22/12/2021 Samlesbury, Lancashire

Belted Kingfisher: Earlier this week the BK finally gave up the ghost and decided to settled on a small stretch of the River Darwen. Huge congratulations to whoever found it as many were trying since it left its original area along the River Ribble. 

Its new home was on a bend along the River Darwen upstream from of Roach Bridge. 

From here  the bird can sometimes been seen perching upon the branches at eye level and  looking downstream perched above the water.  Definitely a better area then at Redscar Woods.  Now its been found in a reliable area its fast become a very popular bird with hundreds of birders turning up. 

I  would recommend any who need it goes quickly, as soon as you ca before the locals and landowners start to kick up a fuss. 

This is probably my last post before Christmas so let me take this opportunity to say 'Happy Christmas' to all my followers, regular readers and thoses who click on the link and read my musings and enjoy my images. 

20/2021 Southport

Snow Bunting: A nice trip out to see the snow bunting that have taken up residence in Southport and i wasn't disappointed as typical  in their nature they were very confiding. 

There were five birds, including this paler male bird feeding along the strand line amongst the razor clam shells close to the sea wall, right next to the pier, on the northern side. 

They didn't seem bothered about the passing traffic, the dog walkers or the admiring crowd of birders.  It's been a good year for snow bunting locally with long staying birds at Crosby, Leasowe and reports of them further down the Mersey. 

Always a nice bird to catch up with.

15/12/2021 Pennington Flash

Water Rail: Said to be one of the most elusive birds that we have, shy and reclusive staying out of sight in the reeds, water rails are usually heard and not seen by their unmistakable loud piglet like squeal sound that they make.But occasionally during the winter months they can be seen feeding on split seed around the feeders of Pengy's Hide.

Winter is a good time to see water rails as the vegetation cover has died back and the birds are forced out into the open to search of food. 

The bird was typically nervous only coming out in full view for a few minutes at a time, occasionally rushing in to pick up a few seeds before rushing back to cover. 

On a day like today, after a few weeks of bad weather and thick cloud it was good for the soul to get out under the blue skies and lemon light of the winter's morning before returning to work and logging on back on. 
 

04/12/2021 Water lane, Crossens, Southport

Snow Goose:  A wild windy day, but between work and the baby I have to take what little time I have to get out birding when I can. 

So, today my destination was Southport to try my luck with the snow goose. 

When I arrived a message came from from Stuart Derbyshire saying that the bird had flown off the marsh and landed in a stubble fields close to the pumping station, I wasn't quick enough to see it here but it was relocated around the corner off Water Lane.  

The bird was associating with around 20 pink feet and despite the strong winds and poor weather it was particularly mobile, fling between the fields around Crossons. 

Thanks again to Stuart Derbyshire for the gen. Big help, as usual. 

 

27/11/2021 WWT Martin Mere

Brambling: Having had to drop some wedding albums off in for a client not too far from Ormskirk I decided to spend the morning at Martin Mere, too cold to trapes around the whole reserve I spent much of my time sheltering at the Janet Kear hide were a couple of brambling had taken up residence. 

Originating from Scandinavia and across to Siberia, they only spend  the winter months here in the UK, though a tiny number sometimes stay through the summer period and have even been known to breed, but this is pretty rare. 

Brambling are famous woodland birds that search for food in mixed flocks with chaffinches so a place like martin Mere is ideal with a regularly topped up feeding station along a small woodland edge. 

In the winter the male bird has a streaked head, orange breast plumage and a white rump, in the spring the males head becomes much darker in colour with a rich orangey red colour on his wings and breast. The females are not so bright and cheerful in colour, though have similar patterns in their plumage to the male.

Here is the male, a stunning little bird with mottled upperparts with brown edges and grey tips on the feathers. The scapulars have broad pale orange tips and the median and greater coverts are orange tipped with white.

There was one male and up to four females feeding on the split seeds around the feeders and perching up in the bushes around the hide. 

Definitely a highlight of a very enjoyable (if a little cold) morning. 
 

25/11/2021 River Ribble, nr Brockholes

Belted Kingfisher: From Florida to Preston this extremely rare belted kingfisher has been on the river near Redscar Woods off on the Turnbrook mouth since the 8th of November. 

Since then the bird had only been seen by a handful of fishermen and no birders, some folk, perhaps even myself were thinking it didn't exist or was long gone. 

I've been three times over the past few weeks, searching for the banks and listening out for what has become a mythical bird,  I even spent a few hours waiting in one area with a panoramic view of the river hoping it would fly up and down, hoping for just a glimpse.

Well today I got better than a glympse, after a report from around 12am I left work and headed straight from Bolton and was there within half an hour or so.

When I arrived the bird was in full view on a overhanging branch before taking cover a little further down stream. It made several passes and alighted upon a hawthorn on the opposite side showing really well.

I was absolutely delighted. A real local MEGA!

28/10/2021 Papa Westray, Orkney Islands, Scotland

Varied Thrush: This was such a mega twitch, not only as the bird is a 'super mega' but the logistics the planning and my stress levels were mega! 

