tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26348970445528605772024-02-20T21:14:05.462+00:00Birding with the ClayheadsNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comBlogger343125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-85056495301604162042019-07-18T17:05:00.001+01:002019-07-18T17:05:22.821+01:002019 Update<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1EdUjlawLJM" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<br />Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-42461917848052844172018-10-07T18:13:00.000+01:002018-10-07T18:33:03.747+01:00Black Grouse in Wales somewhere<div style="text-align: justify;">
And so for our second week of our big Autumn birding bash, we decided to play it safe and wait for the news to roll in and we would simply head off. We had no plans. Our social diaries were empty. It was just a case of waiting and being patient.</div>
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By Thursday, Lord Lichfield decided we were simply wasting our holiday and a trip was in order. And in emergency where do you head? No, not the nearest Oatcake shop, but North Wales.</div>
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It was my turn to drive, and we had a large list of target species. First stop was in Wales for Black Grouse. We'd never seen Black Grouse in October before, and we didn't really know what to expect. But oh my, we were blown away by what we found. My largest number ever of Black Grouse seen in Britain plus a full on lek of 16+ males in full display. An amazing sight.</div>
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Lord Lichfield nailed the action. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Grouse in Wales by Lord Lichfield</td></tr>
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Next stop was Flint Castle for two BLACK REDSTARTS. As is always the case when we visit Flint Castle we dipped. But we did spot three <b>Spoonbills </b>on the other side of the estuary.</div>
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Next stop was the Fish Quay in Holyhead which again failed to produce the hoped for BLACK GUILLEMOT but there was a nice <b>Razorbill </b>instead.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Razorbill by Lord Lichfield</td></tr>
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And so we spent the next two hours wandering around our secret "local patch" on Anglesey and as we said on Twitter, we were looking for an American passerine. You can close your eyes when you are walking around this place, open them again and you could be on Scilly. We intend to visit again as and when we can this Autumn. </div>
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We visited a few other sites on Anglesey but it was drizzling and windy and so we headed for home. The day had been alright but we had missed a few target species. We decided to visit two more sites and see if we could drag defeat from the jaws of victory or could we in fact salvage the day.</div>
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We called in at Llanfairfechan. The tide was out. On the point there was a <b>Sandwich Tern</b> roost with in the end over 50 birds flying in. We also saw a <b>RTD </b>offshore. But our target bird was hopefully on the stream here....one we had missed in the very dry stream at the secret Black Grouse site.</div>
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A quick scan of the stream and there was a <b>Dipper </b>sat for us.</div>
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Back onto the A55, through the roadworks and our last stop for day. Llanddulas. We were aware that the long staying GLAUCOUS GULL had been seen "recently" and so we called in on the off chance. We parked up and walked down towards the river mouth, checking the gulls on the sea and beach but there was no sign. Well it had been a nice day out. We'd seen some nice bits and bobs and it was better than staying at home on your sofa stuffing endless oatcakes and bags of sweets down your throat.</div>
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We wandered back to the car and Lord Lichfield pointed. There, by the car, sat on the wall, was the Glaucous Gull.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glaucous Gull....taken by me</td></tr>
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And so to the bit at the end. This week we are very fortunate to have a small contribution from the Berry Hill stalwart himself Mr Rusil Toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon. Following on from yet another sighting of a 1w Mediterranean Gull at that gull hotspot Trentham Gardens, we asked Mr Rusil Toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon how manages to see each year more Med Gulls than the rest of the good Stoke birders put together. He sent us his simple useful guide he carries round with him and has allowed us to reproduce it here.</div>
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Next week we speak to the county recorder himself Mr Nick Cluelesskowski as he discusses how to identify Great White Egret flocks in flight. </div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-17240673713269240932018-10-05T19:35:00.001+01:002018-10-05T19:35:51.885+01:00American White-winged Scoter in Lothian<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well after last years Autumn holiday where it simply fizzled out, we decided this year to have an earlier fortnight, namely at the end of September and the first week of October. And the Autumn of 2018 has certainly delivered so far this year. </div>
