SNOW BUNTINGS

 Whilst staying with my sister, we travelled up to the Lincolnshire rspb reserve  Frampton marsh with the aim of tracking down half a dozen snow buntings which have been residing there for the past few weeks.  Sparrow-sized, these attractive little birds breed in the Arctic  but winter around the coasts in the UK and exhibit a range of colours in their plumage. This made them quite camouflaged against the  muddy bank, and in fact we walked right past them to start with and  nearly thought we would have to go home disappointed, but came across  a warden who told us exactly where they'd just been seen so were able to retrace our steps. Once we had located them, they gave some very close views on the seaward side of the seawall, often coming within a few metres of us.  

BUNTINGS AND BRAMBLINGS

 Hearing that there were good numbers of bramblings, as well as  corn buntings,  at a popular spot in Hazleton  in the Cotswolds, I drove there this morning. The finches are fed regularly by the landowner who spreads seed along the rutted track behind the gate, and they can number dozens on a good day. 

A car  had just arrived ahead of me and parked at the pull-off point in front of the ,farm gate so I pulled up on the verge behind him which still gave  good views through the fence.   Regular birders know you need to remain in your car to avoid scaring off the birds which I did, transferring to the passenger seat to see more easily. It was ten minutes or so before I saw the first birds arrive, flying first to the top of a tree before gradually coming down to feed on the ground. I saw several  brambling amongst the chaffinches  and also some corn buntings which joined them and a passing red legged partridge. It was an enjoyable  hour in the  Cotswold country side. 

SOUTHSEA SANDPIPERS

 I was travelling home from Sussex this week so decided that staying overnight in a Premier inn would give me a chance to see a few birds along the south coast, in particular some purple sandpipers which I've never seen before. 

After an early start I stopped firstly at Farlington Marshes, just outside Portsmouth where I used  a walk around the reserve  to add some species to my yearly bird total  There were plenty of wildfowl on the marshes, including geese of the Canada and brent variety, and ducks such as wigeon, teal, pintail and shoveler. I also found a nice flock of curlew and a few redshanks.

It does not take too long to circuit the reserve so I was soon on my way to  Southsea Castle  on the south coast.  The old castle stands above the promenade which then has some quite large stones between the promenade and the sea which the public can't  access. However it has become a favourite area for some purple  sandpipers who feed on the rocks nearest the waters edge. The tide was already receding when I arrived and no sandpipers could be seen at their favourite area below the castle. I walked along a bit in either direction before            coming across some other birders  who told me that they'd just seen some on  some distant rocks at the far end of the promenade  beyond where it had been barricaded off for renovation work. Thinking it might be my only chance of a sighting, I headed in that direction and  peering around the metal fencing with my binoculars,  eventually made out a small silhouette against the water.. Well that was a bit disappointing but at least  I could say I'd seen one, couldn't I? 

As I walked slowly back along the promenade,  carefully scanning the rocks as I went,  a flock of about half a dozen small birds flew past and landed in  front of the castle - the purple sandpipers were back!  I caught them up and watched them against the sea - about seven birds in total. The sun was low in the sky behind them so not ideal for photos, but eventually I managed some, despite them  still being quite distant.  I guess when the tide is closer the birds will be too but for now I  was content to see a new species. 

brent geese

curlew

curlew

oyster catcher

redshank

redshank

purple sandpipers

GETTING STARTED IN 2026

 The cold snap made a pretty scene from Twitchers Gate in the Cotswold Water Park today. Good numbers of ducks, as well as great white egrets added to my  year list, and a common gull looked lonely on the ice. At pit 16, a juvenile Great Northern Diver was a bonus  as I didn't manage to see one last year. 

TEMMINCK'S STINT AND YELLOW BROWED WARBLER AT SLIMBRIDGE

After a journey, somewhat lengthened by traffic and road closures, I arrived at Slimbridge shortly after opening time, where I was hoping to find a Temminck's stint and a yellow browed warbler  which had been recorded at the centre over the past few days. At the Rushy hide from  where the stint had been seen, the few birders present told me they hadn't seen it, though encouragingly they said it often arrived slightly later in the morning. However, they did point out a turnstone on one of the islands, an unusual bird for the centre which after a while, flew closer so that it was only about 5 metres away and  I watched it as it fulfilled its name, by turning over the stones with apparent ease, considering their size in relation to the bird! 

