18th December 30th December

Mostly local birding with not a great deal to be seen!! Did have a sneaky twitch upto Beeley,Derbys for the Dusky Thrush on the 18th with Archie a nice addition to my Life list but no photos as was always distant....Not much else locally but Siberian Chiffchaff are once again wintering in the Tame Valley with 2 birds at traditional sites of Ladywalk & Edison rd outflow.......

All went a little mental on the 27th & plans made to travel down on the 28th with news breaking of a Blue Rock Thrush at Stow-on-the-Wold,Gloucs an unlikely time of year but rumours that it may have been present since November would coincide with several Eastern birds arriving inc Eastern Black Redstart (1st inland record in Woucs) around the same time!! As i type the provenance of the bird & age is still being debated (1 for the experts to work out) Whatever it was still a cracking bird.......

29th December saw Archie & myself head over to Rutland Water,Leics for the Imm Surf Scoter (1st County record) Only my 2nd Inland bird after the Grafham Water bird in 1989..... Good views were had but always difficult from the dam area with height & sun a problem.......

With the Blue Rock Thrush still being present & Donna nagging me to return for a 2nd visit regardless of its provenance i guess that could be 1 of my 1st birds of the New Year??

5th November 2016

With news breaking on the Fri of a Cliff Swallow at Minsmere & a Eyebrowed Thrush in Northumberland we had a choice??? we chose neither & headed to Somerset for the 1st winter Lesser Yellowlegs at Cheddar Reservoir.......... Nice & relaxed with the bird to ourselves for the best part of an hour & 1 happy but cold Donna......

23rd October-30th October 2016

A return visit to Spurnon the 23rd for the Isabelline Wheatear & Siberian Stonechat was a damp squib with both departing overnight but managed the Siberian Stonechat presumed Stejenger's on the point record shots below.....

on Sunday 24th a quick trip down to Farmoor Reservoir,Oxon for the 1st winter Grey Phalarope (Our 2nd there in under a year)

A trip down to the East coast of Norfolk on the 30th for the Isabelline Wheatear at Gun Hill,Burnham Overy distant views but ok but no pics but managed some nice photos of a fem Greenland Wheatear

15th October 2016

With news breaking of a Siberian Accentor (1st for Britain) on Shetland the week before we could only dream however when a 2nd bird was found on mainland at Easington, East Yorks we just had to hope it would stick till the weekend! Sat morning saw Donna & myself heading over to Tom Perrins house for the journey up..... We arrived just before 10am missing most of the crowds & only had to wait 5mins before we could get into the viewing area... A cracking bird very confiding but always in the shade but who's complaining!! We then spent the rest of the day in the Spurn area picking up an impressive list of good birds inc 2+ Dusky,1 Radde's, 1 Yellow-browed, 1 Pallas's Wabler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat,Redstart, Woodcock,Bean & White Fronted Geese & thousands of Thrush,Robins & Goldcrests also a showy Shore Lark....A fantastic day with thanks to Tom for the driving..

Siberian Accentor

Shore Lark

Redstart

Dusky Warbler

8th October 2016

Headed down to Farmoor Reservoir in the afternoon after a fruitless search locally for Yellow-browed Warblers (I will get a Warks bird 1 day!!) knowing that there was a showy Little Stint on the causeway it would be the perfect chance for Donna to see 1 up so close she wouldn't need binoculars,the bird duly played ball eventually despite the juv Ringed Plover it was with being rather jumpy.... unfortunately the light was bloody awful as the birds were on F2 reservoir rather than F1 where the light is usually better...........

Whilst walking back towards the car I noticed a Wagtail along the shoreline of F1 which on closer inspection turned out to be a late Yellow Wagtail (Probably my latest record in Britain!? )

17th September 2016

Not a great deal about but Little Stint had been at Draycote Water in the week so we headed over but as is typical the bird had done a overnight flit..... however undeterred we still decided to do a full circuit picking up 10 Dunlin,7 Ringed Plover,Wheatear,3 Yellow Wagtail & a cracking juv Knot which gave superb views........

11th September 2016

With news breaking of a Baird's Sandpiper at Upton Warren,Worcs on Fri 9th I decided to wait & see what would happen knowing fully that it would be a right scrum on the Sat morning so Donna & myself stayed local at Middleton lakes picking up 2 Curlew Sandpiper,1 Little Stint,3 Dunlin, 1 Black-tailed Godwit & an impressive 17 Bar-tailed Godwit over calling also a very confiding Grey Heron juv but in poor light..........

On the Sunday morning we again decided to go to Middleton Lakes 1st knowing that if the Sandpiper was present the light would be better late afternoon.. We only got as far as the feeding station at Fisher's mill where the juv Heron was again showing very well & a juv Hobby over the carpark before we finally headed off to Upton Warren for the Baird's only my 2nd regional bird but another lifer for Donna.........