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Anyway, we realised that this was a holiday and so Lord Lichfield decided that we needed a trip out. And so we popped up to Lothian and Musselburgh on 28th September, with a few target birds in the area available.</div>
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Having been busy with alternative projects, Lord Lichfield very kindly agtreed to drive, and we arrived at the very picturesque Musselburgh at just after 9am on a gorgeous morning. Now for those joke birders who spend time just sitting on sofas, well let me set the scene. The sky is blue, there's no wind, and overhead you have flocks of Pink-footed Geese flying in, probably flying straight through the night from Iceland and at the height they are, then they are probably still heading down the coast to Norfolk....sorry...bit over your head isn't it.</div>
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So we walked round the small headland, checking the small flocks of Velvet Scoter offshore, mixed in with the odd juvenile Gannet and flocks of Red-breasted Mergansers feeding away. Then a flock of Barnacle Geese fly over. Eventually we located a flock of 40+ Velvet Scoter and slowly sift through them until Lord Lichfield expertly picks out the <b>American White-winged Scoter</b> showing quite well....its head shape is totally different and we watch it diving away. Our first target bird of the trip is under our belts and by far, these are the best views either of us have had of this bird. </div>
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While watching this bird, we also find a <b>Red-necked Grebe</b> and a juvenile <b>Pomarine Skua</b> flies in and performs in front of us. Quite a nice little spell.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh in the distance. Blimey we should have stayed at home eating more and more oatcakes</td></tr>
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After a brief check of Musselburgh lagoons, we headed off to Barns Ness. There were two target birds here and the first one, and a Scottish tick, was a juvenile <b>Woodchat Shrike </b>showing well by the car park. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lighthouse at Barns Ness</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juv Woodchat Shrike at Barns Ness by Lord Lichfield</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its just full of shit....</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, despite waiting for over two hours, the ROSE-COLOURED STARLING did'nt reappear during the afternoon, and so we headed back to Musselburgh lagoons and saw the Pectoral Sandpiper and juv Curlew Sandpiper from a hide that had been built upside down. We kid you not.</div>
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A fantastic day was had and many thanks to Lord Lichfield for doing all the driving when I wasn't at 100% as per usual. </div>
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Finally, hopefully we will bring you the full story behind the amazing claims by a Fenton Sofabirder that he is approaching 500 BOU. We bring you exclusive pictures of the listing police as they practise for the day when he makes his claim. </div>
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And a little song for you all.....</div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-53926224868553825832018-09-25T09:28:00.003+01:002018-09-25T09:34:23.046+01:00Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lancashire<div style="text-align: justify;">
Quick Sunday afternoon trip up to Lancashire to see the juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper that had reappeared. I picked Lord Lichfield up from his favourite nightclub at 11am and following a walk of over a mile along the Wyre Estuary we were soon having excellent views as it fed just on the shore below us. Having been with Lord Lichfield on two previous occasions when we dipped, it was good finally that he was able to add this dainty wader to his British list at possibly his 7th attempt at seeing one. </div>
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And as we stood there watching the Semi-p, news came through that a Pallid Harrier had been found less than ten miles away. It was turning out to be a fantastic small trip out.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wyre Estuary</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semipalmated Sandpiper, Wyre Estuary Lancs. 16th September (c) Lord Lichfield</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pallid Harrier at Cockerham Lancs (c) Lord Lichfield</td></tr>
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Next week we tell the full story of the Sofa Birder's attempt to see the Westport Whinchat. </div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-22443457655702684562018-07-31T16:34:00.000+01:002018-07-31T16:43:18.241+01:00The Sooty Tern twitch<div style="text-align: justify;">
So we'd made plans all week to make the long trek back up to Aberdeen to see the SOOTY TERN only for there to be no sign of it all day on Friday 27th July. We wiped the tears off our cheeks and immediately made alternative plans. </div>
