Leighton Moss

Lovely spring day at Leighton Moss over weekend. Highlights were roosting Tawny Owl Marsh Tit Bearded Tit Wood Sandpiper Grasshopper Warbler and long staying rarity Cattle Egret

Wood Sandpiper

A few images of Wood Sandpiper from Spurn in September

Lincolnshire

Beautiful warm and sunny day in Lincolnshire on Sunday. Nightingale singing at Whisby NR plus good numbers of Garden Warbler. Then onto Frampton RSPB where we saw Wood Sandpiper, Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, Avocet, Lesser Whitethroat, Cettis Warbler, Ruff among other common birds

South West England

Weekend in Cornwall didn't turn out as expected. First the pelagic boat trip was cancelled. Second the wind died on Sunday so the sea watching proved to be a complete waste of time. And it started off so promising on the first day with Cirl Bunting showing well in the awful light and rain of Friday at Prawle Point. We could see plenty of Manx Shearwater off the coast too. Our last day proved to be better with some good birds at Slimbridge. Wood Sandpiper, Spoonbill, Yellow legged gull and Crane

Lesser Yellowlegs

Myself and Dave went birding today and for a change stayed fairly local. went for the long staying Lesser Yellowlegs at Aldcliffe. We were straight onto it and had good views of it alongside a Wood Sandpiper. We then went to Sizergh Castle in hope of Hawfinch but no luck, it must still be too early. We then went to Leighton Moss where it was pretty quiet. Best birds were a Marsh Tit on the feeders, a few close Snipe, a Raven , a very tame Robin and a Spotted Redshank. We finished off this short day at Woodwell again hoping for a Hawfinch but again they proved to be elusive. We did see another Marsh Tit and I heard its distinctive call.

Barred Warbler and Red necked Phalarope

Saturday 18th. August had myself and Dave off to Spurn nice and early. We stopped off on the way at Bank Island in Wheldrake where a Red necked Phalarope had been seen the previous day. No joy but a cracking spot consisting of some water and flooded fields. It was alive with Snipe and a Spotted Redshank was on view. Also several Greenshank and Green Sandpipers.
Onto Spurn we saw Reed Warbler, a cracking Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler and a lovely female Sparrowhawk. The main target though was a Barred Warbler and after a lot of waiting around we had two brief flight views of the elusive bird confirmed by a couple of expert birders including Steve Webb who is allegedly "number one" bird spotter as he proudly told one of the Spurn staff birders!!
We were about to sack the day when the bird messenger came up with a Red necked Phalarope at Frampton. So off we went. What a superb site it is too. Hundreds of Black tailed Godwits, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Ruff, Dunlin, Wood Sanpiper, Ruddy Duck and a fantastic adult Red necked Phalarope. A great day with two lifers for me and five for Dave.