Isle of Islay - Birding Day 1

At the start of the month, Mum, Dad and I all visited the Isle of Islay for a weeks birding holiday. As you may know, we usually go to the Isle of Mull, but we fancied a different vacation.

On the way up to Tarbert, I managed to get 4 year ticks, them being Gannet, Black Guillemot, Hooded Crow and Eider.

The first day on Islay was in the afternoon, where it was chucking it down. No birding on this day even if it was sunny though because we had to get some food, and get toured around our cottage, which was absolutely fantastic! I did get however get Stonechat and Raven onto the year list, making my 2014 total 196. We did also get about 20 Golden Plover in a field, which was a nice surprise.

Technically, Day 3 on Islay was actually Day 1, where our birding holiday now started!

We thought we would head up to the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve, to get some advice about where to head for a week of birding. We were advised to go up to Ardnave Point, just off the RSPB reserve, and walk round the point, so that's what we did!

We parked the car, and immediately I heard the nazal call of the Chough, as one passed over our heads. We got further up, and there were about 20 Chough feeding on the grassy banks. An incredible LIFER for me!

Soon after Dad spotted a ringtail Hen Harrier flying low over the grassy fields smothered in breeds of Cow and Sheep...

Past the fields and onto the muddy tracks, I heard a twittering I wasn't familiar with in East Anglia, but was on Mull. These were a flock of Twite. Cracking fella's!

There were plenty of Skylarks up on the fields too, as well as a Silver Y moth too...

We then made it up to the point, and looked out across Nave Island, a small Island about 500 yards offshore. The Oystercatchers weren't happy by our presence...

Looking out to Nave Island, I saw 3 bulky brown birds flying over the hills, with white flashes on the wing tips. They had to be Great Skua's!

Plenty of Gannets moving offshore too, mainly going west...

On the way back, a Raven was kicking about, harassing the local Choughs...

On the way back to the cottage we called into Saligo Bay, on the west coast of Islay. Plenty of Gannets were moving offshore, as well as Manx Shearwaters which was really nice to see.

At the end of Day 1 (Day 3), my year list was on 200!

Happy Birding!!!

There Ticking Up!

The title is basically suggesting that my year list and life list are ticking up, with 214 this year, and 240 for my life. This is a fantastic year if you compare it, because I am only 26 species off my life list this year. That's incredible. My highest ever year count was last years 205, well, I have thrashed that this year, and were still in November!!!

Anyway, Dad and I went to Norfolk for a bit of birding on Friday. We started of at northern section of Yarmouth Cemetery. Our ambition was to track down the Yellow-browed warbler that was seen on Thursday, and to do this, we presumably had to find a tit flock. It wasn't long before my ears picked up the call of Long-tailed Tit's, and sure enough we found th flock. Of course, there were several Long-tailed Tits

And also 3 Chiffchaffs

Not great!

The, we spotted a tiny bird flitting about low in the ivy. Our hopes went up, but then down a little way, as it turned out to be a Firecrest. Still a cracking bird to see, as I haven't had good views of these birds for ages. The best I got was this shot...

We the headed to Caister to get the Rose-coloured Starling, a lifer for Dad and I.

It then cleared off onto the distant roof tops...

We then left for Winterton. Passing through the fields around the road, we saw thousands of Pink-footed Geese. It was incredible. The shots were taken while driving, so that's why they are so bad....

We didn't get much at Winterton Dunes, apart from some Gannets and Common Scoters. We didn't know where the Snow Buntings or Lapland Bunting were when we got there, and there were so many people here, so we didn't see them.

If you've got good eyes, you can see the scoters. Very distant.

Pretty Poor

We then finished off at the raptor roost at Stubb Mill, and got several Marsh Harriers, Pink-foots and 2 Crane. Not a bad day, but could have been better.

Happy Birding!

Norfolk - Last Day

A 6am start in the morning is never easy, especially when you've had a late night. We made the effort Saturday morning to reach Cley at about 8am. That was about right, and we parked in the East Bank car park, and headed straight up to the beach. The winds weren't like Friday, strong north. So, there weren't any Skuas or Shearwaters here. What we did see though was about 100 Gannets, a flock of Spotted Redshank, and the odd Dunlin flying past.

Gannets flying west

Other birds at Cley that morning were a single Spoonbill, Little Egret, Marsh Harrier and a possible Osprey at Arnolds Marsh, but nothing was on the board so it was a no.

We then got a text from our "rare bird alert" Jim that a juvenile Red-backed Shrike was seen yesterday at Gramborough Hill, at Salthouse. We didn't know if it was about today, but we couldn't even find the place. But it didn't matter, because the Shrike wasn't there on Saturday, because it got chased off by some dogs!

We thought we then move down the coast towards Blakeney, trying to get a trip out to the point. We tried Beans Boat Trips. They didn't do trips out to the point for a stay, only for the seals. So we went on that (they done trips out to the point a week later for nesting birds sake). Here's what we got.

Oystercatchers at Morston

Common and Grey Seals

All very cute!

We then moved on to Titchwell, and we had a look in the visitor center to see what was about. The highlight  had to be a Purple Sandpiper on the buildings on the Beach. This lifted my head right up. I had always wanted to see one of these birds. So, we got straight up to the Beach. When we reached there, thee was about 30 people watching out to sea - not at the sandpiper? We got there and saw that the Purple Sandpiper was hapily feeding on the building, so people would think that it was not even there. I was mega chuffed! Pictures, a Video, what more can you ask for....

Purple Sandpiper at Titchwell Marsh

Another first was a very distant Arctic Skua that a man spotted, and he only just managed to see it through his scope, let alone my bins! A quick video from Sunday morning as some Turnstone's, a Common Gull and a Yellow-legged Gull was on the rocks amongst other Herring Gulls.....

Common Gull at Sea Palling

Yellow-legged Gull at Sea Palling

When looking at this bird through the scope, it had yellow legs, then it flew back out to sea.

Turnstone's at Sea Palling