tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41174907791123711472024-02-19T06:07:21.218+00:00The Deskbound BirderSimon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comBlogger505125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-34120042876859865572022-11-03T19:49:00.000+00:002022-11-03T19:49:07.920+00:00Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly - 20th - 29th October<p>Sarah, Tobias and I booked a return trip to the Isles of Scilly when we were there in August earlier this year. We decided to stop off at Exeter and Salcombe en-route to Trowan as we had not visited these locations previously. I didn't really do any birding on 20th and 21st but on 22nd a short stop at Copperhouse Creek, as a diversion to shopping, on the afternoon of 22nd produced a long staying <b>Lesser Yellowlegs</b>. </p><p>On 23rd I was up at 06:30 and after tea and coffee I headed to Porthgwarra. Arriving more or less in the dark at 07:45 I started with a seawatch on the headland until around 09:15 and then worked the trees and scrub at the head of the valley. During the seawatch highlights included at least 80 <b>Great Shearwater</b>, <b>Sooty Shearwater</b>, <b>Pomarine Skua</b> and <b>Arctic Skua </b>but birds were very distant. There was very little to be seen in the bushes. My eBird checklist can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S121159399" target="_blank">here</a>. We then walked into St. Ives and had a relaxed afternoon where an <b>Osprey</b> in off the sea at lunchtime being a highlight. </p><p>My thoughts over the last few days had turned to a <b>Blackburnian Warbler</b> found on Bryher on 13th October and it was with a great deal of relief that on the day before we flew to the islands the bird was still present, so on the 24th the main quest on the day of arrival was to head to Bryher as quickly as possible after we arrived. We were up at 06:30 and by 08:30 we were at St. Just airport for our 09:35 flight to St Mary's landing at 09:55 after a bumpy flight in the strong SW winds. We checked into the Star Castle hotel and wandered around the Garrison waiting for the 12:15 boat to Bryher, there was no news of the bird as the 12:15 was the first boat across so we were on tender hooks. We boarded the boat and were soon making our way across to the west side of Bryher and to Popplestone Fields to the north of Great Pool. After a short search we were soon enjoying great views of this stunning bird as it fed in the Pittisporum hedges. Happy with our views we had lunch in the Hell Bay Hotel before heading out onto Gweal Hill and then back east to Church Quay for the 17:15 boat back to St Mary's. My eBird checklist for Bryher can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S121263501" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0eJt0NlBFpRfnX3VL06GtxuYPT2UI82tcvYLMzCdlHLIVLhNeWY-SxMq4hgBFQBaWLjRlwJH5-KYflS3eFYYdFdPd55fyq5bYEuaoTMq1yoDQcjyGwrrhoypCbL1LJTWzM3eXx75Ea0HkZunYbWYprU_C3ZH2uz7IR3x5kfNvxcOZSRLPlmB3ivs/s4000/497358691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0eJt0NlBFpRfnX3VL06GtxuYPT2UI82tcvYLMzCdlHLIVLhNeWY-SxMq4hgBFQBaWLjRlwJH5-KYflS3eFYYdFdPd55fyq5bYEuaoTMq1yoDQcjyGwrrhoypCbL1LJTWzM3eXx75Ea0HkZunYbWYprU_C3ZH2uz7IR3x5kfNvxcOZSRLPlmB3ivs/w640-h480/497358691.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCo56Vm3pfXg68tAVf8JleSSd8vPleHy7oB4BTxhSdNkF9I1ObAMnTKU-XX4a4MCF8wffXE2WPIXWsLaKbvR4mvMbfe3VlZOvABYMRMokJqGlGGFToecm9sXRPPiwmGppG__jsyZUmzWnOXfQuf3ZgrCx0tvLNVcZ1dtT4oaEgrgj_3dzbfFKGi29/s4000/497358661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCo56Vm3pfXg68tAVf8JleSSd8vPleHy7oB4BTxhSdNkF9I1ObAMnTKU-XX4a4MCF8wffXE2WPIXWsLaKbvR4mvMbfe3VlZOvABYMRMokJqGlGGFToecm9sXRPPiwmGppG__jsyZUmzWnOXfQuf3ZgrCx0tvLNVcZ1dtT4oaEgrgj_3dzbfFKGi29/w480-h640/497358661.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOgLksmobg4d9wOG5_M_fu0pytS-86YHlfIK5QMdNsC26-X0e3HHckuHzJAMkXZC1K4O53UBzGQtTAsgQWcCHa7UE8GPUpdJncr2bAXZyxm72PHVcSnBwiCkyxf5jHyM3FRK4tRFXxKlzOb01_prlxc_M1I20ii71ide7IvW_t1E6yurJR2U8FFqb/s4000/497358701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOgLksmobg4d9wOG5_M_fu0pytS-86YHlfIK5QMdNsC26-X0e3HHckuHzJAMkXZC1K4O53UBzGQtTAsgQWcCHa7UE8GPUpdJncr2bAXZyxm72PHVcSnBwiCkyxf5jHyM3FRK4tRFXxKlzOb01_prlxc_M1I20ii71ide7IvW_t1E6yurJR2U8FFqb/w480-h640/497358701.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Blackburnian Warbler- Bryher, Isles of Scilly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the 24th I was up before breakfast and birded the pines on the Garrison beside the football pitch, past the tennis course and through the campsite before doubling back, I saw little but for a <b>Black Redstart</b>, eBird checklist <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S121282545" target="_blank">here</a>. After breakfast a <b>Red-rumped Swallow</b> showed just below the Star Castle before we were dropped at Higher Moors and walked out to Porth Hellick stopping at the Sussex Hide for a long staying <b>Wilson's Snipe</b>. The heavy rain forecast for the afternoon began to set in at around midday and we made our way through Holy Vale, out to Watermill, past Newford Duck Pond and at Telegraph dropped down to the coast to the south of Bant's Carn. By now the wind was strong and the rain torrential and we walked as fast as we could back south to Juliet's Cafe for lunch at around 14:00. After lunch we did a short walk through Lower Moors to Old Town in heavy rain and strong winds before retreating to the Atlantic for the late part of the afternoon. My eBird checklist can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S121316174" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHwdTMIloNXCWc15X-zLz-0trailbUnwLR-nw2X1QXGDH7lACHZ1RjHx8rY59RHPafBAjffxWmwG5sYPPxiZJ1BAEllsaDbtAAzaSGY7wQ6wk0_nhlVvrE2DZzdp2sBNkQ2luhucteKMmHHg7QPsrsPcoEam4SdCbVMrX25x33s0QWC6m9dxFi2xk/s10308/498753171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10308" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHwdTMIloNXCWc15X-zLz-0trailbUnwLR-nw2X1QXGDH7lACHZ1RjHx8rY59RHPafBAjffxWmwG5sYPPxiZJ1BAEllsaDbtAAzaSGY7wQ6wk0_nhlVvrE2DZzdp2sBNkQ2luhucteKMmHHg7QPsrsPcoEam4SdCbVMrX25x33s0QWC6m9dxFi2xk/w640-h470/498753171.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWt-Iy-61WdWtqRs4iTkzSOsbceZ36e_yes0hEYrxl6LxgXIsGksLetD_01Va7VJ0R7LaEoXD6wJ38_yT8SYYtjSfVmrJFV-k22W8bvrtdfbqw52-YJWUMp1Ulz0PswcxZSQS4NhKKdBNSO_GitXVHd5Tn27B_8pSDve03v5_UK4eDGIgVZ1wkCWO/s10627/498753211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10627" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWt-Iy-61WdWtqRs4iTkzSOsbceZ36e_yes0hEYrxl6LxgXIsGksLetD_01Va7VJ0R7LaEoXD6wJ38_yT8SYYtjSfVmrJFV-k22W8bvrtdfbqw52-YJWUMp1Ulz0PswcxZSQS4NhKKdBNSO_GitXVHd5Tn27B_8pSDve03v5_UK4eDGIgVZ1wkCWO/w640-h456/498753211.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wilson's Snipe - Porth Hellick, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the 25th, after breakfast we took the 10:15 boat to Tresco where we walked from the southern quay along the west coast of the island diverting inland at the Great Pool for an <b>Olive-backed Pipit</b>. We then headed north along the west coast to Cromwells Castle before cutting back inland for lunch at the Ruin Beach in Old Grimsby. The birding was very slow and we saw little. We then headed back to New Grimsby for the 15:30 boat back to St. Mary's. The late afternoon and evening was spent relaxing. My eBird checklist can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S121432898" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKRge9Xal03ORelDAA9-pWqLv_loq8_tVLKhuSLdeMYhL9FMAuKb24N7CAGbCp6_1YJ4cNHPiyIQdskDbFLkygJvkfTwZUvLQUCmpjx8tl0wilfpCH6TSLZgCetydydzHmU-abTtPYsBqUeZ2oBJsmLfnjOumimT4sC3sZ5Q368kIAGFdRtFNaDNz/s10190/498745961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10190" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKRge9Xal03ORelDAA9-pWqLv_loq8_tVLKhuSLdeMYhL9FMAuKb24N7CAGbCp6_1YJ4cNHPiyIQdskDbFLkygJvkfTwZUvLQUCmpjx8tl0wilfpCH6TSLZgCetydydzHmU-abTtPYsBqUeZ2oBJsmLfnjOumimT4sC3sZ5Q368kIAGFdRtFNaDNz/w640-h474/498745961.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Olive-backed Pipit - Great Pool, Tresco, Isles of Scilly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the 26th we hired golf buggies and spent time in the north of St Mary's in areas we do not explore often. After collecting our buggie at 10:30 we headed to the north-east and parked along the track to Deep Point. We walked a loop around Deep Point where a <b>Yellow-browed Warbler </b>was calling vigorously and showed briefly, then around Mount Todden and back along Pelistry Lane and Carn Vean looking for an American Buff-bellied Pipit but failed to see it. We then headed to Telegraph where we walked a short loop around Bants Carn but saw little. After lunch at Juliet's we headed to Trenoweth and walked a loop eastwards via Watermill and down Watermill Lane to Newford Pond and then back to Trenoweth again there was little to be seen. We drove around a little and then dropped the buggie off before heading to the Atlantic for a late afternoon bevvie. My ebird checklist can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S121429066" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>On 28th we were up at around 08:00, had breakfast and then packed our bags ready for the journey back to Cornwall. We wandered through Hugh Town and after a little shopping headed up towards the hospital, along Peninnis Lane and out onto the headland. We then wandered back north and into Old Town Bay where, after a little rockpooling we were collected and taken to the airport for our 13:50 flight back to St Just arriving at 14:10. We then headed back to the cottage at Trowan for a relaxed afternoon. On 29th we packed and headed back to Hampshire.</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.com Isles of Scilly49.9194373 -6.295675949.913910746819276 -6.3042589688476562 49.924963853180721 -6.2870928311523437tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-23431793738022958702022-10-16T18:01:00.005+01:002022-10-16T18:17:33.604+01:00Shetland - 9th October<p>My final day today and I awoke to a strong wind once again with a F5-6 SW blowing, my hopes were not high and after packing my bags and checking out I headed into the field. I began the day at Wester Quarff where the only bird of note was a <b>Yellow-browed Warbler</b>. I then headed to Hoswick and back to Swinster Burn in the hope that it might be a little sheltered but the wind had increased to a F7-8 and the bushes thrashed around wildly. I had only walked a short distance when news of a <b>White's Thrush</b> broke at Lerwick, the bird was noted as being elusive and I questioned whether to go. I wandered a little way onwards and then realised that I was just thinking about White's Thrush and not actually birding so I headed back to the car and drove back north to Lerwick. The bird was in the bushes at the back of the school but had recently been seen flying to the bushes on the shore of Loch Clickimin. Birders milled around and scanned under the bushes with thermal cameras but there was no sign. After some time, and almost over my head the bird flew from the loch shore and returned to the original bushes to the NW of the school. Over the next 10 minutes or so the bird flew back and forth from these bushes to the loch shore and I obtained rather poor flight views. The rain started to set in and I decided to make my way slowly south for my 16:00 flight. I stopped in the hide at Loch Spiggie but it was so windy that it was not possible to look out of the viewing slots for any length of time. I then headed to the Pool of Virkie but the tide was largely high and I saw nothing to speak of. A stop at Scord produced a <b>Great Northern Diver</b> offshore and then it was time to head to the airport. My 16:00 flight eventually left at around 16:30, it was almost impossible to stand in the wind as we walked from the airport terminal to the plane and we were lucky to be taking off. I had a very narrow 50 minute connection time in Aberdeen but fortunately the departure to Heathrow was delayed and I made the flight with ease and I was a little surprised and relived when my bags appeared. I was home by 22:15 after a fantastic week on the islands with some really great birds seen. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve71Jz0Rk0HSiWEP85PGCptRJD4BeHkCXWYNh3NFnMiKuIIrgG1DiB_FJ9JDV5uB4FQiABpvrsDauF3z-8cRPRpHYnyKeJ2V0RF-Uq5Ded146AxdbMBDaprMMHrOESgl41deafG_2lSJh6rydRICPgUC5jc33Hc98VGE2K_ZHaia9Git2Ao-ukTwy/s4032/IMG_4667.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjve71Jz0Rk0HSiWEP85PGCptRJD4BeHkCXWYNh3NFnMiKuIIrgG1DiB_FJ9JDV5uB4FQiABpvrsDauF3z-8cRPRpHYnyKeJ2V0RF-Uq5Ded146AxdbMBDaprMMHrOESgl41deafG_2lSJh6rydRICPgUC5jc33Hc98VGE2K_ZHaia9Git2Ao-ukTwy/w640-h480/IMG_4667.