North East weekend gems!!

I'd planned a weekend in the North East primarily for Little Auk but sensing that something in from the East could be present?

The only highlight of the Saturday was a very 'difficult' Siberian Stonechat and (297). Reasonable views were had near the pools at Sunderland AFC academy near Cleadon and with a Common Stonechat nearby for comparison, it's identity was never in doubt.but it was always hidden, flighty or just plain elusive! Record shots is an understatement!

A really smart bird with quite a bit of white on the rump (really showy when in flight) and visible here whilst preening.

I'd ignored the Whitley Bay Hume's Leaf Warbler the previous day as I'd seen the Warwickshire bird in the Spring but with little else happening, it became the mission for Sunday morning.

Living up to it's name!

Monumentally tricky light which was even worse aginast white sky!

But, calling all the time, it was never far away and another great bird for the weekend!

I didn't need Waxwing either but there were two briefly present by the main road next to the golf course car park!

And there was not even a sniff of Little Auk despite quite a few hours of effort!! Never mind, one for the year, keeps the list ticking over and just THREE to go......

Hengistbury Head - Isabelline Shrike

I had a plan!! There were three year ticks on offer if it worked.....  but I had to keep to deadlines! From my starting point near Chippenham, I got down to Portland just before 9am for bird no 1 - Dusky Warbler (294) which showed really well, literally as I walked in to the footpath close to the Hump at Easton  - out in the open on arrival!! . Problem was, whilst I savoured awesome bins views, the camera was still in the bag!! It was calling quite often and apart from fleeting glimpses thereafter never came into the open again. And then the heavens opened!!! I gave it another hour, the rain eased, it was still calling but no showing - I had to move on with a 'lifer'  hopefully waiting over at Hengistbury Head?

The tense drive was followed with dark clouds looming on arrival - rain was the last thing I needed but with a 'spring' in my step, headed up the golf course where I could see a small group of birders. Was my luck turning??

It was now 12.40 and (briefly) adjacent to the 17th tee in the densely packed scrub - look what popped up :-) With rain starting to fall, Isabelline Shrike (295) - you little beauty - this time the camera was out and ready!

It showed briefly a bit further away and then flew and never showed again :-(

Flicking through my 'challenge series' - Daurian or Turkestan Shrike? Looking at images it appeared to show features of the latter with tail grading to black at the tip but the supercilium and overall warm colours favoured Daurian? The vaguaries of light (and rain) all play their park but I'll plump for Daurian....

I stayed as long as I dared but then I realised time was running out if I was to get to Gosport......

Gosport - Ring-billed Gull at last

To say this was the bogey bird of 2014 would be an understatement! Whilst in the area, I'd called at Gosport twice in April (coinciding with the Gull's departure from the area) and now dipped it again the previous Friday.

Light was fading and with rain starting to fall, I made it to the boating lake with about 30 minutes of light left. I got out of the car and..... Yessssssss, the Ring-billed Gull (296) was finally  there on the grass below the car park!!

I'd photographed this bird back in 2008 (in summer plumage) so nice to get the winter plumage!

It then flew onto one of the boating pool buoys....

Then onto the water.....

With some unusual late afternoon reflections!

A final close up and then......

The long drive back to Shrewsbury! This had really been a make or break weekend and with four more birds to go, a few more miles to travel :-)

PS here's the same bird back in March 2008!! What a stunner :-)

Gosport - Common Gull

I'd planned an unusual route to Wiltshire where I was speaking on Saturday and staying with friends. The route took in Hampshire, where the intention was to nail one of the 'easiest' of year ticks?? I'd already sipped the Ring-billed Gull (twice) in the spring when my arrival there coincided with it's departure. And I was about to do it again!!

All I had to amuse myself whilst wandering around, sensing it would be on the boating lake before long, were a couple of Common Gulls. So - that's what you're gonna get!

The poor man's Ring billed :-)

Someone might ask me for a pic of one - one day??

I had a tight schedule with Blashford lakes to end the day and at 3.15 called it a day, dashing over to the Ringwood area and with scope only, in 'bird race' style ran to the perimeter fence at Kingfisher lake, jamming the Ferruginous duck (292). Then after a 5 minute drive to Ibsley, the Franklin's gull (293) came to the party viewed from a rammed Tern hide. Despite the fading light, it really did show well (albeit distantly) amongst the large number of Black-headed Gulls.....

I'd made the right decision with only moments to spare but guess what turned up at Gosport at 4.15!!! Yeah, I'll have to see if I can fit RBG in on Sunday?

Trench Pool - Long-tailed Duck

I think it's fair to say I haven't done much birding in the Shire of late :-) Nevertheless, I thought I'd check out the Long-tailed Duck at Trench Pool and on cold, drizzly late afternoon visit - here's a few record shots of what is pretty much a 'mega' in Shropshire terms!

The nearest encounter, it was pretty mobile!

Before it headed off ....

And I wasn't far behind it!

Gorleston on sea - Desert Wheatear

With nothing 'new' for the year, I'd headed off to Lowestoft for another male Desert Wheatear only to find several birders leaving site after giving it's favoured spot a good grilling. Never mind eh? There was another just a few miles up the coast at Gorleston-on-sea and a few minutes later, I was wandering down the promenade....

Where, who should I meet? A small gallery engaging with a typically showy female Desert Wheatear on the sea wall.

It was pretty mobile and spent some time below the sea wall!

And on the beach - well it was probably longing for the sand?

A variety of perches had been provided by the council!

But inevitably it was back to the sea wall near to the 2nd or 3rd shelter along from the 'amusements'!

The only diversion from the upright stance was when it caught a tasty insect or two!

One or two tried to escape?

But escape was generally impossible!

After an hour or I decided to head back to North Norfolk and see what was happening....

Salthouse - Pilot Whales!!

Not a lot bird-wise so I thought I'd try the Salthouse Twite again? I was immediately alerted by a big gallery on the shingle skyline however - wonder what they have got???

It wasn't a bird but it was a pretty incredible show being given by a least 30 Long-finned Pilot Whales! Despite being midway out they were slowly heading east and gradually drifted closer as the afternoon wore on!

Every now and then, heads out of the water!

There were still 4 Twite present but it was all a bit of an anticlimax!