Bonaparte's Gull at Oare marsh for a ninth year

We had three plans for today.....Bird Fair, Honey Buzzards at Swanton Novers or the more local journey to Oare Marsh and the local journey won us over. 

We arrived at 6.15am picking up Barn Owl and Turtle Dove straight away to give the Jims a couple of late year ticks. A Garden Warbler was a surprise tick as I don't think we've seen one before at Oare. Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Lapwing, Avocets, a couple of Dunlin and a single Golden Plover made up the waders on east flood. A Garganey was reported by another birder but looking into the sun we couldn't find it. We walked along the bank but couldn't find the Bonaparte's Gull but did pick out a few Whimbrel and some Curlew along with an Oystercatcher to add to the wader count and a single Med gull too. A walk around the flood delivered a few more of the expected ticks but two Raven calling from the pylons were another first for Oare and then several Corn Buntings were heard and a couple seen for what I think is another first for Oare.

Bonaparte's Gull at Oare (always distant)

As we got back to the hide I picked up the Bonaparte's Gull feeding out on the mud. This bird has been returning to Oare every year since 2013 and I've connected with it every year since 2013 apart from 2019. I've also seen three other Bonaparte's gulls in the UK with one at Abberton in 2019, Eastbourne in 2013 and Crossness in 2012.

On the journey home we stopped at a church that has held Spotted Flycatchers before but this year we weren't so lucky.

Juvenile Green Woodpecker

year list now 225

onwards and upwards!

Turkestan Shrike at Bempton

On 27th June news broke of a Red-tailed Shrike being found at Bempton Cliffs RSPB but it was quickly lost to view after presumably coming in off the sea. On 28th the bird was refound a mile or so from Bempton Cliffs at the local piggery before moving to Wandale farm on 29th June were it appeared to settle. A fee of £10 was negotiated with the farm owner to allow birders access and so the games began with birders from all over the country trying to connect with what I believe is only the eighth record for Britain.

I had wanted to visit Bempton at some point in an attempt to connect with the summering Albatross again so it wasn't too much of a strain when I found myself with a free day on 5th July and let the Jims know of my intentions. They agreed on the plan and we set off at 2am for the 220 mile 4 hour trip up north. The A1 and the M62 night closures made the journey an hour longer so we arrived at 7am. I dropped the Jims at the track to the farm and continued on to the RSPB car park which meant I had to walk about half a mile back to the track. The walk along the track was about a mile I suppose but I caught up with the Jims and paid the £10 to get in. A couple of cars were parked on the grass at the entrance to the farm and another had driven up the drive and parked in the farm where the farmer said he was happy for people with mobility issues to park there for a short visit. I wish I'd known that when I dropped Dad off at the track. A birder that had parked at the farm did offer to drop Dad back at the car park which was nice.

I asked the farmer which charity the money was going to but he said it hadn't been decided yet.

The twitch

Once paid I was on the bird straight away as it sat in a small line of bushes behind the barn and I enjoyed good views for around an hour grabbing a few shots too. The bird has a mark on it's chest which seems to fit with the bird seen in Holland back in May this year and the bird appears to be in moult so could be in the area quite a while.

Turkestan Shrike

Turkestan Shrike

Turkestan Shrike

Turkestan Shrike

After enjoying the bird we walked further up the track towards the cliffs and started our visit proper to Bempton Cliffs RSPB. The Albatross was on the sea close to Flamborough but we failed to see it and it never came in until late evening by which time we were travelling home. The Gannets, Razorbill, Guillemot and Kittiwakes covered the cliffs scattered with good numbers of Puffin and Fulmar. Two Shag were seen for another year tick and there were plenty of Tree Sparrows. Bempton is a firm favourite of ours and it's a real shame its so far from home.

Gannet

Third year Gannet

Jackdaw

Kittiwakes

Puffin

Puffins

Tree Sparrow

A Peregrine was seen and others had a few Manx Shearwaters but I missed them.

Fingers crossed I get to return and see Albert again at some point

On a positive note and god knows we all need one, Bempton at this point seems to have been spared the effects of Bird flu with wardens reporting no evidence of the disease so far.