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wester Quarff</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120290116" target="_blank">Wester Quarff</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120299099" target="_blank">Loch of Clickimin</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120304831" target="_blank">Loch of Spiggie</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120490310" target="_blank">Pool of Virkie</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120301284" target="_blank">Scord</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My eBird trip report can be viewed here:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/tripreport/76175" target="_blank">Shetland 3rd-9th October 2022</a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comShetland Islands, UK60.5296507 -1.265940832.219416863821152 -36.4221908 88.839884536178843 33.8903092tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-24333210526858666142022-10-16T17:42:00.005+01:002022-10-16T18:14:45.263+01:00Shetland - 8th October<p>It was the Cornell/eBird October Big Day today and I intended to try and see as many species as possible in the south of the mainland - without going crazy! I began the day at one of my favourite spots on Shetland, Wester Quarff, and birded the lower road down to the voe and then back along the upper road. The conditions were relatively calm compared to recent days and the winds had dropped down to around F3-4 with some brighter spells. My expectations were high but there were few birds to be seen although two <b>Yellow-browed Warbler</b> in the same bush and the <b>King Eider</b> offshore were nice to see. I then headed back north to Gulberwick where the 'Hornemann's' <b>Arctic Redpoll </b>had been seen again this morning, there were a few <b>Common Redpoll</b> buzzing around and I had brief views of the Arctic Redpoll perched on a fence near to the main road but after this initial view the bird failed to show again. I then headed to Gott for a <b>Turtle Dove</b>, a Shetland tick, it took almost two hours to find and was eventually located perching motionless in a willow on the site. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJiUFVIWxXWTAsmdmZebB79mAMNPzNLxfv82iFpcKQcAp3O2TbNu1Ym8tHKG4pXbSZ2BghddYBloe3szJ3Db_FoqNvaFDl4Boq7iuGAbZiJ9rZLwA6nAhcKgbn4SUUy7KhICbL5J-AzvP67lkPKUTHVGdtrwRQ4iverys1fqPNuVCae5V_qeuLjQE/s9766/493368941.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9766" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJiUFVIWxXWTAsmdmZebB79mAMNPzNLxfv82iFpcKQcAp3O2TbNu1Ym8tHKG4pXbSZ2BghddYBloe3szJ3Db_FoqNvaFDl4Boq7iuGAbZiJ9rZLwA6nAhcKgbn4SUUy7KhICbL5J-AzvP67lkPKUTHVGdtrwRQ4iverys1fqPNuVCae5V_qeuLjQE/w640-h496/493368941.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;">Shetland subspecies (zetlandicus) of Eurasian Wren - Wester Quarff</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcSj-zVQiAkYaoLf38uEnw5uF5DJTiAVcoCBwE0mZuDbGOo-IutKN_rzK5P8WwUxeOYBUOwaeD9LCRt_9nPhmTl2gDLttyEC4gWZzo783DoZ8FkxxyOotiZTKT1Sc0u57mgQxp36WloIuvnhyvWtomRwJiVvebe0i5tjkTMTKk2swDdjt0ne9pbiq/s8863/493369011.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="8863" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcSj-zVQiAkYaoLf38uEnw5uF5DJTiAVcoCBwE0mZuDbGOo-IutKN_rzK5P8WwUxeOYBUOwaeD9LCRt_9nPhmTl2gDLttyEC4gWZzo783DoZ8FkxxyOotiZTKT1Sc0u57mgQxp36WloIuvnhyvWtomRwJiVvebe0i5tjkTMTKk2swDdjt0ne9pbiq/w640-h546/493369011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Turtle Dove - Gott</div><p>Heading back south I visited Hoswick and birded Swinster Burn and the Sycamores around the Orca Inn but saw little but for a <b>Yellow-browed Warbler </b>and a <b>Common Redpoll</b>. In need of seeing a good bird for the day, I headed back to Bigton and spend around an hour with the <b>Yellow-rumped Warbler</b> which showed well. The day was now drawing in and I headed for Geosetter for one last try at finding something rare myself with no luck. It was a good day but given the still conditions it was remarkable how few birds were around with very low numbers of common migrants.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YkzxcyCpNpAXSERLWmgm8gLdI_rN70MFDTCQTgWXDnFwH4-ygNY1_fGI0vln1VpLcXwc0TMPEVrhsYoxmUO7otmihDc34Tigx0AZctivjV0puQnGLtBjEA4LBT7tv_OE3XmBV5infbosrU8XRD0TU6ifP22nxfsK2_Fz1Gfuwkozh6kb23xiZgdb/s9862/493369121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9862" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YkzxcyCpNpAXSERLWmgm8gLdI_rN70MFDTCQTgWXDnFwH4-ygNY1_fGI0vln1VpLcXwc0TMPEVrhsYoxmUO7otmihDc34Tigx0AZctivjV0puQnGLtBjEA4LBT7tv_OE3XmBV5infbosrU8XRD0TU6ifP22nxfsK2_Fz1Gfuwkozh6kb23xiZgdb/w640-h490/493369121.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Common Redpoll - Swinster Burn, Hoswick</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrlFUtIIC1mBLEZt8nHBeEOKMoRQBGWGJwxY0t4tkJN_dgjizlOsyrOahM6cjLTtANQhYq_jIqDLGYtDPZI1EHpzAdAYJz7K3fKHOj1VdWvsYv4Zzw8d_YEhuWBxe-yiom334aCp1VXs5uQj4ZDh7x1656lqhnQmIo7JczONR32SCM7b_dIPAJUWu/s8720/493369261.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="8720" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrlFUtIIC1mBLEZt8nHBeEOKMoRQBGWGJwxY0t4tkJN_dgjizlOsyrOahM6cjLTtANQhYq_jIqDLGYtDPZI1EHpzAdAYJz7K3fKHOj1VdWvsYv4Zzw8d_YEhuWBxe-yiom334aCp1VXs5uQj4ZDh7x1656lqhnQmIo7JczONR32SCM7b_dIPAJUWu/w640-h554/493369261.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-rumped Warbler - Bigton</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEy_jV9tlFIM_wOx4F4MDTUDtHYEiEPbTXYOPKFnf9Hk-Kot1nqYVcbNxVyk50tEKvDa0GCcl07-VCM69eZ6o9TGYYQIIKsbnIlQs2hxWMYgu-uo4WAZq7c_jRDkHoSKxKtMx-lKC2nPv-b5wo-Ie3IGs-ArlRlQGg3BZK8wMFgPw50W70z1LWobvI/s10298/493369271.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10298" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEy_jV9tlFIM_wOx4F4MDTUDtHYEiEPbTXYOPKFnf9Hk-Kot1nqYVcbNxVyk50tEKvDa0GCcl07-VCM69eZ6o9TGYYQIIKsbnIlQs2hxWMYgu-uo4WAZq7c_jRDkHoSKxKtMx-lKC2nPv-b5wo-Ie3IGs-ArlRlQGg3BZK8wMFgPw50W70z1LWobvI/w640-h470/493369271.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-rumped Warbler - Bigton</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Links to the Days eBird Checklists</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120178282" target="_blank">Wester Quarff</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120178184" target="_blank">Gulberwick</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120188513" target="_blank">Gott</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120197837" target="_blank">Swinster Burn</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120217201" target="_blank">Bigton</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comShetland Islands, UK60.5296507 -1.265940832.219416863821152 -36.4221908 88.839884536178843 33.8903092tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-67839550518685226702022-10-14T18:51:00.005+01:002022-10-16T18:11:14.998+01:00Shetland - 7th October<p>I began the day heading north to Lunna as this is such a beautiful location but also because a <b>Barred Warbler</b> had been present for a few days. I soon had rather brief views of the warbler in very windy conditions but saw little else. I then headed to Vidlin and birded the field behind the Common Wealth War Graveyard but despite the shelter afforded by the trees there was little to be seen. Next was Voe and a similar story, very little to be seen and very windy. So I decided to head south lured by the temptation of a second <b>Yellow-rumped Warbler</b> having been found today only 700m from the first and the chance of seeing two in a day. So I headed to the Bigton bird, the second to be found, which showed very well in the pines and occasionally coming down very low into the grasses and Yellow Iris stands. I then headed over to the first bird and had rather brief views (but sufficient to say that I had seen two of this mega rarity in the UK in one day) when news broke of a possible <b>Least Bittern</b> 15 minutes away at Scousborough Beach Carpark at the north end of Loch Spiggie. I grabbed a lift back to my car which was parked a mile away and then sped south. Fortunately, one of the first to arrive a grabbed a parking space outside the RSPB hide at Loch Spiggie and headed the short distance to the carpark and there, amazingly, and clearly exhausted and fresh in off the sea was a Least Bittern. I got good views of the bird in the Marram Grass and then gave way to the increasing numbers of birders in the very limited viewing spot. Numbers swelled to around 150 and eventually as the light began to fade it was announced that the bird would be taken into care. The hordes of birders retreated and a local birder moved in and captured the bird which was remarkably tiny when seen in the hand, it was briefly paraded to the admiring birders before being whisked away to be fed and cared for, sadly the bird died over night only 50g, 35g below the average weight for the species. Despite this sad end it had been an absolutely amazing day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PqGN6mqoKw2HCwOSSB7TjXDzBfN7QiBDLYqY6d-fuxZ-qxNa15x68hnKW_lqwA9D1KoS9Pglpbx1xOWiUdxfqj8TQP7r3nK30JGYVhC3E1VaPsM_bKMRqwUn-AGQ-sEvCF9diY0fylt2QZP8Ohz3uXMYxg_T5fcZOyQaCMbiLMZ5OzhjFG1LLIte/s11339/493610801.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7551" data-original-width="11339" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PqGN6mqoKw2HCwOSSB7TjXDzBfN7QiBDLYqY6d-fuxZ-qxNa15x68hnKW_lqwA9D1KoS9Pglpbx1xOWiUdxfqj8TQP7r3nK30JGYVhC3E1VaPsM_bKMRqwUn-AGQ-sEvCF9diY0fylt2QZP8Ohz3uXMYxg_T5fcZOyQaCMbiLMZ5OzhjFG1LLIte/w640-h426/493610801.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shetland subspecies (zetlandicus) of Eurasian Wren - Lunna</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1buBShaCV9gxsUkPUc_EQFJkiJBzP0dZ_93GZJ3fwDzm3QJwTwNhRSrUqGl09WAvjcKLbQZTJVsDqs88cmi37XAgTieSh1BC9p26-cCJoKl-PcGK_LvbbgrloZkffs1S3OSg_Yku8f8QX6eEPhbJd1z5aPnMS0yaGfw8rz97RevOwYvx0ItBqElj/s10354/493638651.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10354" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1buBShaCV9gxsUkPUc_EQFJkiJBzP0dZ_93GZJ3fwDzm3QJwTwNhRSrUqGl09WAvjcKLbQZTJVsDqs88cmi37XAgTieSh1BC9p26-cCJoKl-PcGK_LvbbgrloZkffs1S3OSg_Yku8f8QX6eEPhbJd1z5aPnMS0yaGfw8rz97RevOwYvx0ItBqElj/w640-h468/493638651.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9CLHigEgkyrde9qm2-msCcsHkwrvhtcGCdMXKHyXgccU21bdQGC7gjAnwkstmN9kuaNQnO7iqc_Hfq8UppffdiOG0mxnuBc_wJyydTxnbQotvWA3N3BFMQ4VDgf23_fN25oTirN0s03fq7ge9METtp6s-k0FeHMvrRyE2s4fIBdLHSk7tiJyNxiA/s10678/493638661.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10678" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9CLHigEgkyrde9qm2-msCcsHkwrvhtcGCdMXKHyXgccU21bdQGC7gjAnwkstmN9kuaNQnO7iqc_Hfq8UppffdiOG0mxnuBc_wJyydTxnbQotvWA3N3BFMQ4VDgf23_fN25oTirN0s03fq7ge9METtp6s-k0FeHMvrRyE2s4fIBdLHSk7tiJyNxiA/w640-h454/493638661.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTae-mdjyquPhCZNHn4kcWgTRRnNEa6gJRfGMUexwRgcvG9wWF7d2-19JLFVy3guDHyHESzWK9p7LpyHmAJ7zGg1LchzCLiQNvjZsfNNVA-W97msiEt0BSnM4eFqUrajVDqYTuR8cn2u7A_7a9FFcB-ZK1ZwGEndUYrx33cbo9HKhvSNYqFPvDoia/s9642/PA071030-dng_DxO_DeepPRIME.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9642" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTae-mdjyquPhCZNHn4kcWgTRRnNEa6gJRfGMUexwRgcvG9wWF7d2-19JLFVy3guDHyHESzWK9p7LpyHmAJ7zGg1LchzCLiQNvjZsfNNVA-W97msiEt0BSnM4eFqUrajVDqYTuR8cn2u7A_7a9FFcB-ZK1ZwGEndUYrx33cbo9HKhvSNYqFPvDoia/w640-h502/PA071030-dng_DxO_DeepPRIME.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-rumped Warbler - The second bird at Bigton</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2r1_Yd_NU0m2PGj42flu-HDZ0Fx_iYibxt2RVU-iLQEVrLnn9FdXWjDNWD8ppnRxKYcW6r8pqNWDEFZkbMai2A0UP0xtrx_q1yxcyGv_sLeqeFx2G2wkojgwmgS_05zsYgQeau3n818dKkDU4pCFSuORA4Z8prnWOx5GX33fD7s8wivUT-EZH5mf1/s4000/491226211.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2r1_Yd_NU0m2PGj42flu-HDZ0Fx_iYibxt2RVU-iLQEVrLnn9FdXWjDNWD8ppnRxKYcW6r8pqNWDEFZkbMai2A0UP0xtrx_q1yxcyGv_sLeqeFx2G2wkojgwmgS_05zsYgQeau3n818dKkDU4pCFSuORA4Z8prnWOx5GX33fD7s8wivUT-EZH5mf1/w640-h480/491226211.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWJiOFkAovkxrjVZLpVCDE_XxHXc2-vuqQkRz-zuaLRqYbyGxAEMe2Kb2DKFvA5DBS-z6zi2HK5y-rrNC-jSksxD-Y8_HqivmgkqARQnxAhSAYXrY7Cl4i1IeNn-Wtxl_qDmTzcGelt9KabrF5WYTkQY8xEBv8XpoVZkz0OIM5nhM7nBncVmnt0Qa/s7921/493638431.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="7921" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWJiOFkAovkxrjVZLpVCDE_XxHXc2-vuqQkRz-zuaLRqYbyGxAEMe2Kb2DKFvA5DBS-z6zi2HK5y-rrNC-jSksxD-Y8_HqivmgkqARQnxAhSAYXrY7Cl4i1IeNn-Wtxl_qDmTzcGelt9KabrF5WYTkQY8xEBv8XpoVZkz0OIM5nhM7nBncVmnt0Qa/w640-h610/493638431.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum6-WeDMejeEc0MAq7qcIu4NcVqPLCSsVHRp6c9TMzFnGAwBUaxDdUxltzhZYL2EZaapAy3yPi-MEtn2W1KSBMovlXnChCne3zcT4I3r3NMFUF9kMa-JxTmgkkQf95c1JpeNZD77nD2TMXsgsyEPo28jywPiFf_ZlHRHDwRzwrQiNESGjBpffVkPU/s7559/493638451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="5563" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum6-WeDMejeEc0MAq7qcIu4NcVqPLCSsVHRp6c9TMzFnGAwBUaxDdUxltzhZYL2EZaapAy3yPi-MEtn2W1KSBMovlXnChCne3zcT4I3r3NMFUF9kMa-JxTmgkkQf95c1JpeNZD77nD2TMXsgsyEPo28jywPiFf_ZlHRHDwRzwrQiNESGjBpffVkPU/w472-h640/493638451.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Least Bittern - Scousborough Beach Carpark. Showing in the Marram Grass before </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">being captured and taken into care where it sadly died overnight.