I was back on the North Norfolk coast on the 2nd, researching for an RSPB Local Group trip to Holme NWT (see later), which I would be leading. There wasn't a great deal to see here - a Yellow-browed Warbler had been sighted near the car park before I arrived, but must have moved on. There was lots of activity on the lovely beach, but no rarities. I moved on to RSPB Titchwell Marsh, a few miles down the road, and was rewarded with a brief sighting of a Yellow-browed Warbler there (too dark for photography). Two others were heard at Titchwell. This species has a number of loud, distinctive calls: people usually mention the disyllabic, Coal Tit like call, but these birds were using a loud, single note call - higher pitched than the call of a Chiffchaff (of which there were many). Most of the migrating waders had moved through, but I still saw twelve species, including the Black-winged Stilt 'escape'.
Black-winged Stilt, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 2 October
Great White Egret (one of a pair), RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 2 October
A 'lifer', in the form of an Asian Desert Wheatear, turned up on the Norfolk Coast near Winterton over the weekend of the 5-6th. I was sorely tempted to 'twitch' it on the 7th, but just had too many commitments to go. Unfortunately, the bird left overnight on the 7/8th. As a consolation I decided to visit the same area on the 9th, getting great views of a very tame Hoopoe at North Walsham but missing out on Richard's Pipits at Happisburgh later in the day (they had been reported in the morning but were not subsequently seen). However, as I walked back to the car I did see yet another Yellow-browed Warbler!
Hoopoe, North Walsham, 9 October
Hoopoe, North Walsham, 9 October
A long-awaited return visit with my partner to Spain (this time Bilbao) saw me out of the country for the first time this year, from the 11th to the 15th. Whilst the bird life of other cities has been rich, Bilbao was disappointing. Of course, we weren't (thankfully) there for the birds, which is just as well as I didn't see a single raptor or 'black' crow on the whole trip. Highlights, such as they were, were of Black Redstarts on a coastal walk (Bilbao lies a few miles from the coast), a juvenile Cuckoo and a (possibly wintering) Common Sandpiper. Butterfly sightings included Clouded Yellow (my first of the year) and a smallish fly-by orange species, which I assume was a member of the copper family. A few Dragonflies were also seen, but the only one identified was a Ruddy Darter. I know that this is not the UK, but here are a couple of images from the trip.
Yellow-legged Gull on the Guggenheim Building, Bilbao, 12 October
Female Speckled Wood Butterfly, Bilbao, 14 October
The RSPB Local Group trip to Holme NWT in Norfolk on the 20th went off surprisingly well, considering that 'Storm Ashley' was passing through the region. There was some squally rain and strong southerly winds were blowing, but the sun came out in the afternoon, in time for our return journey. I missed out on a Red-necked Grebe (needed for my year list and seen by a few), but did see (from the coastal path) the moulting juvenile male Scaup, which was on Broadwater (part of the 'rival' NOA reserve). Waders included two Greenshank, one on the reserve and the other at Thornham Harbour. Several Cattle Egrets were in fields towards Thornham. Between us we recorded 83 species (78 seen), including a 'booming' Bittern!
Greenshank, Thornham Harbour, 20 October
Juvenile Male Scaup, Holme, 20 October
My love for the North Norfolk coast knows no bounds, and I was back there two days later, spending a long afternoon at RSPB Titchwell Marsh and again trying out my new zoom lens. I saw the (apparently) resident Snow Bunting (my first of the year) and had a very brief view of a Water Pipit as it flew in front of the Parrinder Hide, calling. Spoonbills, Great White Egrets and 14 wader species were seen.
Bar-tailed Godwit, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 22 October
Chinese Water Deer on the Freshmarsh (it put up all the Birds!), RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 22 October
Golden Plovers, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 22 October
Snow Bunting on the Beach, RSPB Titchwell Marsh, 22 October
On the 30th I nipped up to Broom Gravel Pits (Bedfordshire) to see a male Green-winged Teal (an American duck, which is their equivalent of our common Teal), which was reported there on and off towards the end of October and the beginning of November. The bird was somewhat distant and kept disappearing below a low bank, but I eventually managed to get a 'record shot' photo of the bird, before it disappeared for good.
Record Shot of Male Green-winged Teal, Broom Gravel Pits, 30 October
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