September 2nd - back to Landguard..again

Having jobs to do in the morning I managed to miss the Spanish Sparrow as it left its roost but headed over later in the morning. I searched the caravan park and Manor Road for over an hour and only really found a couple of descent sized Sparrow flocks, non of which held the male Spanish Sparrow. With only a handful of people looking I felt my best bet was to come back in the evening and try and see if I could find it before it went to roost.
I was just leaving my house at 5:15pm as I got a message to say the Spanish Sparrow was showing near its roost site, bugger. I was on site within 15 minutes but the bird had already crossed the road and flown in to bushes within the dock complex. A keen eyed birder soon found it roosting within the buddlea and I was able to see the bird as it shuffled around a preened, I hope to get back on another evening a bit earlier and catch it in the open before it dives of to roost.

Saturday 1st September

This morning was spent at Languard with the boys in the vain hope that the early morning drizzle may drop something in, after all this day last year saw an Arctic Warbler discovered on similar conditions! In reality birding was slow with the sea producing much of the action, the first few Wigeon headed south along with Teal and a few waders, whilst a distant skua sp headed north. A few Yellow Wagtails passed overhead but in general the land was devoid of migrants. On the common a Wheatear with a white tipped tail provided a bit of interest, but still proved just to be a Northern Wheatear. We headed south towards the customs house area and studied each sparrow intently but no Spanish.

Having just finished my evening meal the message of the re found Spanish Sparrow had me heading back to Landguard. The flock however seemed to settled for the night and their Spanish cousin failed to show itself in the fading light.

Sewatch 30th August

With the wind swinging from the South to the North late in the day I headed over to Thopeness for an evening sea watch. The wind was a moderate to strong northwest, with the last of the persistent rain clearing just before I arrived. Almost the first birds I looked at were a flock of 8 Lon-tailed Skuas heading south, with their small tern like jizz and playful shearing flight making them obvious. Several hundred terns were also heading south in mixed flocks, in total some 4000+ birds passed by with at least 8 Arctic and 4 Black terns identified. 3 Arctic Skuas also passed by with a further flock of 4 Long-tailed Skuas added soon after having also been seen at Sizewell. 5 swifts, 2 Ruff and 4 Fulmar were the best supporting birds. The Skua passage ended about an hour after I arrived but the tern flocks kept coming right up until I left at 7.30pm.

Tinkers Marsh 11th August

Havergate 29th July

2nd July, a long awaited Minsmere tick

After a missing a couple in recent years I finally added Red-necked Phalarope to my Minsmere list, number 269.

The Spoonbills also showed slightly better on the Levels.

Sunshine and cream, just need the Strawberries

I couldn't take it any more, message after message of an adult Cream-coloured Courser showing well slowly eat in to me. So I gave in and headed west. After a 4hour drive we opened the car door to be taken of our feet by a wall of heat. Bugger me it was hot!! A short walk and we were soon watching a bird I can now remove from my bucket list Cream coloured Courser, I can now die a happier man. The surroundings were amazing with views of several miles around us and with larks singing and a heat haze it was like being whisked away to another country. The Courser showed fantastically well even if the heat haze did spoil views ever so slightly. The head pattern was amazing as was the jizz of the bird, if it had stood any more upright I think it would have fallen over backwards, it even sported some Nora Batty style wrinkly knees.

The view from Bradnor Hill

The cream of the Crop?