Year list now 224

Life list now 432

Half year review

Well my time birding may be restricted some this year but I've still managed a half decent six months with 221 year ticks and FIVE life ticks.

The Belted Kingfisher made the life list some five months after its arrival......now that's casual twitching!

Belted Kingfisher at Roach Bridge

Whilst in the area we diverted to add Snow Goose with what I consider my best candidate for a wild bird.

Yeah that white dot is a Snow Goose

American Robin 

The American Robin was a much anticipated bird for me and I enjoyed two visits to see it down in East Sussex only a couple of hours from home.

The Eleonora's Falcon at Worth marsh in Kent

Eleonora's Falcon was on my dipped list after I tried for the Winterton bird without any joy, a twitch I new was destined for failure before I left home but such is the bird I had to try. I had much better luck with the bird that lingered at Worth spending two days watching it.

Lastly I added the Sardinian Warbler.....no pictures of this one from Kent which I spent a few hours with hearing it for much of the time but seeing it in flight only and very briefly. One of my most disappointing and reluctant ticks. Hopefully I'll see the next one a little better.

The first half of 2022 has also given me good views of the Bee Eaters in Norfolk and a couple of local Hoopoes worth mentioning along with the recent Honey Buzzards in Norfolk.

So all things considered a decent return for the limited time available and the life list now reaches 431 

I still have one eye on a day out at Bempton hoping that the Shrike remains for a while longer and that the Albatross might bless me with another sighting this year.

Onwards and upwards

Honey Buzzards back at Swanton Novers

Swanton Novers and Great Ryburgh used to be the places in Norfolk to watch Honey Buzzard but they've been absent for years now probably a decade or more so when four birds were reported at Swanton Novers a couple of days ago and me having a particular passion for HB's I decided if I could get a day out this week it would be at Swanton Novers.

Tuesday was my only window and with little interest from others I was left to go it alone all be it at late notice. I set off early to avoid traffic and to get the most from my time off. I guessed the HB's wouldn't be out and about until mid morning so made a stop at Snettisham to casually twitch and year tick the Great Reed Warbler. This involved a mile walk along the embankment to the kissing gate where the bird could be heard and with a little patience seen low down in the reeds on the side of the river. Along the walk I encountered at least nine Turtle Dove and I'm told the reserve holds eight breeding pairs which is great news. A Kingfisher was watched and the Swifts were really entertaining hunting low along the river. Oh and I'd seen Barn Owl on the journey up remarkably only my second of the year.

A singing Goldfinch

Record shot of the extremely vocal Great Reed Warbler

Swift

The kissing gate.....GRW in the reeds just below the gate and loyal to that spot

On the sea I had lot's of Sandwich and Common Tern. Shelduck moved in large numbers and I picked up a year tick with a single drake Eider. Curlew and Oystercatcher flew by and Avocets were busy out on Ken Hill marsh. 

On the route up my phone had died so I firstly had to find Snettisham without satnav which was straight forward but now I had to do the twenty miles to Swanton Novers by memory which I managed to my relief arriving at 9am. The car park was already full with around thirty birders ready to hoping to enjoy seeing these birds back in Norfolk after such a long period without them at the site. We didn't have to wait long when a male came into view and flew along the tree line before turning and heading towards us. Fantastic! Then the views kept coming with three birds in the air at one time plenty of "wing clapping" display some interaction with a Goshawk lot's of Common Buzzard and a few Red Kites. As things slowed I left early afternoon. 

Honey Buzzard

Honey Buzzard flying over the tree line (views much better through the scope)

Another Honey Buzzard

The view from the car park

The car park and the crowd 

On the way home I stopped firstly at Cranwich heath where I enjoyed my first Tree Pipits of 2022 and then a quick stop at Weeting Heath gave me my first Stone Curlew of the year. My scope came in handy as with only one Stone Curlew on view and that being just a head poking up from the distant gravel the other occupants in the hide had all but given up on seeing one with just binoculars to help them until I arrived with scope in hand. I couldn't find any Spotted Flycatchers although they have been reported by others this year.