News broke on Wednesday night which saw a few small groups of twitchers make their way and successfully connect the following morning. 

I made my plans on Thursday afternoon and headed over with Patrick Thursday evening with the thinking that we would see the bird Friday afternoon and back back home Friday evening. 

At this stage we had no boat booked from Kirkwall and no concrete plans that we would make the return connection back to Aberdeen.  

This is the 2nd record for the U.K. with the last one recorded way back in 1982!

These beautiful, boldly-patterned thrush with their exquisite combination of blue-gray, orange, and black originate from the Pacific northwest of America. 

We were really lucky in the end, helped by some smooth talking and bartering we managed to book onto a fully booked charter boat across from Kirkwall to Papa Westray. We made all our connection on time with one or two by the seat of our pants. The whole thing was gamble, one that paid off. This time at least.

When we arrived the bird was showing really well feeding on the lawn by a small cottage, the bird was doing a circuit of the building, its walls and gardens and appeared to be really settled. 

My heart was pounding and I was barely able to keep the camera steady when I fisrt laid eyes on it. This was a really special bird and a great twitch, full of tension and the excitement of a the big pay off.   

 

19/10/2021 Spurn, East Yorkshire

Two-barred Greenish Warbler: There's something really special about these Siberian warblers, they are a 'birders bird' or as Iggo said on the phone the other day they are a 'proper bird.' 

Unassuming at first but after a further, closer look they are smashing little leaf warblers. 

To my distress and tournament I was unable to go on the Sunday as I was booked in for a newborn baby photoshoot and then on the Monday I had to be around to drop off and pick up Autumn from the childminders. 

So Tuesday it was, accompanied by the very talented young-ish artist Miles Cluff we arrived early on site and then proceeded to stand in the pouring rain for half an hour  before the bird made an appearance. 
 

First it was just a fleeting glimpse, then a prolonged, distant and obscured view followed by another long patient wait. I felt like the bird was giving us the runaround while feeding on the underside of the sycamore leaves. I was starting to be a little frustrated as it seemed I was the only person in the group of birders unable to get a decent shot of it.  

Eventually towards the middle of the day the bird landed about one and a half meters away in a hawthorn bush and posed for a short while. Finally the pressure was off and I bagged a few decent shots, and thrilled to see it so close up. Brilliant. 

So this becomes my 400th bird that I have seen in the UK (BOU - England, Scotland and Wales and associated waters) 

It's been such a good adventure from day twitching Cornwall and Shetland to meeting new folk and getting to know a really good crowd of birders who I enjoy twitching with.  And I'm lucky to have Dawn who supports this mad hobby. I'm sure it will be a long, hard slog to get to 500 but I look forward to each and every twitch. 

12/10/2021 Alexandra Park, Oldham

Wood Duck: Working near Oldham today saw me take short detour to Alexandra Park to photograph the drake wood duck that's been there for a couple of days. 

With a break in the weather it was just a good opportunity to get out with the camera, despite the light not being great. 

It was also nice to bump into mark Shuttleworth a local bider from Shaw. 

Has this bird flew across the Atlantic from north america? 

I think not, OK, there is a extremely slim chance it's has but it's very unlikely. 

A few factors to take into consideration, these wonderful looking birds are one of the most popular ornate ducks to be kept in wildfowl collections. 

There is also a small population in parts of Cheshire, with regular sights on the River Weaver and its associated nature reserves such as Marbury Country Park. 

Wood ducks now breed in the UK, although not yet at high enough densities to create a sustainable population. 

Regardless of its original origins this drake its one stunning bird, with its distinctive head patterns and crest it definitely stands out amongst the mallards and coots of Alexandra Park
 

Shetland October 2021

Western Bonelli's Warbler: Day one, the winds were blowing the rain was staring and there was real excitement, the kind you can only get on Shetland.  

What birds will be blown in? who will find them? and how good will the birds be?

Well we didn't have to wait long to find out, after arriving on the morning on a white knuckle  landing into the gail force winds we headed straight out. First stop, the semipalmated plover close to the airport where we bumped into some familiar faces. 

The semi-p showed well if a little distant and we had some niew view of otters running over the rocks close by.  

Shore Lark: From the semi-p Patrick and I headed over to Grutness on the other side of the airport and picked up a couple of shore lark. 

And indication to how windy it was after we landed was seeing this frozen still jack snipe that had been grounded and was trying it's best to do the invisible act, but failing. 

Jack Snipe:Olive-backed Pipit: Towards the middle of the day Patrick turned to me and said "Bonelli's, lets go" I was buzzing, a grip back. A bird that I needed and a pretty decent one. 

We were quick so scramble back to the car and head over to Easter Quarff. 

Olive-backed Pipit: When we arrived there were dozens of cars parked along the main road and a mass of biders peering into a small woodland plantation. the warbler showed well on and for while were were there. Day one tick!

Later that day we ended up bagging OBP that was flashed by NAME and landed on a nearby wall. 

