Smew and Great grey Shrike

 Recent local birding from new home included drake Smew at Thorpe landfill site and Great Grey Shrike at Budby where I also saw a couple of Woodlarks

Redhead Smew and Red-breasted Merganser

Upper Castleshaw Reservoir

Lapland Bunting

Success on the east coast at Long Nab today. On the way had good views of Drake Smew at Anglers County Park. Then onto the east coast where we spent 3 hours walking around a stubble field and saw 2 Snow Bunting and 1 Lapland Bunting in flight and very briefly on the ground. We thought that was it but on walk back we luckily relocated the Lap and had great views as it fed near the seawatching hut. Water Rail running across the road rounded off a superb day.

Bitterns!

Cheshire and North Wales today. Three Twite at Flint Castle. Three Water Pipits two at Neston sewage works and one at Neston Old Quay. Redhead Smew at Moore and best of all two Bitterns at Marbury     Country Park

Ring-billed Gull

Second time lucky at Sands lane Mirfield for the Ring-billed Gull. It was nowhere to be seen on the water but a local birder said it had been seen yesterday at a weir behind the main water. A quick drive to the new spot was fruitful.
On the way home I bagged the drake Smew at Pugneys. Distant views as they never come close enough but great scope views in the winter sunshine.

Yorkshire Trip

Myself and Dave Evans had a day in Yorkshire yesterday Saturday 3rd. March. We headed first to Fairburn Ings where it was very quiet. We went onto Wintersett and Anglers C.P. where we got good views of the long staying American Wigeon on Anglers followed by decent but distant views of the Drake Smew on Wintersett. The Black necked Grebe took a bit more work But we eventually got onto it with good views through the scope. We also found a very nice Willow tit in the trees calling loudly. It was then onto Old Moor where we failed to see or hear the cettis warbler but were rewarded with a Peregrine and good views of the Willow Tit and finches on the feeders. We also saw a pair of Long tailed tits building a nest.

American Wigeon

Managed to  get over to Anglers country park at luncthtime Friday 13th. January and see the longstaying American Wigeon. Other highlights were the drake Smew on the adjacent Wintersett reservoir and plenty of noisy Tree Sparrows

Drake Smew

After 2 failed journeys to Calder Wetlands looking for the drake Smew I finally connected with one today at Wintersett Reservoir. It remained distant so the pictures wont win any awards but it looked great through the scope. Very satisfying to have seen my first drake.