Couple of bits to add.  last night (Wednesday), there was a flock of about 300 gulls roosting on the lake at Whitemoor Haye.  I have never seen so many gulls roost here.  I will be keeping an eye out to see what gulls are roosting there now.

Two TV birds to note.  Pheasant on Emmerdale and a Curlew on All Creatures Great and Small.

I have been on call the last few days so many places were out of bounds, including the Brown Shrike down the smoke, and the Eastern Crowned Warbler up north.  I was planning to go there next weekend however, it was not seen at all yesterday (Sunday).  Might go for the shrike then. 

I had a lazy weekend on the whole.  Got a few jobs done, watched the odd sport and dodged the odd shower.  I kept my bins and scope in hiding Saturday.  Was up early on Sunday, 4am BST, 5am GMT, managed another hour then I got up.  Off to Croxall for sunrise and birds noted were Dunnock, Teal, Mallard, moorhen, Carrion Crow, Robin, Wood Pigeon, Black-headed Gull, Magpie, Great-crested Grebe, Wigeon, Cormorant, Pheasant, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Lapwing, Curlew 3 in the right hand field under the railway, Blackbird, Wren, Grey Heron, Canada Geese, Chaffinch, Coot, Starling, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Rook, Stonechat, Collared Dove, Blue Tit, Linnet and Long-tailed Tit.  I counted a total of 97 Cormorants on the lake.  There could have been more as they were diving and feding but this was the highest number I counted.

 

 

I arrived here just as it started to drizzle.  I carried on and walked around the rough square before visiting the lake.  Birds noted were Starling, carrion Crow, Tree Sparrow, Black-headed Gull, Lapwing, Linnet, Skylark, Dunnock, Pheasant, Robin, Cormorant another 39 birds were seen flying over in the direction of Croxall, Wren, Buzzard, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Golden Plover a single bird was with a flock of Lapwing and a flock of nine birds flew overhead, Fieldfare a group of about 30 birds was on the field near the pig pens, Redwing 2 birds were in with the Fieldfares, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, and Long-tailed Tit.  A short drive to the pool and birds seen were Tufted Duck 6, Goldeneye 2, Pochard 17, Mallard 9, Teal 14, Shoveler 2 and several Jackdaw over.

 

 

 

It just gets better.  A (or should I now say 3) Glossy Ibis(s), have been staying in the area.  Yesterday I read one flew off the pits and headed north.  A bit later and one was seen over Willington pits in Derbyshire.  That was it.  That was untill about 10.30 when another was seen on the pits, and this was a different bird, the third this week.  I grabbed my gear and was there a little later.  I did not do a bird watch as such but the Glossy Ibis gave me the run around for at least an hour before I saw it, and then it flew off.  After relocating it, I took a few photos before coming away.  A year tick and a Staffs tick.  Sound as a pound.

Whilst I was in Norfolk, news came through of a Black-throated Diver at Chasewater.  That would be a Staffs tick if it stayed.  Well, Friday came, I drove home, then straight out to Chasewater.  I quick look produced Mallard, Canada Geese, Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Black-headed Gull, Grey Heron, Coot, Lapwing, Cormorant, Great-crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Black-throated Diver and two female Common Scoter.  Not feeling brilliant and a lot to do, I headed home. 

 

A walk all of the way around the pines and I found Wood Pigeon, Pink-footed Geese, Skylark, Robin, Moorhen, Chaffinch, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Mallard, Little Grebe, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Wigeon, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redwing, Brent Geese, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Meadow Pipit, Herring Gull, Great Tit, Magpie and Curlew.

 

 

This is a small bay in the sea by Wells-next-the-Sea.  Because its calmer, birds shelter here and anything can turn up.  I found Common Scoter 53, Cormorant, Oystercatcher, Great-crested Grebe, Eider, Great Black-backed Gull, Sanderling, Black-headed Gull, Brent Geese, Lapwing, Redwing, Gannet, Turnstone, Red-throated Diver in almost full summer plumage, my first, Teal, Kittiwake, Red-breasted Merganser, Shelduck, Marsh Harrier way out at sea, and 3 Treecreepers found on some trees on the way back to the car.