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Links to the Days eBird Checklists</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120115407" target="_blank">Lunna</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120119969" target="_blank">Voe</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120141353" target="_blank">Bigton</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120141269" target="_blank">Scousborough</a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comShetland Islands, UK60.5296507 -1.265940832.219416863821152 -36.4221908 88.839884536178843 33.8903092tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-16888294938837436742022-10-14T17:15:00.003+01:002022-10-16T18:07:53.751+01:00Shetland - 6th October<p>Once again I awoke to heavy rain and a strong wind and so delayed my departure from the hotel. My first stop was at Gulberwick where a 'Hornemann's' <b>Arctic Redpoll</b> has been present for a couple of days. I wandered down the road and a flock of Common Redpoll flew into a nearby tree, unfortunately I did not get onto the Arctic until the birds took flight and disappeared into the adjacent gardens showing its pale plumage and white rump in flight only. I then headed south and birded the Levenwick area but it was very slow going with no birds of note seen in the strong winds and squally showers. I needed fuel so headed south to Dunrossness and then headed to Pool of Virkie but the tide was high and there were no waders present. I then decided to head to Quendale Mill where a <b>Bluethroat</b> had just been found alongside the long staying <b>Siberian Stonechat</b>. Both birds eluded me for some time but, after a very heavy squally shower in which I was caught in the open with no shelter, the Siberian Stonechat appeared and showed fairly well along a fenceline. Wandering back I then found the Bluethroat which had moved from its original location and was working a fenceline before flying into a Creeping Thistle bed in the middle of a field where there was also a <b>Yellow-browed Warbler</b>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBVaSpbQNlfXtSkXU2nv9O0A72lFTU93GmQot0WmxxdMpR_GRA0sj3tt-zh_MyytDxTHPRO9Z5M-mhxWvjbPbp3cXmBraaqbqH4SIhaJaeynOHPRMYAs1p6rI6nd1qDh0Ka1YIXiCEpZZ8wVtqvYRM8w1WyFsOjEuBErVIx0hwfdmCDBpZRYEaMDR/s10205/493456221.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10205" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNBVaSpbQNlfXtSkXU2nv9O0A72lFTU93GmQot0WmxxdMpR_GRA0sj3tt-zh_MyytDxTHPRO9Z5M-mhxWvjbPbp3cXmBraaqbqH4SIhaJaeynOHPRMYAs1p6rI6nd1qDh0Ka1YIXiCEpZZ8wVtqvYRM8w1WyFsOjEuBErVIx0hwfdmCDBpZRYEaMDR/w640-h474/493456221.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-browed Warbler - Quendale</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUIa8w4liPmqOQy20cL_HHcYZL5dPGvzdJ_YskjrszfbgNJ-nhhsxkmNGLwHO--uPdkfmhZRCEVGKMF1yi3UNGvNNsQzA00un5qODZYPGPL-FjkoOt1_0mAdOPo_bnQnTllqSRcNAoJm-Kl1_ad7pxkR3p_cObAwdhBeKeV4pKsvn9G9tqYEdNAmk/s10066/493456291.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10066" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUIa8w4liPmqOQy20cL_HHcYZL5dPGvzdJ_YskjrszfbgNJ-nhhsxkmNGLwHO--uPdkfmhZRCEVGKMF1yi3UNGvNNsQzA00un5qODZYPGPL-FjkoOt1_0mAdOPo_bnQnTllqSRcNAoJm-Kl1_ad7pxkR3p_cObAwdhBeKeV4pKsvn9G9tqYEdNAmk/w640-h480/493456291.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Siberian Stonechat - Quendale</div><p>Heading back to the car I decided to visit Ellister for second views of the <b>Yellow-rumped Warbler</b>. I enjoyed fantastic views of this bird as it fed on the ground from time to time and showed down to around 3m on one occasion. A fantastic bird. I then headed south to the Pool of Virkie where a range of common waders were visible on the falling tide before heading to Loch Spiggie for a female <b>Scaup</b> to add to the trip list. It was now 17:10 and so I decided to head north, a brief stop to try to get better views of the Arctic Redpoll at Gulberwick drew a blank and so I headed back to the hotel in Lerwick.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI1wSD0BqhUQbzKedZ1dw-n7o-LxATeNrKDNNGJ2Xl9gU9AhvUhTaJNA6lkSH11kCPlEZKdVA-KHIApk-78-_dCFspMIpg5jIJGvT-ozwD2BQuhDL32tQ4TfjNzFYpFA6AgamTlH3s8cA2nmGu0kIBgaxSPBB1IwgS6JiAfUt_BcEuV9imSNZ13Z1/s9446/493612331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9446" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI1wSD0BqhUQbzKedZ1dw-n7o-LxATeNrKDNNGJ2Xl9gU9AhvUhTaJNA6lkSH11kCPlEZKdVA-KHIApk-78-_dCFspMIpg5jIJGvT-ozwD2BQuhDL32tQ4TfjNzFYpFA6AgamTlH3s8cA2nmGu0kIBgaxSPBB1IwgS6JiAfUt_BcEuV9imSNZ13Z1/w640-h512/493612331.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWloOuETUoStFO2WhwmUVZvrQMyFsVAGkbPnpGcDAcVjXPzRxzcMzM3wbixKs_TVjHePeG-XhwDm8mzC1vI8VeqphrL3kK9nDsHrnMcroVLJxzqDHtADzPXFz3JMU3nSgriiScxewcMM6YXSZ-Nn2jMIoOiY6QsWvzDPI4QrRzzApV1x_yiBsfs-0/s7559/493612381.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="6958" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWloOuETUoStFO2WhwmUVZvrQMyFsVAGkbPnpGcDAcVjXPzRxzcMzM3wbixKs_TVjHePeG-XhwDm8mzC1vI8VeqphrL3kK9nDsHrnMcroVLJxzqDHtADzPXFz3JMU3nSgriiScxewcMM6YXSZ-Nn2jMIoOiY6QsWvzDPI4QrRzzApV1x_yiBsfs-0/w590-h640/493612381.jpg" width="590" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxRHj1Jv89AfVU27Emo5aFd9lPAZX2h0R-Mja0KAOxVfznpkr7NEpS5bOFGXwMJvXFxNlee1Dlt6GHU0An3PYtyJHLySyIfHEcWUJqYOF-fLxF3354zRkhfEV05NCvfkdDtcaBHKdHgDyRq-GxgPqO6fk_LFxGyVewqAdjfmGFRwBDfIssWbhDgt3/s9027/493612411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9027" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxRHj1Jv89AfVU27Emo5aFd9lPAZX2h0R-Mja0KAOxVfznpkr7NEpS5bOFGXwMJvXFxNlee1Dlt6GHU0An3PYtyJHLySyIfHEcWUJqYOF-fLxF3354zRkhfEV05NCvfkdDtcaBHKdHgDyRq-GxgPqO6fk_LFxGyVewqAdjfmGFRwBDfIssWbhDgt3/w640-h536/493612411.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-rumped Warbler - Ellister, Maywick</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Links to the Days eBird Checklists</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120039648" target="_blank">Gulberwick</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120043152" target="_blank">Quendale</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120050245" target="_blank">Ellister</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120070179" target="_blank">Pool of Virkie</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120074708" target="_blank">Loch of Spiggie</a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comShetland Islands, UK60.5296507 -1.265940832.219416863821152 -36.4221908 88.839884536178843 33.8903092tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-45669445525479430862022-10-12T08:48:00.002+01:002022-10-13T21:42:21.033+01:00Shetland - 5th October<p>Due to the wet start to the day I decided to head to Loch Spiggie RSPB to add a few waterbirds to my trip list. Starting at the southern end a scan from the roadside layby produced a <b>Short-eared Owl </b>and some common waterbirds. I then headed to the north end of the Loch and spent a little while in the hide here. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-4vJIr7RcM4sqPNUDRsnBTh4widV7CBo-sNFWHHOAMUDSxXZcRlV643kU6eOlWzp4vhU502HYjJ2uCRTjWG4jbKjFIEuWW5ZLqIlV3-PJX98HXjSbM9Rfr4YLFaoD5FW4rlk7S62nixmebm1HXg6rSumgsPvybuhquZbQWPIr2UOx4bwz_eE-rZH/s11339/492451491.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7192" data-original-width="11339" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-4vJIr7RcM4sqPNUDRsnBTh4widV7CBo-sNFWHHOAMUDSxXZcRlV643kU6eOlWzp4vhU502HYjJ2uCRTjWG4jbKjFIEuWW5ZLqIlV3-PJX98HXjSbM9Rfr4YLFaoD5FW4rlk7S62nixmebm1HXg6rSumgsPvybuhquZbQWPIr2UOx4bwz_eE-rZH/w640-h406/492451491.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Whooper Swan - Loch Spiggie RSPB</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBy6z1tvdMRS9LDvug-WdbkXCQ-tpR85s6HzAy1Zl60VauSrTYwLNR24oukIwZ7n9ZpNxHhBUFhFVSt-HvBotVFktHs1jrlPX_KZYM124LPyapTGEl13pZXUxbn8vrrsiO_ONSX03aAXp1rYWLoDQk9Wka-NAEelZDXJq-57keEjehKyGHqdN_Fc-m/s11339/492453161.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7005" data-original-width="11339" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBy6z1tvdMRS9LDvug-WdbkXCQ-tpR85s6HzAy1Zl60VauSrTYwLNR24oukIwZ7n9ZpNxHhBUFhFVSt-HvBotVFktHs1jrlPX_KZYM124LPyapTGEl13pZXUxbn8vrrsiO_ONSX03aAXp1rYWLoDQk9Wka-NAEelZDXJq-57keEjehKyGHqdN_Fc-m/w640-h396/492453161.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Twite - Loch Spiggie RSPB</div><br /><p>It had started to brighten a little and so I headed to Sumburgh, a walk to the quarries and the garden at the start of the entrance road produced little and so I decided to head to Toab for an Arctic Redpoll but soon after my arrival news broke of a <b>Yellow-rumped Warbler </b>at Ellister near to Maywick and so I jumped in the car and sped the 15 minutes or so northwards. I ditched the car on a rather soft verge and headed to the small Sycamore stand in which the bird had been found. There were only around 20 birders present and it was not long before I had reasonable views of the bird as it fed in the Sycamores. Numbers of birders began to build and the farmer from the farmyard opposite became increasingly irate, the road was blocked by a crowd of birders meaning drivers could not pass and the situation was becoming ugly and so I decided I would leave the scene. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_xKnfDH9VgSEEkTLEsKLLAuwboags3toHwFzT2tYK9t7LtI1GgsVcdbmdMDggtw2K-wDWZ3uHf2IJTKKZS6joYE48N1ARJRSNB5tUGmhrd0clLwdgGVNTMd6MF1rnscSw6dMLqdo6yOdMJGMlUAVuFAa1wRBXJJlirmb6kA2v1jnyhzuVEfJMdnV/s10414/492452051.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10414" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_xKnfDH9VgSEEkTLEsKLLAuwboags3toHwFzT2tYK9t7LtI1GgsVcdbmdMDggtw2K-wDWZ3uHf2IJTKKZS6joYE48N1ARJRSNB5tUGmhrd0clLwdgGVNTMd6MF1rnscSw6dMLqdo6yOdMJGMlUAVuFAa1wRBXJJlirmb6kA2v1jnyhzuVEfJMdnV/w640-h464/492452051.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-rumped Warbler - Ellister, Maywick</div><p>I headed north to Scalloway where the eclipse drake <b>King Eider</b>, which I had previously tried for at Wester Quarff, was now in the harbour here and I soon found the bird with a small flock of <b>Common</b> <b>Eider</b>. I birded a few areas around Scalloway before heading to Asta to the north where at last I found a <b>Yellow-browed Warbler</b>, a species thin on the ground this year. I then headed back south and birded the Leebitten and Sandwick areas until the light began to fade but saw little. I then headed back to Lerwick and was back to the hotel for around 18:00.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUJFsxjHXTL0tCOTViCVoUk3hYY8EpZECWy5-zu5ElcG7aRByq1KQ6-VvUkjvU4kF003ItZV2n_wW50aQjCfCP1sY6ySoioAzo3pgTo1Cj6qHmBwSHVNPz67vABLYDyIKXavREmh4wXAUg7drP5V9XYOHi4BU1f2OUMu3ZwuTLj7xccLd5xdaPJ15/s11339/492453831.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6590" data-original-width="11339" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUJFsxjHXTL0tCOTViCVoUk3hYY8EpZECWy5-zu5ElcG7aRByq1KQ6-VvUkjvU4kF003ItZV2n_wW50aQjCfCP1sY6ySoioAzo3pgTo1Cj6qHmBwSHVNPz67vABLYDyIKXavREmh4wXAUg7drP5V9XYOHi4BU1f2OUMu3ZwuTLj7xccLd5xdaPJ15/w640-h372/492453831.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eclipse drake King Eider (left bird) with Common Eider - Scalloway harbour</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycoXAEotDj3dnTEvohYdB1mfmSZfo6eu5J8wxcuGGwbyDvhQsQH-8YVkfs815H2ERSwy8yEGekZ4MSndue9OsrqL2kDiQ9aIxv3FiZf8fQlamTk9Amcf51G3pffyvie_RXPXr_TywvZR9xKciWzEP1dvUzHVyHNOowiQwu2j-sFWi-bIefMBt-CGp/s11339/492455001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7491" data-original-width="11339" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgycoXAEotDj3dnTEvohYdB1mfmSZfo6eu5J8wxcuGGwbyDvhQsQH-8YVkfs815H2ERSwy8yEGekZ4MSndue9OsrqL2kDiQ9aIxv3FiZf8fQlamTk9Amcf51G3pffyvie_RXPXr_TywvZR9xKciWzEP1dvUzHVyHNOowiQwu2j-sFWi-bIefMBt-CGp/w640-h422/492455001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oystercatcher with Limpet - Leebitten</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Links to the days eBird Checklists</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119989556" target="_blank">Loch Spiggie RSPB</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119993329" target="_blank">Sumburgh Farm</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119992710" target="_blank">Ellister</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119993306" target="_blank">Scalloway Harbour</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119997523" target="_blank">Asta</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S120004682" target="_blank">Leebitten</a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comShetland Islands, UK60.5296507 -1.265940832.219416863821152 -36.4221908 88.839884536178843 33.8903092tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-20256760104885156162022-10-11T21:17:00.001+01:002022-10-12T08:53:49.686+01:00Shetland - 4th October<p>It was an extremely wet and windy start to the day and so I headed out a little later and began the day at Fladderbister at 09:05, even then when I eventually emerged from the car after a coffee it was still very wet and it was not long before I was drenched and with very few birds to show for it, the highlight being an <b>Otter</b> running around in the field just below the ruins and a small flock of <b>Redwing</b>. I then headed to Wester Quarff for a long staying King Eider and while the rain had eased a little the birding was still slow and tough going and I failed to see the King Eider. I then headed back to Lerwick where a 2nd winter <b>Glaucous Gull </b>has been present for a while, at least this is a species little effected by the weather. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4WVMXMc2QIx8BndIYWqv2IT7xt4ebchnjhHLRKa8Czq4SN9V_LPeO9dtRDAUVrqFUU278J-bDanFbostJMDk3tWpusiH_1xX2PJlKGJjFx0fSUPR78Q16mGAxOXJHmJatSeuJQRnw7K5i5Y5slEUH4NjVf-f-VUh4MUiOBqlIkWbi2_R3h_aQ-NB/s8527/492320741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="8527" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4WVMXMc2QIx8BndIYWqv2IT7xt4ebchnjhHLRKa8Czq4SN9V_LPeO9dtRDAUVrqFUU278J-bDanFbostJMDk3tWpusiH_1xX2PJlKGJjFx0fSUPR78Q16mGAxOXJHmJatSeuJQRnw7K5i5Y5slEUH4NjVf-f-VUh4MUiOBqlIkWbi2_R3h_aQ-NB/w640-h568/492320741.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44MHp8VsVDizllUxGFenRcOqEtRC7PIFUdH3I4LTKNtkzEaQiFGJUZg8h6Ycbrpw31CWk4YjXOiAwHukyccb-5GxcDCa7akJKsWGBCnaLONQ4qkiSBYD54-k6tbaQQiKAnGBny0UlXrYUiOphMOiV_wDEyTnOfSijWDwC_AMnowB6rzrMAezQVNdg/s10611/492320791.