Wryneck

Warham greens Norfolk.

I travelled to norfolk to try for the wryneck at warham, and also to see whatever else was about. On arrival myself and one other birder were the first to arrive, followed after a while by others, but after a couple of hours searching there had been no sign. I decided to leave and next went along the coast to holkham to see the yellow browed warblers and maybe the humes yellow browed, no sooner had i walked along to the western end of holkham that the pager quoted ' wryneck at warham greens', just my bloody luck. But now i was there i stayed a while until i had seen the yellow browed' and then decided to head back to warham and try again. Was i glad i did too, it showed really well and for the first time i was able to photograph this species. I left for home well pleased i can tell you. Sadly a couple of days later it was found dead, the night before being a very cold one may of been too much.

***MEGA***MEGA***MEGA***

American Buff-bellied Pipit

Despite torrential downpours i arrived at Farmoor reservoir on the 9th of oct' and on joining the evergrowing crowds i was greeted with great close views of the bird. It showed well for the whole time i was there, unfortunately i didnt take my usual camera gear due to the weather so i only had my coolpix, which for the life of me i could not remember how to get the right settings so i wont be using that in a hurry again, but with growing crowds i could only grab a record (CRAP) shot of the bird and crowd. But a great twitch none the less.

Subalpine warbler.

Burnham Overy dunes. Norfolk. 4th October 2007.

On arrival at the dunes i saw the great grey shrike atop a bush, but it did not stay there for long and moved west. I started searching the scrubland on the top of the dunes where the subalpine had been showing. It wasnt long before i located it and what a stunning little bird. This was a 1st for me in the form of a subalpine and also as for the race 'moltoni's'. It showed well for myself and the few birders that arrived shortly after. It began sticking to a circuit whilst feeding so i positioned myself where it frequented and sure enough flew in soon enough. I was able to gain some record shots but as the breeze picked up it began to become elusive in a small dell area of scrub that was sheltered from the wind. A welcome addition to my list and a lovely bird.

Norfolk 1st october 2007.

Unfortunately the blyth's reed warbler had departed so i headed along to cley and started to walk towards blakney point. Not far from the car park i noticed the sabines gull that had been frequenting the area for some time, it gave good views in flight and landed on the sea close by too, this was only the 2nd sabines for me and in a different plumage than my 1st bird.

On the way back to the car park i found a red throated diver close in to the shoreline, it was moulting from adult plumage to winter plumage and had a reduced but still bright red throat patch, but all the same a lovely bird.

September 2007.

I made a couple of trips to titchwell in norfolk to get some wader photography, there were plenty of birds to capture on camera, and on the 2nd trip i was joined by sarah. On arrival we had great views of 20+ bearded tits, also good views were had of a solitary snow bunting and a pom skua and a pair of purple sands'.

September 2007.

News of a redstart just outside my village prompted me to visit, it showed well albeit a bit distant and elusive to capture on camera, although i dont list in bedfordshire this was a new species for me in this county, shortly followed by another which i found just outside biggleswade but was even more elusive.

Earith, Cambridgeshire. SQUACCO HERON. August 2007.

Only the second squacco' for me and this one not far up the road. Nightmare journey getting a cracked windscreen from a stone and then realising when i got there all my spare batteries had been left behind, so only the one in the camera, and when switched on was totally flat, so back home and then come back. But i did get some good views although a bit far for the camera it made a great scene on the lilly pads.