 

 

High tide and Snettisham go together like bacon and eggs.  I spent the couple of hours up to high tide walking along the embankm,ent at Snettisham.  Birds noted were Dunnock, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Starling, Brent Geese, Greylag Geese, Pheasant, Egyptian Geese, Mallard, Wren,. Canada Geese, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Moorhen, Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Grebe, Barnacle Geese, Dunlin, Knot, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Black-backed Gull, Chaffinch, Linnet, Cormorant, Little Egret, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Teal, Great Black-backed Gull, Spotted Redshank, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Kestrel, Pintail, Red-legged Partridge, Coot and Magpie.  A good haul from this site.    

 

 

This site is good for Fulmars so a quick visit produced Great-crested Grebe, Red-throated Diver, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Scoter, Mallard, Starling, Pied Wagtail and Great Black-backed Gull. 

 

 

Light was starting to fade so I popped in to have a quick look for future reference rather than a good look.  Whilst I was here I noted Wood Pigeon, Black-headed Gull, Robin, Wren, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Herring Gull, Pink-footed Geese, Starling, Little Egret, Cetti's Warbler, Dunnock, Water Rail, Redshank, and Curlew.

 

 

I arrived about 09.30 after breakfast, but I forgot you cannot get on to the reserve till 10.  Strange.  Birds noted were Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Pheasant, Wood Pigeon, Great Tit, Teal, Shoveler, Greylag Geese, Wren, Canada Geese, Black-headed Gull, Skylark, Kestrel, and Herring Gull all seen from the car park.  Onto the reserve and I added Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Coot, Jackdaw, Cormorant, Gadwall, Redshank, Wigeon, Dunlin, Snipe, Shelduck, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Mallard, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Brent Geese, Ruff, Wren, Pink-footed Geese, Bearded Tit, Grey Heron, Water Rail, Peregrine, Robin, Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tit, Egyptian Geese, Magpie, Little Egret, Stonechat, Blue Tit, Kingfisher, Great Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Gannet, Red-throated Diver, Guillemot, Hen Harrier, Little Gull, Common Scoter, Black-throated Diver, Razorbill, Starling, Golden Plover, Dunnock, Sparrowhawk and Collared Dove.

 

 

I decide to head back here and there was not as many birders and they were behaving better.  A walk around the perimeter and there was no chance of finding the bird without flushing it.  But is that an excuse to upset birds whilst they are busy feeding?  An argument that will go on and on.  Anyway I did see Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Great Black-backed Gull, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Robin, Fieldfare, Dunnock, Wren, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Kittiwake, Red-throated Diver, Razorbill, Rock Pipit, Little Gull, Gannet and Linnet. 

 

 

A visit in hope rather than expectation of either Snow Buntings or Lapland Buntings.  Neither materialised but I did note Pied Wagtail, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Wigeon, Canada Geese, Snow Goose escaped, Egyptian Geese, Red-legged Partridge, Greylag Geese, Great Black-backed Gull, Shelduck, Little Gull, Common Scoter, Kittiwake, Rook, Redshank, Pink-footed Geese, Little Egret, Mallard, Wren, Meadow Pipit, Red-throated Diver and Brent Geese.  

 

A pre-brakfast birdwatch and I noted Redshank, Pink-footed Goose, Wood Pigeon, Black-headed Gull, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Herring Gull, lapwing, Rock Pipit, Cormorant, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Jay, Dunnock, Bar-tailed Godwit and Moorhen.

 

 

This has to be one of the best places to bird watch.  It is so varied in its landscape that is attracts so many birds.  Sea, marsh scrapes, pools, reeds, grass, wood.  You cannot get much more diverse that that.  On to the birds and I saw Robin, Wood Pigeon, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Skylark, Herring Gull, Coot, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Cetti's Warbler, Shoveler, Teal, Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Lapwing, Grey Plover, Meadow Pipit, Starling, carrion Crow, Redshank, Pink-footed Geese, Little Grebe, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Grey Heron, Brent Geese, Bar-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Knot, Razorbill, Arctic Skua, Turnstone, Gannet, Cormorant, Eider, Scaup, Kittiwake, Sparrowhawk, Pheasant, pomarine Skua, Common Scoter, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Moorhen, Great Tit, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Dunlin, Ruff, Avocet, Wigeon, Linnet, Golden Plover, Pied Wagtail, kestrel, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Diver, Marsh Harrier, Great Black-backed Gull, Reed Bunting a single bird and the only one on the whole trip!!!!!, Magpie, and Collared Dove. Not bad.

