randombirder

Last knockings of the year - one that has challenged us all to the core - some more than others.  I feel for them.  I feel fortunate - we don't know what the next year is going to bring but hope that we see healing, community, optimism, advances in medicine - maybe a vaccine - and a sense of collectiveness in fighting this heinous disease as we all deal with our own dis-ease. It had been a while since I'd visited Paxton - a very long time - around 15 years long.  It looks great - plenty of waterbodies with associated woodland and scrub habitat to keep things interesting.  As always - I wish there was more to report other than a smart male Bullfinch , a drake Goldeneye , a small flock of Siskin , and six Shoveler .

A little trip to Lynford Arboretum - a post Christmas walk to provide a little mental restoration.  It felt collegiate - people milling about - keeping our distance - convivial - considerate - it's what we need right now. Nothing of real note, but 30+ Crossbill is what you might expect round these part with small groups of Siskin,   Redpoll and Marsh Tit within the woodland.  A pair of  Goosander on the lake were a little unexpected.

Thankfully lockdown restrictions had lifted in time to make a dash for the Pied-billed Grebe at Chelmarsh Reservoir in Shropshire, a species that had been on my wanted list for a while. It was a horribly gloomy day with the rain pelting down but thankfully access to the site was relatively straightforward and the bird was present on arrival despite the murky conditions.  Not that it's ever about the numbers (!) but this was BOU #398 so edging closer to that magic figure. Atrocious video below - the weather was awful!

A Hoopoe was a surprise visitor to a small village in Beds.  Only a few minutes away from home, I scooted up to Northill during my lunch break and was lucky to see it fly past me shortly after arriving. It then landed onto the buttresses of St Mary the Virgin church before flying off again toward the graveyard.  Always a lovely bird to see whether home or abroad, but this was only my 3rd for the UK.

October is a phenomenal month for birding, where the unexpected is somewhat expected but in what form is down to the birding gods.  The Rufous-tailed Bush Robin was first reported on Saturday morning - wholly unexpected - an absence from the UK of around forty years demonstrates just how scarce this species is.  I'd tried to prise them out in Spain in the past with no success - they're not easy to find and are relatively scarce breeders across the Iberian Peninsular. Heading back from Scillies on the Saturday, an early alarm call and I was on my way to Stiffkey for first light. A fair sized group had already congregated in an area of arable immediately west of the car park.  Thankfully the bird was still present feeding amongst the stubble and short scrub along the field margin.  The long rufous tail was conspicuous in the low morning light - rising and dipping as it scampered around picking off small inverts.  It was damp and very gloomy on the Norfolk coast. ...

Leaving Scilly is always a sombre moment.  It's been another great trip with undoubted highlights being the black-and-white warbler and Swainson's Thrush.  But it's never always about the sightings, to concentrate solely on the birdlife diminishes the visceral experience of spending time on the Isles.  As always, it's also refreshing that it won't be too long before I set foot back on these venerated shores. A quick walk out onto Porthcressa, where a  black redstart flicked through while waiting for the Nightingale to appear at Little Porth which didn't actually appear despite a couple of attempts.  I guess one was enough for the trip. The flight back was as exhilarating as always. Until next year.

An interesting day with the thoughts of leaving looming large on the horizon.  A long walk was planned today in the hope of kicking up something along the way.  Finding a Red-breasted Flycatcher along the slopes of the allotments on the west side of Porthcressa heightened hopes for the day. This interesting yet rather bedraggled Meadow Pipit resembled features of the Icelandic race appearing much darker than its warmer counterparts. Making slow and deliberate progress was reaping its rewards in modest ways.  At least three House Martin were associating with Swallow as seen from the Penninis Trail.  Pausing for a while at the Old Town Churchyard, a male Blackcap , two Firecrest , and a flyover Grey Wagtail  kept hope bubbling away.  There was a notable increase in Goldcrest numbers. While checking out the sallows in the standing stones field, a Yellow-browed Warbler popped out - a lovely bird of course but there was hope of something a little scarcer....

It was a glorious day today.  The sun was shining, the sky blue, and the wind had dropped.  Wasn't sure where to stroll today so headed along the path towards Penninis from Porthcressa.  Both Redwing and Fieldfare were features today with both species searing overhead in reasonable numbers.  Swallow were pulsing through Porthcressa Bay. Strolling slowly along the track bumping into a few birders along the way, my mind was made up for a trip to St. Agnes, and there were a couple of incentives. An about-turn and just a few metres along the track, a stonking male Ring Ouzel scampered along the path halting our progress - adorning a gorgeous gorget and shimmering wings. A little further just before the allotments, a vocal Yellow-browed Warbler busied itself in the morning sun.  Piling onto a packed boat to St. Agnes proved that the American Buff-bellied Pipit was a popular bird that wasn't too difficult to pin down at the stunning Horse Point.  While assoc...

