October

We had a quick look at Chew Valley Lake from Herriott's Bridge. We saw a Fox, 2 Great White Egrets, Water Rail, Kingfisher & 4 Bewick's Swans but no Bittern. We continued on to Cheddar Reservoir where the Juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs had been present for few days by the Water Tower.This is a regular vagrant from North America and there was another one present at Lychett Bay in Dorset. There was also a Female Goldeneye, 3 Great White Egrets & a Juvenile White-fronted Goose. We finished the day on the Somerset Levels. We began at Noah's Lake where a couple of Kingfishers were showing well perching on the reeds in front of the hide. A Great White Egret was at the back of the lake & a fly past Marsh Harrier & Bittern. Our last port of call was Ham Wall RSPB and a Great White Egret was showing well from the 1st Viewing Platform. Down by the viewing screens were a Grey Heron, Shovelers and Little Grebe. We then stayed for the Starling Roost. There was a good number of them along with an appearance from a Female Marsh Harrier.

Lesser Yellowlegs

White-fronted Goose

Great White Egret

Marsh Harrier

Kingfisher

Shoveler

Little Grebe

Kingfisher

Slimbridge WWT 29th October 2016

We had a really early start to our visit to Slimbridge, because there was special access at 7:30. The 6 Cattle Egrets had been roosting on site for past few days. They only seem to gather at South Lake during early mornings, after they leave their roost site. The birds remained on South Lake until 8:40 when they flew off to spend the rest of day feeding amongst the cattle opposite Slimbridge School. Also present on the South Lake was a pair of Common Snipe and also a Kingfisher flew past. Outside the South Lake Hide was one of the Lego Sculptures, this was Natalie the Nene wearing a Halloween hat. We went to look for some more. In the grounds was Suki the Spoon-billed Sandpiper with bat wings on. Near the Back from the Brink was Chris the Crane wearing a Halloween mask with some real Cranes behind. In the same area near the captive pair of Red-crowned Cranes was Lottie the Otter with a broomstick. Still in the grounds was Mac the Mallard wearing another Halloween hat. Near the Canoe trail was a new sculpture which we didn't see lbefore, called Kate the Kingfisher wearing another Halloween hat. We quickly popped into Ziess Hide where the Longhorn Cattle were still grazing around the Top New Piece. Had a brief view of a Cetti's Warbler flying and a Water Rail showing well below the hide. We headed to the Kingfisher Hide & apart from a brief view of a Kingfisher & a Grey Squirrel, there was not much else there. We saw Benedict the Bewicks Swan in the Tundra Pen. On the way to visitor centre we saw Emily the Emperor Dragonfly complete with a bat on its back. I went back to the grounds where Bruce the Red-breasted Goose was hanging out with the real Geese. In the Back from the Brink the Water Vole was in it's hole, but very difficult to photograph, because it was dark. At the Willow Hide were 2 Brown Rats feeding under the bird feeders. There was nothing much from the Robbie Garnett towards the Holden Tower. We made our way back to Martin Smith where we saw the Red-crested Pochard X Pintail, 2 Common Snipe & 2 Water Rails chasing each other.

Cattle Egrets

Longhorn

Snipe

Grey Squirrel

Robin

Rat

Red-crested Pochard x Pintail

Water Rail

Snipe

Norfolk Week 15th - 22nd October 2016

Lakenheath RSPB 15.10.16

We started at RSPB Lakenheath to see if the Bittern was still showing from the visitor centre but sadly no sign. We were walking up to first viewing screen when it started to rain. From the viewpoint we saw a Migrant Hawker & a few Common Darters along with 2 Kingfishers flying away. We then walked along the embankment that over looks the wetlands and saw a few Little Egrets, but no Great White. However there were a quite few reported near Bristol!

Afterwards we made our way back to car park and on to Snettisham to look for Pink-footed Geese and then to the cottage that we were staying for the week.

Titchwell RSPB & Warham Greens 16.10.16

The second day of our Norfolk holiday started very wet, damp & miserable with heavy rain forecasted most of the morning. We had a quick look at Choseley Barns to see if the Dotterels were still present from yesterday but no sign. We saw some distant Red-legged Partridges and 2 Brown Hares. We carried on Titchwell RSPB to see what was about. The Yellow-browed Warbler was still reported around the visitor centre, but we didn’t see it as it was elusive. On the scrape were a huge flock of Golden Plover mixed in with Teal, Lapwing & Ruff. Mum went down to the Parrinder Hide while me and Dad went along to the beach. From the West Walk footpath we saw a obliging Curlew Sandpiper with Black-tailed Godwit & Dunlins. Meanwhile back at the Parrinder Hide, Mum was watching Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin & Grey Plover. A change of plans for the afternoon was instead of exploring around Wells Woods, we headed for Warham Greens for the Radde’s Warbler. This was a very elusive bird to see as it was always at ground level & showed briefly while flitting between the stinging nettles. Lovely bird, a first for all of us!

