29th January: Slimbridge, Glos:
A trip between 11:30 and 4:00 today was my first British birding outing of the year. On the approach road, many gulls and waders were feeding and over ten Ruff were noted with good numbers of Curlew, Lapwing and Dunlin. Within minutes of arriving at the Zeiss Hide, a Bittern showed well on and off for twenty minutes as it moved through the reeds. A large flock of Wigeon and assorted dabbling ducks were noted and a Cetti`s Warbler called unseen. At the South Finger Hides, it was great to find the Eurasian White-fronted Goose flock feeding very close by, enabling the juvenile Tundra Bean Goose to be found, photographed and enjoyed at close quarters. On the return journey, the Bittern gave stunning views, crashing through vegetation. On the Tack Piece I noted a number of wintering Bewick's Swan, a flock of Golden Plover and assorted other waders and waterfowl. Hours in the Holden Tower proved frustrating but ultimately rewarding as, in addition to Ravens feeding on sheep-kill, I eventually located a single Little Stint amongst a vast flock of Dunlin. A total of 44 species to start the year.
18th February: Slimbridge, Glos:
A generally disappointing four hours at Slimbridge in deteriorating conditions. At the Holden Tower, we obtained good views of a single Pink-footed Goose with the four-hundred strong White-fronted Goose flock. A single Tundra Bean Goose was also present still. Huge numbers of waders were an impressive sight; the highlights included a close Little Stint found by warden Martin McGill, a Spotted Redshank and at least twelve Ruff.. After wrongly identifying a duck on South Lake, I was pleased to locate a genuine female Scaup from the Zeiss Hide. Two continental Greylag Geese, a wild pair of birds that return each winter, showed close-by. A long vigil in the South Finger hide failed to produce any Kingfisher.
27th February: Botley, Oxford:
After closely following news, I took the bus to Botley this morning in poor conditions. After half an hour`s circuit of a small area, I suddenly ran right into the Waxwing sitting in the top of a tree on its own, presumably having gorged itself on nearby rowan berries. My first in exactly two years, it gave excellent views for half an hour and was typically.
11th March: Slimbridge, Glos:
An extremely successful day`s birding today as happened last time I returned from Oxford. Reaching the Trust at 11am, I failed to locate a Ring-necked Duck at the Robbie Garnett Hide but immediately found a classic sub-adult Yellow-legged Gull displaying all of the key features of this elegant species. I also noted my first Chiffchaff of the year here. At the Holden Tower the tide was out, so it was amazingly good fortune to find the striking, ghostly white Glaucous Gull feeding on a sheep carcass. My first proper sighting, this was a king amongst gulls, fiercely defending its meal from any competitors. Minutes later this was compounded by excellent views of the Temminck's Stint: only my second and a first for the UK, this species virtually never spends the winter in Britain and so in all ways was an excellent bird to get. I headed straight off to the South Finger and immediately connected with a Kingfisher as it preened itself adjacent to its nest hole. With bags of time to spare, I returned via some quiet hides to the Robbie Garnett where the female Ring-necked Duck performed excellently. Feeling that luck was definitely with me, I had another shot at the Holden Tower where the twice-missed Great Skua was pointed out to me as an amorphous but nonetheless-recognizable blob, out on the sands.
12th March: Berkeley Power Station, Glos:
Here amid a large finch flock I soon located my target species - Tree Sparrow. Up to four of these birds were seen well, in what has become a good area for them.
16th March: Forest of Dean, Glos:
A good morning’s birding in the forest in excellent weather. Arriving at Parkend Church at 9:00, I picked up Stock Dove overhead before quickly getting onto a Hawfinch as it called from an obvious tree top. We enjoyed ample views for half a minute against the light before the bird flew. A long walk through RSPB Nagshead provided many Nuthatch and Goldcrest, but the Cannop Ponds were graced with a pair of displaying Goosander and at least four Mandarin. Moving on to a clearfell area, we teamed up with another birder who, in twenty minutes, had located a stunning Great Grey Shrike as it fed on a freshly caught lizard, giving spectacular views as it moved between open perches. Only my second in the UK, first since 2003, and a brilliant Forest tick. We returned via Nagshead where I was lucky to get onto a smart male Goshawk as it soared directly overhead. Moving onto Brierley, we located a Marsh Tit but only glimpsed it in flight. At New Fancy View, some sharp long-distance work resulted in a mixed flock of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll which provided a good end to the day.
18th March: Frampton-on-Severn, Glos:
In a bizarre combination of sleet and sunshine, I was happy to locate two elegant Little Gulls, one a rosy second-summer bird, as they fed over Frampton Court Lake. On the flashes north of Splatt Bridge were eight Little Egret and a county tick - a female Marsh Harrier - flew south along the canal, and my first Sand Martin of the year further heralded the start of spring.
21st March: Slimbridge, Glos:
An impromptu trip to Slimbridge in perfect weather. Asking to stop to scan a field of gulls on the approach road, I immediately picked up a smart adult summer Mediterranean Gull which stood out a mile amid many Commons. At the trust we ambled round the pens and visited the South Finger, where a male Kingfisher did a dive in front of us and the long-staying Great Skua was seen drifting wearily up the Severn.
23rd March: Forest of Dean, Glos:
Driving up the river Wye a fine male Goosander flew upriver and at Redbrook, over ten Buzzards and four pairs of Raven were in full display above the pines. At 11:30 we arrived at Eastbach Meend Enclosure, an area of woodland not previously visited. A Hawfinch called and flew overhead. An hour later and despite a probable flight view and some calling, no Lesser-spotted Woodpecker was located. Disappointed, we moved onto Brierley where, failing to connect with Willow Tit, at least four resplendent male Brambling showed well in a large finch flock and two drake Mandarin sat adjacent to the path.
25th March: Thornbury Castle, South Glos:
At 8:00pm this evening, with the clocks back, Dad and I ambled down to the old Thornbury Castle wall where we immediately struck lucky; someone had stuffed the resident Little Owl into a nook in the wall and it sat there benignly in the evening light, presumably waiting to be unplugged again.
27th March: Frampton-on-Severn, Glos:
A pleasant afternoon walk along the canal and down to Green Lane produced little of great note. In Green Lane a showy Chiffchaff and several smart male Reed Buntings complimented the scrape birds which included my first Black-tailed Godwits of the year and at least two distant Little Stints with Dunlin. Some Little Egrets drifted around and at least a hundred Meadow Pipits were an unusual sight on the return walk.