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10611" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44MHp8VsVDizllUxGFenRcOqEtRC7PIFUdH3I4LTKNtkzEaQiFGJUZg8h6Ycbrpw31CWk4YjXOiAwHukyccb-5GxcDCa7akJKsWGBCnaLONQ4qkiSBYD54-k6tbaQQiKAnGBny0UlXrYUiOphMOiV_wDEyTnOfSijWDwC_AMnowB6rzrMAezQVNdg/w640-h456/492320791.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Glaucous Gull - Second winter bird in Lerwick Harbour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatgKtx1Wh0n3qBgL7_iR_0qefLJYTNifC4g23VhexhpKouz2OvPmgQ5DjxFuHv9RL6zvI5YaEQ9lVIpOqlOLaqhVWV5mZg7_DEVW6gggRwnyJJyMvAPPSqWMPAg9Gvmlu-TVTh6BxEHKE9UXk2Ayn1k8Qx9hzLfrVFhK0Tw4kNOPQcoEiHayNRQik/s4032/IMG_4639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjatgKtx1Wh0n3qBgL7_iR_0qefLJYTNifC4g23VhexhpKouz2OvPmgQ5DjxFuHv9RL6zvI5YaEQ9lVIpOqlOLaqhVWV5mZg7_DEVW6gggRwnyJJyMvAPPSqWMPAg9Gvmlu-TVTh6BxEHKE9UXk2Ayn1k8Qx9hzLfrVFhK0Tw4kNOPQcoEiHayNRQik/w640-h480/IMG_4639.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shetland Ponies enjoying the weather</div><p>As I was leaving news broke of a <b>Lanceolated Warbler </b>at Wester Quarff and so I headed back south and enjoyed fantastic views of this mouse like bird in the grassland alongside the road near to the bay. Having failed to see the <b>Great Grey Shrike</b> (possibly of the subspecies <i>homeyeri</i> which would be new for the UK) I headed back north to Hillswick. After a bit of a run around the bird showed reasonably well in one of the gardens near to the cemetery. Satisfied and the light fading I headed quickly to Eshaness Lighthouse where a flock of 46 Snow Bunting were feeding on the grassland south of the light. At around 18:00 I began the drive back south to my hotel in Lerwick.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2vIiNhGpV4OUqxBnN3mgrQ3eWAVbBvfyVtVWr6SVUhpN2zChdonxEIPO8QJStr0uDPte4b0yGv9zVmN1mSQM6Kd4B9T032OoN5HMcH0WLyKFlbElygTdzwyUT-xoFM4XBJC9mcZ-J7IpClVOjTi4Z1PKMwKm7_qOEDv1LUQXpbdoKfMzNP7_Ucic/s9901/492321121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9901" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2vIiNhGpV4OUqxBnN3mgrQ3eWAVbBvfyVtVWr6SVUhpN2zChdonxEIPO8QJStr0uDPte4b0yGv9zVmN1mSQM6Kd4B9T032OoN5HMcH0WLyKFlbElygTdzwyUT-xoFM4XBJC9mcZ-J7IpClVOjTi4Z1PKMwKm7_qOEDv1LUQXpbdoKfMzNP7_Ucic/w640-h488/492321121.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lanceolated Warbler - Wester Quarff</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWg_d6vGibInFwlYOIxTVwDWuzhI6aZiWbMQTc-0FRJLwkGJOq5TwrkUhhPqyObgvjDTYobYwqbmQjctr1X6Lo9B6qWqFAgsxl2SV07QI_wfrxGYsuguDVWiPekR3PdLBAZLlg62qVmLTExzPCsJfqzRkh14rJVbGSkEVXtnVXgZdvvwCT_XaGWGw/s4032/IMG_4642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWg_d6vGibInFwlYOIxTVwDWuzhI6aZiWbMQTc-0FRJLwkGJOq5TwrkUhhPqyObgvjDTYobYwqbmQjctr1X6Lo9B6qWqFAgsxl2SV07QI_wfrxGYsuguDVWiPekR3PdLBAZLlg62qVmLTExzPCsJfqzRkh14rJVbGSkEVXtnVXgZdvvwCT_XaGWGw/w640-h480/IMG_4642.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wester Quarff</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCMxRyDnEwOFOdJzejrbZ95ANJ-gAwZrS9vvYIoKmS9ExNemji7LrsLXSmZ1vbPHJFtMLvQSMZuX2UG2G09c8KhMlHGmxOQIsPch_fGToHf89NEGVIuKX3_PXTHwtnUJEitXFGxwWbrTQjosuAFsei7lhtFJaqcOtpTs-f9HjW3qbIiOSqcvuneGx/s10450/492397681.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10450" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCMxRyDnEwOFOdJzejrbZ95ANJ-gAwZrS9vvYIoKmS9ExNemji7LrsLXSmZ1vbPHJFtMLvQSMZuX2UG2G09c8KhMlHGmxOQIsPch_fGToHf89NEGVIuKX3_PXTHwtnUJEitXFGxwWbrTQjosuAFsei7lhtFJaqcOtpTs-f9HjW3qbIiOSqcvuneGx/w640-h462/492397681.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Great Grey Shrike possibly of subspecies <i>homereyi</i>, Hillswick. Note the extensive white wing panel</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkqXOr2pXIEn4hWnKmQp6hmUWFvs7QJ3bDjqjmt2GK4e81foeZmaSckyII_7Nq9SrTtZPB1ecad3odwTSQfAGlxo-r3vggaMA6Awv3MoThdipslFjcTAPYz9CRr9udEXT0WqxuJBKLZmk-1gVuNQ1hXgvV-ctrQK9rJrvp51CtUlyF8kNWRecIdAS/s10450/492397771.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10450" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkqXOr2pXIEn4hWnKmQp6hmUWFvs7QJ3bDjqjmt2GK4e81foeZmaSckyII_7Nq9SrTtZPB1ecad3odwTSQfAGlxo-r3vggaMA6Awv3MoThdipslFjcTAPYz9CRr9udEXT0WqxuJBKLZmk-1gVuNQ1hXgvV-ctrQK9rJrvp51CtUlyF8kNWRecIdAS/w640-h462/492397771.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Great Grey Shrike possibly of subspecies <i>homereyi</i>, Hillswick. Note the extensive white in the tail</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1szctb0CEb5EY9JQOHKFUFj7NgchqH0X-FmNDlsCqkJGTp7bIIjyMUNmvEIoFaEAtlsmNxauXZ8YSXs1UruZ8HGMTfY0mvsP3hNHVx7ndAea9DbahblnvfAmbU1b_RqmYzbHzDMEppVMsus2Qf6oRV6b2cCLhAhhgkIUnHrPZwEi4G_kf7r3fYo-/s11339/492397291.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6053" data-original-width="11339" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1szctb0CEb5EY9JQOHKFUFj7NgchqH0X-FmNDlsCqkJGTp7bIIjyMUNmvEIoFaEAtlsmNxauXZ8YSXs1UruZ8HGMTfY0mvsP3hNHVx7ndAea9DbahblnvfAmbU1b_RqmYzbHzDMEppVMsus2Qf6oRV6b2cCLhAhhgkIUnHrPZwEi4G_kf7r3fYo-/w640-h342/492397291.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Snow Bunting, part of a flock of 46 at Eshaness</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Links to eBird Checklists</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wester Quarff <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119940569" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119947893" target="_blank">here</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119968366" target="_blank">Lerwick</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119956547" target="_blank">Hillswick</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119966159" target="_blank">Eshaness</a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comShetland Islands, UK60.5296507 -1.265940832.219416863821152 -36.4221908 88.839884536178843 33.8903092tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-40606036385799618662022-10-11T19:48:00.001+01:002022-10-11T20:40:47.714+01:00Shetland - 3rd October<p>Its been a long time since I posted on this blog and a recent excellent trip to Shetland has inspired me to attempt to revive it. All of my records have been going into eBird and adding photos etc takes some time particularly as I have been entering four recent foreign trips, see bar to right. But anyway, here is a revival.</p><p>I was up at 03:00 and after a clear drive to Heathrow Terminal flight I had time to relax in the lounge. My flight with British Airways left on time at 07:25 and landed in an overcast and gloomy Glasgow airport at 08:50. My 10:45 flight eventually departed at around 11:00 and landed at around 12:15. Collecting my car from Bolt Car Rentals I was heading northwards at around 12:30. My first stop was at Scord where I scanned the bay here picking up my first <b>Black Guillemot </b>of the year. I then doubled back a little to West Voe Beach where a <b>Velvet Scoter </b>had been present for a couple of days but the bird was rather distant over on the Sumburgh side of the bay. I then headed north towards Lerwick where a stop at the Burn of Sound for 'Hornemann's' Arctic Redpoll produced only distant flight fews of a small flock of <b>Common Redpoll</b>. I then headed north through the remote and wild Shetland landscape to Hillswick in the far north of mainland. Here a Great Grey Shrike possibly of the subspecies 'homeyeri' had been present for a few days. I spent some time looking for the Shrike with no success but a couple of birders I had been chatting to while looking for the Shrike (Jake Gearty and Drew Lyness) wandering through the marsh around the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery flushed a <b>Pechora Pipit </b>which they managed to see briefly on the ground and managed to get a couple of flight shots. We wandered around a bit and I flushed the bird from my feet and it flew a short distance before dropping into a Yellow Iris bed. The news went out and after a small group arrived we organised a flush and saw the bird a couple more times. We then waited for the masses to arrive before several more flushes were organised and reasonable flight views were obtained. Leaving the bird after around 1.5 hours I went back to look for the Shrike once more but with no luck. At around 17:45 I headed back south to Lerwick to check into my hotel, the Lerwick Hotel.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlI1nwcGUTFq500atCV6acaxA320yAvmlQsPoj3am1s6n0IxXL0rVm9FiH2grdzePZ3q37TA9Tl4JRnxEPPbrBi-CW-CgdnSj6JUHYIZN3zmh7MXtmJfg_z4FqNqDsLOKL3UehtouJAg/s4000/490060291.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJlI1nwcGUTFq500atCV6acaxA320yAvmlQsPoj3am1s6n0IxXL0rVm9FiH2grdzePZ3q37TA9Tl4JRnxEPPbrBi-CW-CgdnSj6JUHYIZN3zmh7MXtmJfg_z4FqNqDsLOKL3UehtouJAg/w640-h480/490060291.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm_S-a2Df28SWg2waU7szDZnI4eS63IdjuNjmPbVADqm2kHLb2wLCVTXeoSds3QjjcXarFWisAA34VgHNblP7JG6Kb8rdjWgqhFw5SbCJ239GNhHvueTTtbY_fBXvaCugBGDSCgymzJc/s4000/490060271.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVm_S-a2Df28SWg2waU7szDZnI4eS63IdjuNjmPbVADqm2kHLb2wLCVTXeoSds3QjjcXarFWisAA34VgHNblP7JG6Kb8rdjWgqhFw5SbCJ239GNhHvueTTtbY_fBXvaCugBGDSCgymzJc/w480-h640/490060271.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pechora Pipit, Hillswick - Flight views only were obtained but, as in these </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">images, most of the key features were visible</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>eBird Checklists from the Day</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119911158" target="_blank">Scord</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119887974" target="_blank">West Voe Beach</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S119910985" target="_blank">Hillswick</a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comHillswick, Shetland60.476399 -1.48907632.166165163821155 -36.645326 88.786632836178853 33.667174tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-74799701487524692572022-03-15T19:27:00.002+00:002022-03-15T19:27:30.271+00:00Somerset -12th February<p> On the weekend of the 12th February we were staying in the Cotswolds, Sarah had a pre-birthday bash with her sisters arranged and so I headed out on a mini-twitch, First stop was at Greylake RSPB where a male <b>Baikal Teal</b> has been present since 9th December 2021. The bird showed well but was asleep for much of the time that I was there. Having seen a flock of 450,000 in South Korea in January 2020 I did question why I had driven for over an hour to see a single bird, see photos and video <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S63925823" target="_blank">here</a>. However, this is a fantastic site with large numbers of wildfowl present, I also saw <b>Marsh Harrier </b>and up to seven <b>Great Egret</b>. My eBird checklist for the site can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S102475276" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLRVZNntIYqinqSsjWcSEq0g7QHyuk-rKCaHxSbpHBuZDE9s3eNKHTkHqmDstySCMQPzpAY8yHFTtfDer-BgZ-fFowkc_ivwEPwxT4kA5FlJ3xy5RLA4WgERZwKvRmYZx8JlbS9VrHKz-mV53QXIXCTmZO42SRODeFfnSPpOtF7gBoHMztoGF4Qfvr=s10310" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10310" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLRVZNntIYqinqSsjWcSEq0g7QHyuk-rKCaHxSbpHBuZDE9s3eNKHTkHqmDstySCMQPzpAY8yHFTtfDer-BgZ-fFowkc_ivwEPwxT4kA5FlJ3xy5RLA4WgERZwKvRmYZx8JlbS9VrHKz-mV53QXIXCTmZO42SRODeFfnSPpOtF7gBoHMztoGF4Qfvr=w640-h470" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then headed to Weston Airfield where I had good views of two <b>Penduline Tit</b> feeding on Greater Reedmace seed heads with a third bird heard nearby. There have been up to three birds present at this site since 21st December. My eBird checklist for the site can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S102480049" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_VkX2JLSEntYJfWgj6P_5A0loYmywjcW6dz2bAT7iSDiRWRRLJEtrp121h-tBmJPtOFSxepKr9AmbnFzZ1cD2lBatSIUXqS7mSvoceuCXR9qU_xZxkJNFNBNuNuviIMYuCcI0IaI4O8eWUMFZba5RDh1Eyw6ctk3lveFjBUpyn6nLaGwwjl51MJbp=s7559" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="6408" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_VkX2JLSEntYJfWgj6P_5A0loYmywjcW6dz2bAT7iSDiRWRRLJEtrp121h-tBmJPtOFSxepKr9AmbnFzZ1cD2lBatSIUXqS7mSvoceuCXR9qU_xZxkJNFNBNuNuviIMYuCcI0IaI4O8eWUMFZba5RDh1Eyw6ctk3lveFjBUpyn6nLaGwwjl51MJbp=w542-h640" width="542" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2n1XEUeyeWa4AzwAerqAJ5USKVYsa7Nh0vRVWkfAgHM2Q7Ez_I6LpgePt4xaLeX6tiz3y-tJazNzFk_eNBoKDTg6xA9VDfQ7lcL_EU6L_oFNNVdB-ru-qGJnlrb9Z8WoNs1IdlIg7HnXv6mX-Fa2h8Q4qTFgws1qtpehH00GIMgVY28OQFE-guSw5=s7891" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="7891" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2n1XEUeyeWa4AzwAerqAJ5USKVYsa7Nh0vRVWkfAgHM2Q7Ez_I6LpgePt4xaLeX6tiz3y-tJazNzFk_eNBoKDTg6xA9VDfQ7lcL_EU6L_oFNNVdB-ru-qGJnlrb9Z8WoNs1IdlIg7HnXv6mX-Fa2h8Q4qTFgws1qtpehH00GIMgVY28OQFE-guSw5=w640-h614" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPfaa1wMaDsbHGjgY_TcBTVUQdZR3E4zHJUQhALclEG_GapBQ2Emx_iPkweUwZcGoMMCYskZnHCrQozZToAhH-9mSLBesmY_k9MUHIHhkuROy4dL2Eeopg-lCTbi6mFUucKQUaqXfmwAOLf1TJdJNwYshQaPsYgxObJKJ8RJJO7gwI6uwZ1fn0lv-P=s7559" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="5114" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPfaa1wMaDsbHGjgY_TcBTVUQdZR3E4zHJUQhALclEG_GapBQ2Emx_iPkweUwZcGoMMCYskZnHCrQozZToAhH-9mSLBesmY_k9MUHIHhkuROy4dL2Eeopg-lCTbi6mFUucKQUaqXfmwAOLf1TJdJNwYshQaPsYgxObJKJ8RJJO7gwI6uwZ1fn0lv-P=w432-h640" width="432" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqFcPpxkSc_RxlIkK4QctGtQhP5GTFKUvn3wvyqEQOeRM5iTlgDsujrCfxCoWKev5LWBv_WxjMdarGP7DLkeN2_MAldlpLg0lMEffPHyo_ZE1xx74ZWmjWeV5ehpbGhFFi4pJydwFGaY6n426jRnBgpVcRRFQncN4Ficb1jwynYUCZPBLSAcC_qPjf=s7559" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="5170" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqFcPpxkSc_RxlIkK4QctGtQhP5GTFKUvn3wvyqEQOeRM5iTlgDsujrCfxCoWKev5LWBv_WxjMdarGP7DLkeN2_MAldlpLg0lMEffPHyo_ZE1xx74ZWmjWeV5ehpbGhFFi4pJydwFGaY6n426jRnBgpVcRRFQncN4Ficb1jwynYUCZPBLSAcC_qPjf=w438-h640" width="438" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comRSPB