Common Darter

Migrant Hawker

Pink-footed Geese

Golden Plover

Curlew Sandpiper

Ruff

Curlew Sandpiper

Black-tailed Godwit

Teal

Red Admiral

Radde’s Warbler

Easington & Kilnsea 17.10.16

Our third day of the holiday was heading to East Yorkshire for some very special birds. We started in the village of Easington for the Siberian Accentor which had been showing well for a couple of days by the old school on Vicar’s Lane. Just as soon we got there, it flew off into a fenced off area. We had to wait for about 20 minutes for the Accentor to show itself properly. Eventually it was seen foraging out in the open, despite the fact we were looking through a fence. Time to move on because nearby just about 30 minutes away was another special bird that had been found the day before. An Isabelline Wheatear was seen in a ploughed field and gave excellent views. Unlike the Siberian Accentor which had only just been recorded for the first time in Britain from Shetland, Isabelline Wheatears are rare, but annual vagrants & winters in Africa. For our final of call we travelled to Kilnsea. Sandy Beaches car park was where the Shore Larks had been seen. We saw a Black Redstart but no Shorelarks. Just as we were about have a cup of coffee in the car park, Mum spotted a pair of Shore Larks feeding on the edge of the long grass.

Siberian Accentor

Isabelline Wheatear

Shore Lark

Just they were getting quite close to the car park and us, some idiot decided to walk through and flushed them! Grr! some people! We relocated the Shore Larks some distant away further up the coast. Me & Dad walked around to the other side of the caravan park where we saw both birds foraging on the mud. These are scarce winter visitors from Scandinavia, and are also seen around the North Norfolk Coast. The bright yellow face with the black moustachel stripes is sometimes noticeable from a distant. However when they are standing still against backdrop of pebbles, they are extremely difficult to see. Suddenly both birds flew off towards the car park again and then showed until sunset. We made our way back down to Norfolk. A very good day with 3 new birds for me and 2 for Mum & Dad.

Isabelline Wheatear

Shore Lark

Filtcham & Sculthorpe Moor 18.10.16

For day four, we headed to Filtcham to see what was there. We didn’t see as much as last time, but it was nice to see a Stoat and Grey Partridges. Sadly they were too distant for photos and the Stoat was very briefly seen. We continued along to the Hawk & Owl Reserve at Sculthorpe Moor. The feeders opposite the viewing screen were empty of wildlife. From the Woodland Hide were 3 Female Common Pheasants & few Chaffinches. From the Fen Hide we saw a Bank Vole foraging on the floor below the feeders. A Male Common Pheasant came along and hopped onto the bird table. There was BlueTit, Great Tit & Chaffinches as well. In the tree tops near the Tower Hide were some Siskins & Goldfinches. There were a lot of Goldfinches using one of the feeders. Feeding on the bird table were Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Nuthatch & a couple of Female Bramblings but not the Male. They prefer to feed on the ground. I did see a Juvenile Bullfinch briefly in the tree at the back, but sadly didn’t come to the table. Our final port of call was Titchwell RSPB via Choseley Barns. We only saw a flock of Red-legged Partridges and & a Brown Hare. There was a huge flock of Golden Plover on the scrape. While Mum went into the hide, me & Dad headed down to the beach. We saw some Common Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwits, Black-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover, Dunlins, Ringed Plovers & Curlew Sandpiper. It was very rainy by the time we got to the beach, so we made our way back to the Parrinder Hide. The Wigeon numbers are starting to build up for the Winter. A few Ruff were present with Golden Plover. Mum was watching them from the Island Hide. Near the Island Hide, me & Dad managed to see a Jack Snipe which is scarce Winter visitor from Scandivnava. We only saw it’s stripy crown & eye, when tried to show it to Mum, it was gone. Meanwhile back at the Island Hide a small flock of Ruff were feeding quite close to the hide. As dusk starts to settle, the Marsh Harriers made their final flights of the day before going down to roost.