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Lord Lichfield has a great fascination with SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and tries to see them whenever they turn up. He has already made one trip to Co.Durham this year already to see one - yes he's that keen and so it was an easy decision to head off to Spurn to see the SEMI-P that was on our favourite wader haunt the Kilnsea Wetlands. </div>
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Lord Lichfield was busy partying the night before as usual at his stately home, and so we didn't head off for the coast until 4am. Grizz was already in the car and en route we picked up The Stalker to make up the classic foursome again. </div>
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The journey was going well, Lord Lich was sipping his champagne still, The Stalker and Grizz snoozed in the back, we screamed up the M1, M18, onto the M62, the same as many many times before.</div>
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Then Lord Lich said......err "The Stalker".....the Sooty Tern is there again...we've got a decision to make.....</div>
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We slammed the brakes on, did a u-turn on the M62 and hurtled north. </div>
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Well that's almost true. It was a tough decision but it was an unanimous one. We drove and drove until after about six hours of driving I became tired and Lord Lichfield took over the driving (well he made his butler drive) and then it started absolutely pissing it down. But every hour or so news kept coming on and it was still present. </div>
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We parked up by the Ythan Estuary at 1330hrs, only nine and a half hours after leaving home. It had been a mammoth journey. And it was lashing down. As Lord Lich had come straight from a party, he had no coat and was only in his shirt. I emptied all my pockets, put my bins in their case and placed them in a plastic bag. You remember previous soakings you see. </div>
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We walked briskly out to the hut and joined a small band of birders already present. We'd missed it by 30 minutes. It had flown out over the dunes.</div>
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We stood and scanned, it stopped raining and I went back to the car with The Stalker for Lord Lichfield's camera and my scope. But while we were away......</div>
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Ha I had you going there. When we returned four more birders had joined the crowd. Amazingly when we started chatting to them we discovered they went birding too....and used a car for transport. What a coincidence hey.</div>
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Then the shout went up.....The <b>Sooty Tern</b> was flying in from the left on the far bank. It was enormous, it was black, it was awesome. With a few flaps it was already opposite us and flying right.</div>
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It was a huge collective sigh of relief, it was a huge back slapping session, it was hand shakes all round. The gamble had paid off.</div>
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As the sun came out the Sooty Tern kept coming and going, eventually settling down with the other terns. </div>
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And then the moment came. We were stood basking in the afternoon sun, surrounded by our fellow travelling colleagues. And the Sooty Tern flew left, and banked, and then flew straight towards and did a regal fly past on our side of the river. It was a simply magical moment. </div>
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We drove back, stoppped at Dundee Macs and arrived home at 0010am, having covered 800+ miles. Another epic trip. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And guess who we met....Yes Jacko, Robbo, former FBI agent Andy "M" and Grant "Granty Grant" "where's my lift" "Granty Grant Grant" Grant</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Lich was on top form and nailed it</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Crew</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The master at work</td></tr>
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Another fantastic video from Lord Lich</div>
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We discovered chatting to a local birder who shouted it out and kindly took the photo of all eight of us, and who we found out was Sir Roger of Tixall's lad, that the beach we were on was known as Echo Beach. So far away in time hey....</div>
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oh and a photo of the Skerries that I took in 2005...now where's my sketchbook...<br />
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-43286066961401951122018-07-08T20:32:00.001+01:002018-07-31T15:37:24.243+01:00Snowy Owl on Anglesey July 2018<div style="text-align: justify;">
North Staffordshire's elite birding team were resting on Saturday 7th July, as during the afternoon it was England v Sweden in the World Cup quarter finals. As always during these long hot summer months, we never took our eye off the pagers, and news came through from Anglesey that the summering SNOWY OWL had been refound. </div>
