randombirder

Visits to Broom have been infrequent over the last month or so, heading over when I can to catch-up with any remnants of inland wader movement.  It has generally been an inauspicious migration period with the odd encounter with a migrant or two. A visit on the 17th of August was pretty decent recording an adult Ringed Plover present on GLE along with the remaining two Ruff , three Common Sandpiper , three Little Ringed Plover , and eight Snipe .  A Little Egret , two Pochard , nine Egyptian Goose , and three newly arrived juvenile Common Gull were also present. There was very little change on the 23rd with three Common Sandpiper , two Little Ringed Plover , and a single Snipe making up the wader count.  Three Little Egret were now present with a Common Gull , a Yellow Wagtail on the foreshore, and the first Wigeon of the autumn. It was a while before the next visit on the 13th September that ended up being quite productive.  A hunting juvenile Hobby was the highlig...

A really fun and productive day in Norfolk which made a really pleasant change from the humdrum of the previous few weeks.   My second Brown Shrike was a lovely sight that showed really well along the northside of the coastal path hedge east of Wells at Warham Greens.  Also in the area were a Whinchat and a  Common Redstart . There were plenty of interesting things to see within the area and particularly in Wells Wood where we spent a decent amount of time walking through and around the woodland. This Pied Flycatcher was one of many migrant species to be found within the woodland.   One of the day's highlights was a Red-breasted Flycatcher that on occasion showed really well.  It was a case of being in the right place so watching it flit around the woodland was a really fantastic sight. The woodland also held a  Tree Pipit  that creeped around the understory reminiscent of Olive-backed Pipit that I'd seen there on a couple of occasions. Alo...

A trip to the north-east to see the brilliant Maximo Park live at Gosforth Park stopping off briefly at St. Mary's Island.  A few scenes here as a large group of Golden Plover were pushed into shore by the tide.

The final day - or half a day - was spent at Culver Down, another wonderful chalk down south-east of the island.  There were a fair few migrants around here too with, at least five Spotted Flycatcher , five Redstart , a flyover Tree Pipit , a single Yellow Wagtail , three Wheatear , Raven , three Skylark , and a late Swift .

A fabulous day walking from Tennyson Down across to West High Down toward The Needles.  The weather was dreamy, glorious sunshine, light winds, absolutely stunning. A bumper half an hour observing an area of gorse and a few scattered trees revealed a Pied Flycatcher , Spotted Flycatcher , two Whinchat , and a single Redstart .  A real surprise was a juvenile Dartford Warbler . Four Yellow Wagtail and five Wheatear were seen along the fenceline further towards the point. Back at St. Lawrence, the Redstart was still present as were four Wheatear and four Yellow Wagtail .