Greylake, Bridgwater TA7 9BP, UK51.1076594 -2.859625422.797425563821157 -38.0158754 79.417893236178855 32.2966246tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-55457300393433479212022-02-07T19:10:00.000+00:002022-03-15T19:29:37.116+00:00Warblington - 7th February<p>After a survey for work I popped into Warblington near to Havant to year tick <b>Cattle Egret</b>. The fields around Church Lane are a regular wintering site for these ever more common birds and I quickly found five birds feeding with cattle and giving good views. My eBird list for the site can be viewed<a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S102195988" target="_blank"> here</a>: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvNbaZnqeh_1HhSHIdUsmDhjLKsbuuv5gsc7kJ29hB6xWGbtytvt5wJ9mz82J2Hm_9x5AQLqceiA1qQyLaouSwEm7kuD-7dnDaohYN_nuybZS3A_Aq8rW0dpQPxTH0NzaK6A0qjtZ4TU3jsIQB_x7Q3KDUtVobqAQ-aa2M_CUnou9GxCA9AOflcYbG=s11339" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7356" data-original-width="11339" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvNbaZnqeh_1HhSHIdUsmDhjLKsbuuv5gsc7kJ29hB6xWGbtytvt5wJ9mz82J2Hm_9x5AQLqceiA1qQyLaouSwEm7kuD-7dnDaohYN_nuybZS3A_Aq8rW0dpQPxTH0NzaK6A0qjtZ4TU3jsIQB_x7Q3KDUtVobqAQ-aa2M_CUnou9GxCA9AOflcYbG=w640-h416" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNrRr-aAI1s9FgwLBi26MMlXeoPVSgcFUivyKj0WM2RceMc4nWYJCOdz7IwCRe-Fvi6g1mYXv9vvYHNcZyUrd5obKXMAt6CZwR7_dHC5AYroF7s7QVegv7lla1IUp7l8o0beB5Xe0iw3j7m8A_2T6ccG8N8vmpzJTb-AwfI7x6Y1cdC6-TWCH08Hs7=s9021" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9021" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNrRr-aAI1s9FgwLBi26MMlXeoPVSgcFUivyKj0WM2RceMc4nWYJCOdz7IwCRe-Fvi6g1mYXv9vvYHNcZyUrd5obKXMAt6CZwR7_dHC5AYroF7s7QVegv7lla1IUp7l8o0beB5Xe0iw3j7m8A_2T6ccG8N8vmpzJTb-AwfI7x6Y1cdC6-TWCH08Hs7=w640-h536" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJVLVpZ0lMC2gBtfeghPYNxnJxotCoURvOSDh4uqpBnEe-Fa6Z7bHWSl7dEkMg_QdcBw6TrVkk6FaavJ6FQxqr37Oe0W79jGBBbrfpZ0D-QJVZIPrafcNwmgWc_u0YWINP4lq5YoLIwydMaQ9iybnGKKJ8VHmJQ1yoAipQibVTXHCCAJVuULQI0kr7=s11339" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6785" data-original-width="11339" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJVLVpZ0lMC2gBtfeghPYNxnJxotCoURvOSDh4uqpBnEe-Fa6Z7bHWSl7dEkMg_QdcBw6TrVkk6FaavJ6FQxqr37Oe0W79jGBBbrfpZ0D-QJVZIPrafcNwmgWc_u0YWINP4lq5YoLIwydMaQ9iybnGKKJ8VHmJQ1yoAipQibVTXHCCAJVuULQI0kr7=w640-h382" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmd-6Q2l4q1zljUfKV2DdShy8Ndgfj2NrnX78vDOpJ3chqTN4zFVew8B2x0TlM-Klnas4SzHVq3UiEF7NWZTdZ6dy7kpjQWOqP7J1pVfaYFYt2f0Gw_oaixaIxo1Db1KuJr27fAt8RfnImEZy6MYG85shy-Rmi9FkuO1taYcoXCV11z93taFlbcAdd=s10425" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10425" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmd-6Q2l4q1zljUfKV2DdShy8Ndgfj2NrnX78vDOpJ3chqTN4zFVew8B2x0TlM-Klnas4SzHVq3UiEF7NWZTdZ6dy7kpjQWOqP7J1pVfaYFYt2f0Gw_oaixaIxo1Db1KuJr27fAt8RfnImEZy6MYG85shy-Rmi9FkuO1taYcoXCV11z93taFlbcAdd=w640-h464" width="640" /></a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comChurch Lane, Warblington50.8460677 -0.9675174000000000850.844712851833776 -0.96966316721191415 50.847422548166222 -0.965371632788086tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-66493016748664653902022-02-06T12:42:00.004+00:002022-02-06T21:05:02.914+00:00Blashford Lakes and Normandy Lagoon - 4th February <p>I made a quick visit to Blashford Lakes and specifically to the Ivy Lake North hide this afternoon. A wintering <b>Bittern</b> has once again taken up residence in the small Reed and Reedmace bed in front of the hide. I arrived to find around six people in the hide and the Bittern 'on show' just to the south. The Ivy Lake North hide is one of the worst hides I have ever watched from. There are only a couple of open viewing slots the others have, inexplicably, been fitted with a lightly purplish tinted glass which overtime has become distorted and marked. This makes viewing almost impossible and photography worthless - its an absolutely terrible hide, why the glass is simply not removed I do not know.</p><p>Anyway, the Bittern was showing but was keeping hidden in the Reeds and Reedmace, it did climb one of the stands of Reedmace when it showed a little better but still rather obscured. I got some rubbish views from inside the hide and then left to view from the small screen just outside the hide where views were far more satisfactory. My eBird checklist for the visit can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S101991124" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRQuW8yqVxZTTxpUVJkFZguhsrye3SiUf9MwL9F2__4bVjZgrXkU_b8TvQbgHeqYCNXp1QeB121SOSfc7BQdSbVSMkkDWD5nLh9pdDM6BBfs9ZmqWJNyCqpVjzvlHMTi6t4vC_lyqCeo/s7559/413189141.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="5742" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDRQuW8yqVxZTTxpUVJkFZguhsrye3SiUf9MwL9F2__4bVjZgrXkU_b8TvQbgHeqYCNXp1QeB121SOSfc7BQdSbVSMkkDWD5nLh9pdDM6BBfs9ZmqWJNyCqpVjzvlHMTi6t4vC_lyqCeo/w486-h640/413189141.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then headed down to Normandy Lagoon for an hour or so before school pick-up, the tide was very high and there were few birds on the lagoon and I failed to see my two main targets, Slavonian Grebe and Little Stint. The highlights were one <b>Spotted Redshank</b>, five <b>Greenshank</b>, four <b>Goldeneye</b> and 16 <b>Avocet</b>. My eBird checklist for the visit can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S101999823" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnF7wDCPXp9pWi_1kQdkVGFYYcgC4oi-ItdtMCQorAxpqJ4uNRXutBjRGG8NNXO0NTEVLRHcjKpvmVdIlo3JUk9rLYbq1nVW5GC6U5vQQqp4EMPPLXktmAI2BXhnU5CYeUJnWYs-18MvsDeVuSLSwHWYSEE12uQPgh6eSHn8XVlJtj71Qb4VStw-qT=s11339" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6092" data-original-width="11339" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnF7wDCPXp9pWi_1kQdkVGFYYcgC4oi-ItdtMCQorAxpqJ4uNRXutBjRGG8NNXO0NTEVLRHcjKpvmVdIlo3JUk9rLYbq1nVW5GC6U5vQQqp4EMPPLXktmAI2BXhnU5CYeUJnWYs-18MvsDeVuSLSwHWYSEE12uQPgh6eSHn8XVlJtj71Qb4VStw-qT=w640-h344" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Goldeneye - Normandy Lagoon, Lymington</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-fJcAjitGznHXxP0kVJNCs6TDdRic9VSGERQg0L9hHyR8uJcOk0HHrn6zmH4I3PfqbLsCejn4329CZfporN3c9sduB-A3bU0sDd-W1sEW-2dgkPw3mgVv67uMveAPuIiV3n2AWh5bNYVdcUtUPNbHdbhmE3_QQHZqZBYaKof4bpQR3Htlq77tzp4Q=s11339" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4394" data-original-width="11339" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-fJcAjitGznHXxP0kVJNCs6TDdRic9VSGERQg0L9hHyR8uJcOk0HHrn6zmH4I3PfqbLsCejn4329CZfporN3c9sduB-A3bU0sDd-W1sEW-2dgkPw3mgVv67uMveAPuIiV3n2AWh5bNYVdcUtUPNbHdbhmE3_QQHZqZBYaKof4bpQR3Htlq77tzp4Q=w640-h248" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Avocet - Normandy Lagoon, Lymington</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comNormandy Lagoon, Unnamed Road, Lymington SO41 8AE, UK50.744338 -1.52956322.434104163821154 -36.685813 79.054571836178837 33.626687tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-60539361401931193222022-01-31T20:29:00.000+00:002022-01-31T20:29:39.251+00:00Hook with Warsash Local Nature Reserve - 28th January <p>After a bird survey in Fareham I headed to the Hook with Warsash Local Nature Reserve to see a <b>Yellow-browed Warbler </b>that is overwintering at the site. The bird showed fairly well and relatively quickly as it travelled with the local <b>Long-tailed Tit</b> flock. I had never visited this site before and I spent a little while enjoying the small number of waders and wildfowl present on the falling tide.</p><p>My eBird checklist for the visit can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S101568681" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxR6eSqKs0_HUyYF5tUz4uWhYD8NKaBFksTaWOlT1HT4--ExGtRXRvJ8TKzmHLSIJ6262Ea_4Uhx4h31CR3m32tyM7qZUZuNgQjVhl-yYPRwx7P0DO6sLSxxl6x2AMx44SZF8kv3kK_9ZywhtXXLf16yozxbFYh6sWhp1XrAdf4XHUC76-k24gK4b1=s10612" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10612" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxR6eSqKs0_HUyYF5tUz4uWhYD8NKaBFksTaWOlT1HT4--ExGtRXRvJ8TKzmHLSIJ6262Ea_4Uhx4h31CR3m32tyM7qZUZuNgQjVhl-yYPRwx7P0DO6sLSxxl6x2AMx44SZF8kv3kK_9ZywhtXXLf16yozxbFYh6sWhp1XrAdf4XHUC76-k24gK4b1=w640-h456" width="640" /></a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comHook with Warsash Local Nature Reserve, 15 Passage Ln, Locks Heath, Fareham, Warsash, Southampton SO31 9FR, UK50.8536824 -1.3062450.852327539770016 -1.3083857672119141 50.855037260229977 -1.304094232788086tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-26614570535970909832022-01-31T19:49:00.000+00:002022-01-31T19:49:14.030+00:00Eastbourne - 27th January<p>Today I visited Chatsworth Cross on Madeira Walk on the seafront at Eastbourne for a <b>Hume's Warbler</b> that has been present since 14th January. Hume's Warbler is British tick for me despite there having been 170 records of the species in Britain to the end of 2019 with a further three records in Ireland to the end of 2018. The bird showed almost immediately on my arrival foraging in Holm Oak just off the pathway. During my time on site it spent most of time foraging very actively in Holm Oak. It would give frequent bursts of rapid calling but would go quiet for 5-10 minutes at a time and would then be very difficult to track. I managed to obtain a few sound recordings but only poor photographs in the lowlight and breezy conditions.</p><p>My eBird checklist and sound recordings can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S101521729" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxNesD0iUnQeKOzfQEHcHrQh5_MMry7bL6izcQcTTSRxYFLLVo1Zn5LBuJLJRaQ9Tu79Qjh4g19PlMBpwXLEHHRyO1W9HOXRxUM8Gl399PS-yOF2tqvlGzWRH0Rr8rg3GhbqcMQaShnh7RHY3hqnFB1r1FrYXjfulnf8w8koGkInm051p3fDqqUE0S=s9644" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9644" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxNesD0iUnQeKOzfQEHcHrQh5_MMry7bL6izcQcTTSRxYFLLVo1Zn5LBuJLJRaQ9Tu79Qjh4g19PlMBpwXLEHHRyO1W9HOXRxUM8Gl399PS-yOF2tqvlGzWRH0Rr8rg3GhbqcMQaShnh7RHY3hqnFB1r1FrYXjfulnf8w8koGkInm051p3fDqqUE0S=w640-h502" width="640" /></a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comChatsworth Cross, Eastbourne BN20, UK50.7556899 0.275846522.445456063821155 -34.8804035 79.065923736178846 35.4320965tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-15997061050730177792022-01-31T07:15:00.006+00:002022-01-31T07:18:12.177+00:00Loddon Valley - 24th January<p>Today I headed to North Hampshire to the Loddon Valley to the north-east of Basingstoke. A tailless Richard's Pipit had been present in a wet field in the valley bottom for a few days as well as a few Jack Snipe. With the use of my thermal camera I soon found a couple of <b>Jack Snipe </b>but despite criss crossing the field on several occasions the Pipit eluded me. My eBird checklist can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S101339714" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtzhl0cx9CGz_ATYyPxjGUrs0TlkO8UAxFIGSiu5UP4_JFM-Lo7DOe6wD-qGZKCfXdavprXQ44Kjm6ODcH5CR0XI_RFN61dZb7Cdepn2ZS0rrrtVQNMsOFFRa7rK98G3CbmQrZ5I1VLZouv1aUmIaysPfd5ez3tDXqT6-ytspBBsbIq5RrQQqmSvk6=s11339" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="11339" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtzhl0cx9CGz_ATYyPxjGUrs0TlkO8UAxFIGSiu5UP4_JFM-Lo7DOe6wD-qGZKCfXdavprXQ44Kjm6ODcH5CR0XI_RFN61dZb7Cdepn2ZS0rrrtVQNMsOFFRa7rK98G3CbmQrZ5I1VLZouv1aUmIaysPfd5ez3tDXqT6-ytspBBsbIq5RrQQqmSvk6=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jack Snipe - Loddon Valley, Hampshire</div><br /><p><br /></p>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comLoddon Valley, Basingstoke51.285932 -1.033965551.280563653906 -1.0425485688476563 51.291300346094005 -1.0253824311523438tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-71256105744512302162022-01-17T13:36:00.000+00:002022-01-31T07:16:22.733+00:00Norfolk Weekend - 15th - 17th January<p>Sarah, Tobias and I spent the weekend in Norfolk. It was fairly slow going bird wise but we enjoyed walks at Titchwell, Cley and Holkham and stopped at Welney WWT on the return journey. Highlights were a 1st year <b>Iceland Gull</b> at Cley, a single <b>Snow Bunting</b> at Holkham (we couldn't locate the main flock of 80 birds) plus of course the large numbers of <b>Pink-footed Goose</b> that provide the soundscape for many walks. At Welney we saw eight <b>Tundra Bean Goose</b>, several hundred <b>Whooper Swan </b>and two <b>Cattle Egret</b>.