23/11/2013 Walton, Merseyside

Ring-billed Gull: Not too bad for my first day back in the UK from Cyprus, my first Ring-billed Gull, this second-winter bird true to their nature turned up at a very busy Saturday Asda car park -  probably one of the worst places I've been birding!

The bird was seen in the morning and again picked up in the afternoon hanging around with the local Black Headed Gulls. When I spotted it high up on a lamp post it was very flighty.

10/11/2012 Collingham Pits, Notts

Pied Wheatear: OK it's not a male or the most exciting Wheatear, but still a cracking little bird!

Just bear in mind its like the 69th UK record.

We got lucky when we arrived as the bird was only 50 yards away before working it's way to the far side of one of the pits.

Thanks to Alan McBride for the lift, good company as well as a good bird, cheers.

Oh and Dawn for giving up our couple day for a spot of twitching, cheers babe.

02/11/2012 Hayle Estuary

White Rump Sandpiper: Hermit Thrush mega dip!

Mark Payne and Pod were kind enough to invite me down to Cornwall in hope of seeing the Hermit Thrush.

After a very early start and a very long drive down south we ended up dipping the bird along with a huge amount of Balearic Shearwater and an Albatross fly by!

OK we didn't go down for anything else apart from the Thrush but after dipping that and seeing on bird guides that we missed some other cool stuff, well it was extra salt in the wound.

Bar-tailed Godwit: We did however head across to Hayle Estuary in search for White Rump Sands.

I was really impressed with Hayle and after a longish wait we finally caught up with a couple of white rumps.






Hayle also had a family of Barnacle Goose and a hand full of Med Gulls all viewable from the roadside.

Deeper in the mouth of Hayle we also spotted a Black Necked Grebe.



It was also great to meet Tom Whiley who we picked up on the way and chatted about cameras and birds! My favorite topics.