More ramblings today heading first to Penninis where after a couple of attempts, the Snow Bunting was feeding close to the lighthouse showing really well, and a lovely one too. Bumping into Rob Stonehouse, we heading down toward Porth Hellick checking the airfield for anything that may have dropped in but it was all very quiet.  A lone Wheatear was present along the coastal path near the airfield. Heading down toward the pool, a Lapwing was seen flying north over the downs - a bonus bird as this was my first ever on Scillies in six years.  We also saw it fly during the afternoon. An area of bracken near Camel Rock where the Little Bunting had been frequenting the previous day  popped out briefly onto the path after a short wait, disappearing again into the long grass. A lot of walking and very little of note, missing out on the Barred Warbler above Watermill that inconveniently decided to bunk off for a bit. Back at Porth Hellick, two Jack Snipe were bobbing by Steph...

A trip to Tresco today.  Yesterday had seen a flurry of interesting vagrants onto the island suggesting there was plenty around.  The weather was changeable, blustery with frequent showers.  It didn't feel great out there demonstrated by just how difficult it was to catch up with some hoped for species. Wandering around Abbey Pool, two crossbill flew over calling.  A single snipe was present on the far side of the pool, and the three resident black swan were looking typically ornamental.  Grey heron  numbers had increased to nine by late afternoon on Abbey Pool with two little egret  there. Great spotted woodpecker on the Isles is still a rare commodity so one in the Abbey Gardens was a welcome sighting although I can foresee this being a more frequent occurrence.  Around the Abbey, two firecrest , and three yellow-browed warbler all showed really well at times.  On the great pool, five wigeon , two pochard , three shoveler , three redsha...

To be honest, I was still annoyed this morning. The only way to appease this was to head to Bryher again in the hope that the bird was still there. A couple of hours had passed with no sign at all. I'd ambled off in the hope of finding something else lurking within the vegetation. I could hardly believe it when my phone chimed with the news that the S wainson's thrush  had been seen again. Sprinting back to the location, and a short wait, the diminutive catharus appeared, and showed brilliantly at times as it flitted around the thickets. Such redemption and a huge relief after the calamity of yesterday. A brilliant bird, noticeably smaller than song thrush, with clean pale underparts and that diagnostic eye-ring. It was just wonderful to observe. The day had started on the Garrison where a single flyover redwing was the only sighting of note. Later, a walk around Porthloo beach was brimming with waders with at least 45 sanderling , and two bar-tailed Godwit feeding al...

I don't really know how to describe today other than feeling just 'a little' perplexed by an aberration in my decision making process. The plan was to spend a relaxing day in Tresco after the relentless exertions of autumn Scilly birding of the previous days. This was until a wrench was well and truly thrown into the works when reports started to come through of a Swainson's Thrush on Bryher. Having failed to connect with the one on St. Mary's, perhaps another opportunity had presented itself.   But we had a plan - and that plan was a day-trip to Tresco. No deviations. The conundrum is as follows. Considering the situation objectively, vagrant Swainson's are buggers to connect with.  Catharus can be notoriously evasive, appearing for a few moments, then disappearing into deep cover, frustratingly for long periods. I just wasn't prepared to focus my gaze onto a hedge potentially for hours. My objective and pragmatic approach made sense at the time, I do...

A much more sedate day after the carnage of yesterday which was quite a relief.  It's great seeing rare birds but the associated mad dash and in some cases - the lack of distancing - makes the event less enticing than what would be expected during 'normal' times. Heading first to Penninis where a couple of vocal Crossbill flew over and a couple of Raven drifted by.  This Peregrine put in an appearance while battling a stiff breeze.  A Wheatear was seen near Pulpit Rock. An attempt to connect with the Swainson's Thrush were all in vein as the bird wasn't sighted at all today. An amusing chat with Rob Lambert and Cliff Smith made my morning as we watched a showy Yellow-browed Warbler bounce thorough the willows near Nowhere. A vocal tail-dipping Chiffchaff was present there too. A Small Copper basked in the strong sunlight. We then took a long walk around the island - hugging the coastline and taking in the backdrop.  A couple of Grey Seal were seen close in...