30th March: Frampton-on-Severn, Glos:
News that a regularly returning Night Heron had been seen the night before saw another trip to the Sailing Lake but in a two and a half hour search, we failed to locate the bird. Instead, droves of Sand Martin and our first Swallow of the year entertained over the sailing lake, whilst at least fourteen Little Egret were found roosting at dusk in trees overlooking Court Lake.
5th April: Forest of Dean, Glos:
A trip to locate Lesser-spotted Woodpecker today got off to an excellent start when we enjoyed really superb views of at least four Hawfinch, including a resplendent male, at Parkend Church. A probable lesser-spot called but sadly we couldn`t get onto it. Arriving at Eastbach Meend Enclosure at 10:00, we again failed to locate any lesser-spots and had to give up. Arriving at the south end of Cannop Ponds, birding picked up with a smart pair of Grey Wagtail and then two excellent Willow Tits which showed well on feeders. Stopping at another area of deciduous woodland south of Cannop, another Willow Tit gave superlative views a point-blank range. A New Fancy View up to four Goshawks were displaying, albeit distantly, and we enjoyed good views of this real forest speciality.
7th April: Forest of Dean, Glos:
Success! Arriving at Parkend at 9:00, several Hawfinches were bombing around but only settled once: I was able to put another birder onto them for his best ever views but not myself. We then moved onto Cannop Ponds, where we enjoyed a resplendent breeding Siskin and a family of Bullfinches. On the ponds, two pairs of Mandarin were noted and a Raven mobbed a distant male Goshawk over trees. We then moved to an area of damp, dense deciduous woodland where lesser-spots had been heard two days ago. A call and a movement in the tree and a male Lesser-spotted Woodpecker flew up in full view. Soon, another male came flying in! Over the next hour the birds gave unbelievable views, showing extraordinarily well as they fed around tiny branches, often right above us. By far my best ever sightings and my first since 2005, this was an great moment and certainly the British highlight of 2005 so far.
12th April: Solway Firth, Dumfries:
At Brow Well, a site near Caerlaverock, the holiday started well when a cracking female Osprey glided out of the sky and straight overhead, heading north. Minutes later, we heard the entrancing sound of a massive goose flock, and looking across the estuary to a long spit we saw that its entire length was covered with a massive army of Barnacle Geese: a long-awaited lifer in the wild, these birds gave wonderful views with the sun behind them as they fed and called, there must have been nearly 4000 in all. A Barn Owl was also briefly seen quartering the fields and a Tree Pipit showed on wires.
13th April: Solway Firth to Aviemore via Braco Moor:
This morning we headed to Caerlaverock proper, an amazingly quiet and traditional WWT compared to Slimbridge. At least 34 Whooper Swans remained and gave class views, there was a Tree Sparrow on feeders and of course, the truly amazingly sight of at least 4000 Barnacle Geese blackening the sky all around before dropping down to feed in the fields in front of us. After some good digiscoping, we left, stopping north of Perth at a potential area for Black Grouse, Braco Moor on the road between Braco and Auchterader. Unsurprisingly we failed to locate any of these birds but in an hour`s wander in stunning scenery we were able to locate a pair of breeding Twite, complete with pink-rumps, as they fed, perfectly camouflaged, less than ten feet away. A flock of Icelandic Greylag Geese were a first; I have never seen a flock of truly wild Greylags before and the sight of them surfacing above a moorland rise was impressive.
14th April: Speyside, Findhorn Valley & Lochindorb:
Dragging ourselves out of bed to the Caper Watch at 5:00, we were soon in a half-dark hide scanning the misty heather and trees of Abernethy Forest for Scotland`s most sought-after resident. The local Ospreys looked very commercialised atop their video-taped nest-site and some Red Squirrels obliged on nearby feeders. Two and a half hours later, not a single one of the four Capers that had been seen lekking the day before had appeared. Determined not to let the early hours be wasted, we headed quickly to Tulloch Moor, stopping for a pair of Goldeneye on Loch Garten. Immediately on arrival we could hear the strange and wonderful sound of lekking Black Grouse in the valley below. Just as we were heading back to the car, Dad located a cracking male feeding on birch saplings, a stunning bird and worth the early rise. Two females then gave more excellent views whistling from trees before flying off. Later, at the sparkling, tree-lined Loch Vaa, we immediately got onto three Slavonian Grebes, resplendent in their breeding attire, glowing on the water. Some Goosanders were also present here. In Carr Bridge, we located a Dipper that gave excellent views, including the walking underwater act. We then moved on to the breath-taking Findhorn Valley, where soon into the drive an enormous female Goshawk surfaced briefly above the trees and the fields were full of upland waders and gulls. Eventually we parked at Coignafearn Old Lodge and began a long walk up the valley. A Peregrine Falcon sailed overhead towards its nest, giving good views - a much overdue bird in 2007. A herd of Red Deer were observed including some antlered males. An hour`s walking later and I was far up the valley but still birds were scarce. As I was about to turn round, I noticed a suspicious Blackbird nest-building on an adjacent slope and getting onto it found it to be a smart male Ring Ouzel which was soon joined by a female. One of my favourite birds and always a joy to see in its native breeding habitat. Eagle-less but with some good sightings, we made for Lochindorb, noting Osprey en-route. We reached the area at around six where the first of many Red Grouse appeared proud in the roadside heather, often running across the road and displaying to rival males; offering excellent digiscoping opportunities. After eating in the van overlooking the wild loch where Common Sandpiper fed nearby, we headed up the North end, stopping en-route for more grouse antics. Just as we thought we'd dipped, I picked up a pair of Black-throated Divers in summer-plumage and we were able to approach very close, allowing us to appreciate the amazing patterns upon this resplendent bird.
15th April: Speyside & Cairngorm:
Another stop at Tulloch was in order so at 9:00 we arrived and searched the area to see if we could hear the lek again. Returning with no luck to the car, a male Black Grouse glowing in the morning sun as it sat atop a small pine was one of the holiday`s highlights. At 11.00 we reached Cairngorm and in a strong, gusting wind we began to climb the unattractive peak with some foreboding. Two hours later I found two other birders on the boulder fields below the summit, and stopping to rest with them paid off when a vocal male Ptarmigan came fluttering in - wheeling overhead, then settling on a rock for cracking scope views. A really smart species at this time of year, this was a much awaited lifer and it didn`t disappoint. After it had flown Dad reached the summit and picked up a female Ptarmigan half a mile away on the snowline, which gave prolonged views in the scope as it fed around boulders. Satisfied and feeling we had `earned` the bird, we climbed down. In the afternoon we had more time than expected so I decided we could try some birding in an excellent tract of Caledonian Forest north of Nethy Bridge. Almost immediately on entering this pristine part of the forest, a male Capercaillie gave itself away with a bang and allowed brief views as it flew low through the trees. We moved slowly to a clearing where we stopped. Half an hour later, a Common Crossbill alighted on a tree and offered stunning scope views for about ten minutes. Returning, a pair of Goshawk rose out of the woods and a Red Squirrel showed where we parked.