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Along with the Shropshire LITTLE BITTERN, we discussed a potentially decent days birding on the Sunday, but I did point out that the SNOWY OWL didn't normally stay in the same place overnight. I made the suggestion that we could pop up after the kick off. I agreed to drive, and after picking up The Stalker and Lord Lichfield, we headed off to Anglesey. We arrived at South Stack at 1930hrs and it was still baking hot. A short walk to the moors and there was a small band of birding brothers watching a hot Snowy Owl roosting. </div>
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We stood for an hour or more watching her, until she flew down onto the valley floor. A quick sea watch off the cliffs saw a few Manxies fly past plus a single Puffin and we stood and watched the sun go down to end a fantastic evening trip. </div>
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The only other trip of note recently was to Kilnsea Wetlands to see the fine Squacco Heron. Our colleague Grizz kindly stayed overnight and waited for me to arrive and even saved me a parking space. Now thats commitment for you. </div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-25527634455122792312018-06-09T15:23:00.001+01:002018-07-08T20:33:06.327+01:00The Norfolk Moltoni's Warbler - When we met Nobby<div style="text-align: justify;">
The spring came and went. We saw some bits but when you try and rattle them off you realise that the quiet spell from Autumn 2017 had continued. Since the <a href="https://youtu.be/EDS3TxtGaQ0">last post</a>, we'd seen a few bits at Wesser, another blinged <a href="https://youtu.be/nbzeqS7Y44E">White Stork</a> at Whitemoor plus the midweek <a href="https://youtu.be/Hj-427Trzk8">Crane</a> there, <a href="https://youtu.be/z74xUWnUack">Little Tern</a> at Rocester, <a href="https://youtu.be/gyZoYHwByJ0">Red-necked Grebe</a> at BGP and the Belvide Red-rumped Swallow but that was all. It hadn't been too bad a spring in Staffordshire, but nationally there was little to excite us. </div>
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And so late spring came, and we had our shoes on constant standby just in case. When a MOLTONI turned up at Duncansby Head, the top NE corner of Britain, we finally started to make plans for a long distant twitch. We even got to the stage of allocating seat numbers in the minibus but it decided to flit before the weekend came.<br />
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And so to Saturday 2nd June 2018. A day of anniversaries.<br />
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It was fifteen years ago to the day since this photo was taken......<br />
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And four years ago since this photo was taken...<br />
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And two years ago since....ah well, we move on<br />
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The day started off at Westport as per usual, but this time we had our coats and a sandwich in the hope that something would turn up somewhere for us to see. After Wesser we toured some of North Staffordshire's birding hotspots but we found them to be shite and birdless. No wonder the regulars who visit these places are so angry and bitter. The drizzle came down, we didn't know where to go, arguments started, tears flowed...and you thought being a member of the Clayheads was glamorous.<br />
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We returned home to do our regular Saturday jobs.<br />
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Then at midday day, I rang Lord Lich who was sipping champagne in his jacuzzi. The conversation went..<br />
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"Well?"<br />
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"Not enough time"<br />
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"Tomorrow?"<br />
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"Monitor"<br />
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Amazingly, another MOLTONI'S had been found on Blakeney Point. It was still present during the evening and we decided to head off at 0400hrs the following evening. The twitch was on.<br />
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Lord Lich volunteered to drive, and we picked up The Stalker en route. The soft top Range Rover simply ate the miles up, and the on board hostess made sure we were well looked after. We parked up at Cley Coastguards at 0730hrs, already aware that the MOLTONI'S was still present. We headed off while the rest of the Staffs birders were still asleep.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lord Lich and The Stalker yomping out to the Point</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a little bit misty</td></tr>
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Following a long winter visiting the gym daily and practising on the special shingle covered tread mill, we found the walk to the point very easy this year, and within 20 minutes we were stood with the 20+ birders on site who also hasn't had a lie in and made the correct call.<br />
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It was a long hours wait before we had any action. A Blakeney stalwart soon spotted us and came and stood by us, and asked us how Westport was doing this spring. It was good to compare the two sites and it was amazing to hear how similar the sites had fared. He said there had been very few waders on Blakeney this spring, exactly the same as Westport would you believe.<br />
