Microbirdology

Fairly awful weather but we followed Birdguide’s directions to a Lapland Bunting at Filey Briggs.  It turned out to be a female Snow Bunting but was it very happy to be photographed.  RSPB Bempton Cliffs is a great reserve. We saw two SEOs, a single Barn Owl, Kestrel and a very brief glimpse of a Peregrine zipping along the face of the cliffs.  We plan to go back in Puffin season.

Not much on the scrapes at Cley but there was a very obliging female Kingfisher from one of the hides.

The main lake was completely frozen at Sculthorpe but there were plenty of small birds taking advantage of their impressive feeding regime.  Pleased to catch one of two Bramblings seen on the reserve that day.  There was a flock of 40 Siskin as well but they kept to the top of the Alders.

I went looking for a Black throated Diver on the lakes at Snettisham. Unfortunately the lakes were almost completely frozen overnight and a return visit when they had thawed, did not reveal the Diver. Plenty of Goldeneye, some interesting mixed-up ducks and a Long tailed Duck.

First visit to WWT Welney.  The reserve was almost completely flooded, so only the main hide was accessible.  Good views of Whooper Swans and Pochards only. The feeders had a good number of Tree Sparrows, mixed in with House Sparrows.  Fortunately we got a voucher for a free return visit. 

A few days down in Seaton, with a side trip to WWT Arundel on the way down, plus Portbury Wharf and WWT Slimbridge on the way back. WWT Arundel My first visit to the WWT site at Arundel. It may not be ‘birding’ but I’m unlikely to see fantastic birds like the huge Dalmatian Pelican (eastern Med to Taiwan), Spectacled Eider (Alaska/Siberia), Scaly-sided Merganser (East Russia) and Harlequin duck (North America, Greenland etc) outside of a curated collection. Although the Harlequin duck is occasionally/very rarely spotted in the north of the UK.  The had a small group of Long tailed Duck, and there was a showy Little Grebe visiting one of the outside pools. Branscome Goldcrests were busy this morning in the fir trees. Also, what I think must be an overwintering Chiffchaff (?) - just as busy as the Goldcrests in the cold, looking for food. BOPH Winter Cruise, Poole 10+ Great Northern Divers seen on the cruise round the harbour, plus a larger number of Red Breasted Merganser.   I