</p><p>My eBird checklists can be viewed here:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S100794716">Titchwell RSPB</a></li><li><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S100828688">Cley NWT</a> and <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S100853626">here</a></li><li><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S100852622">Holkham</a></li><li><a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S100909040">Welney WWT</a></li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJHLMiQ7sF5_EM-q9fAoj5IdEXFRmL_LGt0x_je1_0rTSLAj0udvU33U5vyYELoWI1eJZBr0dQtpZVF-o76bEDocDTYYa9neqLtvg6tBr1y442NV6zphihWrd0WBwKh9CZVFiTFgj7tWIq_0c5VYU2qmg8mt1rAMij0BN1xtwq29Lw_twvo6sIIX39=s11339" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="11339" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJHLMiQ7sF5_EM-q9fAoj5IdEXFRmL_LGt0x_je1_0rTSLAj0udvU33U5vyYELoWI1eJZBr0dQtpZVF-o76bEDocDTYYa9neqLtvg6tBr1y442NV6zphihWrd0WBwKh9CZVFiTFgj7tWIq_0c5VYU2qmg8mt1rAMij0BN1xtwq29Lw_twvo6sIIX39=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Iceland Gull - Cley Beach, Norfolk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghQSy11H-hAzuV0RjgjnMfDVlHaoUV07fP4JokzyVrW_vPFSOfT5SvUy_WBXO94TO6JPunP8Zq7QpDcogOtiqd5AX-kzV3nrht7_VzZHI9xbGRduCu8wkhOsFcup4pYclRcVVn4OpKc1a0wjRYLFWlZ07tGL6RrA_47fS5Qx8QX5zka0Bp0WIhdc9l=s10679" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10679" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghQSy11H-hAzuV0RjgjnMfDVlHaoUV07fP4JokzyVrW_vPFSOfT5SvUy_WBXO94TO6JPunP8Zq7QpDcogOtiqd5AX-kzV3nrht7_VzZHI9xbGRduCu8wkhOsFcup4pYclRcVVn4OpKc1a0wjRYLFWlZ07tGL6RrA_47fS5Qx8QX5zka0Bp0WIhdc9l=w640-h454" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Iceland Gull - Cley Beach, Norfolk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju0FjBVUbW57NtADUILB8XjzytGjCMQXsoYdFk_L_v8U68NSNPFpnbDAPrdu70svMp5mzfBvtMLfhIcG8UJ-o1qJAKBbti5Nhoq3ZhMLh8oZXUMQ0TRufZDWjiNxtteUzuF9I29crbW7XCAMHjq_kJpB-1pHXv22JNt_nZF7D_oZVPLZ5L7QfLBG9e=s11339" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4622" data-original-width="11339" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju0FjBVUbW57NtADUILB8XjzytGjCMQXsoYdFk_L_v8U68NSNPFpnbDAPrdu70svMp5mzfBvtMLfhIcG8UJ-o1qJAKBbti5Nhoq3ZhMLh8oZXUMQ0TRufZDWjiNxtteUzuF9I29crbW7XCAMHjq_kJpB-1pHXv22JNt_nZF7D_oZVPLZ5L7QfLBG9e=w640-h260" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tundra Bean Goose - Welney WWT, Norfolk</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5Bnhk-JTX-Kwc6m6LF9vfa2P9c_oGAqzuZOQPacLhoIwQPZzvWwDGnPAnv-kqrl3ak9DOR4xoSS66UfbwPNZKw6b1nHW2W_B_FDxfR9YSTxqP9GwBQAfVLZGMmVe0HCO1TfYDlm3OrfEgpl-x0AYHw2rTtBNV_qsl5xhvSGmbJLE-dnh170gOG3ua=s11339" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6361" data-original-width="11339" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5Bnhk-JTX-Kwc6m6LF9vfa2P9c_oGAqzuZOQPacLhoIwQPZzvWwDGnPAnv-kqrl3ak9DOR4xoSS66UfbwPNZKw6b1nHW2W_B_FDxfR9YSTxqP9GwBQAfVLZGMmVe0HCO1TfYDlm3OrfEgpl-x0AYHw2rTtBNV_qsl5xhvSGmbJLE-dnh170gOG3ua=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tundra Bean Goose - Welney WWT, Norfolk</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comCley next the Sea, Holt NR25 7RB, UK52.95308 1.04265924.642846163821154 -34.113591 81.263313836178838 36.198909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-24366301084135131562022-01-02T09:55:00.000+00:002022-01-30T13:37:24.814+00:00Slimbridge WWT - 2nd January<p>Sarah and I made a short visit to Slimbridge while staying in our cottage in the Cotswolds today. There were large numbers <b>Golden Plover</b>, <b>Lapwing</b>, <b>Wigeon</b> and <b>Teal</b> present and 120 <b>Bewick Swa</b>n. We spent quite some time just watching the sheer spectacle of so many birds. These were regularly hassled by either a <b>Peregrine</b>, <b>Goshawk</b> or <b>Marsh Harrier </b>putting all the birds into the air in a massive swirling mass. As we left a <b>Glossy Ibis </b>showed well on the approach road.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDUrUaVRp-x6fcyxDa22H2r0hV5b8K3LpCqp-3KF997GWlg_glCU6oUIaDR9YXS2aTO6Lp9kTUTbS2rUcxJHxOm02VaUmNgDGqa3DycF0YVeH3d35gDQTbe7NoO9Lkq-U-YvWdGWaJ6ZPHV79l_EDCFMe0UT4wH6u3yPlDw7PRg81xWp8VhOZzkNgY=s4000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3211" data-original-width="4000" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDUrUaVRp-x6fcyxDa22H2r0hV5b8K3LpCqp-3KF997GWlg_glCU6oUIaDR9YXS2aTO6Lp9kTUTbS2rUcxJHxOm02VaUmNgDGqa3DycF0YVeH3d35gDQTbe7NoO9Lkq-U-YvWdGWaJ6ZPHV79l_EDCFMe0UT4wH6u3yPlDw7PRg81xWp8VhOZzkNgY=w640-h514" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lapwing - Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUw0fVhp2MHHwtxxC8WPS_5rcVOlZVNHTB2PTv7f_qmNP-h7jSYMG_sRF4X2uDm55JxO84pbUicivEfvbFgeIywLzibG9QiYcCl7Zw6i3LRImxuaPKiXynRpsTM6Vm7bd9n2Vp8P1T2GbxjarCkVld_L1l2_pzC8Q6s99lVKPjlqYTFpEaZWrSCyFh=s4000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUw0fVhp2MHHwtxxC8WPS_5rcVOlZVNHTB2PTv7f_qmNP-h7jSYMG_sRF4X2uDm55JxO84pbUicivEfvbFgeIywLzibG9QiYcCl7Zw6i3LRImxuaPKiXynRpsTM6Vm7bd9n2Vp8P1T2GbxjarCkVld_L1l2_pzC8Q6s99lVKPjlqYTFpEaZWrSCyFh=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lapwing, Wigeon and Golden Plover - Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgesBlgSoWDxZqDnFMuq212KY7PcmO_Nm8GJZkJ8SXKwOyjkEm9n-VLdSoG__u-xCtpjIJ-A3CbcJ0ed0axIjQAZtS8XTFEwQLEfb-HCzvBrBIeo7SpfZEPv5dugN8xcvD2-yMPxdr-FVfLVyzT9vcAeVsRR_GXPAgsre1rJrUQKVBXBz8Wu8JMBJcZ=s4000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgesBlgSoWDxZqDnFMuq212KY7PcmO_Nm8GJZkJ8SXKwOyjkEm9n-VLdSoG__u-xCtpjIJ-A3CbcJ0ed0axIjQAZtS8XTFEwQLEfb-HCzvBrBIeo7SpfZEPv5dugN8xcvD2-yMPxdr-FVfLVyzT9vcAeVsRR_GXPAgsre1rJrUQKVBXBz8Wu8JMBJcZ=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bewick's Swan - Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOl8LANU29aG1p-T4BrYo8EafSQ03yo6DTDg5PvTrTObkaXcquUnceMRd0mox5yZQ1Svdysxy8HrI1EpjqUtnXIz-kM4kWbEipn4wCvPi8CDrzdGVDgn5mHmZXiUJCbWbu_GREgsH2kYoSqjoDg1Q911K1RDBup2xyknj7snyINtmFflm-AgLZaIZi=s4000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOl8LANU29aG1p-T4BrYo8EafSQ03yo6DTDg5PvTrTObkaXcquUnceMRd0mox5yZQ1Svdysxy8HrI1EpjqUtnXIz-kM4kWbEipn4wCvPi8CDrzdGVDgn5mHmZXiUJCbWbu_GREgsH2kYoSqjoDg1Q911K1RDBup2xyknj7snyINtmFflm-AgLZaIZi=w426-h640" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bewick's Swan - Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHsyilxRgOthOHvLaWh9qIJ2erKeaUs2jQ5tvsHc5qznc5AKcTapkdSrpxy7N6Z8BWS34nkjAPuYXLLNHPyi_u10PWXSBx-ac7jiKC4ps354QO4qAMVwSoD-wlnpuWBeZT8pw9J8Bi68n3IdrFToL5Les3_x2NPFt-nA1khZsOwREQVcVyL4q68cCs=s7668" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="7668" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHsyilxRgOthOHvLaWh9qIJ2erKeaUs2jQ5tvsHc5qznc5AKcTapkdSrpxy7N6Z8BWS34nkjAPuYXLLNHPyi_u10PWXSBx-ac7jiKC4ps354QO4qAMVwSoD-wlnpuWBeZT8pw9J8Bi68n3IdrFToL5Les3_x2NPFt-nA1khZsOwREQVcVyL4q68cCs=w640-h630" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Glossy Ibis - Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTcEs-XqEt3B0-_mbmr3JRL2-NskaGEeIMo3VADwOVpQbXy6R6B1aa2z8e-RsyJGoKCWjib8FCItUqxpBYL_JqkptBr9IRnHr8z9xEM9IQ5b2tOFM-I_boQDpKf2HkdQkGC2a5ffcBgAV8WPTjYRS68sFesbnbEUTx6B06oRnn2BX_lIbQ2LhFOFx6=s10351" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10351" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTcEs-XqEt3B0-_mbmr3JRL2-NskaGEeIMo3VADwOVpQbXy6R6B1aa2z8e-RsyJGoKCWjib8FCItUqxpBYL_JqkptBr9IRnHr8z9xEM9IQ5b2tOFM-I_boQDpKf2HkdQkGC2a5ffcBgAV8WPTjYRS68sFesbnbEUTx6B06oRnn2BX_lIbQ2LhFOFx6=w640-h468" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Glossy Ibis - Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comWWT Slimbridge, Newgrounds Ln, Gloucester GL2 7BT, UK51.7400167 -2.405431923.429782863821153 -37.561681899999996 80.050250536178851 32.750818100000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-87797295476122971192021-12-23T09:38:00.000+00:002022-01-30T09:55:32.319+00:00River Darwen, Lancashire - 23rd December<p>My second attempt for the Belted Kingfisher which had been present in the area since 8th November ranging between Brockholes Lancashire Wildlife Trust Reserve, Withnell Fold and from 20th December at the current site on the River Darwen. I first visited on 21st December but failed to see the bird. Today, I set off from Cowley in the Cotswolds at 04:30 and was at the parking spot within the village of Roach Bridge at 06:45. I sat in the dark in my car for a while and then a few birders passed with torches so I got my kit together and headed to the view point over the River Darwen at 07:15 and still in the dark. I got a good spot overlooking the river and waited for the light to rise. More and more birders joined the few gathered birders and eventually all the front row spaces overlooking the river were taken, the next contingent of birders began to line up behind. Eventually there were around 200 birders and as the sun began to rise the birds began calling and eventually the distant rattle of the <b>Belted Kingfisher </b>joined the chorus at around 08:15. To my left a birder picked the bird up perched high in an Ash tree and after a clamour trying to get to a position to view the bird a birder to my right picked the bird up in his scope and eventually let me have a quick look. Sods law, for me the bird was behind a nearby Ivy clad Oak but after a bit of shuffling and adjusting of the tripod legs I was able to see the bird. It was perched surprisingly high above the river almost in the canopy of an Ash and could be seen distantly but well as it bobbed its head and raised its tail. Over the next hour or so the bird moved between the original trees and then to closer trees where it was difficult to see behind the dense scrub as it perched in trees over the river, eventually it perched in the open and I managed to get a clear view through the trees with a smaller scrum of birders albeit that I was perched on the very edge of a very muddy and slippery slope. Here I managed by best views of this fabulous bird as it perched more or less in the open and back to us. After 15 minutes or so of watching the bird here it flew down river and I decided to head for home at around 09:30. The traffic was thick on the M6 driving south but I was eventually back home at Cowley by 12:45.</p><p>There have been five records of this species in Britain and four in Ireland as follows:</p><p><u>United Kingdom</u></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2018 - St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly, 18th April, male.</li><li>2005 - Tixall, Staffordshire 1st April then Eastrington Ponds, Yorkshire 2nd April then Peterculter, Aberdeen, 4th-8th April. 1st summer male.</li><li>1980 - Dundrum Bay, County Down, 12th October, female shot. Oct 12</li><li>1979 - Sladesbridge, Cornwall, 2nd October 1979 until June 1980 and Boscathnoe Reservoir, Penzance 23rd to 29th August. Adult male.</li><li>1908 - River Allen, Sladesbridge, Cornwall. Female, shot.</li></ul><p></p><p><u>Southern Ireland</u></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2012 - Lough Fee and Kylemore Abbey, County Galway, 5th-6th October, 1st year male.</li><li>1985 - Killaloe, County Tipperary, 6th February to 21st March. Female. Same as 1984 bird.</li><li>1984 - Ballyvaughan, County Clare, 28th October to early December. Female. Same as 1985 bird.</li><li>1978 - Bunree River, near Ballina, County Mayo, 10th December 1979 until 3rd February 1979 when shot. First-winter female.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl1fdAd4BuNhmFXdTA3XvUjZVxFTZVmPYM7oLxXNBiI750D2SeI16WxWP0j9eKAJApH7fFBfEloY0zlZe3EueMt6MTIkyfRgONBZzYSNEAnXCl3IdyY75Oz8whOY2duwu_4OUdvM8I6gtkAvSZWclFw9aRd1W3ufe4lRLeesLoSG9BCMT-lS0SrdKT=s9249" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="9249" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjl1fdAd4BuNhmFXdTA3XvUjZVxFTZVmPYM7oLxXNBiI750D2SeI16WxWP0j9eKAJApH7fFBfEloY0zlZe3EueMt6MTIkyfRgONBZzYSNEAnXCl3IdyY75Oz8whOY2duwu_4OUdvM8I6gtkAvSZWclFw9aRd1W3ufe4lRLeesLoSG9BCMT-lS0SrdKT=w640-h524" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjVdNi0n7fTLjI1SOA0npQgmGSxXXwrAeSUoxu5fippyVcXvFBDIo0A2pnkvdeBnNc_3r4tvx_X2wiPp6i4UkegvUsjZFLin-ZrbYeDT5iuGH1gVyvSRs9TPrt3T_gorAnZwATpZLw7X6Bl3tRkCMrvBP--0iWBAIhfC3IhqSHJKbhi2LBjOHF7n7h=s10360" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7559" data-original-width="10360" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjVdNi0n7fTLjI1SOA0npQgmGSxXXwrAeSUoxu5fippyVcXvFBDIo0A2pnkvdeBnNc_3r4tvx_X2wiPp6i4UkegvUsjZFLin-ZrbYeDT5iuGH1gVyvSRs9TPrt3T_gorAnZwATpZLw7X6Bl3tRkCMrvBP--0iWBAIhfC3IhqSHJKbhi2LBjOHF7n7h=w640-h466" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comRoach Bridge, Preston PR5 0UB, UK53.7544688 -2.61397224.555574046486917 -37.770222 82.953363553513071 32.542278tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-46331860109961521892021-09-19T16:10:00.001+01:002021-09-19T16:10:22.402+01:00Portland Bill - 17th September<p>I had another Dormouse survey near to Dorchester today and so opted to head to Portland for a couple of hours before hand. Compared to my last visit on the 15th it was dead with very few migrants present. I walked from the main car park up the West Cliffs, through the Top Fields and down to Culverwell and then spent sometime at the Observatory Quarry. The <b>Wryneck</b> was still in the observatory quarry but otherwise there was very little, I recorded not a single Chiffchaff and overhead passage was non-existent. My eBird checklist for the morning can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S94763497" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAHh36MeHp6UR9nV1M0mRIIQxisNwz355oVIZNcPqli1gq7nCcq39D8GNsTQAh8e8UM21XpQxm1Wouv84mLeDPHhDtghmlQ82G3he_RyZLYDhGstYjsBGWnNfr4UGI8OARDM8O9N3aDY/s2048/370400811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAHh36MeHp6UR9nV1M0mRIIQxisNwz355oVIZNcPqli1gq7nCcq39D8GNsTQAh8e8UM21XpQxm1Wouv84mLeDPHhDtghmlQ82G3he_RyZLYDhGstYjsBGWnNfr4UGI8OARDM8O9N3aDY/w480-h640/370400811.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sparrowhawk - Top Fields, Portland Bill</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumbzrKWNQsiVFW4c4_Inuqi6qpSDrALu4kNYkz-1YXGxZkHol_OxUzUa8D3YBdPpxEEhARkRcbsfRT8Ex33ucIGUOzui2Tvc64LMqwdLcE3GDw1pya-Suz-ujHl0WHN9aUBLEXQz6JgQ/s2048/370400841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumbzrKWNQsiVFW4c4_Inuqi6qpSDrALu4kNYkz-1YXGxZkHol_OxUzUa8D3YBdPpxEEhARkRcbsfRT8Ex33ucIGUOzui2Tvc64LMqwdLcE3GDw1pya-Suz-ujHl0WHN9aUBLEXQz6JgQ/w640-h480/370400841.