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Then a little further down the line, a shout went up. We moved down and we were soon watching the drake <b>Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler</b> perched up in a bramble. We found out the bloke shouting out the directions was called Nobby and he even made sure we had all seen it. What a true gent and we decided that Nobby is going to be made a honorary member of the Clayheads.<br />
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We watched it feed and flit around on and off for about an hour, and Lord Lich managed to get some video. Then at 10:15hrs, it became restless and flew over to the Alder Fly plantation before flying off into the distance down the point and lost to view. It was a most unexpected end to the visit<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It wasn't the largest crowd at first</td></tr>
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We headed off back to the car, and as we were walking downhill, we were back within 15 minutes of setting off. The Staffordshire Birding Club minibus had finally arrived, and we said hello to the Steve twins...Steve Belvide and Steve Gailey, I shook hands with Mr Chairman...Sir Roger Tixall-Broadbent, a nice brief chat with Clayhead Richard Sutton whom I hadn't seen in ages and finally Young Billy Bateman was folding away his duvet and getting the grass out of his hair as we passed. So good to see warm friendly faces and we wished them well.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stalker was very pleased with his visit and struggled to contain his excitement. </td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw52pNwc_WCoTuoOeg71F8pXNA1vlZXbjlRG1KVmB1K2xBEYvjk0eaRZuKxiKcve0vCWT0regsLLlQ1vNbp9Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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All videos in the blog are taken by the Lord Lichfield Video Company and are produced here without his permission.<br />
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And so after a very short break for a short healthy snack and re hydration, we headed down to Salthouse where we met up with our old friends Richard M and Steve G and stood with them listening to a <b>Common Rosefinch</b> singing. Eventually it was located in the hedge at the rear and we had brief but fantastic views in its brown-morph plumage.<br />
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One more stop and that was to Kelling where we had views of the white-spotted red-spotted <b>Bluethroat</b> while feeding in a ditch. By now the temperature was in the early 30's and we spent time distributing water to the elderly.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelling Water Meadows - well the beach by it</td></tr>
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And then we went home. My first tick since October 2017 and three Norfolk ticks in the bag too. A fantastic day was had by all.</div>
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-57593760348946927542018-04-07T14:55:00.000+01:002018-04-07T15:09:33.228+01:00Exclusive - The Truth behind the lost Appendix<div style="text-align: justify;">
So what has happened since the last Snowy Owl post. Well this blog I'm going to use headings for a change. Hope everyone likes it. Just email me with any comments, well unless you are blocked and can't. </div>
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<u><b>Big Exclusive News</b></u></div>
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Well as mentioned in the last blog, celebrity birdvlogger Lord Lich has certainly been enjoying the high life and the taste of fame. Well one night it all went slightly wrong. He's spending most of his time now at the hall of Jeremy and Sophie Farquharson, along with celebrity pals Timothy Snott and Phillip Boast. One night, when many bottles of Pinot Grinot were being drunk, and while playing Junior Cluedo, Lord Lich ran out of pennies from his penny jar and foolishly bet his appendix to get him through to the end of the game. The rest is history and we say, and on future trips unfortunately we will be one appendix short now. He knows we are not happy to say the least but we will just have to accept the situation and let him share ours when he needs to.</div>
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<u><b>Flexi-listing</b></u></div>
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The Clayheads have decided to adopt the well used listing technique now of Flexi-listing as it seems everyone else uses this system and we don't want to be left behind. Basically it makes listing far easier and less stressful. So how does Flexi-listing work. Well you choose a list, add your total but you don't worry about things like borders, escaped birds, BBRC decisions or IOC split criteria. That way you cut out the stress of what to count and what not to count, and if your arch enemy suddenly gets close to you in your total, then you just add a few more. Its so easy and I'm sure more and more will adopt this technique. </div>
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<u><b>Scottish Trip</b></u></div>
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Well I decided on a short break before Easter with the plan to take a car full of my mates up for a jolly to the Highlands and further. So on 28th March I set off on my own and headed up to Musselburgh for my first stop. It was an excellent visit with four species of Scoter on view. The <b>American White-winged Scoter</b> was in a small flock of five or six Velvets and for a change was showing nicely and easily picked out. A drake <b>Surf Scoter </b>was also flying around. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musselburgh looking over towards Edinburgh</td></tr>