Brambling

Bank Vole

Nuthatch

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Greenfinch

Fungi

Hare

Sheringham & Stubb Mill 20.10.16

We were our way to Sheringham when we saw the steam train running on the North Norfolk Railway. The train was being hauled by a saddle tank loco called Ring Haw. We managed to see the arrival at Sheringham Station, it was just a few minutes of waiting, while a diesel shunter moves off with the coaches. Afterwards Ring Haw ran around the train, ready to form the next departure to Holt. We had a quick look on the seafront, we saw only Cormorants. We made our way over to Hickling Broad & Stubb Mill Raptor viewpoint. In the fields were newly arrived White-fronted Geese with some Greylags. Near viewpoint were some Koniks that graze on the reserve. From the view point at Stubb Mill a couple of Common Cranes flew past. Unlike the GCP birds at Slimbridge, these are truly wild birds & breed in the Broads. There were a few Marsh Harriers present, though not as many as in 2013. Quite a lot of Pink-footed Geese flew over the watchpoint. The highlight of the evening was a Male Chinese Water Deer. The British population of this delightful deer is only in East Anglia. Sadly no Hen Harriers this time, but then again maybe we were a bit too early in the Winter or is it that there are a lot less around these days.

Cley 19.10.16

The fifth day was a real washout with heavy rain forecasted much of the day, so we headed to Cley. We spent most of the time in just three of the hides, excluding Bishops & Babcock Hide. There was not much on offer with the birds but here’s list of birds that were present. Common Gull, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Teal, Shoveler, Pintail, Marsh Harrier & Wigeon. We went along the East Bank to look at the new viewing screen that overlooks Arnold’s Marsh. There wasn’t about during our visit, but birds have been recorded using this part of the reserve. Afterwards we had a look at Salthouse but was very quiet. We made our slowly back to Bircham.

Golden Plovers

Redshank

Common Gull

Dunlin

White-fronted Geese

Ring Haw

Konik pony

Common Cranes

Chinese Water Deer

Stubb Mill

Sunset

Snettisham RSPB & Holme Dunes NWT 21.10.16

We went to Snettisham RSPB early so we could see the Wader roost. We had to wait for tide get higher, so it could push the birds off the mudflats and onto the sandpits in front of the hides. We saw lots of swirling spectacles of Knot moving around, but unfortunately the tide was not high enough to push them off the mud, and as a result the birds stayed put. We did see a Marsh Harrier being chased by a Peregrine Falcon, Grey Plovers, Brent Geese, Little Egrets & Dunlin. The highlight of the morning was a Barn Owl hunting along the bank, it perched on the fence briefly. Afterwards it flew towards the bank, where it landed for a couple seconds. Then finally disappearing over the bank. Prior to seeing that were a flock of Grey Partridges foraging on the tide line. Unusual sighting! There were a few Waders foraging on the beach later in the morning. Including Dunlin, Sanderlings, Knot, Turnstone & Bar-tailed Godwits. After we finished,we went back home for lunch. In the afternoon, we explored a bit of Holme Dunes NWT. On the beach were a couple of Sanderlings & 4 Bar-tailed Godwits. While we were looking around scrubs and bushes, Mum spotted some Waxwings perched on a small tree. These birds were newly arrived and were unsettled. They kept flying from bush to bush. They were very lovely to see and our first ones this Winter. Finally we finished the week at Thornham, where in the creek were Common Redshank, Little Egret & Curlew.

Barn Owl

Peregrine and Marsh Harrier

Barn Owl

Wigeon

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit

Knot

Sanderling

Wawing

Thornham

Waders on the Wash

Minsmere RSPB 22.10.16

On our final day of the holiday we went to Minsmere RSPB. We started at North Hide where we saw some Koniks. Along the North Wall were some Lapwings, Fieldfares, Snipe & Red Deer. We popped into East Hide and saw only 1 Avocet, Dunlin, lots of Shoveler & Teal. At West Hide was a Grey Plover foraging along the edge of the island. There was also a Greenshank as well. On the way down to the Bittern Hide, we saw a Male Muntjac in the woods. From the Bittern Hide the heads of 2 Female Red Deer were just visable above the top of the reeds. A Female Marsh Harrier flew past the hide, we saw a few more from Island Mere. A couple of Bearded Tits were showing in front of hide, but it was very windy and the views were too brief for a photo. At the end of the day we walked along to Westleton Heath to see some Red Deer. Unfortunately, they ran further back on the heath, because some people were standing on the horizon and stuck out like a sore thumb! We didn't see any Shrikes but it was a big area and they could be anywhere. It was not a bad week. It could've been better weather though.

Grey Plover

Greenshank

Little Egret

Greenshank

Muntjac

Common Darter

Fungi

Rabbit

Red Deer