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kestrel - Top Fields, Portland Bill</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40ESiyg6F8Vg5xmaLx_qXaczmulwy8qIKTOFLLu7MSKYxGYEG_rwlSFHcAZPnaQoih-ns96Q_tRZizf5DedFj9cIZZ43emLJ847PoSG_AbGQWSwc8EA53rRtVZJhYlmq8FcGm_dPBZ8Q/s2048/370676611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40ESiyg6F8Vg5xmaLx_qXaczmulwy8qIKTOFLLu7MSKYxGYEG_rwlSFHcAZPnaQoih-ns96Q_tRZizf5DedFj9cIZZ43emLJ847PoSG_AbGQWSwc8EA53rRtVZJhYlmq8FcGm_dPBZ8Q/w640-h480/370676611.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wryneck - Observatory Quarry, Portland Bill</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comBill Lighthouse, Old Coastguard Cottages, Portland DT5 2JT, UK50.5141333 -2.45639822.203899463821152 -37.612648 78.824367136178836 32.699852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-24089325303045872702021-09-19T16:02:00.000+01:002021-09-19T16:02:13.842+01:00Portland Bill - 15th September<p>Before a Dormouse survey near to Dorchester I popped to Portland Bill for a couple of hours birding. I parked in the main car park and birded the lighthouse, Pulpit Inn and Observatory area. The bushes were alive with <b>Chiffchaff</b> and with good numbers of <b>Willow Warbler</b>, <b>Blackcap</b> and <b>Whitethroat</b> as well as <b>Redstart</b>, <b>Whinchat</b>, <b>Tree Pipit, </b><b>Yellow Wagtail </b>and a <b>Hobby </b>flew north. I spent some time at the Observatory Quarry where the <b>Wryneck</b> showed well eventually, it would disapear for long periods under the Brambles to feed.</p><p>My eBird checklist for the morning can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S94680126" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFZ2_zRfge1u6wZAJ97fvdQcvmV-npOsjRrgXZbBKH0iyfstgJWP8flCZvltRF1uGz-8cZGjcFnRojj0Qe41BmH1RCCidx7NBR140_-wyiq45WUfkoUjnwC39m3bDqoXcggHV7Ckjp64/s2048/369686891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFZ2_zRfge1u6wZAJ97fvdQcvmV-npOsjRrgXZbBKH0iyfstgJWP8flCZvltRF1uGz-8cZGjcFnRojj0Qe41BmH1RCCidx7NBR140_-wyiq45WUfkoUjnwC39m3bDqoXcggHV7Ckjp64/w480-h640/369686891.jpg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Wryneck - Observatory Quarry, Portland Bill</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIkBhAN4gD8ASWUapYUQx707hiXfthYOkNErx0anLK6mMPbhUVVqydhJrBox8GA_wnKXVZuatEKtFR2W5XeiLWcRFvZLCy2-aTB0Nlue5jUt_rX9Rr7clAP2mAjFrfNGHVoDY3L6C-UY/s2048/369686911+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIkBhAN4gD8ASWUapYUQx707hiXfthYOkNErx0anLK6mMPbhUVVqydhJrBox8GA_wnKXVZuatEKtFR2W5XeiLWcRFvZLCy2-aTB0Nlue5jUt_rX9Rr7clAP2mAjFrfNGHVoDY3L6C-UY/w480-h640/369686911+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;">Wryneck - Observatory Quarry, Portland Bill</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LLA0xDDTl09eqkhc-FisEiqZAniWamp78v7age3o8J7bpEL2IUoFY0UztyahYRCfmIYvfJ4RIB8xATMrbouD5dW2y_znTD1-WnMGZ0NE8FFtZ0NX4xIf641cNJCya0DlwJCk0gBjOzI/s2048/369686881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LLA0xDDTl09eqkhc-FisEiqZAniWamp78v7age3o8J7bpEL2IUoFY0UztyahYRCfmIYvfJ4RIB8xATMrbouD5dW2y_znTD1-WnMGZ0NE8FFtZ0NX4xIf641cNJCya0DlwJCk0gBjOzI/w640-h480/369686881.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Little Owl - Observatory Quarry, Portland Bill</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK4FxkDVW-50ZWf8jKmLc85r-OL_suCYvk7jY2CXB6GgNgy-FV8CBT6vzAPvSWMRVb3S8B-SQOpbXhw-uw4DrNdbtSlGj0onu6n2YTV6c4WeK7wMfncJ8utEEHPbP5bvZDtsOw1WFiZI/s2048/369687011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPK4FxkDVW-50ZWf8jKmLc85r-OL_suCYvk7jY2CXB6GgNgy-FV8CBT6vzAPvSWMRVb3S8B-SQOpbXhw-uw4DrNdbtSlGj0onu6n2YTV6c4WeK7wMfncJ8utEEHPbP5bvZDtsOw1WFiZI/w640-h480/369687011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Northern Wheatear - Portland Bill</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLhRmcyB491n64gPUMOHD2ji5jsSvwxeayBCkzLt_YcQekERX4pday6IySZ6MFNZf-SQuClPMSaPVmthE9gDRlnIvvNxw1darOsdNB1K6wXhZtJvKiqyxM8QvHyB3ZNhmurraMIuP_9s/s2048/369689511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLhRmcyB491n64gPUMOHD2ji5jsSvwxeayBCkzLt_YcQekERX4pday6IySZ6MFNZf-SQuClPMSaPVmthE9gDRlnIvvNxw1darOsdNB1K6wXhZtJvKiqyxM8QvHyB3ZNhmurraMIuP_9s/w480-h640/369689511.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chiffchaff - Bird Observatory, Portland Bill</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comBill Lighthouse, Old Coastguard Cottages, Portland DT5 2JT, UK50.5141333 -2.45639822.203899463821152 -37.612648 78.824367136178836 32.699852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-50543520614844620072021-09-12T20:12:00.004+01:002021-09-12T20:18:42.316+01:00Pagham Harbour - 10th September<p>I headed to Pagham this morning for a Red-backed Shrike that had been present in the Halsey's Farm and North Wall area since 5th September. After school drop-off I arrived on site at 08:40 and parked at the end of Church Lane and walked out onto the seawall. I was midway along the wall when the heavens opened and I got soaked. In the fields to the north of the seawall <b>Yellow Wagtail </b>and <b>Cattle Egret </b>accompanied the grazing cows - the latter having bred locally this year. I reached the end of the seawall where the shrike has been frequenting but it was still raining and I was not especially hopeful of seeing the bird immediately. I 'pished' in the bushes and saw <b>Sedge Warbler</b> and <b>Reed Warbler </b>and roving flocks of tit produced <b>Lesser Whitethroat </b>and <b>Garden Warbler</b>. Eventually the sun began to break and bird activity began to increase, I wandered away from the shrike viewing spot to see if it could be seen from a different angle but soon, the three gathered birders began waving and it was evident that the shrike was back in its usual spot. I short but fast walk and I was watching the first winter <b>Red-backed Shrike </b>back in its favoured spot and showing well. It was evidently hunting dragonflies and it was not long before it caught a male Migrant Hawker which was quickly consumed. It was time to head back to the car. My eBird checklist for the morning can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S94445638" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>On my return back west to Romsey I stopped briefly at the paddocks at Northey on Hayling Island where Pied Flycatcher have been seen recently, this is supposedly one of the most reliable autumn sites for the species in Hampshire but I had no luck in a very quick look. My eBird checklist can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S94445617" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJysQchaRNCHOaRFOVyXJt0lGwKvPqhVdAbnRuXsMAwWT08L-erygYfaj_dvG_IIinRKbUPIZd3Xh_rgl_9e8pbRTLjAd82PyaqG946P0EwmFrWoK4P7yl-9luvQUKw6Z-kpXDoIfi0c/s1788/368783361.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1341" data-original-width="1788" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJysQchaRNCHOaRFOVyXJt0lGwKvPqhVdAbnRuXsMAwWT08L-erygYfaj_dvG_IIinRKbUPIZd3Xh_rgl_9e8pbRTLjAd82PyaqG946P0EwmFrWoK4P7yl-9luvQUKw6Z-kpXDoIfi0c/w640-h480/368783361.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First winter Red-backed Shrike - Pagham Harbour</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDmc3MI2xa4GC7xLx9kI5N8Oe35Df7symmrKt_buMAeDpfccbDvyuMB8P2A2K-2AdMFEC4kWAHwUe2RIGwzbIIGu9_-fcBoSW_0-Yj2OJ_3XJhbfpq1PLDSWzHVVdV_kT8yoUfPODdcs/s1418/368783411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1418" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDmc3MI2xa4GC7xLx9kI5N8Oe35Df7symmrKt_buMAeDpfccbDvyuMB8P2A2K-2AdMFEC4kWAHwUe2RIGwzbIIGu9_-fcBoSW_0-Yj2OJ_3XJhbfpq1PLDSWzHVVdV_kT8yoUfPODdcs/w640-h480/368783411.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">First winter Red-backed Shrike - Pagham Harbour</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbNLQYSKIJlQwsSa-Os9mYit19WWVkTF8H8UZ0H8ZjMBuaJxM-3xvOzyXYDvO_Onbt7QOYFFcQP78hXrNIY4rzFALd4Xt9CcdaErS6vvuynIapNuSKDljI9a3fLN4M1ywXL-qUs654Pw/s2048/368783251.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGbNLQYSKIJlQwsSa-Os9mYit19WWVkTF8H8UZ0H8ZjMBuaJxM-3xvOzyXYDvO_Onbt7QOYFFcQP78hXrNIY4rzFALd4Xt9CcdaErS6vvuynIapNuSKDljI9a3fLN4M1ywXL-qUs654Pw/w640-h480/368783251.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Greenshank, this juvenile bird has a noticeably short bill which is evidently still growing - Pagham Harbour</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comPagham Harbour50.7721147 -0.755947850.770757709193177 -0.758093567211914 50.773471690806829 -0.75380203278808589tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-31480303536650381992021-09-06T21:27:00.001+01:002021-09-06T21:28:49.832+01:00Normandy Lagoon and Oxey Marsh - 4th September<p>After a few days of twitching I returned to my familiar birding habits this weekend and headed to Pennington and Keyhaven Nature Reserve on 4th, as a change to birding the Pennington area I opted for the Normandy and Oxey area. After dropping my son at Saturday school club I parked on Normandy Lane and spent the first couple of hours at Normandy Lagoon mainly scanning the gathered waders. The highlight here was a juvenile <b>Curlew Sandpiper </b>which showed well as it fed along the southern shore of the lagoon. Also here were good numbers of <b>Dunlin</b> and <b>Ringed Plover </b>and eight <b>Greenshank</b>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRmvu2j8Vy4nfjX5yGf1dl9Yffzb27RqbNmTsOX5o70p2DhDBmG6fGh5QcdPprf9Dyw4fnhee27cDHyEJcUr7Cn6Sc-n_3ra-IfZJv_YdR6zaTKWvrl0WnF6bAfOcjWpOD8-SEAdSBho/s1791/366833421.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1343" data-original-width="1791" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRmvu2j8Vy4nfjX5yGf1dl9Yffzb27RqbNmTsOX5o70p2DhDBmG6fGh5QcdPprf9Dyw4fnhee27cDHyEJcUr7Cn6Sc-n_3ra-IfZJv_YdR6zaTKWvrl0WnF6bAfOcjWpOD8-SEAdSBho/w640-h480/366833421.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-ldFTckF3haXxQgswDhFGtqfvzPBjFesrZD4cQHXSUHHLZhuMJGtev81lLR9EZYZYDcYwAOuM3OOYRNAvfCF34Nwsoj4PZPJHUjI5QFbk5vXUDdTD8S5JgU0Z_JUOsccCmi_xIx0Chw/s1813/366744581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1813" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-ldFTckF3haXxQgswDhFGtqfvzPBjFesrZD4cQHXSUHHLZhuMJGtev81lLR9EZYZYDcYwAOuM3OOYRNAvfCF34Nwsoj4PZPJHUjI5QFbk5vXUDdTD8S5JgU0Z_JUOsccCmi_xIx0Chw/w640-h480/366744581.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Curlew Sandpiper, the second image with annelid worm prey - Normandy Lagoon, Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I then headed west along the seawall scanning the bushes in the hope for a Wryneck or Whinchat but with no luck. There has been a substantial influx of Wryneck into the UK during the recent easterly air flow and with the abundance of suitable habitat I was reasonably hopeful of finding one - obviously overly optimistic on this occasion. I stood at the point scanning the sea and bushes seeing little but there was a steady passage of <b>Sand Martin</b> and <b>Swallow</b> moving east along the coast and a <b>Kingfisher</b> showed well. My eBird checklist for the morning can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S94149480" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMjhyYgqj-qI_Heg0sS1RPW4nt1-lK9jfj2xzBV6oIiHtv4RpuGQaCKZGV-6oe5_7HJOck6LOPjNo35wGAJApb4bFUPCITtTm5hcPQXyb-U4Yo6RB2bUpeaJ-bNGx_xl8u3qSpHAH0JY/s2048/366714581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMjhyYgqj-qI_Heg0sS1RPW4nt1-lK9jfj2xzBV6oIiHtv4RpuGQaCKZGV-6oe5_7HJOck6LOPjNo35wGAJApb4bFUPCITtTm5hcPQXyb-U4Yo6RB2bUpeaJ-bNGx_xl8u3qSpHAH0JY/w640-h480/366714581.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Common Redshank - Normandy Lagoon, Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmE4N1JuvahJP7VTDHonzPg413qNOGMhk6Rg5d2djrc6I-zABbRfhJ9wFe_h0t751UCMefSV4-6GlSFpl5JkZ7PhqhQvx7oyLuRGSJBAsQQuskzvWw_nsnFi4YL2VC0BYvF0S4KIPv3o/s2048/366714601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmE4N1JuvahJP7VTDHonzPg413qNOGMhk6Rg5d2djrc6I-zABbRfhJ9wFe_h0t751UCMefSV4-6GlSFpl5JkZ7PhqhQvx7oyLuRGSJBAsQQuskzvWw_nsnFi4YL2VC0BYvF0S4KIPv3o/w640-h480/366714601.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Common Kingfisher - Normandy Lagoon, Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes.</div><p>On Sunday 5th I decided to head to Salterns Shore, near to Hillhead, Fareham where a White-winged Black Tern has been present for a couple of days feeding offshore with the large mixed tern flock. I have been fairly sceptical about a number of claims of this bird, although in no doubt the bird is present, I do think that there are a number of overly optimistic claims of this bird at distance. When news came through this AM of it still being present I headed off from home but on arriving at site there was some degree of scepticism about the validity of todays claim. Still, I spent around 1.5 hours scanning and year ticked <b>Black Tern</b>. The beach front was crowded in the 26c heat and I beat a hasty retreat as the standard of intellect in the questions from the public aimed at the gathered birders reached rock bottom; the inane yelling by dogwalkers haunted me as I drove back to the relative tranquility of Romsey. My eBird checklist for the morning can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S94205971" target="_blank">here.