16th April: Moray Firth:
With more glorious weather on our side, we headed for the Moray Firth in the hope of a potential seaduck extravaganza. It didn`t disappoint. Arriving at Findhorn Bay at 11:00, the sea revealed a good array of species: five to six Red-throated Divers and a similar number of Black-throated Divers in winter plumage; a flock of five male Velvet Scoter, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser and four Eider. In addition there were Razorbill, Guillemot, two Gannet and a single Sandwich Tern. At Burghead, the birding went up a notch. Flocks of Eider, males in full breeding finery, were the most noticeable attraction but soon we picked up four cracking Long-tailed Duck in summer plumage, arguably not as smart as in winter but attractive nonetheless - another twenty or so were further out to sea. On the shore Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit and Rock Pipit were year birds, as was a Shag offshore and a Fulmar gliding by on stiff wings. Red-throated Diver and Velvet Scoter were also noted here. Our last stop, the picturesque Spey Bay, was perhaps the most impressive. Offshore, an immense black slick of birds contained over a thousand Common Scoter and an even higher number of Velvet Scoter, by default what must have been the entire population of the Moray Firth, including entire rafts of exotic-looking drakes. Over fifty summer-plumaged Long-tailed Duck and twenty Eider completed the picture. We returned to Aviemore where, in the somewhat different environs of Abernethy Forest, a single bat-like Woodcock roded overhead.
17th April: Speyside:
In rainy conditions we visited a favoured tract of woodland somewhere north of Nethy Bridge. So as not to disturb any activity we remained on the limit of the woodland and, from a tent, scanned the woodland paths ahead of us in the hope that a Capercaillie might emerge. Rain stopped any chances of a sighting. After breakfast we decided a long forest walk was in order. Walking from Forest Lodge we found the woodland to be very quiet after many hours of scenic walking. On advice we moved onto Loch Mallachie, stopping for the Garten Ospreys. Here on the Loch we noted some Icelandic Greylag Geese, but despite furious searching failed to locate the one bird we thought would be easy - Crested Tit.
18th April: Speyside to Solway Firth:
A concerted effort for Crestie this morning in cold cloudy weather provided no success, with stops at the picturesque Loch an Eilean and the Mhor-Mhor picnic site both failing to produce the species, so we set off South in the hope of returning to this magical place in June. We arrived at Bowness-on-Solway at six, where two Whimbrel flew across the road and in fact were the only birds of note during our entire stay here.
19th April: Solway Firth to Lake District:
Between 6:00 and 7:30 at Bowness, not a single seabird of any description passed so I gave up. By midday, we had arrived in the glorious Lake District at Haweswater, where we noted displaying Raven, Goosander and Wheatear. The visibility was terrible and the male Golden Eagle settled at the very back of the valley. Suddenly it was gone and moments later soared over a ridge right above us where it began a breath-taking display, gaining height before closing its wings and stooping down into a tree on the hillside. We rushed to locate it in the scope and what a sighting - a stunning hour-long view of this powerful raptor, an eleven year-old male, staring into the scope. Two male Ring Ouzels then came flying in, perching twenty feet away in bushes as they engaged in a territorial dispute, completing the wonderful mountain spectacle.
22nd April: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
It was glorious weather when I looked at RBA. Within half an hour, due to an amazing bus link, I was there for my only my second uni twitch so far. Adjacent to the Reservoir, I was nearly blinded by some gloriously bright Yellow Wagtails glowing in the sun, Common Terns were overhead on Farmoor 2, but it took a lot of walking before I picked up a single Black Tern as it fed gracefully at a distance. A single Little Gull in summer plumage was also noted. Returning back the way I came I noted a Lesser Whitethroat as it flew between bushes.
3rd May: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
I returned today in the company of just three other birders on hearing a rarity had returned after a day`s absence. In hot weather and a sea of midges, I was able to locate a beautiful, dainty Bonaparte`s Gull out on the reservoir whilst other birders chatted despondently amongst themselves. It soon flew into the bank, giving cracking views of its subtle plumage markings; a really elegant bird. For the next hour it showed extremely well, down to ten feet at times. A single Arctic Tern showed well and I also gained excellent views of singing Lesser Whitethroat and noted my first Blackcap of the year.
6th May: West Down & Cotswold Water Park, Glos:
One of those nice days where you locate every single target species. Arriving at West Down, Cleeve Hill, I attempted to tape-lure a silent Grasshopper Warbler to no avail but enjoyed good flight views of Cuckoo and, very surprisingly, was able to get onto a purring Turtle Dove which was presumably passing through. Whitethroat were a year bird and several Garden Warblers sang and showed. but it took an hour's walking through dense scrub playing a tape, and feeling slightly stupid, before two warblers darted in front of me and I gained two seconds of a Grasshopper Warbler as it furtively peeped out to see who was calling it! At the Swillbrook Lakes, Cotswold Water Park, the chorus was deafening and varied, with Nightingale, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler in song. A Cetti’s Warbler which flew past and began singing was another bonus, whilst over Pit 57 at least three Hobbies catching dragonflies in the air was, as always, a breath-taking sight. Moving back to the car, a Nightingale eventually gave good views and later another one sat for a prolonged period in the scope; up to eight must have been singing; a Garden Warbler was also scoped. By 4:00 we reached Pit 79, where after half an hour's scanning, a smart male Little Ringed Plover gave very good views as did five naturalised Red-crested Pochard.
11th May: Frampton-on-Severn, Wotton-under Edge & Forest of Dean, Glos:
Little going on at uni and brilliant birds back home meant a quick train journey back to Thornbury. Dad and I headed to Frampton in the morning where, in wind, rain and a seething mass of Swift and House Martin, we located three stunning summer-plumaged Glossy Ibis glowing in the stormy sunshine on the flashes of Saul Warth, part of an exceptional invasion of this species involving a flock of 17 birds which landed here two weeks ago. Almost as good was a stunning drake Garganey feeding around the junctus. We then moved to the Golf Club at Wotton-under-Edge where, at this unlikely location, I picked up the long-staying Hoopoe feeding under pines and we both enjoyed good views of this extraordinary bird feeding on the ground; a long-awaited UK first which added to the Mediterranean feel of the morning. In the afternoon with a south-westerly forecast we headed down to Severn Beach where our luck ran out. In the evening, we made a trip over to the Forest of Dean where, at Nagshead, we eventually located a pair of Pied Flycatcher feeding each other at dusk.
