22/01/2016 Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire

Great Northern Diver: I was really hoping to see the three Richards Pipit that have been hanging around Flamborough Head's north landing for a week or so now, but yet again this pain in the backside bogey bird still eludes me.

I searched for hours in the first grassy field and the surrounding area of north landing and got very wet and very cold so made the decision to move on knowing that they would turn up in the afternoon.

I decided to go to Filey Brigg to catch up with the Surf Scoter, this bird too had gone, or at least I couldn't find it.

Still it was great to see this GND so close up riding the waves that were surging up against the Brigg.

White-beaked Dolphin: I also stumbled across this magnificent animal washed up dead, I had seen pictures on Social Media of a Glaucous Gull feasting on it, all I saw were Greater Black-backed and Herring Gull.

Ultimately it is really sad to see such a brilliant thing washed up like this however it is also incredible to see such a rare and elusive dolphin so close up.

19/01/2016 Hinksford, Staffordshire

Hoopoe: From Gloucester I headed up to Staffordshire to see the long staying Hoopoe which has surprisingly been present on the site since early December.

Despite getting lost and taking the wrong turn up the M5 I made relatively good time and thanks to a lovely local lady called Rita I managed to find the place.

I parked up beside the bus stop parking area next to the old quarry when Rita was heading back to her car to get some gear. I asked if she knew where the Hoopoe was and she kindly walked me to the site. I would have struggled if it wasn't for her, so if you read this Rita -

**a big thank your for your help**

When Rita and I arrived the bird had been disturbed by a dog walker who spooked it off and we had to wait around an hour for it to return. However the bird seems pretty faithful to the site and the feeding location.

I've seen three Hoopoe in the UK now, but never this close and never this confiding! These birds never get boring, they are great looking birds with their down-turned bill and red-indian like crest.

The whole site was very muddy and wet with lots of rough ground all of which is ideal for Hoopoe who like to spend their time using that incredible bill to dig and find food.

The bird must keep it's whits about it as I saw at least three Fox's all over the site, two were furiously mating so lets hope its moves on long before it becomes dinner for a hungry Mr Fox.

19/01/2016 Horsebere Pool, Gloucestershire

Penduline Tit: What an absolute beauty, made even more beautiful with the frosted topped reeds and bullrush's of Horsebere.

They are such striking bird and surpassingly small just like real masked bandits.

I left in the early hours to beat the traffic and once I parked up and after waiting for the sun to rise I headed out in to the freezing fog and frosty air to wait with the growing crowd.

Luckily I didn't have to wait too long before I caught my first sighting of my first Penduline, typically it was a fleeting glimpse as the pair flew over the reeds.


The crowds soon relocated the birds and they put on a real good show.

Originally I was hoping to tick these birds on Sunday but fate delivered snow, thick, white, icy snow - I just hate the stuff!

13/01/2016 Ontario Basin, Salford Quays

Great Northern Diver: It's been almost an entire month since this GND has graced Salford Quays and it looks like it's moved from Central Bay in to the more enclosed Ontario Basin which is located opposite the Premier Inn Manchester Salford Quays Media City Hotel.




Good to catch up with Mr Jonathan Doherty who joined me on his lunch break and Roy who it's always great to bump in to.

12/01/2016 Sizergh Castle, Cumbria

Hawfinch: I have spent countless hours and what seems like many days standing like a lost soul in Sizergh Castle's car park looking for Hawfinch without any luck, I have never seen on here before.


Until today...

I had a work meeting in Kendal and decided to try my luck again, and after a relatively short 2 hour wait I caught a glimpse of my first Sizergh Hawfinch as a female flew in, with its woodpecker'ish flight pattern and landed in a tree only for a second.

Within 20 minuets a male appeared on the ground next to the children's play area, it came back a couple of times, feeding with the Chaffinches.

16/12/2015 My Garden, Abram, Wigan

White Wagtail: The last few months have been great for my garden list with two new ticks, a white Wag and Blackcap, my first ever Grey Squirrel and good numbers of Goldfinches and Starling.

There often hear and see always Grey Wagtails around the neighbourhood but never in my garden, until this bird came to feed on some spilt fat from under the fat ball feeder.

Not remind me that the grass needs cutting! Its like a jungle out there and all this mild weather isn't helping the issue.








