randombirder

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. ...

It's a long drive to Norfolk.  A long way to the North Norfolk coast from here.  It took a massive three and a half hours and with daylight now a precious commodity, time was at a premium. The first stop, Sheringham, for the eclipse drake King Eider seen distantly, drifting slowly west, on a calm sea.  Sheringham is a lovely place. Then onto Salthouse, where the 'eastern' Stonechat of Eastern Russian descent was seen, again distantly, extremely twitchy, flighty, and at times atypically elusive. The constrasting pale underparts and dark under-wing coverts were fortuitously captured, the possibility of  Saxicola stejnegeri. A quick trip to the Coastguards at Cley produced a single Little Auk flying west but the sea was generally quiet.  I headed back to Salthouse. The sun was brilliant, the south-west breeze keen, the expanse of a blue Norfolk sky stretched out over the sea, folding back onto the horizon.  It is a fabulo...

More of the same.  There was one at Easington.  I was there last week.  Then one turned up in Norfolk.  At Burnham Overy.  So I went.  I saw it.  It was lovely.  An Isabelline Wheatear .  Only the third for Norfolk I'm told.  A rare bird indeed. I also saw a Pallas's Warbler (4th).  My third of the autumn.  Brief though.  There was also a Shorelark .  Looked like a young bird.  Not as gaudy as the adults.  Quite a scaly mantle. Two Northern Wheatear also present. A few conversations had.  A thoroughly satisfying afternoon.   

It was ultimately a lacklustre weekend at Titchwell RSPB, an assessment made purely on the lack of returning migrants, and the absence of any autumn rares.  The trip was more in anticipation of what is to come over arguably the most exciting period for a UK based birder. The chance of an encounter of a rare vagrant, a UK mega, forcing local birders away their patches for a week or two for the outer isles where birding bounties lay in wait. It is always a joy being in this part of the world but alas, my arrival was inevitably a little premature.  The freshmarsh is always a hive of activity regardless of the seasons.  The sea however drew most of the interest with a bracing northerly blow that was forcing seabirds reasonably close to shore.  I however opted spend most of the time in the relative shelter of the reserve. It ended up being quite a lethargic couple of days, content with just mooching around, sitting in hides, and convivially bidding everyone a good day...

A trip to Strumpshaw Fen RSPB for Swallowtail Butterfly.  What a treat and so very lucky to have happened across newly emerged specimens and such a beautiful thing too.  Today was the first day of real warmth for a while, so the butterflies were just enjoying basking in the summer sunshine. There were at least seven Painted Lady on site today. Plenty of wonderful Odanata and inverts too.  At least three Hairy Dragonfly were seen and half a dozen of these Scarce Chasers . Then this brute parked up on the path - an emergent Black-tailed Skimmer taking in the warmth of the sun. There were some interesting insects too like these  Cinnamon Bug and Shield Bug . An immigrant Silver Y was enjoying the sunshine too. Damselflies seen today were the Large Red , Common Blue , and this Blue-Tailed . The were plenty of Marsh Harrier on site with reportedly ten breeding pairs.  A Hobby s...