21st May: Thrupp, Kiddlington, Oxon:
If the Ibis were an extraordinary national occurrence, the return of a singing scops owl to an obscure rural village just North of Oxford was more so. Having sussed out the ground the night before and heard the bird singing, I returned with a tape to try my luck again. After some interesting results, I eventually called the Scops Owl into a tree by the Oxford Canal where we all enjoyed three reasonable flight views of it as it sped between trees. Of course, having called it into the adjacent tree I realised no-one, including myself, had remembered the torch!
25th May: Stokenchurch Village, Oxon:
After rowing for the third day I decided a trip for kites was called for so I hoped on a bus down towards the Chilterns. On arrival at Stokenchurch, the sight was extraordinary: up to twelve Red Kite soaring over the allotments, village green and supermarket. A result of a successful reintroduction project, it was amazing to see such numbers in an semi-urban environment.
1st June: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
A late evening bid for water rail and family proved unsuccessful but a vocal Cuckoo and some classic fly-catching antics by a Hobby were welcome.
2nd June: Forest of Dean, Glos:
A trip home for the weekend provided some afternoon birding in the forest. On arrival, we decided to check the Cannop Cycle Centre for Wood Warbler and struck lucky with an incredibly showy bird flitting around and singing in the pines. Moving quickly off, a quiet two hours in Nagshead main reserve cemented our opinion that this reserve is not all it was - a pair of Pied Flycatcher was all we encountered. Moving to the other side of the road, in the deciduous woodlands below the lower Cannop Pond, things picked up quickly with Spotted Flycatcher and best of all, a cracking pair of Redstart collecting food for their young.
5th June: Rainham Marshes, London:
A singing Marsh Warbler was too tempting to stay at uni for, having become one of my most wanted UK species and one of my last breeders. Three hours and three trains later I was in the heart of London, but the bird hadn’t been showing. Between 12 and 4 I tried everything but it just wasn’t going to work out. A cracking Spoonbill, however, made the trip reasonably worthwhile; a juvenile, it gave excellent views as it fed and also took flight. A tatty drake Garganey was ok, but three Hobbies looked absolutely stunning in the sunlit air.
6th - 12th June: The Search for Marsh Warbler, Essex & Kent:
I made no less than three train journeys between Oxford and the South East in an enthusiastic search to locate the Marsh Warblers that I thought still bred somewhere in the county. As it was, my educated guesswork didn’t prove quite educated enough. Two consecutive trips to a Kent site produced the usual warblers whilst a trip to a valley in Essex produced several Cetti’s Warbler in addition to Kingfisher, Hobby and Cuckoo. It appears in hindsight that with the exception of sporadic breeding, this master mimic has gone the way of Wryneck and RB Shrike and no fixed sites, such as St Margaret’s, exist anymore.
22nd June: Tidenham Chase, Gloucestershire:
Our annual trip for Nightjar proved productive, with a bird immediately offering a superb overhead fly-by followed by two prolonged periods of churring from an open branch. This was followed up by another fantastic fly-by and some acrobatic moth-catching, making this our best encounter yet with this mysterious bird.
27th June: Hawling, Gloucestershire:
Despite a two hour search, in perfect conditions for Quail in an area of Cotswold fields where birds were heard yesterday, there was no luck. A Corn Bunting was an overdue first for the year.
1st July: North Norfolk:
After a long train journey, I piled off at Kings Lynn to meet Ashley Saunders for my annual summer trip to this great county. After a long stint at Ryburgh for Honey Buzzard proved fruitless, we headed off to Cley Marshes. On arrival, a male Bearded Tit was flying all over the place and settled close-by, allowing my best views since as long ago as 2002. A flock of 50 Avocet on Arnold’s Marsh and four Spotted Redshank were soon compounded by a cracking Little Tern on the mud. The best was yet to come, however, in the form of three stunning Roseate Terns, a long-awaited lifer, looking incredibly sleek in the evening sun. Two of them, clearly a pair, soon began displaying to one another, showing off the glorious pink flush and ghostly white plumage of this beautiful species. They soon headed off to sea - a bird that really out-classes any pictures in the book. Heading back towards Fakenham, two Barn Owls ghosted right across the windscreen. In the evening at 9:00, we headed down to West Barsham village where we gained cracking views of an adult female Tawny Owl just over ten feet away as she nervously eyed the car.
2nd July: North Norfolk & Breckland:
A post-dawn trip for Montagu's Harrier paid off when I picked up a female settled in the hedge at some distance, offering ample views. Sadly, the male was not on show and we received news from a passing farmer that all nests had been predated. A Turtle Dove also flew past here. Back at East Barsham, I noted my first Grey Partridge of the year. By ten, after breakfast, we reached Lakenheath where we walked out to the second poplar plantation in search of another of my favourite UK birds. Immediately, Ashley put me onto the nest where a female Golden Oriole was brooding newly-hatched young in an amazingly precarious nest. This was, of course, an amazing moment in itself but despite seeing these birds twice before, nothing could prepare me for the few seconds later when the female vanished and the male - so bright the scope could have exploded - came flying in. The views were just out of this world and can’t be described but it was one of the highlights of my birding to date. Naturally the rest of the day would fall short, but five Stone Curlews at Weeting Heath gave scope-filling views as tempestuous weather had blown away the heat haze, and a Spotted Flycatcher showed well. A Stoat running around on the heath was also a good sight. Stops for Firecrest and Woodlark proved unproductive and after more unbelievably heavy rain, no Honey Buzzards were on show at Ryburgh, but a Little Ringed Plover flew past, Hobby were over the trees and a pair of Barn Owl ghosted by.
3rd July: Roydon Common, Norfolk:
A frantic stop for Woodlark paid off on the way to the station today when Ashley located one song-flighting at some distance, an unusual sight at this time of year to end a great few days in my favourite county.