</a></p>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comNormandy Lagoon, Unnamed Road, Lymington SO41 8AE, UK50.744338 -1.52956350.741622429347757 -1.5338545344238281 50.747053570652241 -1.5252714655761719tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-6490614418165485082021-09-02T18:47:00.005+01:002021-09-02T19:38:55.505+01:00Blacktoft Sands RSPB - 31st August<p>The pull of the White-tailed Plover at Blacktoft Sands RSPB (see <a href="https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/blacktoft-sands/" target="_blank">here</a>) proved too much and after a family orientated Bank Holiday weekend I was off. Leaving home at 04:15 I made good progress on the quiet roads and by 07:55 was pulling into the car park at the reserve. I walked straight to the Xerox Hide where the <b>White-tailed Plover </b>was immediately on show. I watched the bird for a couple of hours with around 50 odd other birders coming and going from the hide. I headed for home at 10:00 and was back by 14:15 pleased with a successful twitch.</p><p>Present at Blacktoft RSPB since 26th August and on occasions showing very well but at times going missing behind reed covered islands. It, or another bird, was seen at Stodmarsh NNR in Kent on 2nd June (see <a href="https://www.birdguides.com/articles/britain-ireland/rarity-finders-white-tailed-lapwing-in-kent/" target="_blank">here</a>) but only remained a short while before being chased off by the local breeding Lapwing. Today, as has often been the case, the bird was showing well from the Xerox Hide (it has been seen from other hides on the reserve) where it fed amongst the local waders mainly on floating mats of vegetation (possibly Tassleweed (<i>Rupia</i>) Sp.) rather than on the open areas of mud. However, it didn't look entirely at home in the muddy lagoon and its legs and bill were often coated with wet mud. This is an adult bird and as a result its plumage is rather scruffy and worn. My eBird list for the morning can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S93972996" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>Assuming this is the same bird as in Stodmarsh this would be the 7th British record and the first since 2010 with previous records being:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>2010 - Seaforth (Lancashire) 27th-28th May, then Rainham Marshes (London) 7th July then Slimbridge (Gloucestershire) 9th-10th July, and then Dungeness (Kent) 11th to 21st July.</li><li>2007 - Caerlaverock (Dumfriesshire & Galloway), 6th - 8th June, then Leighton Moss (Lancashire), 10th - 17th June.</li><li>1984 - Near Telford (Shropshire), 24th-25th May.</li><li>1984 - Cleadon (County Durham), 21st May.</li><li>1979 - Chesil Beach (Dorset) 3rd July.</li><li>1975 - Packington Gravel Pits (Warwickshire) 12th-18th July.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_N-ej_eBaM1BP5Cao2C6TcTI0y9krWyxaQcj7kSUUAwazlLSneAWIDne2Tbfc-dfcGVaZm6Xjy3kIgMssji-L92NySOv8m_h84YxL_QfnZwe7dVICMSVDNTJDtuN8oYsWt4nQnxSQtdM/s1470/365461791.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1103" data-original-width="1470" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_N-ej_eBaM1BP5Cao2C6TcTI0y9krWyxaQcj7kSUUAwazlLSneAWIDne2Tbfc-dfcGVaZm6Xjy3kIgMssji-L92NySOv8m_h84YxL_QfnZwe7dVICMSVDNTJDtuN8oYsWt4nQnxSQtdM/w640-h480/365461791.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nLejJHow1Kx75i1TFGHih1I3i6hNzy6Hr9sZ2zO7tzLPKfwf7EO3DYj3uN_n7VGvwAAWUcrgHxjeI9MjSFPT9hgEC3uIrjdGGDAqTUvdm1phVPXD-2tw8DJCh6qNZ8lOYmgf4q5KPjQ/s2048/365461851.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="2048" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nLejJHow1Kx75i1TFGHih1I3i6hNzy6Hr9sZ2zO7tzLPKfwf7EO3DYj3uN_n7VGvwAAWUcrgHxjeI9MjSFPT9hgEC3uIrjdGGDAqTUvdm1phVPXD-2tw8DJCh6qNZ8lOYmgf4q5KPjQ/w640-h364/365461851.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comBlacktoft Sands RSPB, Goole DN14 7YW, UK53.696934 -0.72452953.695663657826351 -0.726674767211914 53.698204342173646 -0.72238323278808592tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-66985075526415950832021-08-23T18:13:00.007+01:002021-09-02T20:10:49.738+01:00Treleaver Farm, Coverack - 23rd August<p>While returning from the pelagic on 22nd August the remarkable news of a <b>Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin</b> on the Lizard Peninsula just west of Coverack broke. I was heading off from Scilly on 23rd and so I decided that if it was still present we would make the diversion to see the bird during our return drive from Lands End airport to Romsey.</p><p>On 23rd we landed at Land's End at 12:30 and after a quick stop to buy some lunch, following positive news, we were at Treleaver Farm near to Coverack for 14:30. The bird showed quickly and very well down to around 7m and content with our views we were back on the road by 15:45. My eBird list for the site can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S93642576" target="_blank">here</a> and my blogpost of the 2020 bird <a href="https://thedeskboundbirder.blogspot.com/2020/10/stiffkey-and-shuart-lane-twitch-18th.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>This is a remarkable record as while there was another at Stiffkey in October 2020 the previous mainland record was from Prawle Point in August 1980 and so, after a gap of 40 years, birds have occurred in consecutive years - I have been fortunate enough to have seen both birds. I have provided a summary of previous UK records on my eBird checklist <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S75023319" target="_blank">here</a> and a blogpost <a href="https://thedeskboundbirder.blogspot.com/2020/10/stiffkey-and-shuart-lane-twitch-18th.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K42a-dnKhsc8M5Zmmn-4aAwzL36PLbb6FjWknQNxJ_tDR7Gnki3mbie8caBQvUmFAlo7nsah0IGd3EEukhd6HK-umQTt4dMnhh2scKFxehcvnTdVh0ambrXvmWqiu70EA8fwcLc_T_g/s2048/363918141.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K42a-dnKhsc8M5Zmmn-4aAwzL36PLbb6FjWknQNxJ_tDR7Gnki3mbie8caBQvUmFAlo7nsah0IGd3EEukhd6HK-umQTt4dMnhh2scKFxehcvnTdVh0ambrXvmWqiu70EA8fwcLc_T_g/w640-h480/363918141.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr10fjt2_iwA2n-F5w03meUED8bZik7519nSFrAPBztjAg4wSdFev1FUhddYiUFsD52mC3gtAqsroFnlaXy8qo-ionja-hu9DzJ2uWrEpG9C5S14qNw2uZ7RRnnHitVfYkm7YLnokH75o/s2048/363918111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr10fjt2_iwA2n-F5w03meUED8bZik7519nSFrAPBztjAg4wSdFev1FUhddYiUFsD52mC3gtAqsroFnlaXy8qo-ionja-hu9DzJ2uWrEpG9C5S14qNw2uZ7RRnnHitVfYkm7YLnokH75o/w640-h480/363918111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comTreleaver Farm, Coverack50.0093357 -5.122948099999998650.006577705828036 -5.1272396344238267 50.012093694171966 -5.11865656557617tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-41606285920220668902021-08-23T16:01:00.001+01:002021-08-29T16:56:45.840+01:00Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly - 10th-23rd August<p>From the 10th August I had a family holiday planned in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Seawatching at Pendeen on 14th, 16th and 17th produced up to 17 <b>Balearic Shearwater</b>, 14 <b>Sooty Shearwater</b> and four <b>Roseate Tern</b>. For Pendeen seawatches see <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S93193471" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S93308119" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S93349917" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>On Scilly the land birding was extremely slow with the only bird of any note being a <b>Lesser Yellowlegs</b> on Tresco on 21st. On 22nd I was out on a Scilly Pelagic on the Sapphire hoping for Wilson's Storm-Petrel which had been seen on 20 back-to-back trips before the 22nd but today it was not to be. The highlights of the trip which went north-east to the Seven Stones area were a stunning adult <b>Sabine's Gull</b> flying close to the boat, two juvenile <b>Yellow-legged Gull</b>, at least 20 <b>European Storm-Petrel</b>, five <b>Balearic Shearwater </b>and 16 <b>Sooty Shearwater</b>. My eBird checklist for the trip can be viewed <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S93580283" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt9NI_3mf5jwqf9QewFbRVHIfw1RrT6mA208nyMVLXXZ1WwPsP26H3XqLMlSQ-ruyBU-sclTBVIZnTHK1PuEsvrDMMsOWFYAHj98fg5ZLpccb4YMfHXlvw9eLoT7KE0Y1b9P9ZKBSRQg/s2048/363927381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt9NI_3mf5jwqf9QewFbRVHIfw1RrT6mA208nyMVLXXZ1WwPsP26H3XqLMlSQ-ruyBU-sclTBVIZnTHK1PuEsvrDMMsOWFYAHj98fg5ZLpccb4YMfHXlvw9eLoT7KE0Y1b9P9ZKBSRQg/w480-h640/363927381.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sabine's Gull - Scilly Pelagic's, Seven Stones Area</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Vr1nvq1k9tLGSMC3ncKeSGvGgAH4uRoHrA2JlnlesyqZxUEBB6XgxiQmEFYH0CHgCZ3Fk_CEuwVPNlhEaxYxa1b68lJ6go30muzbEOT5a03_1TcxPnLy7Ge5CncMHWpK6W0dr1bYF4/s2048/363924801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5Vr1nvq1k9tLGSMC3ncKeSGvGgAH4uRoHrA2JlnlesyqZxUEBB6XgxiQmEFYH0CHgCZ3Fk_CEuwVPNlhEaxYxa1b68lJ6go30muzbEOT5a03_1TcxPnLy7Ge5CncMHWpK6W0dr1bYF4/w640-h480/363924801.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sabine's Gull - Scilly Pelagic's, Seven Stones Area</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBdNmqLGTmhnUP7IQycN9QR5vZWtvh4cKwmqhpqaKOenkJFFRgKMam0DxXXpCyK_7RjJO8_2iJq_nOkRG4m9KPoYcCLp_hWZpenfBGDspqzOV9B2FxVjmqi6GAtzmtPslwgcfLlk3yzM/s2048/364383321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBdNmqLGTmhnUP7IQycN9QR5vZWtvh4cKwmqhpqaKOenkJFFRgKMam0DxXXpCyK_7RjJO8_2iJq_nOkRG4m9KPoYcCLp_hWZpenfBGDspqzOV9B2FxVjmqi6GAtzmtPslwgcfLlk3yzM/w480-h640/364383321.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-legged Gull - Scilly Pelagic's, Seven Stones Area</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8t4xxTjLSXf-BuYQTLYM0b1zJMo9sfawxruSCyoSdxiau1M95zq2EkR5yawnKX3YvCs7JyTu8FLojlWTtUaZZsmStTk8GC-CVWl7R5LbZWRcfYUzZa3_iY3oW5XwbCKLaUpQyIHEkXxA/s2048/364389441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8t4xxTjLSXf-BuYQTLYM0b1zJMo9sfawxruSCyoSdxiau1M95zq2EkR5yawnKX3YvCs7JyTu8FLojlWTtUaZZsmStTk8GC-CVWl7R5LbZWRcfYUzZa3_iY3oW5XwbCKLaUpQyIHEkXxA/w640-h480/364389441.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sooty Shearwater - Scilly Pelagic's, Seven Stones Area</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHssbNjWQtgnFg7epK4xCPeDY8N3f1a5jQWcgcxD1LAzOmqet1RdaNBsInz94iTsdPKQqrmEK1dcWFEZ2L-3Uj400vdVcBf3gZkiM1mEm4px7W5yw3cQZOjF-gpmzPfGf7uaS9NEZML8/s2048/364424601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHssbNjWQtgnFg7epK4xCPeDY8N3f1a5jQWcgcxD1LAzOmqet1RdaNBsInz94iTsdPKQqrmEK1dcWFEZ2L-3Uj400vdVcBf3gZkiM1mEm4px7W5yw3cQZOjF-gpmzPfGf7uaS9NEZML8/w640-h480/364424601.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Balearic Shearwater - Scilly Pelagic's, Seven Stones Area</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMcn7Xf9L0XZpoYLfkG_fpV_hI2ctvT7uVa6V2KqdVuC7-T_7JlNlJugFHcNd9TDLTeubamJZ7Zp9Wu760RyrMoEo67joVmefmp0QJ6PbAuHqRketquaQiETpcmqhk-4N5twqX83fMb8/s2048/364430781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMcn7Xf9L0XZpoYLfkG_fpV_hI2ctvT7uVa6V2KqdVuC7-T_7JlNlJugFHcNd9TDLTeubamJZ7Zp9Wu760RyrMoEo67joVmefmp0QJ6PbAuHqRketquaQiETpcmqhk-4N5twqX83fMb8/w640-h480/364430781.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Manx Shearwater - Scilly Pelagic's, Seven Stones Area</div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117490779112371147.post-19878425104137775412021-07-27T13:57:00.006+01:002021-09-02T20:06:50.648+01:00Snettisham RSPB and Frampton Marsh RSPB - 27th July<p>On 27th July, while on annual leave at our cottage in the Cotswolds, I planned a three wader tick day. I was up early and headed to Snettisham arriving at high tide where my first British tick, a very pale looking <b>White-rumped Sandpiper</b>, showed well on the shoreline feeding with <b>Dunlin</b>. As the tide fell there was a shout of <b>Western Sandpiper </b>but unfortunately, this bird was rather distant on the mudflats and did not show close to the shore as it had done on previous days - but it was wader tick number 2. My eBird checklist for Snettisham can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S92362500" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKyfT3UKVQ179ZqJKvyK9ujxe5hjoRGPfelT_NBegRjMxYq0WbFoVbWuRvgLLaEc06dPwSTcSrbeIdVATQCF4olhAJS6eOMcym4U4bnD6A_k-S1nY0HN2ygKKif9TB8sUzlQGmsn2pQk/s1400/357377311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKyfT3UKVQ179ZqJKvyK9ujxe5hjoRGPfelT_NBegRjMxYq0WbFoVbWuRvgLLaEc06dPwSTcSrbeIdVATQCF4olhAJS6eOMcym4U4bnD6A_k-S1nY0HN2ygKKif9TB8sUzlQGmsn2pQk/w640-h480/357377311.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After Snettisham I then headed north into Lincolnshire and to Frampton Marsh RSPB where an adult summer <b>Pacific Golden Plover</b> showed well in the gloom - wader tick number 3! The heavens opened and I began the drive back to the Cotswolds passing through some torrential downpours on my journey. My eBird checklist for Frampton Marsh can be seen <a href="https://ebird.org/checklist/S92367115" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnHDorY-F9_H0qZezUifwPbFRG6esoEkZSSgilpJZBLIB17mE7ucPy-B0HWFowbDmyjBQnG9y4_weTv_1NzW40hh17Wz45HYa7UqOXt1obyxVh6bXkkCOALOGr3m1lkyTkPjkvSsspHs/s1752/357281161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="1752" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnHDorY-F9_H0qZezUifwPbFRG6esoEkZSSgilpJZBLIB17mE7ucPy-B0HWFowbDmyjBQnG9y4_weTv_1NzW40hh17Wz45HYa7UqOXt1obyxVh6bXkkCOALOGr3m1lkyTkPjkvSsspHs/w640-h480/357281161.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Simon Colenutthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16984960105992038432noreply@blogger.comRSPB Snettisham, Beach Rd, Snettisham, King's Lynn PE31 7RA, UK52.8682478 0.451349224.558013963821153 -34.7049008 81.178481636178844 35.6075992