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I was staying in the Nethybridge hotel as we always do, and following my drive up from Lothian I was able to visit a few sites in the area, seeing Crested Tit at several sites, plus enjoying walking in Abernethy Forest as usual. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving up the A9</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loch Garten</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abernethy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4NB0wghKURzHHEUGBCcCTPtF4yKReyudyn-fhnAVPELcax7M0twBTfVc3374QjEXQq7ewpwkOFkhUFZMT2OHZwzm4aIq56BuP3Eo7-uOibzgu04Q8wzWlDKOv8Qf_AcCLg6dmWRQrXw/s1600/20180328_143059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4NB0wghKURzHHEUGBCcCTPtF4yKReyudyn-fhnAVPELcax7M0twBTfVc3374QjEXQq7ewpwkOFkhUFZMT2OHZwzm4aIq56BuP3Eo7-uOibzgu04Q8wzWlDKOv8Qf_AcCLg6dmWRQrXw/s400/20180328_143059.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loch Garten</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomDbcJe8bZsF31jIwsUCW6cETEEUJJVBRbXilBp5FYaVQrK-_wY3nHgaFMewD1sV7c6vaB9oebhVM99CpquCvu4RPVZM_h72_9VC0PYaq4WSWxv5qAtUqo7-zdQTepOaXnyObFX76HY8/s1600/20180328_144916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiomDbcJe8bZsF31jIwsUCW6cETEEUJJVBRbXilBp5FYaVQrK-_wY3nHgaFMewD1sV7c6vaB9oebhVM99CpquCvu4RPVZM_h72_9VC0PYaq4WSWxv5qAtUqo7-zdQTepOaXnyObFX76HY8/s400/20180328_144916.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loch Mallachie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Following a pleasant night and an equally pleasant breakfast, I headed off from Speyside and headed north. I stopped briefly in Inverness before carrying on up the A9. The sky was blue, there was no wind and it was simply a superb drive up. The scenary was breathtaking at times, and you never knew what was round the next bend. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqElwozeIBM5NgJQARmAxjDs2_d8ybX-oud10Pl1f7RBY09Di_GDZo10KCRecb8jmqI-Vu4M1lr6X2mwmHN_TYbXYojNAWC5DrwAS659YZZfRMAqXEUPHkPvqlAnziimtMpcBa5Gt3l6E/s1600/20180329_085011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqElwozeIBM5NgJQARmAxjDs2_d8ybX-oud10Pl1f7RBY09Di_GDZo10KCRecb8jmqI-Vu4M1lr6X2mwmHN_TYbXYojNAWC5DrwAS659YZZfRMAqXEUPHkPvqlAnziimtMpcBa5Gt3l6E/s400/20180329_085011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beauly Firth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfFqJ7IfW7mqC5S0rZzWOE3kT6nWJgxD5O_GKz0YZZVJGmpiFnuw_FCGg1LL7rE5_UinhZG3UPTgb4Iv67fvHKktTbfk7NjxfMkj671p7u0o21NFNZqhATMApst8fP9fNeSku4NA8YGU/s1600/20180329_092625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfFqJ7IfW7mqC5S0rZzWOE3kT6nWJgxD5O_GKz0YZZVJGmpiFnuw_FCGg1LL7rE5_UinhZG3UPTgb4Iv67fvHKktTbfk7NjxfMkj671p7u0o21NFNZqhATMApst8fP9fNeSku4NA8YGU/s400/20180329_092625.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Near to Cromarty Firth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2gLfgZdzFYB0m_KiB993_1AJsa1qBY7xGyQ_vt96YE3LdTu9MNx8Y3SzGsO7pF1YLVHRP2Vc8l4diCNvQU4q4Y98ZhZm3iLRPnqCJyhCginKYbIxdrFDg5w7j9u2A7Pd8YWVhSFxbFA/s1600/20180329_092859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2gLfgZdzFYB0m_KiB993_1AJsa1qBY7xGyQ_vt96YE3LdTu9MNx8Y3SzGsO7pF1YLVHRP2Vc8l4diCNvQU4q4Y98ZhZm3iLRPnqCJyhCginKYbIxdrFDg5w7j9u2A7Pd8YWVhSFxbFA/s400/20180329_092859.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cromarty Firth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4e_SAezlJAbJ3q2hUvJRLfp39e3X7CgCmahAEVPG6YpfnEcIzPPWD1eGqhW2pp7_GeL2mfihcPaQ_RlOTKG8ol5lifH30ASOa_3674KqHyDd8Bg30j69yFyl-T7-27a3bvBF6v2UvSSg/s1600/20180329_115627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4e_SAezlJAbJ3q2hUvJRLfp39e3X7CgCmahAEVPG6YpfnEcIzPPWD1eGqhW2pp7_GeL2mfihcPaQ_RlOTKG8ol5lifH30ASOa_3674KqHyDd8Bg30j69yFyl-T7-27a3bvBF6v2UvSSg/s400/20180329_115627.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I drove and drove until I could drive no more. Unfortunately for me, it was the end of the road. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o9oKxzSJgIm-G75cCIdOCqiYkCxcUvvj9R86d04j4WhrIKpSfiERCR34GvUI7yr8NXPsErg0cvo_q7Rzw9KttNgpovcn2whiJNU__GUupks2mHV_mhCj6Oxnwt_GU5_L4eLfpyg2Pbk/s1600/20180329_120241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_o9oKxzSJgIm-G75cCIdOCqiYkCxcUvvj9R86d04j4WhrIKpSfiERCR34GvUI7yr8NXPsErg0cvo_q7Rzw9KttNgpovcn2whiJNU__GUupks2mHV_mhCj6Oxnwt_GU5_L4eLfpyg2Pbk/s400/20180329_120241.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcnpzT4w86Gsdst99pNhBl0vKM3I7OvtUwjni4iMW0OcOZkz3MweNFLWye10yhCzf3Jho7oEof8Wqx7ytAZblJSafghcAilx0Rp5EDYTYvXot2iN3RhU2NWLv8BiIn-HsavXVwHzeGn4/s1600/20180329_120313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcnpzT4w86Gsdst99pNhBl0vKM3I7OvtUwjni4iMW0OcOZkz3MweNFLWye10yhCzf3Jho7oEof8Wqx7ytAZblJSafghcAilx0Rp5EDYTYvXot2iN3RhU2NWLv8BiIn-HsavXVwHzeGn4/s400/20180329_120313.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPvWXhmAluUWblCIADnDX23lSn0k9RFIwNpqF-RQi_UAKSIkq19xG6oRDMNskRIuwAQmY9uhuVMfvTTMNDydDLfTg1KOJFvmyUuGutBCg9TkO7gqRfDq-nGElWxqTE6ozlTudu0wNGro/s1600/20180329_121012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPvWXhmAluUWblCIADnDX23lSn0k9RFIwNpqF-RQi_UAKSIkq19xG6oRDMNskRIuwAQmY9uhuVMfvTTMNDydDLfTg1KOJFvmyUuGutBCg9TkO7gqRfDq-nGElWxqTE6ozlTudu0wNGro/s400/20180329_121012.