4th July: Coquet, Northumberland:
After years of trying, I was finally able to get up to North in summer. At 6:30 we arrived in the fishing town of Coquet after some heavy rains. Walking out to the seafront, bouyant Arctic Terns were everywhere, affording great views, but it was the sight of seven or so Roseate Terns as they fished less than ten feet away against a rainbow background that was really breath-taking; over the nest few hours they gave amazing views carrying fish right over our heads. Several Puffins from the colony offshore were seen on the sea and Eider were everywhere.
5th July: Coquet & Coquet Island, Northumberland:
This morning only one Roseate Tern was on show in murky conditions off the seafront. Mid-afternoon we took a trip out to Coquet Island, where Puffins were somewhat unavoidable in their thousands as well as countless terns. Two pale-phase and a dark-phase Arctic Skua also showed well as they harried passing Gannets for food.
6th July: Oban to Mull Crossing, Argyll:
After a long journey, we arrived in Oban early evening in time to take the ferry to Mull. A smart Black Guillemot was the first of several that we encountered as they nest unconcernedly around the harbour, and a Hooded Crow was mobbed overhead. A little while into the crossing we were noting Arctic Tern and suddenly the first of several Manx Shearwater gave excellent views close to the boat. As we passed through the Sound of Mull we suddenly picked up a party of four birds heading right past us and realised that we were watching a party of fully-spooned, adult Pomarine Skuas - presumably the result of prolonged south-westerlies, these were by far the best surprise bird of the year and a cracking sight.
7th July: Mull, Argyll:
This morning we met with the extremely vocal David Woodhouse, to show us round the island whilst offering a day off driving for the parents. Having collected everyone, we headed down towards Grasspoint. Barely had we arrived than David located, on an adjacent hillside, a pair of White-tailed Eagle. Despite being half a mile or more away, these vast birds - my last UK raptor - were as impressive as we had hoped, especially when the female took flight on massive, square wings, mobbed by a tiny curlew. The male remained where he was and looked resplendent when the sun broke through. Two distant Golden Eagle then appeared and soared for a while. Offshore, over two hundred Manx Shearwater were feeding and two Twite perched on overhead wires. We moved off towards the head of Glen More, where a juvenile White-tailed Eagle sat dozily on a distant slope and a smart sub-adult Golden Eagle gave good views as it dived down a hillside. The next few hours proved that whilst eagle-ticking may be easy on Mull, good views are somewhat more difficult; a further three Golden Eagles were all distant adults. We cleared Glen More for the weedy shores of Loch Beg, where almost immediately an Otter was located as it juggled a fish acrobatically with its claws. Over the next hour it gave confiding views, as it moved furtively along the shoreline, occasionally coming to shore with a Butterfish. As the birding day reached an end, we finally came to the coniferous woodland that borders Loch Scridain where an adult male White-tailed Eagle sat in a distant pine tree and we were amazed how easy it is to become used to such sights on Mull.
8th July: Mull & Iona, Argyll:
The best day of the holiday so far. We headed for Iona today and passing through Glen More, pulled to a halt for a juvenile Golden Eagle passing close overhead. It landed on an adjacent hillside, where it proceeded to hop around for a few minutes before taking off, offering brilliant scope views. We reached the port at 11:00 and sailed across to Iona, noting a large number of Shag of the Hebridean race. Arriving on the island, a strange, ancient place, we attended a service in the Abbey before heading to the North of the Island. Here, I observed for the first time ever truly-wild Rock Doves, a distinctive and smart species, especially in flight. Suddenly Corncrakes, our target, were calling everywhere, often seemingly only feet away. An hour later, as I glanced up from a field, I eyeballed a Corncrake hot-footing it across the road between fields but didn’t get my bins to it. Frustrated, I made my way down to the South of the Island, where several more birds were blasting forth from the area around the Fire Station. Several Rock Doves later, I still hadn’t seen one and things were looking desperate, when suddenly I noticed a Corncrake trying to creep across someone’s lawn in front of a white Volvo! The bird suddenly froze right in the open, affording stunning views from a few feet away, before moving into a patch of Irises where it showed brilliantly, filling the scope as it blasted forth its mechanical call. Elated, I left the island in high spirits after this much-awaited UK lifer. Driving away from Loch Scridain towards Loch Naa Keal, an adult White-tailed Eagle was a fitting end to the day as it sat proud against the elements.
9th July: Mull, Argyll:
A very quiet, wetter day today. A morning walk in Glen Aros failed to produce Hen Harrier but a juvenile White-tailed Eagle surfaced briefly above the mountains. Hours later, another White-tailed Eagle, this time an adult, was picked out at Loch Baa sitting atop a distant mountain. The bird then took flight, and afforded prolonged but distant views as it soared to several thousand feet. A last ditch attempt for Hen Harrier at Uisken Bay, a reliable site, only provided three Rock Doves but a return past Loch Beg offered some great photo opportunities of a Red Deer as it fed, with young, by the road. Mull is one of the most wild and stirring places I have been to in the UK and I will certainly be back next year.
11th July: Carn Ban Mor, Highland:
Having left Mull yesterday morning, taken the train from Oban, missed a connection and had to spend the night in Inverness, I finally reached Carrbridge where the owners of my B&B kindly picked me up and took me to the foot of Carn Ban Mor. The clouds looked ominous: two hours later I was stuck in the middle of them and seeing sod all. Four hours later, defeated in any attempt for Dotterel, I came down again, noting Whinchat in Glen Feshie. Further hours this evening failed to produce any forest specials near Nethy Bridge.
12th July: Cairngorm, Highland:
Another day, another hard climb. After just under an hour’s walk up the steep route to Cairngorm I reached the Plateau. Here I began scanning diligently but after three hours I was running out of ideas. I walked out from the radio masts towards the rocky outcrop and scanned again only to find two small anonymous white chicks running haywire at a distance. Suddenly a cracking male Dotterel popped up and the celebration was probably audible from the restaurant. Over the next hour I worked my way closer to the birds but eventually stopped and let them come to me, resulting in obscene views to within five feet as the male shepherded his young across the plateau. Magic!
13th July: Nethybridge, Highland:
This morning I decided a dawn start was in order and reached my favourite woodland site at 4:30. On reaching a productive clearing, I immediately heard Crossbills and saw three very chunky-headed birds fly into a tall Scots Pine. A very bulky head and bill ruled out common, but the lower mandible wasn’t bulging as it does for Parrot - these were three Scottish Crossbills. Sadly, before I could take further note, they were gone. Minutes later, a Crested Tit started calling and I immediately got onto it working its way through the pines, a sight made sweeter by the 16-20 hours I have put in to finding this little gem in 2007.
