Just a few more year ticks

So having survived three crazy busy days at work I again find myself with time to bird.

Saturday:

Kittiwake

First stop Oare Marsh where we dipped both Dowitcher and Green-winged Teal but I did find a Ruff and Yellowhammer to add a couple of ticks before a Kingfisher flew by a couple of times to add tick three for the weekend.
With the tide well out and all the waders miles away in really gloomy light we moved on to Dunge.
We visited the reserve first adding Tree Sparrow, Long-eared Owl and Iceland Gull for our trouble before turning back up the track towards ARC pit. From Hanson Hide we had good scope views of a Black-throated Diver but couldn't locate the reported Slav. Grebe.
A Great-White Egret was seen here for another year tick and a Kingfisher flashed by too.
On the drive down to the power station we stopped to find the Caspian Gull by the fishing boats and then managed to find the Glaucous Gull down by the patch hide. Whilst here we enjoyed good views of Gannet and Kittiwakes to add another couple of numbers to the year list.

Glauc at Dunge

Caspo at Dunge

A quick drive along the track at Elmley delivered little but an hour or so at the Capel Fleet watchpoint delivered loads of Marsh Harriers, a male and two ring-tail Hen Harriers, a Merlin, Peregrine and Barn Owl. A couple of dozen Corn Buntings gave another tick before we decided it was getting too wet and too cold to continue.

Year list now 126

Sunday:

Hazlewood Common for four hours and I managed all three Redpolls. That's Lesser Redpoll, Mealy Redpoll and Couse's Arctic Redpoll all in the same view.
Getting images proved difficult but with patience opportunities came although the Lessers proved much more photogenic.

The Arctic watching me watching him.

Lesser Redpoll

Lesser!

Less is more!

On the way home I stopped at Hollesley Common and on arrival found a small scattering of birders with just a single guy under the trees by the puddle and after discussion he admitted to having been there six hours without a sniff. I walked off for a search and found lot's of Coal Tit, a single Marsh Tit and Dartford Warbler. A Sparrowhawk flew over as did a couple of Marsh Harrier. As I arrived back at the puddle the gentleman that had waited all day had departed and four other birders had taken up residence and immediately I heard the distinct calling of the Parrot Crossbills only to find out they'd been watching them as I walked down the track. I managed to get eyes on them as they flew over and landed atop the pines behind us to give a great year tick but my thoughts were for that poor soul that gave up most of his day and still missed them.

Year list now 133