398 and counting!

Just a quick note because there are no pictures I'm afraid. I went to Holt in Norfolk on Friday afternoon [22.11.13], arriving at the country park as the light was failing. It was good to get my bearings for the following day but I had planned to stay the night and start early on Saturday anyway. I got there after my B&B in the old telephone exchange [it looks like a modern bungalow to me!] by 8am on Saturday 23rd November. Only one other birder present and he soon located a huge-billed female. Later we had several males - a treeful of birds atop a tall conifer. They detached whole pine cones, moved them along the branch and, holding them in their claws began to extract the seeds. I hadn't seen that behaviour before! By 11am it was a super-twitch with upto 60 vehicles and an overflowing car park!

I left and called at Titchwell in the rain. Later I dropped in to Thornham harbour where I had very close views of brent geese but no sign of a reported hooded crow.

I set off home as Norfolk had turned quite wet. Arrival York 4.30pm. A good trip!

So, two to go - plus a few spares I hope to cover the 'plastic' birds in my list. I won't start an argument as to what that means: canada geese, ring-necked parakeets, mandarins....where does one stop? Gadwalls??

Red House Wood

Two visits so far [Sunday 24/11 and Tuesday 26/11] to see the firecrest. No joy but I now know where to park to minimise the walking time. I have seen bullfinch, chaffinch, goldcrest, marsh, coal, blue and great tit, kestrel, cormorant [over], and lots of redpoll. It's a really good place for redpoll. I think early morning on a sunny day will be best for the little pond half way along the main track from SE 525571.

Long Nanny

Monday 25th November I finally decided to go for the lesser grey shrike. Not a lifer as I had seen one before at Kelling Quags LNR, Norfolk on 19th August 2010. By a unique dickensian coincidence it was my 277th bird that year and it is my 277th bird this year!! That year I went on to see 308 birds - something that won't be happening this year. Funnily enough my 308th and final bird of the year [and my 32nd lifer of the year], a pied-billed grebe at Hollingworth Reservoir, Littleborough near Rochdale was seen as early as 10th November so I'm keeping things going quite well this year...

Just shows how good it is to keep careful records.

Back to Long Nanny. I arrived at the Northumberland County Council car park just after 9am after hitting Newcastle at the worst point of the morning rush hour in spite of my 6am departure. Four birders were watching something through a mixture of scopes and bins. It was that easy: there it was, the juvenile lesser grey shrike. One of the most photographable birds I have encountered - as you are about to see.

My first view:

Lesser Grey Shrike

The shrike flew from time to time to different places generally on varying sides of the little car park, such as in the sheep compound.

Lesser Grey Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike

On one occasion when it jumped down to the ground a pied wagtail popped up!

Lesser Grey Shrike

It then spent a long time in an evergreen bush next to Tiggy.

Lesser Grey Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike Lesser Grey Shrike

Eventually it flew off into some hawthorns at the roadside and we left it in peace.

Lesser Grey Shrike

A great memory!
Lesser Grey Shrike

I drove north a couple of miles to Beadnell. I rather liked the place. Quite a few waders about too, including a few bar-tailed godwits.

Bar-tailed Godwit Bar-tailed Godwit

A female eider was near the shore.

Eider

In the village a fading sign made me smile.

I was surprised to see snow on the hills.

View from Low Newton by the Sea

Here's the original photo. You can see an electricity pole and a chimney from a bungalow behind the dunes. I cloned them away! Who says the camera never lies? But it makes a better picture don't you think?

View from Low Newton by the Sea

Heading South I dropped in to Roker beach, Sunderland hoping for  more waders on the tide-line. No sign but a few rock pipits kept me busy!

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Last call at Saltholme for lunch in Phil Stead's hide. A common teal looked splendid in the sunshine.

Teal

A little egret was showing well on the fire station field.

Little Egret

I'll end with a squawk!

Little Egret

Postscript: Wednesday 27th November. Spent the day with the Once and Future King.

277UK