randombirder

I've had a few new misses with alpine swift over the years that can be notoriously difficult to catch up with, often only remaining on location for short periods before hurtling off to their next destination.  This year has seen an unprecedented influx across the UK and Ireland with a few individuals remaining in specific locations for a few days.  New Hythe Gravel Pits was one such site, however nothing is guaranteed once these birds have departed their roost sites. Predictably on arrival, this individual had departed and was not seen for the first hour or so of the morning but it soon returned (to my surprise) and continued to show overhead for the rest of the morning. A brilliant sight seeing this continental aerobat continually make passes over the pits.

Following on from a trip to the Oued Souss region last October, this time it was the Atlas Mountains and the Tagdilt Track - a path well trodden within the birding community. The sites were relatively easy to find, the birds however less so and time was tight. After a smooth and punctual flight from Gatwick on easyJet, and a night spent in a riad close to the airport, the next day was a short walk to the airport and the hire-car pick up for the first stop at Oukaimeden in the Atlas Mountains. Oukaimeden swarmed with local visitors revelling in the residual snow that had largely disappeared but was sufficient enough for sledging and skiing at the higher levels. Feeling a bit disoriented, the landscape was vast and mountainous. Red-billed chough and alpine chough swirled around at height in impressive numbers. Pushing through the throng while evading the hawkers, the crimson-winged finch foraged around the market stalls on scraps, largely remnants of nuts spilled off the wooden trelli...

Not too far from the place of a forgettable year at uni, these two waxwing delighted the crowds predictably in a residential street in the village of Cranfield. On a lovely crisp winter morning, these gems radiated warmth in the low winter sun.