Bridled Tern in Northumberland - June 2024

A Bridled Tern was found by the wardens on Coquet Island in Northumberland at the beginning of June and I was keen to see this bird. It was being viewed distantly from the dunes near Amble, so I travelled up after work with the hope of seeing it before dusk.  However, after a lengthy drive it was disappointing to find the light not conducive to picking out individual tern species at over a mile distance across the sea. I realised I was going to have to stay over and try again in the morning.

It was a freezing night and I slept in the car for a few hours, but as it was mid summer it never really seemed to get dark and sleep was impossible.  I started again at 5am and spent a 4 hours trying to pick the bird out, but again with the sun behind the island all that was visible were hundreds of tern silhouettes. It was frustrating knowing I could probably see the Bridled Tern but couldn't pick it out.  To make it worse a couple of birders arrived and claimed to have picked it out after about ten minutes. 

Plan B was instigated and I booked onto one of the 'Puffin Specials' going out to the island around midday.  After a short crossing to the island, I was elated to see the term sat among the Puffins in exactly the spot I was looking at from the dunes.  

After a few minutes the bird flew up and made a few close passes of the boat before landing again, giving superb views.

Back on the mainland I was exhausted but happy to start the long journey home.

Thanks for looking.

Spectacular Indigo Bunting in County Durham - May 2024

A stunning male Indigo Bunting was found in a garden at Whitburn, County Durham in May.  After a nervous two hour drive north, the bird was still being seen, commuting from the finders garden feeders, next doors feeders and a nearby allotment.

There was a growing crowd of around 50 in a small road down the side of the house where it was originally seen. I hadn't been there long when the bird flew in to a nearby hedge.  The generous finder had opened his kitchen for viewing so I went inside on the assumption that the bird could be seen better from there. It briefly appeared and showed its stunning plumage before moving further away.

I later saw it on an ariel, viewed from the upstairs bedroom window, and next doors feeders. The bunting stuck around for a couple of days but became much more elusive.

Thanks for looking.

Collared Flycatcher at Spurn - May 2024

After an early morning drop-off at Potteric Carr in South Yorskhire I headed on towards North Cave for a mornings birding.  Just before pulling off the M62, news broke of a Collared Flycatcher trapped, ringed and released at Spurn. And it was a cracking male, one of my most wanted birds. I just kept driving with Kilnsea just over an hour away.

Although it had been seen since release, it hadn't been relocated for some time.  It also started to rain heavily, although this meant it probably wouldn't move too far.  After an hour it was refound along the hedge of a nearby field and was watched in the pouring rain for about an hour.

Following a visit to the cafe to dry out it stopped raining. Although never particularly close, the bird showed well for the rest of the afternoon.

Thanks for looking.

Marsh Sandpiper in Hampsire - April 2024

23rd April 2024. 

I managed to wangle a day off work after a Marsh Sandpiper had been present in Hampshire for a few days. Someone mentioned that this species was becoming less regular, with very few recent records, and a habit of not sticking very long. This made up my mind to give it a go, so an overnight journey found me on the south coast at Normandy Marsh.

I wasn't particularly confident of it being there, having been present for possibly up to five days previously (it was initially identified as a Greenshank).  At dawn around 5.30 am I wandered over to the Marsh with one other birder, but as it got lighter there was a lot noise from the busy lagoon but no sign of the Marsh Sandpiper.  I moved on to check another part of the lagoon but the bird couldn't be seen.  I then moved back to the original viewpoint overlooking its favoured spot, and there it was! 

The site was actually hosting a load of different migrant waders, so there was a lot for the increasing number of birders to look at.  Spring migrants included Curlew Sandpipers, Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks.

Thanks for looking!