24th July: Slimbridge, Glos:
A quick visit to see a few returning waders paid off today when I located a Green Sandpiper from the Holden Tower, part of a large number of seventeen on the site at present. Moving to the Zeiss Hide, I was fortunate to glimpse a summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpiper as it fed amidst Dunlin and a Greenshank on a distant flash. However, no one else, including James Lees, could get it, leaving me feeling suspected and doubting my eyes!
26th July: Porthgwarra, Cornwall:
Having got no sleep in a wind-swept tent in Penzance hostel, I fell onto the 6:20 to Porthcurno and was sea-watching in a south-westerly by 7:30. It was clear many birds were on the move with dozens of Manx Shearwater passing quite close, and along with them a late July speciality, the Balearic Shearwater, of which I recorded several in the first hour. Further out a single Storm Petrel, one of two today, flew past. Similar fare continued until I eventually picked up two Cory's Shearwater in the middle distance, much to my relief, flying on relaxed wings. After a pasty break, the sun also broke through and another twelve Balearic Shearwater and two Arctic Skua went past, making it a reasonably worthwhile trip in all.
30th July: New Forest, Hampshire:
In scorching heat I arrived in the New Forest by train and spent the next three hours getting lost in my search for Acres Down. A profusion of juvenille Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and a female Pied Flycatcher were noted en-route. Arriving at Acres Down in the afternoon heat, I soon got onto a flat-winged raptor rising distantly out of the woodland. I was thinking honey but realised it was, in fact, a female Goshawk. Strangely disappointed, I waited a little longer before a Honey Buzzard rose up close-by, affording excellent views. It was an extremely dark bird and even in good light, I couldn't make out any plumage details before it plunged back into the forest. Walking out across the heath, all was quiet, but - after extensive tape-playing- a very colourful male Dartford Warbler flew in and began to assert its territory a few feet from where I stood.
2nd August: Woodland, Somerset:
We arrived at a woodland site searching for newly-fledged long-eared owls this evening but three hours later, with light fading fast, we had failed to locate any birds. We then returned to search an area of open grassland ajacent to the wood where two Nightjar began distantly churring and one briefly took flight. At the same time, a Long-eared Owl came gliding silently across the sky and disappeared into the wood, a frustratingly brief encounter with this enigmatic species.
5th August: Barbury Castle, Wiltshire:
After locating some calling birds here the night before, we returned to this classic downland site this evening to locate quail. Sitting quietly by the roadside beneath the ancient fort, a Quail was calling barely three feet away from us in some dense vegetation. We waited silently for half an hour before another birder signalled that he could see the bird's head. As someone moved closer, it took flight in front of us, hovering for a second before speeding off.
14th August: Porthgwarra, Cornwall:
Arriving at Penzance by train I was a little disappointed to find the trees standing still and very little wind. Arriving at Porthgwarra, there was little on the move between 2 and 5pm, but as a squall moved through so did a single Cory's Shearwater, moving through fairly close. Another was seen a little later as it rose above the Scillionian ferry, and a third gave prolonged views showing the dark shadow round the eye as it headed west.
15th August: Porthgwarra & Pendeen, Cornwall:
Arriving at Porthgwarra at 7am, it seemed the winds were once again too weak. For a long time nothing was seen until two juvenille Pomarine Skuas moved west at range within five minutes of each other. Following another period of quiet, a single Storm Petrel moved through and almost immediately after, two elegant Sooty Shearwater - a long awaited UK lifer and my last British sheawater species! As the wind shifted so did I, arriving in Pendeen just before midday. There was much more movement here: several Arctic Skuas and a few Great Skuas moved past in the company of hundreds of dainty Storm Petrels before I picked out a distant Great Shearwater moving through. This proved to be the first of several called by other birders of which I got onto five in all. More enjoyable were five or more Sooty Shearwaters and a single Balearic Shearwater, capping the day off nicely. On arriving home, however, I realised my reading of the weather hadn't been quite right, on finding that St. Ives had enjoyed Wilson's and Little Shear...
25-26th August: St-David's - Fishguard, Pembrokeshire:
A weekend of walking with a friend provided the opportunity need to catch up with one of Britain's most charismatic species, the Chough. All in all I encountered around ten of these birds over four sightings, with pairs noted near Trefin and the best sightings being within a two mile coastal radius of Strumble Head. Peregrine were also seen in addition to the usual array of west coast species.
31st August: Coombe Hill Canal, Glos:
After an unsucessful morning trip yielded only Peregrine, we returned to this wild site in the evening for Spotted Crake. On arrival the bird, a pristine near-adult, was showing ridiculously well in front of the hide, offering scope-filling views - when the focus could manage - of every feather of this little jewel. This amazing sight was compounded by good views of two Water Rail - one of my year-ticking nightmares - as they squealed at each other in the dusk.
1st September: Cotswold Water Park, Glos:
A local and overdue twitch today took us to Pit 95 where, after eventually finding a good vantage point, we immediately located the Great White Egret by its seriously obtrusive neck towering above the tallest vegetetation. It gave good views before becoming more retiring. 225 species so far this year brings me up level to my best British year list yet as made in 2005, so hopefully one more species between now and December!
5th September; Portland Bill, Dorset:
I was due a really bad dip and today it came. Having got down to Weymouth by train and arrived at the bill at midday, I was greeted with the news that the Wryneck - my no 1 target species left this year - had not been seen since first light. Between 12 and 5 I worked every field, bush and ditch without any luck, finding two Whinchat, one Yellow Wagtail, a Chiffchaff and a Spotted Flycatcher as "compensation".
7th September: Rainham Marshes, London: The bad luck continued today when, on finally arriving at Rainham, I was told that the long-staying Red-backed Shrike had not been seen all day. This proved the case but fortunately some good runners-up were on offer with a cracking Wood Sandpiper on the Aveley Pools in the company of a juvenille Curlew Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper and several Ruff. The country is very quiet all round and am still kicking myself for missing the Norfolk "fall" at the end of August.
12th September: Uskmouth, Gwent:
After a really quiet spell of birding, news of an aquatic within 45 minutes of us was seized. On arrival at the rapidly improving Newport Wetlands reserve we found the bird had been showing well. Minutes later, a stunning Aquatic Warbler popped up on a thistle before working its way back ito the reeds. As the light faded, the bird returned, giving outrageous views as it hopped around in the junctus. What a gem.