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvqVeQQYS39H0BpniJeE25JDgnzvhIM-Rtvt-9y7AV_6k7Ejs6zeq5u8pQGCfJQGooqSFZ6dBFXT-L-KUcQdJp7M6oI8NfdNw_R4LL9h7TVBUbU4apGz8nzYTCe2Q6MaU4f9ZDZy0uMI/s1600/20180329_122154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvqVeQQYS39H0BpniJeE25JDgnzvhIM-Rtvt-9y7AV_6k7Ejs6zeq5u8pQGCfJQGooqSFZ6dBFXT-L-KUcQdJp7M6oI8NfdNw_R4LL9h7TVBUbU4apGz8nzYTCe2Q6MaU4f9ZDZy0uMI/s400/20180329_122154.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from John O'Groats towards Orkneys with loads of Purps on the rocks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I headed up to Duncansby Head lighthouse and was able to walk from Britain's east coast to the north coast in two minutes. For a moment I was the most north easterly person in Britain.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoWi6zEHmaMUqKlP_kKHukemB2ubachSnVEovSqiCm4hRyjF9YYTSL4Bbf87ICVP9uRYpSMYQm6sHhzf4F8p4jgK6kc63kFPQlBPSefU-XZutsLdTzxlBOKIg6AukJVcKEfMpJGoMnIg/s1600/20180329_123615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVoWi6zEHmaMUqKlP_kKHukemB2ubachSnVEovSqiCm4hRyjF9YYTSL4Bbf87ICVP9uRYpSMYQm6sHhzf4F8p4jgK6kc63kFPQlBPSefU-XZutsLdTzxlBOKIg6AukJVcKEfMpJGoMnIg/s400/20180329_123615.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top corner of Britain - Duncansby Head</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_ha3ymdO4mqnoI2tvb1wYtjTTkgsHMsYlAHdU8i6O6374iD9os72OdtUHGr_rQqoEV1YbsOOf3GZ3_Ow3emUsAxUZ1JsFaibvEBGjpzT3ULaaAs2OMyV8QD24opNgG81dDk7gwV6XtY/s1600/20180329_123647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_ha3ymdO4mqnoI2tvb1wYtjTTkgsHMsYlAHdU8i6O6374iD9os72OdtUHGr_rQqoEV1YbsOOf3GZ3_Ow3emUsAxUZ1JsFaibvEBGjpzT3ULaaAs2OMyV8QD24opNgG81dDk7gwV6XtY/s400/20180329_123647.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0avdmzMaET6D4gv7cmWjr9z3kZkysWlVhnlCkNsNFv7CVJGpzK00dN16yXyQjIcVGeIfouBiSPZK3bNQ39T7SDd1NRETH7MaZQePaO5i3jxuDq8YzOzM91sGZEBySyGK-IUaEYvAdSs/s1600/20180329_123839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR0avdmzMaET6D4gv7cmWjr9z3kZkysWlVhnlCkNsNFv7CVJGpzK00dN16yXyQjIcVGeIfouBiSPZK3bNQ39T7SDd1NRETH7MaZQePaO5i3jxuDq8YzOzM91sGZEBySyGK-IUaEYvAdSs/s400/20180329_123839.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The actual corner where the Atlantic meets the North Sea. Note the waves</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnI355lKl-dH7OWJV1dyYNoyutxx3MIv8kDh3y-ZdMloGnf4whMkUEt15WAMtmIe97MR3T-QSquKDAzaOU1t_3NaGLVvI2Qvcq1N3w2oJI91qx-aGoNlIbUTmbNGDYOyC66DEqg3vqoA/s1600/20180329_130432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnI355lKl-dH7OWJV1dyYNoyutxx3MIv8kDh3y-ZdMloGnf4whMkUEt15WAMtmIe97MR3T-QSquKDAzaOU1t_3NaGLVvI2Qvcq1N3w2oJI91qx-aGoNlIbUTmbNGDYOyC66DEqg3vqoA/s400/20180329_130432.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were just round the corner</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
I then drove further along the coast to Dunnet Head. The birding was quite good en route, seeing a nice flock of Greenland White-fronts in many many fields of Greylag Geese plus Rock Doves and Hoodies. Then I became the most nothernly person in Britain. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAvo_Z7jvQbMtRDRPf23mGfZvzthodeZrC-72e_73cDYhZbUQNQTOVaiLA28YyHIQCT-a73KUXWSXIKLG_Hf6prEzybKIa7m2sE2SRbFq8qBuZNfrKw7zlpDJDenk4NeGHAcHLEdZi-M/s1600/20180329_142817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAvo_Z7jvQbMtRDRPf23mGfZvzthodeZrC-72e_73cDYhZbUQNQTOVaiLA28YyHIQCT-a73KUXWSXIKLG_Hf6prEzybKIa7m2sE2SRbFq8qBuZNfrKw7zlpDJDenk4NeGHAcHLEdZi-M/s400/20180329_142817.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVSSJmAkBP6LzWd7MU2FtunN2VOU2Nm3VNGly3Yb9npMBNR7nwHyHMw3IoBZGLAyqm_Kyh7LmpmRLWxjWGSlFdMMsiU3glLNODLsUnu4-lI6BImFNTXcNnWB5RLTm0Wtg86FGx0W5GZs/s1600/20180329_144121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVSSJmAkBP6LzWd7MU2FtunN2VOU2Nm3VNGly3Yb9npMBNR7nwHyHMw3IoBZGLAyqm_Kyh7LmpmRLWxjWGSlFdMMsiU3glLNODLsUnu4-lI6BImFNTXcNnWB5RLTm0Wtg86FGx0W5GZs/s400/20180329_144121.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Old Man of Hoy showing in the distance</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDt2jaT2dYCNw_KUuLLNRKd4WPEYVCli6bAoPDbDAOeoEN27rXDfqkoJovjzb9nXldD9s3j_-pAp5oiBdV-x4p8_UJhQn_aeq_CdMlEdl0xy8IL5zuMCj2W3MZMMOgvZA3VYEB2-9dKk/s1600/20180329_144605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguDt2jaT2dYCNw_KUuLLNRKd4WPEYVCli6bAoPDbDAOeoEN27rXDfqkoJovjzb9nXldD9s3j_-pAp5oiBdV-x4p8_UJhQn_aeq_CdMlEdl0xy8IL5zuMCj2W3MZMMOgvZA3VYEB2-9dKk/s400/20180329_144605.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking towards the Orkneys on Britains most northern headland</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0h-TLGNW08ry2gUg031GkKrOX4OJhGm9HokmFkZU4aRqZ5rEU40r0rZD-z7WpENhkimTqWkfSCgp90f5otG4b19ngpkIzRoaRZddJtch6VHEyvghTOn5EUIZWE9rlYPs-yvdIAZUzPk/s1600/20180329_150329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0h-TLGNW08ry2gUg031GkKrOX4OJhGm9HokmFkZU4aRqZ5rEU40r0rZD-z7WpENhkimTqWkfSCgp90f5otG4b19ngpkIzRoaRZddJtch6VHEyvghTOn5EUIZWE9rlYPs-yvdIAZUzPk/s400/20180329_150329.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dunnet Bay</td></tr>