 

 

A strange place to bird but it can be very good.  A Rose-coloured Starling was present the day before so I went to have a look.  There was quite a few folk all ready up there, including a well known, scruffy year lister, not Mr Yapp.  Birds noted were Pied Wagtail, Starling, Chaffinch, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Collared Dove, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Buzzard, Ruff, Pink-footed Geese, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet and Robin.  The Starling flock was huge with easily upto half a million birds.  Huge flocks kept coming in joing the thousands.  It was ace.  There was also 40 Ruff feeding on the ploughed field.  The Rose-coloured Starling was seen at Titchwell that night before disappearing. 

 

 

Close to dusk so I had ab=nother look here.  Birds noted were Kestrel, Pink-footed Geese, Pheasant, Redshank, Herring Gull, Curlew, Little Egret, Robin, Lapwing, Carrion Crow, Black-headed Gull, Meadow Pipit, Marsh Harrier, Wood Pigeon, Wren, Linnet, Barn Owl, Brent Geese, Mallard, Cormorant, Starling, Great Black-backed Gull, Dunnock, Blackbird and Shelduck.

 

I am back after having a few days in North Norfolk.  The weather was good in one respect (me never getting wet), but not so good in another (not many mega birds around).  I went to loads of places, saw loads of birds, and added loads to my year list........ oh and life list too.  I will be as brief as possible at each site.  Most sites were next to the sea so they include some sea watching, hence Gannets and stuff seen in a field. 

 

 

An early start from Alrewas saw me at the triangle for 8 ish.  This is the best place in the country to see Golden Pheasant so I thought I had better try there.  I cruised the triangle for about an hour but failed to see one of these birds.  Birds noted were Blackbird, Jay, Coal Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, and Wood Pigeon.

 

 

I was going to spend quite a while here, just walking around.  I started noting Coal Tit, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Chaffinch, Green Woodpecker, Great Tit, Wren, Herring Gull, Robin, and Jay, when the pager went off mentioning a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Wells Wood nr Wells-next-the-Sea.  I had to go.

 

 

The bird was showing around an area called 'The Dell'.  It is only a short walk and birds noted on the way were Pink-footed Geese, Little Grebe, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Chiffchaff, Wren, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, and loads of Jays.  I walked around the general area for some time but there was no sign of this bird or any birdwatchers.  Strange.  Birders came and went loking for the thing but no success.  I walked back towards the car, turned right onto a gravel path, walked down a while and spotted a group of birders.  Joining them, they said the bird has been showing so I waited.  Not for long though, as the RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER perched onto a branch.  A cracking little bird.  Too far for a phoograph though.  It flew off but then showed a little closer on another branch.  A little scurry around the floor then it dissapeared.  What a start to the holiday.  I had a small detour back to the car, Via the beach, and added Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Curlew and Meadow Pipit.

 

 

A Short-toed Lark had been reported in West Runton which was in between Sheringham and Cromer.  My luck was in so I headed for their.  I came across the field where the bird was seen and it was a mass of, what I thought were metal detectors but were in fact birders.  They were flushing the bird to get views.  I did not stop.  New bird or not, I don't like doing that kind of stuff. 

 

 

It was mid-afternoon by now and I had ate or drank nothing so a bag of chips and some juice was bought in Sheringham, and on looking at my bird book, there was a nice shelter to do a bit of sea-watching.  Ideal.  There was another bloke up there and I ate and drank whilst watching out to sea.  Birds seen were Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Razorbill 2, Great Black-backed Gull, Cormorant, Wigeon circa 50, Ringed Plover 2, Mallard, Gannet 5, Red-throated Diver 1, Turnstone,  and House Sparrow in the hedges.

 

 

I was staying in Warham during my visit so I spent the last bits of the sun at Warham Green.  This is a well known raptor roost, but proberbly more winter time than autumn time.  Even so, I thought I would check it out.  This area is also known for the whirly-gig (a circular path with a spinning thing in the middle used to aid unmanned planes take off during the war, according to an associate of mine)  and I saw a Wryneck here a couple of years ago.  Birds noted were Curlew, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon, Meadow Pipit, Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Pheasant, Starling,. Red-legged Partridge, Brent Geese, Grey Heron, Pied Wagtail, Linnet,Kestrel, Skylark, Pink-footed Geese, Marsh Harrier, Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gull, Oystercatcher, Grey Partridge, Wren, Blackbird and Goldfinch.       

