A 45-year itch finally scratched this weekend - Corn Crake! Somehow I’ve never seen a passage bird (very rare in Kent and Norfolk) and I missed them on 10+ Scilly visits. They weren’t coming to me so I had to go to them. Life isn’t getting any longer! Balranald delivered. #UKBirding
I wasn’t initially keen for the long journey to Caernarfon Saturday night, but on seeing this beauty of a Western Reef Heron was delighted I took the lift. Thanks to Paul Nobbs for electric travel, @jameslowenwild.bsky.social & @jimlaw.bsky.social for great company. Oh those head plumes! #UKbirding
Definitely weather to stay indoors, broken by a brief dash to nearby Morston when an adult Red-breasted Goose was found by some intrepid souls. It is unringed, associating with 7 unringed Barnacle Geese within a flock of c500 Dark-bellied Brents #NorfolkBirding
Driving to Uig for the North Uist ferry on Friday I glanced across a loch adjacent to the road & noticed a Diver close to the bank & thankfully a lay-by. A quick stop was rewarded with close views of a pair of immaculate Black-throated Divers. Is there a more impeccable bird in the UK? #UKBirding
Thought the chance of seeing Twite in Norfolk this winter had gone so delighted to see this flock of 16 at Cley this evening. Also the first time I’ve seen Twite in the UK feeding on Salix buds (a behaviour I have seen only in Armenia with ssp brevirostris Caucasian Twite). #NorfolkBirding
Between 12th & 20th Feb I was part of a UK/SA team competing in the Kruger Challenge 2026, a fund raising event for the endangered White-winged Flufftail. Our objective was to see the most species of birds/mammals in Kruger NP. I’ve written up our experience in my blog: travellingbirder.blogspot.com
Nice to bump into this Lapland Bunting on Burnham Overy dunes on 22/04. The local Sky Larks were less enthusiastic, constantly chasing it away but it gave occasional good views. I think the black face, black shoulder patches and black flank streaks indicate a 1st summer male? #NorfolkBirding
This stunning hybrid 1S Black-headed x Mediterranean Gull showed a real mix of species and age features, incl a full (Med-like) jet black (ad BHG shape) head, a BHG bill with a Med-like red tint, a bold (Med-type) white eye ring, a pale grey back, and Med-like reddish legs & tertials #NorfolkBirding
The unpredictability of UK birding is so much part of the fun. Who would have predicted a Ross’s Gull in mid April walking around behind a tractor in a potato field in North Norfolk? Great find by Trev Girling who got the news out immediately and superb relocate by Matt Lonsdale. #NorfolkBirding
After yesterday’s lovely slinky Todd’s it was a surprising contrast to (re)find this big, presumably canadensis Atlantic Canada Goose in a flock of harvested-beet feeding Pink-footed Geese today. Big lump of a long-necked bird, behaving naturally and probably a genuine wild vagrant #NorfolkBirding
