More Short-eared Owls Sunday 7th December

My first visit to look for the Richards Pipit and dipped, but happy with the couple of Short-eared Owls keeping me interested.

 

One of two Short-eared Owls

The Burgh Sunday 30th November

A sunny visit to the Burgh after Short-eared Owls, sadly only 1was seen flying over the dew pond, plus a few Red Kites

Short-eared Owl

Red Kite

Rough-legged Buzzard 24th November

 

A late afternoon visit to Jevington to see the Rough-legged Buzzard 

Rough-legged Buzzard

Shellnes and Swale NNR Sat. 22nd November

 

 

A first time visit to Sheppey produced the goods. Male Hen Harrier, 17 White-fronted Geese, hundreds of waders and 3 Short-eared Owls

 

 

 

Grey Plover

Dunlin

Grey Plover and Dunlin

Waders!

Distant Short-eared Owls

Reculver 300th UK lifer and 250th UK this year

Saturday 8th November brought me my UK 300 lifer and 250th for the year. A trip to Reculver near Herne Bay surprisingly only one and half hours away got me 3 good birds. The Dessert Wheatear present for its third day was showing well and easily found by the large group of birders, however the photo opportunities were much better having seen the Snow Buntings and a Shore Lark further along the sea wall. When I returned only 2 others were watching the Wheatear and gradually it came within 6 feet of us. The Snow Buntings and Shore Lark were much more flighty due to photographers trying to get ridiculously close for that perfect shot.

 

Dessert Wheatear

Snow Buntings

Shore Lark

North Norfolk weekend 24th - 26th October

Pink-footed Geese

The annual visit to Norfolk was once again a great weekend, in total the group saw 115 species, and I got another lifer with a Surf Scoter off Holkham gap putting me to 299 for UK, plus a year tick for Rough-legged Buzzard.

Despite looking species we were hoping for like Snow Buntings, Shore Lark, Twite, and Lapland Bunting were not there probably due to the mild weather.

Red Kite

Grey Phalarope

Common Seal pup

Red-breasted Flycatcher at Beachy Head another Lifer

 A call from PJ sent me straight to Beachy Head to see the Red-breasted Flycatcher found earlier in the morning. Little did we know he was to stay for a week. On arriving at the old trapping area found easily by the 30 birders watching the bushes. Within 5 minutes it appeared and what a stunning bird.

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