Wilstone - 26.9.25

Juvenile Red-throated Diver

As is typical recently when I put my car in for a service something good birdwise turns up and this year is no different. Mid morning news broke on the WhatsApp group of not one but two Red-throated Divers at Wilstone Reservoir. Not that rare you would think? But in Hertfordshire birding terms it’s as rare as hens teeth. 

The last record was of a bird that was found just up the road at College Lake, Bucks that flew off into Herts airspace. Before that the previous two records were from 2003 and 1997.

News was positive throughout the day and as I said at the start my car was in the garage and my optics were at home but thankfully my wife brought them to me so I could head straight up after work. But it was still not straightforward as there’s currently major works going on at Wilstone strengthening the banks and so most of the banks are closed until March next year. So parking at cemetery corner I headed up to the woods in the SE corner passing a Stonechat in the scrub just off the path  and walked into the woods to the what was the waters edge (the works meant draining the water level down) and joining Ray Hooper and Andy Day. I set my scope up and instantly got onto the adult diver then the juvenile. The adult then went missing for nearly ten minutes before being re found. After 20 minutes of viewing I headed for home and walked back to my car along with Brendon Fagan who’d arrived after finishing work.

Just need a Black-throated Diver to turn up now but seeing as the last record is from 1996 I’m not holding my breath!

Norfolk - 26-27.8.25

As I was turning the grand old age of 50 and I was off work for the week we made an impromptu visit to Norfolk to see my dad and step-mum and to take the kids to the beach.

After arriving we headed straight to the beach at Caister-on-Sea. A handful of Sandwich Tern were feeding just offshore and an adult Mediterranean Gull was scouring the beach for food scraps. But the unusual sight of a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver heading north was a tad unseasonal.

The following day we popped to Hemsby so the kids could spend their grandads money in the arcade and have another visit to the beach. More Sandwich Terns were seen and a 1st Winter Mediterranean Gull was seen but the highlight was 3 female/juvenile Garganey going south.

Suffolk + Norfolk - 24.8.25

Ruddy Shelduck

After the disastrous day out a couple of weeks earlier I joined Brendon again along with James Reader heading back to Suffolk. 

Our first stop was Walberswick were shortly after setting off along the beach we came across the Ruddy Shelduck on a small pool. Most likely a bird from the feral Dutch population but as of yet the powers that be won’t allow us to tick them.

Fan-tailed Warbler flitting off left (honestly)

Another few minutes of walking along the beach we joined a small group of birders staring out into the scrub and reeds where the momentous and highly anticipated news that Fan-tailed Warblers (Zitting Cisticolas) had bred in Britain for the first time. The male had been seen and heard for a while before reports of a second bird emerged. Then 4 juveniles were seen and this still mega rare bird was available to all who still needed it. 

The male was heard “zitting” and seen mostly in flight but on a couple of occasions perched up affording great scope views despite what my photo shows! I did managed a view of the female further back but the young were sadly hiding.

We then headed back towards the car park but carried onto the harbour where on the wall were 2 Caspian Gulls an adult and a juvenile.

Juvenile Barred Warbler

Whilst watching the warblers news of a Barred Warbler broke just to the north at Kessingland but news was vague and with the prospect of a long walk we made the decision to head to my Norfolk patch of Winterton Dunes where after a short walk we had excellent views of this usual skulker which was good for James as it was a lifer for him. 

Black Stork + in situ!

After more views of the Barred Warbler we headed back south for our second attempt at the Black Stork. Just a few miles away it was reported to be on a small lake at a farm so we headed there but upon arrival and a fruitless scan of the lake news broke of it back in its favoured ditch. Annoyingly this would mean the 1.5 mile walk we did last time but as luck would have it we noticed a car parked up near the farm and upon inspection we saw a footpath sign so we took a gamble which paid of handsomely as after just a 5 minute walk instead of 40 the path took us straight to the ditch and there walking towards us was the juvenile Black Stork! It walked to the end of the ditch and went to sleep briefly before waking again. Just my 2nd of this species in the UK after my first which I self found over Watford back in 1990! 

An excellent end to an excellent day.

 

Cassiobury Park - 14 + 15.8.25

Due to the horrid heat I started work 2 hours early so I could go home early and escape the worst of it. 

On the morning of the 14th around 6am I was litter picking near the hub when I heard the familiar call of a Tree Pipit heading towards me and sure enough there it was flying roughly SE. The following morning at a similar time I heard the call again but this time there were 2 birds going in the same direction. These constituted just my 2nd and 3rd records for the park after another duo on spring migration a few years earlier.

Startops - 6.8.25

Black-necked Grebe

A quick after work visit to Startops Reservoir failed to produce the hoped for female Ruddy Duck but I did managed to see the juvenile Black-necked Grebe. Also seen were a Black Swan and 2 Muscovy Ducks. Almost like the captive pens at a WWT reserve!