 

 

There will be no more updates untill a week on Tuesday as I am off to Norfolk for a few days.  When I come back, I then have two fishing matches over next weekend.  See you later.

A tad tired after a hard day but I decided to go and have a look over the pool.  Not much about but I did note Canada Geese 120, Magpie 4, Lesser Black-backed Gull 1, Carrion Crow 3, Snipe 1, Tufted Duck 1, Wood Pigeon 5, Black-headed Gull loads around the gravel works, Lapwing 2, Chaffinch 1, Grey Wagtail 2, Stock Dove 2, Linnet 5, Wren 1.

 

 

A bit of spare light so I couldn't resist a quick visit.  I had the dog with me so I was stuck with the main pool and hide.  Before I get complaints about my complaining of dog walkers, my dog is trained and walks to heal, not run around and jumping into the lake.   There was not much around but it was better than watching Holyoaks - just!!!  Birds noted were Wren, Snipe 5 flew over the car park, Mallard, Coot, Long-tailed Tit, Great-crested Grebe, Goldfinch, Robin, Stock Dove, Black-headed Gull, Chaffinch, Canada Geese, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Dunnock, Tufted Duck, Teal, Moorhen, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Jackdaw, Great Tit and 4 Mistle Thrushes overhead.  Back home for tea and Emmerdale!!!!!!

 

Fact time.

 

 

Today I managed to multi task.  An early start at work has led to an early finish and so the multi tasking has begun.  First of all the dog needed walking, I also needed to collect a load of sloe berries for the annual sloe gin.  I also fancied a bit of birding and Branston gravel pit provided all three.  A couple of hours of birding and berry collecting got me the following :- Wren, Buzzard 2, Black-headed Gull, Jackdaw, Great Tit, Kestrel 1, carrion Crow, Magpie, House Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Skylark, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Pheasant and Blackbird all seen walking to the gravel pits.  Once there I added Greenshank 1, Tufted Duck 100+, Coot 50+, Little Grebe 40+, Mute Swan 14, Wigeon 50+, Gadwall c15, Mallard c50, Snipe 15, Lapwing 200+, Canada Geese, Teal c25, Shoveler 30+, Grey Partridges 6, Little Egret 5, Pochard 1, Jay 2, Chaffinch, Goldeneye 1, Great-crested Grebe 3, Long-tailed Tit, Curlew 7, Cormorant 1, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Moorhen, Lesser Black-backed Gull 5 on the sandy pit with several more flying in whilst I was leaving the site, Grey Heron 1, Pied Wagtail, Green Sandpiper 4, Collared Dove, Green Woodpecker 1, Starling, Herring Gull 3, and Goldfinch.  A very enjoyable visit, one exercised dog, and enough sloe berries to make two litres of sloe gin.  Lovely. 

I had a few more jobs to get on with today but I did get out in the morning and had a walk around this reserve.  Fortunately no dog walkers were present so a good time was had Birds noted were Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Blue Tit,and Chaffinch from the car park.  Moorhen, Great-crested Grebe, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Mallard, Teal, Robin, Grey Heron, and Skylark upto the main hide.  From the hide I noted Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Coot, Lapwing, and several Snipe.  Through to the east side and I added Starling, Meadow Pipit, Rook, Jackdaw, Greenfinch, Redpoll, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Buzzard and Carrion Crow.  Back to the car and I added Reed Bunting and Pochard on the main lake.

 

 

I decided to have a walk around the rough track before having a look over the lake.  Birds seen around the aquare walk were Skylark, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Wren, Great Tit, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Robin and Grey Heron.  Over to the lake and I only added Mute Swan and Tufted Duck.  Quite quiet really.

No birding today as been busy but I have just come back from town with an interesting book called Birds, 1000 Facts.  And guess what?  I will share some with you every now and again.  This site has now become an education.  Here is your first of many.

So there you go, and remember, you heard it first here.