Stejneger's Stonechat at Salthouse?

North-Easterly winds were forecast along the Norfolk coast today and we were parked up at Cley beach for a Seawatch by 7.30am. Missing a White-billed Diver before we arrived wasn't the best of starts, but a two-hour session produced a Pom Skua and Glauc Gull flying close along the beach right in front of us, a few Little Auks, two Velvet Scoter among large rafts of Common Scoter fifty-plus Eider and single Great Skua, Long-tailed Duck and Arctic Tern.

A short drive from Cley beach is Salthouse and after parking up alongside the duck pond we walked along Meadow Lane and connected with the probable Stejneger's Stonechat immediately. Having heard that a sample of the bird's droppings had been collected, We are now hoping the subsequent DNA tests will confirm it as a genuine Stejneger's.

ps: The DNA sample did indeed confirm that it was a Stejneger's Stonechat.

Confirmation on twitter on 17th November

Genetic analysis of Salthouse 'Eastern' Stonechat poo confirms it was stejnegeri, as suspected.

Stejneger's Stonechat?

We finished the trip at Brancaster Staithe with a bite to eat while watching several species of wader feeding among the exposed mud. Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey and Ringed Plovers, Curlew and Redshank among them.

Black-tailed Godwit

Curlew

Sparrowhawk re-visits the garden

The female Sparrowhawk made another appearance this afternoon. The last time I saw her was over nine months ago. Unfortunately, this time she was successful. By the time I spotted her she had already made the kill. She kills to survive so I didn't disturb her and took the pictures below through the window.

Grey Catbird,: Trevescan, Cornwall

A 2am phone call from Brian this morning saying he was going for the Catbird wasn't such a shock, more surprising was that I was ready and meeting him within twenty minutes!

After putting the location into the satnav it's just the 320 miles between us and the bird! Thick Fog and M3 closures hindered our progress.  But we still Arrived at Land's End by 8am and managed to find the field being used as a car park without any problems. The car park was already full and the field was covered in mist. However, the sun was rising, and the mist soon cleared.

We joined the birders at the bottom of the field and realised that there were just as many birders viewing the area from the opposite side of the stone wall. we had received mixed news. The bird had been seen this morning but had disappeared since. An hour had passed when we got our first sighting of the bird. It was distant, but it was sitting up in scrub allowing adequate scope views. 

Relieved we had seen the bird, now we waited and hoped for a better view. An hour later we got just that. It flew to the line of brambles on our side of the wall, and soon headed for the small Willow. The bird was filling the scope, but it moved even closer and soon it was perched in scrub above the wall within 10 feet of us! 

We left and made a quick stop at Broadsands hoping to add Cirl bunting to the year list. These proved difficult to find, but eventually, we had views of two birds in the hedgerows bordering the two fields.

Rustic Bunting: Wanstead Flats

Somehow I had managed to completely miss last evenings report of Rustic Bunting at Wanstead! So when I checked the news services this morning around 8.30am panic set in!

A mad dash around the house followed, and we were soon on route to Wanstead. The tail-end of the rush hour traffic and the locked car park on Centre Road delayed us further. Eventually, we had to park along Capel Road and walk across the playing fields and through East Copse. But as we emerged from East Copse the mood lifted. Standing along the edge of the football pitches was a group of 20-30 birders all looking intently towards the ploughed and burnt out field close to Long Wood. 

The Bunting was still present but was currently hidden among the clods of mud. Fortunately, it soon appeared giving superb views. It was feeding in close proximity to 4-5 Pied Wagtails. It remained in this area for over an hour, before taking flight towards the long grass.

It was over an hour before it was re-found. It flew overhead calling before dropping down close to its original location in the burnt-out area. Soon it took flight again and this time flew high over the distant copse before being seen to drop down again. We decided this was the time to head for home.

Birders were saying this was the third London record, but I could only find one other accepted record for London. A female that stayed at Beddington sewage-farm from 9th February-13th March in 1993. 

Minsmere: A quiet but enjoyable morning

We arrived at Minsmere shortly before first light and headed East along the North wall towards the beach. Stopping on route to check the bushes either side of the footpath. Brambling, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, and Wren were all we could find.

There was not a breath of wind on the walk out to the beach and plenty of Bearded Tits could be heard from within the reedbeds but surprisingly there were few sightings. Red Deer were seen drinking in the channel along with two Water Rails. The walk along the shoreline added small flocks of Linnets and Meadow Pipits and the gorse bushes held several Stonechats. The only wader seen of any note was a Spotted Redshank. As we approached the sluice two Dartford Warblers were observed, the first time I had seen this species on the reserve! 

The view from the beach at first light

A scan from South Hide failed to locate the Ferruginous Duck on South Girder Pool. We were told by one of the wardens that it spends long periods sleeping among the reeds, and unfortunately, we didn't have the time to wait for the duck to emerge. Before leaving Minsmere we heard a Yellow-browed Warbler calling several times in and around the work centre, but failed to see it.

Spotted Crake, Wilstone reservoir

A brief early morning visit to Wilstone Reservoir in Hertfordshire today hoping to connect with the Spotted Crakes that have been present since early September. We arrived at first light and headed up the steps and made our way towards Cemetery Corner. 

View of Wilstone reservoir at first light

Most of the sightings previously had been late afternoon, early evenings but we had only been scanning the reedbeds for 10-15 minutes when one of the Spotted Crakes was found. It was feeding at the front of the 2nd stand of reeds to the right of Cemetery Corner. Previous reports had me thinking it was only showing for brief periods before disappearing back into the reeds, but this individual continued to feed along the front of the reeds for long periods. I also had a possible sighting of a second bird but could not get another view to confirm it.

Spotted Crake

Grey phalarope, Bough Beech Reservoir

Bough Beech Reservoir in Kent has been host to a Grey Phalarope since the 22nd of September. Since it's arrival it has spent its time on North Lake. Seemingly reliable, we made the forty mile trip this morning. Arriving shortly after 7am we found the reservoir and lake covered in a heavy blanket of fog. Eventually, the sun appeared and the fog cleared. However, there was no sign of the Phalarope! I was just about to cross the road and scan the reservoir when a local birder arrived and said: "have you checked the small pool"? I hadn't, but as soon as I did the Phalarope was seen! It was quite distant and the fog hadn't quite cleared, but I took a couple of record shots. It was feeding on its own in a typical Phalarope manner until several gulls flew in and eventually the Phalarope relocated to North Lake. The small pool also had a Green Sandpiper and two Common Snipe.

Grey Phalarope through the fog

Grey Phalarope (After the fog had cleared)

View of North Lake from the causeway

A scan of North Lake quickly relocated the Phalarope, It would spend much of its time under over-hanging branches of waterside trees, occasionally emerging briefly only to return to cover. A scan of the Lake added another two Green Sandpipers, two Grey Wagtails, and another Common Snipe. Much more of a surprise was a day calling Tawny Owl!

We left the site and had a brief walk around Sevenoaks Nature reserve. It was pretty quiet but a Grey Heron dropped in allowing for a few photos.