14th September: Sumburgh area, Shetland:
My much-awaited trip to Fair Isle started off in spectacular gale force weather on arrival at the remote Sumburgh. After finding a bod for £8 I braved a ferocious north-westerly gale to seawatch but despite a spectacle of Arctic Skuas, Fulmars, Gannets and hundreds of Kittiwakes none of my hoped for seabirds materialised. A nice range of northern birds included close Ravens and much overdue Sanderling before I retired beaten by the wind.
15th September: Shetland to Fair Isle:
A thorough few hours in the south provided a nice picture of the northern scene with crisp Rock Doves, Arctic and Great Skuas and Raven with just Whimbrel and common waders on the famous Pool of Virkie. My eagerly-awaited crossing soon turned to a character test with a six metre swell proving too much for my stomach. Arriving on Fair Isle was in itself an experience and after settling in I found the wind swinging to the famous south-east. Sadly it came with torrential rain but three Greenland Redpoll were a nice find around the tiny crofts.
16th September: Fair Isle:
Expecting much this morning, it was gutting to find nothing more than a Chiffchaff in the Obs garden as I began my first day birding, Adapting to the new style of birding I worked crofts and ditches to no avail, soon realising it was dead. Luckily on returning past Barkland, a Red-backed Shrike had been located and gave excellent scope views. In the afternoon a game of football by the south lighthouse with the obs lads signified how dire the birding had become. Eventually I set off and after working an area of moor for seeming hours, two Lapland Bunting took pity on me and gave cracking views to ten feet. A really attractive species, this made up for the birdless miles covered.
17th September: Fair Isle:
A depressing north-westerly and rain completely sapped spirits first thing, so it was great news when a Barred Warbler was reported from an overgrown cottage down south. Arriving on site, this huge, striking warbler showed extremely well as it fluttered around the outhouses - a real speciality of the northern isles. Bouyed up by this hoped-for lifer, we soon received news of rosefinch and ortolan. A search of every croft followed but only Common Redpolls, including an Icelandic bird, obliged. In the afternoon, more hours of searching turned up two Lapland Bunting on the coast before I met two birders who gave me directions for a showy Common Rosefinch. On arrival, I put it out of a crop where it showed extremely well on a fence and was more distinctive and clean"- looking that I had expected. Finally two lifers and hopefully not the last. In fading light I rushed across the moors to locate a pec sand that had been found just before tea but in the gloom there was no sign.
18th September: Fair Isle:
After breakfast I searched for pec sand again today with another birder. We covered much ground to no avail but it was worth the trip when we suceeded in flushing a Jack Snipe amid the many common snipe. The bird was soon put up a second time where it gave brilliant flight views as it rose up in front of us and away. The rest of the morning was dead except for a lucky second encounter with the elusive Red-backed Shrike and a nice adult Glaucous Gull on the cliffs, my second this year. After lunch I couldn't face another trip down south so instead headed north, where nine Snow Buntings flashed past me and began feeding confidingly by the lighthouse.
19th - 20th September: Fair Isle:
And so the westerlies continued and put paid to the strong efforts of the many able birders in the Obs. Sometimes it was just too demoralising to go out, instead we swapped gen and stories as well as some excellent impressions courtesy of Ian Lycett & co. Highlights of these days included seeing both Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch in the hand, cracking sunlit views of Lapland Buntings and further encounters with Greenland Redpolls and Red-backed Shrike. On the 21st I flew out and headed home, having met some great birders but sadly not birds. I'll be back next year and make sure I know the forecast before I book.
24th - 25th September: Cornwall:
A weekend of blunders began when I decided to ignore driving onshore westerlies at Pendeen in favour of the chance of a Wryneck at Land's End - the gamble didn't pay off and despite hours of tape-luring and bush-bashing, there were no rewards. I arrived at Pendeen only to find I'd missed everything, but fortunately one piece of luck was in store when I called Sabine's Gull, floating close to the shore. It later took flight, giving superb views as it flew right past us. The following day I was up early at St Ives for a seawatch but the wind seemed virtually non-existent so I left for Pendeen. On arrival it was clear this was a big mistake; a Sooty Shearwater and several Balearic Shearwaters were nice but no petrels, phalaropes or skuas... Only on returning home did I have the worst sinking feeling of 2007; if only I had stayed at St Ives... A decision to get a pager for 2008 was the only positive result!
28th September: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
Oxford birder Paul Wren texted me just as I was heading to Oxford for the new term. Abandoning my stuff in the new house, I leaped on the Farmoor Bus and within half hour, to my intense relief after the Cornwall screw-up, was watching a Grey Phalarope doing delightful antics within a few feet of me. An additional surprise was a juvenille Knot which, under my nose, was able to prove its attractiveness as a species.
29th September: Port Meadow, Oxon:
The mini purple patch continued when news broke of pecs just down the road. Again I bundled out and was at Port Meadow in forty minutes where in the company of a Curlew Sandpiper, two smart Pectoral Sandpipers entertained a small crowd and eventually gave excellent views.
4th October: Landguard NR, Suffolk:
A Red-breasted Fly was enough to entice me to make a tedious train journey to this fairly unattractive site today. After trekking through the shiteness of Felixstowe I realised by the lack of birders I was onto a loser. Redstarts and a Lesser Whitethroat were present as were many Wheatear but the general feel was of utter depression. Why am I such a pillock, I could be heard muttering softly. I may have even dribbled. Hours later some consolation when a birder was able to give me directions for a Black Redstart, which eventually gave excellent views and at least saved me another stint at Sharpness Docks.
9th October: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
The opportunity for another Oxford mega presented itself today so I dropped in to secure a bird that wasn't likely to come my way for a while - Buff-bellied Pipit. On arrival the bird gave excellent views as it fed along the causeway and all the key features were noted well but the bird wasn't inspirational and my old dislike of mass crowds and their selfish and grumpy antics followed suite - I ticked, I left.
13th - 14th October: North Norfolk:
To realise I could escape the city on a weekend and reach this great place had me grinning like an idiot. Within half an hour of getting to Sheringham I was at Kelling Water Meadows, where after a cursory glance at an elusive Barred Warbler, I was enjoying a neat Red-necked Phalarope as it fed in circles on the scrape here. The weather was glorious and after some birding banter I moved on to Holkham, where the Pink-footed Geese enthralled. In the meals, birding was tough but on reaching the crosstracks I soon located a Yellow-browed Warbler as it fed high up in a pine, Minutes later, another birder located two others in some ajacent foliage which gave good if typically flighty views. Returning by bus I located another birder and after watching a classic game of rugby in the local, we were up at dawn for a shot at Red-breasted Fly which had come up in Wells Woods. On arrival things looked poor but in a hedgerow south of the Dell, I was amazed to get onto a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker for a few seconds before it moved off. Half an hour later, I found my own Yellow-browed Warbler which later performed superbly -a very bright specimen. With no sign of the fly, we moved on to Titchwell where I guided novice birder John around the reserve, noting many wading species including three cracking Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, Ruff and Avocet.The sea had been good earlier: we noted a cracking Red-throated Diver, Common Scoter and Eider but little else. A good wk's birding and just brilliant to be in Norfolk again.