Red-breasted Flycatcher: Day two, our fisrt day was outstanding even the wind and light rain wasn't putting us off and on day two we had calm, bright weather, but fewer birds.   

We started off by bagging one of the several RBF's that were kicking about on the island  and we searched in vain for our own YBW's and spent a few hours scanning the mega distant flock of eiders for the king eider. 

Red-backed Shrike: After failing to see the king eider we headed over to Wester Quarff where a blue throat, a RBS and a barred warbler had all been recorded in the area.

The bluethroat eluded us but we walked right into a small scrum of birders who were watching the RBS. The bird was sitting on discussed farm machinery and vegetation close to some barns  and at times came pretty close. 

Typically I got distracted photographing the bird and failed to get point bank view of the barred warbler that was around the corner. I ad to search a little harder but only managed some views of it feeding in the hedge. 

Barred Warbler: However, Patrick for some uncharistraically good images so the views I missed but have been particularly good. 

I was pretty gutted, but had to settle for what I got.

(Picture courtesy of Patrick) 

Red-eyed Vireo: Earlier that day a RED turned up in a large community woodland in Brae, this was elusive and a pain to view due to the light and the thickness of the wooded area. only a handful of folk got decent views. We didn't.

But, towards the end of the day another REV was found in a small garden of a cottage in Sandwick. this bird was much more confiding coming right out in full view. 

Stunning!

Little Bunting: Day 3, our plan today was to try our best to tick off Richard's pipit, a bird thats edavided me for too long now. 

There was a report yesterday of one naer 

While waiting for the ferry to Unst, at Gutcher ferry port Simon Nichols found a YBW fluttering in a bush near the house close to the ferry parking area, we all got out to take a look although it was hard to pin down. Eventually the birders dispersed and then a single birds flew into the bush from the right, 

Checking it out and waiting for them to show I was thrilled to have found this little bunting. Folk rushed over once I called it, and everyone got some decent views. 

Nice self found bird. 

Spotted Flycatcher: When we landed on Unst Alan was quick to pick us up and drove us straight to the location of the reported lancey, we saw it in flight almost immediately and soon after it was pinned down and re-identified as a grasshopper warbler. 

We were gutted, especially after making the extra long journey up here.

Radde's Warbler: Still, it wasn't a complete waste of time the self found little bunting made up for it and seeing Alan in his habithat was also a highlight. 

Before we left Unst there was report of a Radde's skulking in a small patch of common nettles. 

As soon as we landed we drove straight there and joined the growing group of birders peering into the nettles. 

The Radde's was typically elusive for a long while before giving itself up and landing on a nearby fence. 

White-billed Diver: The WhatsApp group messages were coming thick and fast today and not long after ticking the Radd'es a message came up of a WBD close in off Skellister.

In this bay we had great northern and red-throated divers along with a small group of harbour porpoises and the WBD came pretty close. patrick and I were thrilled, this beast was stunning though the scope. 

Siskin: Day 4, our final day. We had a late flight pushed even further back by Loganair, we were not only compensated by the extra time this gave us to bird a little longer on the island but, they also gave us cash compensation, bonus. 

We spent most of our day putting in some real effort on to the king eider, a bird we thought was a sure thing, but still eluded us both. 

The birds were miles away, I was astonished to how frequent the king eider was getting reported. 

Rustic Bunting: A report of rustic near Weisdale save the day, especially after the continuing disappointment of the king eider.  

The bird was found along a thick hedge, crammed with tall grasses, sdged and short trees and when we arrived it was lost to view, deep in the thicket. 

but not before too long the bird gave itself up and sat nicely in a tree and laer on a fence giving us all some nice views indeed. 

Woodchat Shrike: Another good bird was the woodchat shrike that had been in the same area since before we arrived. Apparently it would come really close and sit the gardens  but everytime we went it was miles away over the moors. 

Wheatear: We spent most of the afternoon at Hillside hoping to find our own stuff, and knowing there was a little bunting, a rustic and common rosefinch in the area. 

Monarch Butterfly:  I really enjoyed this part of the trip, just birding a nice area which felt good, like you could find something mega yourself. I think this feeling is what gives Shetland its continuing favour to birders. 

Well, this time we found nothing, so moved on down toward the airport where a Monarch was found by Cliff.

The Monarch is the largest butterfly seen in the British Isles and is also one of our rarest migrants this magnificent Monarch has been blown across the Atlantic while on their stunning annual journey across North America to Mexico or California.

The North American Monarchs are famous for their apparent hardiness on their long journeys. And after it's incredibly long journey this individual looked worse for ware, its was barely able to stand up never by flutter through the walled garden. 

Shore Lark:  There were some birders on hand who kindly provided the butterfly with some sugar water solution which it was feeding on.  

From here we drove around the corner to see the flock of five sore lark 

I really enjoyed this trip. It was great to bump into so many familiar faces, chat over breakfast, bird in the rain and search the tickets burns across the island together. 

The food the drink and Patrick alls made the trip that much better. Next year I'll be doing the same.