6 Great Northern Diver but sadly the Pacific Diver eluded us. 

Sennen was the next stop where at the far west end of the beach coming into the garden of the last house I noted 20 Chough. Not a bad garden tick! On the rocks by the lifeboat station we saw this stunning male Black Redstart.

Black Redstart

The last stop was the Hayle Estuary where 5 Goosander, 200+ Dunlin and an adult Mediterranean Gull were seen. 67 species seen today and I was in bed by 8.30pm!

Essex - 19.1.25

I joined Brendon Fagan on a trip to our neighbouring county to the east with our first stop being Hanningfield Reservoir. This was my first visit to this site and I’m always saying I wish we had a reservoir this big in Herts to try and draw some birds in but having to drive to different parts of it to view might become a drag! Anyway after about 5 minutes I finally picked up the female Velvet Scoter by the tern rafts along with 5 Goosander.

Driving though Goldhangar I noticed a field with a small flock of Curlew in it along with 3 Peahen!

Eventually we arrived at Abberton Reservoir and headed straight to the Layer Breton causeway. From here we saw singles of White-fronted and Pink-footed Goose and just around the corner 2 Cattle Egret. 

From the Layer de la Haye causeway we ticked off 2 Slavonian and 14 Black-necked Grebe and then from other viewpoints around the reservoir I noted 20+ Goosander, 5 Great White Egret, Black-throated Diver, Spoonbill, 3 Scaup, 2 Green Sandpiper, Ruff and a Marsh Harrier.

We finished the day at Copt Hall farm where distantly from the car park I picked out the Great Grey Shrike perched atop the hedgerow.

Up to 130 species for the year.

Local Birding - 12.1.25

I started my day at a frozen Verulamium Park in St.Albans where after a few minutes the Yellow-browed Warbler that’d been present for a week or two flew out of the trees in the island and into the large oak tree where it showed well for a few minutes. It was my 4th in Herts and only my 4th winter record in the UK.

I then wandered up to the cathedral where I spotted one of the Peregrines sat upon the roof. Then it was sitting on a bench looking at a small diamond shaped window near the top of the building above the main entrance. After about 5 minutes the Black Redstart (presumably last years bird) appeared at the wi down and then flew off about 10 seconds later.

I then popped up to College Lake where among other things I noted 8 Red-crested Pochard and a winter plumaged Black-necked Grebe.

I finished the day at Startops/Marsworth where a Great White Egret and female Goosander made the year list.

North Norfolk - 3.1.25

George Moreton asked if I fancied joining him on a day out in north Norfolk so of course I said yes! We set off from his house at 5am with a hard frost covering the cars and surrounding countryside. 

Just before dawn we arrived at Wolferton triangle where in the past was a go to site for Golden Pheasant but sadly they’ve long since disappeared. However on a slow drive around the triangle we had brilliant views of 2 Woodcock on the grass verges.

Old Hunstanton was the next stop but just as we were leaving Heacham I picked up a Barn Owl quartering a field. Upon exiting the car at Hunstanton the cold wind hit and whilst trying to download and sign up to the car parking app my fingertips became so cold I couldn’t feel them! 

Here we went year tick crazy adding waders and gulls and seabirds of varying description but frustratingly not the 2 species we were after. The juvenile Glaucous Gull turned out to be at Thornham Harbour and the 6 Shorelark were seen by another birder while we were there but eluded us.

We popped into Thornham only to find the Glauc had flown off so we headed to Titchwell RSPB where surprisingly the car park was fairly empty for once. 

Escaped Black-winged Stilt

Here we added yet more year ticks including a brief Long-tailed Duck, a very showy Spotted Redshank and a roosting Tawny Owl plus a sadly escapee Black-winged Stilt which had a plastic ring just above its knee. It took me back to when Sammy the stilt graced the same reserve for about 12 years. After a hot chocolate and a lovely pasty we headed over to Holkham.

From a lay-by on the A149 I managed to pick out the top half of a single White-fronted Goose but then the day got all dippy again with no sign of the Long-billed Dowitcher from Lady Ann’s Drive and the Shorelarks in the roped off area had vanished just before we arrived. 

Glossy Ibis

Our final stop of the day was Stiffkey. We parked up along the road to the campsite car park and walked back to view the flood to the south of the road. After a few minutes I finally laid eyes on the Glossy Ibis viewing through the tree branches as it fed with a flock of Wigeon.

We had our fill and headed back to the car. Driving down towards the car park a Cattle Egret flew low west over the car with possibly another heading north.

Over the marshes we waited patiently for our main target and were kept preoccupied with Marsh Harriers and Little Egrets until I picked up a female Hen Harrier over towards East Hills. I then found a Merlin perched up a bit closer and then finally the adult female Pallid Harrier came in and perched up on the bridge.

An excellent day with 91 species seen and should’ve been closer to 100 but many expected species were notable by their absence.

Thanks to George for driving and for use of his 2 photos.

Cassiobury Park - 2.1.25

As my wife was off seeing her best friend I took the kids to Cassiobury Park for a wander. We walked around the nature reserve noting 2 pairs of Mandarin on the river. From the bird hide Coal Tit and 8 Siskin made the list and at the fishing lake 2 Little Grebe were noteworthy. Whilst walking back to the car a Kingfisher perched up over the river. Sadly no sign of the Little Owl in their usual trees.

Back Garden - 1.1.25

New Year’s Day for birders usually means getting out somewhere to get the new year list going and at the end of December a Hertfordshire all day bird competition was created. Sadly a storm hit and apart from Rupert Evershed who bravely went out into the elements the competition was a bit of a damp squib. I continued on with decorating my kitchen and noting birds in and from the garden. 

I finished the day on a whopping 14 species with Jay being the highlight.