17th October: Warham Greens, Norfolk:
Today, kicked into action by realising this to be my last shot at Wryneck this year, I dropped everything get to Sheringham and from there to Warham. In perfect weather I arrived after a flawless journey and paced it down to the site. Almost immediately my autumn was transformed when, after years of dipping, a cracking sunlit Wryneck came flying in and made it all worthwhile. Over the next hour I enjoyed four cracking views of this amazing one-off creature, including a prolonged view as it foraged on the ground and a classic moment when it attempted to disguise itself as a branch. Stunner.
25th October: Holland Haven, Essex:
I jumped off the train at Clacton in grey skies and headed for Holland Haven. Binocular-less after leaving them at a friends, I was incredibly lucky to scope a Pallas' Warbler as it flitted, leaf-like, around adjacent bushes. A real autumn gem, it gave stunning views and was much brighter and better-marked than yellow-browed, a lifer well worth the trip.
30th October: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
A short bus trip today was successful with excellent, prolonged views of a Water Pipit as it foraged on the causeway.
3rd - 4th November: North Norfolk:
With light north-westerlies at this time of year, I couldn't resist another weekend trip. After spending the night in Sheringham YHA, I was at the seawatching shelters at dawn. Initially quiet, things soon picked up when two juvenile Pomarine Skuas headed past. Soon things got out of hand, with several more juvenile quickly followed by a stunning, spoon-tailed adult at medium-range, a more distant adult and then excellent views of another non-spooned adult. In all, the experts had 27 past that morning, a real phenomenon. All this time I had been failing to get onto calls of my target Little Auk when suddenly one flew into my scope at close-range; a cracking little bird and once seen, unmistakable. Elated, I stayed for another few hours and noted two more past, in addition to Red-throated Diver, Great Skua, Knot, Little Gull and the magical sight of a Short-eared Owl coming in off the sea! In the afternoon I traveled to Holkham, where after four hours of frustration I gained stunning scope views of two Firecrest at Meals House and finished off with three Egyptian Geese in the Park. In the morning I was at Sheringham once again, watching a sparer passage of Pomarine Skua, mostly juveniles and a brief Little Auk past distantly; better still was a Red-necked Grebe that flew in onto the sea and gave distant, clear views. Following a report of Purple Sandpiper, I moved quickly south down the seafront and soon enjoyed stunning views of three foraging with Turnstone. Then, to cap it off, a fellow birder located a settled Little Auk at distance and we watched it dive and flap around before it gave prolonged flight views. Every time I think Norfolk's been "done", it turns up something new!
6th November: Wraysbury, Berks:
After an enjoyable sunny journey into richest England and my first views of Windsor Castle, I was treated to the entertaining sight of up to eight Ring-necked Parakeets as they flew in, called and gave scope-filling views as they frolicked around in the trees. Great fun to watch, ridiculously out of place, and strangely a life tick.
11th November: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
Another rarity on my doorstep had me haring it to the causeway at dusk. On arrival, my target species - a Franklin's Gull - was in the roost. Immediately, I momentarily got onto a gull with a dark hood like that of an exaggerated Med, but immediately lost it. Over the next half hour, I somehow failed to the bird in the roost despite brilliant directions from everyone, and only realised afterwards that I had in fact ticked the species in the first minute of arrival. Not on the life list, that one.
13th November: Leasowe, Wirral:
With harsh north-westerlies I made a final bid for Leach's Petrel and on arrival, the massive waves suggested I had excellent chances. Four hours later, drenched and massively f*cked off, I voted this trip by far the worst trip of 2007.
30th November: Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon:
After several unsuccessful gull-watching trips this month to Farmoor and Dix Pit, I at least located a first winter Glaucous Gull in roost at the former site.
7th December: Dix Pit, Oxon:
Bad memories of a month characterised solely by freezing gull roosts were laid to rest today when Dad and I dropped in at Dix Pit and half an hour later, got onto the striking Iceland Gull (kumlieni) as it flew amid vast throngs of other gulls over the tip and proved a much rarer and more interesting bird than the nominate species I had been pursuing all month. UPDATE: Now being considered as pretty much everything, with the word “hybrid” sadly cropping up in most people’s descriptions of it…
20th December: Amwell GP, Herts:
A good train journey took me to this site where after some searching a cracking drake Smew, my first since 2004, gave excellent views. Also noted here was an interesting Aytha hybrid which to me looked like a lesser scaup-tufted but will surely get called as the genuine article sometime soon. Two Water Rail feeding out in the open were also nice.
22nd December: East Norfolk & Lowestoft:
An excellent day with Ashley Saunders began quietly with two hunting Peregrines and two Whooper Swans on a frozen Buckenham Marshes though most extraordinary was the sight of a female Garganey with a damaged wing, needless to say my first December view of this species! A good range of common species were encountered though Cantley proved quiet with no wintering bean geese on show. Arriving at Gunton, Suffolk, we struck seriously lucky, locating the very bright Pallas' Warbler which gave great views for half a minute and was subsequently lost to view. A ghostly adult winter Mediterranean Gull was also great. Heading back along the Broads coast road turned up four more Whooper Swans and many Red-throated Divers on the sea off Waxham but little else. Arriving at Stubb Mill, it was great to find a male Merlin perched up, always a year-listing blocker for me, not to mention a fine bird. 35 Marsh Harriers in one "flock", part of a total of c.46, soon entertained as the light failed before a stunning female Hen Harrier flew right into the scope at point-blank range showing every feather on the face - magic! As dusk fell, to my great relief, 27 Common Cranes came drifting in at range and completed a magic late afternoon.
31st December: Broadsands, Devon:
The last remaining easies of 2007 were nicely swept up today in just an hour at Broadsands. On arrival I gained excellent views of a small number of Cirl Bunting as they commuted between winter fields and the coastal hedgerow including one very photogenic bird. The sea was like a millpond as so it only took minutes to locate a close Black-necked Grebe and three more distant Great Northern Divers. A satisfying end to 2007, my best year's British birding to date. Here's to making 2008 better still.