30th June 2014

Always good to get Spotted Flycatcher locally in a traditional setting of an old church yard! Even better is they have young which should hopefully fledge within a week or so..........

21st June 2014

Headed down to East Sussex with Arch for 2nds on the Short-toed Eagle as when we had it in Hants a cpl of weeks ago we only had it perched!! Arrived on site just after 7:30am & were soon rewarded with good distant views perched up before it headed our way & gave stunning views but mostly against the light so photos not that good but spent most of the time just admiring it!! After having our fill we ended up looking for dragonflies managing Emperor,Golden-ringed Dragonflie, Broad-bodied Chasers,Keeled Skimmer,Beautiful Demoiselle & Four-spotted Chasers

7th June 2014

Headed down to Norfolk for the Spectacled Warbler at Burnham Overy Dunes this morning which had been present all week, along with Archie & Jules we were on site from about 7-30am & were soon rewarded with fantastic views despite some of the crowd seemingly thinking they were at a football match!! picked up some other good birds along the way with Barn Owl,Spoonbill,Little Terns,Garganey,Corn Buntings & my 1st Grey Partridge of the year........

More Photos Here

5th June 2014

A txt off Tom Perrins whilst I was away working had me getting nervous Red-backed Shrike Ladywalk in my county of Warks & the 1st for 31yrs, luckily I was on earlies & within a few hrs managed to get over & have decent if not distant views of the stunning male........

31st May 2014

Decided to head down to Newport wetlands,Gwent today with Archie & Jules for the singing Savi's Warbler,on arrival we quickly heard the bird & had brief views before it sat up for a few minutes reeling away unfortunately deep in the reeds but still a good addition to the Year list after an hr or so we decided to head of to Devon for the Ross's Gull (1st summer) only my 2nd ever which showed well in the scope but not worth troubling my camera for then the pager went into meltdown Short-toed Eagle in Dorset showing well!! It was decided we would at least try for it & sure enough by 7pm we were watching it along with a good crowd!! No photos again as the bird was at distance but gave brilliant views in the scope (Only a 3rd for Britain) Needless to say a British tick for the 3 of us a fantastic day but knackering after 19+ hrs on the rd!!
Cpl of record shots of the Savi's below............

26th May 2014

A late start this morning with the weather not looking brilliant,a quick phone call to Tom Perrins & Jules Allen & the decision was made ad Long Tailed Skua at Hatfield Moors,S.Yorks directions not the best & onsite bloody awful (Unless your local) After walking the wrong way for at least 1 1/2 hrs & 1 birder who'd seen the bird but couldn't/wouldn't give us directions....... we eventually caught up with the bird which gave reasonable views although a little distant for the camera (But my 1st ad so well happy!!)

17th & 18th May 2014

Very quiet nationally so spent the weekend around the Tame valley & Middleton lakes picking up Hobby new for the Year also 2 stunning male Ruff at Middleton Lakes &  ad Pectoral Sandpiper on the 19th my 2nd in the Tame,showed well but to distant for photographs so had to settle for a confiding Yellow Wagtail which I spent a good few hrs with over the weekend & brief views of a Grasshopper Warbler in fading light on the Sun evening..........

1st May 2014

A quick check at Shustoke produced very little apart from 6 Swift! when a txt from Nick Barlow had Steve Haynes & myself running for the cars ad Bonaparte's Gull Marsh Lane, after a leisurely drive thru the lanes we were soon watching this stunning gull from carpark hide my 2nd for the region after the Kenilworth bird way back in 1990 & only my 4th ever............

24th April - 29th April 2014

Most of the last week spent in the Tame Valley looking for migrants with the best being Little Tern at Shustoke & 2 different Black Terns with 1 still present today (29/4) also a small passage of Arctics thru along with a Wood Sandpiper at Middleton Lakes & the Glossy Ibis which even did the decent thing & flew into Warks!! Also spent a cpl of hours up on Cannock Chase on the 28th catching up with 2 Wood Warbler,Common Redstart,Tree Pipit & a cpl of calling Cuckoo............

Little Tern

Black Tern

Common Tern

Arctic Tern

Wood Warbler

13th April-22nd April 2014

The last week or so has been mainly chasing after Summer migrants with just the one twitch out of the area for a mega 'Crag Martin' at Flamborough,Yorkshire on the 13/4/14 where we were lucky enough to relocate it & have cracking views for several minutes whilst the main crowd were chasing after a Tawny Pipit (Talk about wrong priorities??) We also had good views of the Pipit later

The rest of the week in between work was just in the Tame Valley etc picking up Common migrants with Cuckoo,Swift,Grasshopper Warbler,Arctic Tern being the best bits along with a Glossy Ibis at Middleton Lakes,Staffs...

On the 21st Bobby D found a female/1st Winter male Black Redstart in Mancetter before I got a call from John Judge at Draycote with a probable RR Swallow over so made the trip over to have a look,no Swallow but did get a Warks tick of Fulmar (Thanks to Tim Marlow) & JJ for the call as the bird didn't hang around more than about 20mins also picked up several Little Gull & 2 Common Scoter.... 22nd had me back in the Tame Valley at Shustoke & found a nice Drake Garganey & Common Sandpiper along with 2 Common Tern,4 Arctic Tern & Swift over........