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Week in Norfolk, May 2026

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A week in the Caravan, mostly pottering about the North Norfolk coast, when the weather was amenable. The star of the trip was the one-eyed Bittern that appeared in front of the Daukes Hide at Cley. A fantastic encounter. The bird seemed to be known to the local birders.   Bitterns, after facing national extinction in the late 19th century and dropping to just 11 booming males in 1997, have recovered dramatically, with numbers climbing past 200 breeding males. Pair of Golden Plover, also at Cley Meadow Pipit , at Cley Bullfinch and Stock Dove at Sculthorpe. Very distant shots of the long-staying Black winged Kite , over Hempstead Marsh. Crow making life hard for a Buzzard over Hempstead Marsh Male Marsh Harrier,  distant Cuckoo and Common Tern at Sculthorpe Common Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint at Cley. And finally, shots of Stone Curlew at Weeting, totally destroyed by heat haze, as usual!
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Antigua 2026

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A few of my favourite shots from our family holiday in Antigua. It turned out that late April/early May was not the best time to visit, in that the flow through of migrants had dried up, as had much of the standing water.   Fortunately, this was a beach holiday rather than birding expedition, and from that perspective Antigua was perfect! The highlights for me were 1) the lifers, 2) the hummingbirds around the hotel and 3) the herons on McKinnon’s Pond. Tri-coloured Heron Very graceful birds. Grey Kingbird Not a shrike or a kingfisher, but looks like a bit of both. Snowy Egret These birds, together with the Great Egrets, dominate the local Heron population. White crowned Pigeon A new bird for me. Black crowned Night Heron I have been lucky enough to catch one in the UK this year. They are rare over here but numerous on McKinnon's pond and easy to see early in the morning Yellow crowned Night Heron I didn't even know such a bird existed until it appeared on the far shore of ...
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Holiday in Antigua, late April/early May 2026: S to Z

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Species photographed in or near the hotel, especially McKinnon's Pond which is a short walk from the hotel. Sandwich Tern Semi palmated Plover Snowy Egret Spotted Sandpiper Tri-coloured Heron White winged Dove Willet White Cheeked Pintail White crowned Pigeon Yellow crowned Night Heron Yellow Warbler Greater Yellowlegs Wilson's Plover Zenaida Dove
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