  I visited the other hides on the walkway then returned hopefully to the Rushy hide, but still no Temmincks stint. Oh well, I'd have to hope for better success with the warbler, which I'd just heard was showing quite well in the trees just before the Kingfisher hide. As I reached the area, I joined a group of birders had binoculars pointing at something, and I was soon shown where the bird was. A tiny bird, with a definite yellow 'brow' and pale wingbars, it was hard to pick out apart from some movement amongst some leaves. Every now and then it was just possible to see its identifying features and it gave an occasional call. Just to confuse us, it was also joined by a goldcrest ( of a similar size)  and a chiffchaff. With the sun behind it, it was hard to get enough light on it for a photo, even if had been in sufficiently in view. However I was pleased to get another year tick.

Just before I left the centre  to return home I decided to pop into the Rushy hide once more - but this time it was full of people with binoculars and cameras...the Temminck stint had returned and was on the first island! I squeezed into a space and tried to take what pictures I could, before it flew and landed  a little closer .

 After several minutes of frantic photographs from all the birders present,  it flew off and went to the furthest corner of the Rushy Pen,  and out of sight - maybe that's where it had been all morning....

autumn colours at Slimbridge

female teal

redshank

turnstone

the turnstone had just lifted this stone...

pintail back for the winter

snipe

a tiny Temminck's stint

Temminck's stint

WRYNECK AT GOLDCLIFF

 Goldcliff lagoons is a reserve I have visited on several occasions, together with the neighbouring  rspb Newport Wetlands site. It consists of three bodies of water, and several hides and screens.  Only just across the Severn bridge into Wales, I tend to visit when there is something of note and in the past I have seen grey phalaropes and glossy ibis. 

This week, however, there have been reports of a wryneck, a member of the woodpecker family usually seen in autumn as a passage migrant. It had been favouring two particular areas,  a certain area of hedgerow near to a screen and an area near the seawall. 

Today was the earliest opportunity I  had, to make the trip into South Wales so I left early and arrived before 8 o'clock, somewhat surprised to find no other cars parked on the verge near the entrance.  I didn't know exactly which screen to make for but stopped at the first and had a quick look around  - finding a bird like a wryneck in a hedge was going to prove difficult, wasn't it? 

Whilst wondering where to start looking, I noticed a pale shape in the hawthorn opposite me - and picking up my binoculars realised that I'd found the bird already! A quick few distant photos then I thought I'd try and get a bit closer by going down the steps and coming out on the path - but by then  the bird had retreated into the bush and I could just make out its outline before it disappeared

Other birders arrived on the scene and I was able to point out where I had just seen it, but it took a while before it was re-found - further along the hedgerow!  This proved to be the game it played with us for the next few hours - a quick sighting  when one or two people who happened to be in the right spot managed some photos, then disappearing and coming into view up to twenty minutes later in a different spot. We could  sometimes see it as it flew between bushes but often it was at the rear of the hedge. A couple of birders found their way around the back of the hedge and managed to see it better so most people including me, followed at intervals, though I never managed a decent photo even when it reappeared.  Despite the sunshine forecast, the weather remained overcast and difficult viewing and photographing  conditions and I returned home late morning. It will be interesting to see how long the bird stays for.

AN AFTERNOON AT FARMOOR RESERVOIR

 With migration in full swing it is always pleasant to pop over to Farmoor Reservoir to see what is about and so this afternoon I did just that.

As usual the causeway provided some interest, in the form of a dunlin and a juvenile ringed plover - it is always nice to be able to see these little waders at such close quarters at this site. There were also the usual little egrets and a goosander which was sitting on the shoreline when I approached but quickly moved into the water. Both great crested and little grebes were also present.  Ospreys had been seen over the past few days apparently but there were none today. Athough they regularly pass through, I never actually been present when they have been around. At the Pinkhill hide I had a nice conversation with a couple from Marlowe, and although there we could see no birds to begin with,  both a common and green sandpiper flew in, and a group of five little egrets assembled on the opposite bank. 

goosander

little egret

nice to compare common and green sandpipers

ringed plover

disappearing into the surf

dunlin

I really like how the background 'stripes' compliment the colours of the bird in these photos