Blackcap: The start of the show however has to be this male wintering Blackcap that has been regularly visiting my garden feeders for a number of weeks. Favouring the lowest positioned fat ball feeder, he likes to hop about the veg plot before making his move.


(image taken through double glazed windows)

Greater Spotted Woodpecker: This was only my second record of a GSW in the garden and I was thrilled to get an image, even if it was through the double glazed windows.

The bird stuck around a lot longer then the last one as it fed on the fat balls before flying on to the fence for a short preen and then off in to a nearby tree.






(image taken through double glazed windows)

15/12/1025 Haslam Park

Goosander: It was a toss up between Salford's GND or a chance to get a decent photo of Preston's Ring-billed Gull now it's moving between the docks and Haslam Park.

No sign of the RBG this afternoon on or around the park's pond but I was treated to some cracking views of two redhead Goosander on the pond.

One individual kept coming close and feeding on small fish and as I lay on the wet muddy floor I did get some odd looks from the locals walking their dogs.

12/12/2015 West Kirby Marina Lake

Great Northern Diver: Wet, soaked, drenched doesn't come close to how waterlogged I was after spending the afternoon bagging the GND at WKML.

The bird showed well unlike the RTD which spent all of it's time in the middle of the lake.

The rain didn't stop all day preventing me from getting a sharp image as the rain not only waterlogged me but my gear, still great bird to catch up with.

04/12/2015 Lunt Meadows

Short-eared Owl: This was my first trip to Lunt and it most certainly won't be my last!

From woodland to meadows, wetland to farmland this little reserve comprises of some great habitats and great wildlife.

Lunt Meadows is fast becoming famous for it's owls and currently boasts up to 4 SEO and a couple of Barn Owl.

Although I didn't see any Barn Owl I had a cracking afternoon watching 3 SEO with one individual quartering close in the field behind the main screen.

Encouraged, I moved on and explored the rest of the reserve including a small coppice of woods, then returned to the area where I had previously seen the SEO hunting. The sun was a bit more prevalent and the wind a bit more fierce at this point and after another intensive search I couldn't find any more SEO.

But the local Kestrel put on a good show hovering in near perfect light and I also got distracted by a Peregrine as it disturbed the gaggles of geese and folks of Lapwing.

Overall I thought this was a fantastic small nature reserve, however I have to say that Lunt Meadows is busy with plenty of dog walkers, birders and in almost every bush and along the field margins you will find a long lens poking through.




Still, I would highly recommend a visit to see the owls and take a very pleasant walk and if like me you need to find the directions or want to know a little bit more about this fantastic site then please check out the links below.
http://www.lancswt.org.uk/news/2015/03/16/information-re-lunt-meadows

http://www.visitsouthport.com/things-to-do/sefton-village-and-the-meadows-walk-p240071

01/12/2015 West Kirby Marina Lake

Great Crested Grebe: After yesterdays dreadful weather I was keen to get out of the house and do a spot of birding.

So after a quick ramble around my local patch, Kingsdown Flash and with not much showing I decided to pay the toll and go across to the Wirral.

Red Breasted Merganser: Once I arrived I immediately spotted the mergs, one stunning male and 4 windswept females.

They came relatively close but it was the GCG that stole the show. 

As I wandered across to the far side of the lake one GCG came right up to me and started fishing, it eventually caught one and chugged it down.

Brilliant behaviour to watch.

Red-throated Diver: The RTD on the other hand kept its distant and floated about pretty much in the middle of the lake.

Even when the wind surfers came out it still stayed out of reach.

Cormorant: The lake must be rich in food stuffs as this guy was also catching and eating fish and before I left I saw the mergs catching some kind shrimp.

29/11/2015 Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, Conwy

Scaup: I braved the weather and the roads and took a trip to North Wales. I had a few errands to run down that way and I ended up at Eirias Park hoping for a few shots of the female Scaup.

And I wasn't disappointed.






Although I have seen plenty of female scaup on sea watches this was my first up close and personal views of a female Scaup.

I haven't really noticed how distinct they are, with their mainly brown plumage, palest and grayest on flanks and back with a white belly is seen only in flight and their striking white patch at base of bill.




The Yankee Duck has been at the park for a couple of weeks now and looks fairly settled buddying up with the local Mallards.

The bird spent plenty of time diving, presumably foraging for food.