I made the journey home without drama and without my phone.

An expensive solo run which I'll probably end up doing again in some fashion to help the Jims get on some of the these birds for year ticks but it was without doubt the most productive HB watching I've experienced, not the closest I've had but the most in terms of volume of sightings and by far the most display I've ever witnessed. Welcome back!

Year list now 221

Now how do I get the time and money to get to Bempton for that Shrike with the red tail?

Garden birding

I've spent quite a bit of time at home of late apart from the odd release day for Eleonora's Falcon and the Bee-eaters and a short trip for the Hoopoe in Herts but the garden has been busy and given me a small birding fix during the many home days. The nest box I put up for the Blue Tits was used and they have fledged but as yet no second brood. The Robins lost their single fledgling on day one but have now fledged another two birds which are doing well. The Sparrows continue to use the nest box provided and numbers in the garden are up above forty already. Starlings visit with their young as do Collared Dove and Woodpigeon. The Magpies in next doors tree have raised two young and defend my garden against the local Crows. The local Jackdaws are visiting with their young on occasion too but provoke a similar reaction from the Magpies so don't stay long. The Dunnocks have fledged this week and I've had young Great Tits, and Greater-spotted Woodpecker too. This week alone I've had three Buzzard, a Red Kite and a very large female Sparrowhawk over along with the daily Swifts and Gulls with both Herring and Lesser-black backed seen daily with the Black-headed gulls. Heron and Geese fly over most mornings and the Parakeets visit at both ends of the day for a few nuts and some apple. The Toadflax I planted is being used by the local bees and now has what I think is Toadflax Brocade caterpillars all over it. Butterflies continue to use the flowers provided and the pond holds lot's of Newt.  

So you can see I'm still getting a fix on most days even if days out are still limited a bit.

Juvenile Dunnock

One of the two second brood juvenile Robins

Blackbird

The fact she's out and feeding again would suggest the young are close to fledging

Juvenile Greater - spotted Woodpecker

The Foxes still visit daily but still no young seen

Hoopoe at Hinxworth

The Jims still needed Hoopoe for a year tick, Rob had never seen one in the UK and whilst I'd seen the Duxford bird earlier this year I never turn down the chance of seeing Hoopoes so we set off  mid morning yesterday for the 45 minute drive up the A1 to Hinxworth in Hertfordshire.  We parked outside the church made a donation and then made the short walk down the track to the last paddock where the Hoopoe was on show.  Whilst the bird was active it remained distant and was quite mobile taking short breaks to sit in the trees before returning to feed but it would select a different field after each rest which made it all the more entertaining. We spent around three hours watching it before heading home satisfied with the views but a little disappointed it never came close enough for my little 400mm lens but it didn't stop me grabbing the below record shots.

NB: Whilst the church are very happy and accommodating the people mucking out the horses are less happy with their audience.

Trimingham Bee-eaters

I, like most people that call themselves birders love to see Bee-eaters so when news broke of Norfolks first breeding attempt I planned a visit thinking we'd let the crowds die down a bit and go midweek but on arrival yesterday it was still busy with well over a hundred people at any one time. The volunteers are doing a great job organising viewing and monitoring the birds. We paid our £5 entry and walked the few yards to the viewing area to find six birds sitting on the wires. The birds displayed and were seen to mate on several occasions. I'm told there's at least eight birds and the monitors believe they now have three nest holes but one may be double chambered as we watched three birds enter the same hole. Butterflies were on the menu with the bees and a couple of dragon flies were taken. All in all a fabulous morning watching these birds do their thing. These are my third UK breeding Bee-eaters after Nottingham and the Isle of Wight. I hope they do well but seeing Sparrowhawk bother them was a bit concerning and one bird already has a large gap in the wing after being grabbed by the Sprawk. I'm told the volunteers are also worried about the local Foxes but let's hope the birds do indeed manage to fledge some young here.

some of the birders

The Quarry

Looking back from the car park

The nest hole with a Bee-eater exiting (bottom right honest)

As a birder it was a great experience watching their aerobatics and hearing all the calling and I may well return for a bit more if they're successful 

Year list now 216