Holland Haven for 2 Wrynecks.

A text from Brian tells us a Wryneck had been reported at Holland Haven park. 20 minutes later we are heading up the A 12 towards Clacton.
We had dipped one on Monday when we shot over to Hornchurch country park after one had been reported there, but when we got there it didn't look right & apart from topping up the sun tan we got nothing out of the trip.
The trip is not to far 60 miles or so. We park in the car park & see a few people over looking the Dell that is by the toilet block, so things looking good but it took another 90 minutes before we got a first sighting of the Wryneck.
It is just a quick glimpse in flight to give us another year tick.
We spend another two hours here & get rewarded when the bird kept flying down to feed on some steps & looked at home till a lady needed to use the steps as it lead to the toilets & that sent the bird flying away.
Before we head for home we get to see the bird fly back to the trees by the steps & as we scan we spot another Wryneck sitting just a matter of inches away, I don't remember ever seeing two together before so a real bonus.

One of the Wrynecks

Just about spot the second Wryneck

Return to Frampton for Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

The three of us drove up the A1 on Thursday to Frampton RSPB in Lincolnshire,we put in a 5 hour shift looking for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper but it is all in vain with no sighting of the bird the whole time we were there.
Of course as soon as we get near home it appears  on the pager as showing from where we had been looking for it.
So we have a talk & decide to try again on Saturday.
We set out at 5 am for the 2 hour  or so drive to look again. I have only seen one Buff-breasted before so it would be great to get a good view of this one. Parking at the bottom car park ,we are soon on the hill scanning over the large scrape, it's more or less the same as Thursday when we see Wood & curlew Sandpipers loads of Spoonbills plus hundreds of Godwits & Dunlin  & the most Ringed Plover I have ever seen, but still no sign of the target bird. Brian does spot the long staying Dowitcher not needed for a tick always nice to see one.
We spread out with Brian doing the walking round to the hide on the other side of the scrape with birders looking from the sea wall.
After an hour more of no sighting I look up & see people starting to run along to join a group on the sea wall,always a good sign so we phone Brian & head up there to join them.
Sure enough on arrival we find they have the bird in sight.
It's hard to find at first but up goes the shout it's out in the open & that's it we have another year tick & after a while we all get much better views than the last one I saw.
With Brian finding a Whinchat that he needed it turns out to be a good decision to come back.

Brian's distant record shoot of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper.

2 Days sea watching at Porthgwarra Cornwall.

On Thursday afternoon the call comes from Brian we are off to Cornwall & we will leave at 10.30 & drive through the night, that turns out to be a slow drive due to rain storms making driving very difficult.
As it turns out we arrive just after 5 am at Porthgwarra & head up the stairs along the short coastal path to where a group of birders had already gathered at the view point amongst the large rocks used for some shelter from the wind that was blowing around 50 miles per hour in a southerly direction.
We find a space to set up & spend the next six hours looking out over the Pinnacles & that was a good point for us to pick up any shout that went up from more experienced sea watchers such a great help.
It's a slow start but things pick up when Manx Shearwater  fly past in good numbers followed by a lifer for me when we see a few Sooty Shearwater then Balearic Shearwarter follow in good numbers.  The rain gave us a good soaking from time to time.But with some good company around us along with faces we knew it was a pleasant experience.
I pick up another year tick with a single Arctic Skua,the boys already had this. Bonxies also seen but we would have liked a few more ticks but not to be today, maybe tomorrow.
A walk along the the coast looking for Cornish Chough is a waste of time with the rain & wind not helping. So a quick trip round the coast at Lizard point & Kynance Cove where we get no joy.
We spend the night in a travel lodge & set off just before 5 am for another session.
It is not a great day with hardly anything going past so after 5 hours we head off but we do manage to find a needed Chough.
On the way home we call in at Labrador Bay where we get another year tick when we find several Cirl Buntings flying down from the bushes to feed, so a good trip with one lifer & a few year ticks.
A good look at Stonehenge on the way home breaks the long journey home.

                                     

                                       

The view point

Beautiful Porthgwarra

Shags at Lizard Point

Cirl Bunting

Stonehenge

Another three year ticks.

Up in the lakes for my Grand daughter's wedding gives me the chance to pick up a couple of year ticks.
I pick up Red Grouse with ease the first few seen were on the A 66 heading into Durham & then before heading for home I see many more on the road from Brough Kirkby Stephen to Middleton-in-Teesdale,such a beautiful place to watch them.
Running along side the Inn that was home while staying in the Lakes is a very fast running stream that is ideal for Dippers & Grey Wagtails.
Many were seen over the time spent here. Heading back home on the A1 I stop off   at Fairburn ings
just outside of Leeds at Castleford.
The reserve is good for Willow Tit & I need one for a year tick after missing out when the boys got one earlier in the year.
The luck is in when watching the feeders, Willow Tits come in to feed & I hear the birds calling to make sure of what I was seeing.
Once back home Jimmy & I meet up with Brian & head off to Norfolk to look for a Pectoral Sandpiper.
We are parked up at Cley just after 7 am & find the Pectoral after a scan as it is found among several Wood Sandpipers,Common Sand,Green Sandpiper,Ruff plus many more usual stuff so a a real good find.
So a great wedding weekend with all the family in the Lake district at a wonderful location & to pick up 2 year ticks while there a real bonus.
And then to spend the day in Norfolk with the boys & to take a look at the Wells north pools for the first time, what a great place this is going to be for bird watching in the future.

Wood Sandpiper

Red Grouse