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An excellent stay in the Harbour House B&B in Wick and following another fine breakfast, I headed for home, arriving back in Stoke at 18:20. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_9i1YgB4KYTZCSJ_zDzAOSeZGf5gACLDVsDDyCQ9YWpV_ZSBpg_jpWN2w99etxVqPrEoI077nFBpa4-AlA4_cdfd3B3Ik1U8-e02Pm4qb7N27rw1oP55kZvrtJpXXXKPobvpC90XMyY/s1600/IMG-20180330-WA0036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_9i1YgB4KYTZCSJ_zDzAOSeZGf5gACLDVsDDyCQ9YWpV_ZSBpg_jpWN2w99etxVqPrEoI077nFBpa4-AlA4_cdfd3B3Ik1U8-e02Pm4qb7N27rw1oP55kZvrtJpXXXKPobvpC90XMyY/s400/IMG-20180330-WA0036.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a bit rough in Wick</td></tr>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-41700339280167548612018-03-16T15:53:00.001+00:002018-03-17T11:56:35.632+00:00Snowy Owl in North Norfolk March 2018<div style="text-align: justify;">
News of a possible Snowy Owl in Norfolk sort of filtered out during the week, and we sort of got our outfit washed and ready, polished our lens and chose our shoes, but it wasn't until Friday 9th March and pictures of a 1w female Snowy Owl on Scolt Head Island that the Clayheads stirred into action. A quick ring around and the car took an amazing three minutes to fill, and we were all treated to a ride in Lord Lichfield's new car. To say Lord Lichfield's videos have been a success is only half the story. He's now supplying videos to the rich and famous, but obviously I can't divulge who. Anyway, here's Lord Lichfield's new car - top of the range, all singing and dancing..</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj425gRjgmKaXD0SkLyi6VeftvcuHLW9ODPv7U1eUKUGI0DceUp5Sxgy-YfzuYsffi_IMJWbud9ieTVTj-GYaJw7zclXp9jp3VcbovTuaEzXPvtM36n0xaMA3_TPnAGA_a7rsQD-h6ySjA/s1600/ribbet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="1024" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj425gRjgmKaXD0SkLyi6VeftvcuHLW9ODPv7U1eUKUGI0DceUp5Sxgy-YfzuYsffi_IMJWbud9ieTVTj-GYaJw7zclXp9jp3VcbovTuaEzXPvtM36n0xaMA3_TPnAGA_a7rsQD-h6ySjA/s400/ribbet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Anyway, Lord Lichfield, still wearing his tux from one of his celebrity bashes the evening before picked us up at 430am. The crew today consisted of The Angry Man, Lord Lichfield, The Stalker (due to potential legal action) and Grizz. Lord Lichfield did all the driving despite not having slept for three days.</div>
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We decided to head for the nearest car park to Scolt Head and wait on news. One member of the team suggested we sat in a hide in Titchwell, but The Angry Man's said "No you xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx". So we sat in a side road near to Scolt Head and The Angry Man was given his tablets.</div>
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Then it happened. The Stalker suddenly blurted out that the SNOWY OWL was on Thornham Point. Lord Lichfield started his motor, and screamed off, wheel spinning as he went, burning rubber and filling the North Norfolk early morning air with diesel fumes. The rest of the birders milling around just stood and stared. For once, we were first with news. </div>
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Unsure of where to go, we decided to head for Thornham Harbour. We were soon following a green car, and obviously it was in possession of the same news as we were. We tried to follow the car, but Lord Lich eased back when we reached 140mph. We later found out we were trying to follow Clayheads favourite North Norfolk female birder pin up babe Penny "'Hot Rod" Clark. </div>
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The green car suddenly screeched to a halt, did a full handbrake-180-Top Gear style spin and headed back to Titchwell. Lord Lich calmly reversed into a side road and headed to Titchwell.</div>
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We were soon marching through Titchwell towards the beach, pausing briefly to watch a <b>Woodcock</b> a few feet off the path. The fast walking members of the crew soon reached a boy with a scope. And there was the target bird sat on top of a bush five miles away in the distance. It wasn't even 0800hrs and the <b>Snowy Owl</b> was in the bag. </div>
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We stood on the beach and snapped away at the distant blob. There was small flock of Long-tailed Ducks just offshore along with a few Scaup to keep us amused, but after a while we headed into one of the hides, counting a nice 38 Mediterranean Gulls in the colony.<br />
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The Snowy Owl had finally dried out and started to move, so with news reaching us that it was sat on the beach, we went back for seconds. It sat on a post for two hours and then it sat in a bush for two hours and that was it really.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQTA-_wG6P4b_sspVJzSrcIVGE86wp9mF2P8D7HmoZaTQ327WBaKE_CvfYdcwo6sKx_WgQ2feH3MQUyf8OzFJv924W8UZOZgD05TOhitY07B7kv2VyT6UBBCLgyI4CzOpT8JLOEMZ1Fw/s1600/IMG_20180311_103802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1226" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQTA-_wG6P4b_sspVJzSrcIVGE86wp9mF2P8D7HmoZaTQ327WBaKE_CvfYdcwo6sKx_WgQ2feH3MQUyf8OzFJv924W8UZOZgD05TOhitY07B7kv2VyT6UBBCLgyI4CzOpT8JLOEMZ1Fw/s400/IMG_20180311_103802.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initial view (copyright Lord Lichfield)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxVKFLwW9AvWftORdqphAoluncH-v9BK_CLxg0ms9u1nRrdq5CVUYK0Rzwd-YIQwXkpOLPA1_qwuzAV7OSXKAWlTfVytKnOVEkqhLtzSxc8OECBvXcHhs2NGon6kDvuFySTh5zAwJJWA/s1600/DSC_8683.JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1382" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxVKFLwW9AvWftORdqphAoluncH-v9BK_CLxg0ms9u1nRrdq5CVUYK0Rzwd-YIQwXkpOLPA1_qwuzAV7OSXKAWlTfVytKnOVEkqhLtzSxc8OECBvXcHhs2NGon6kDvuFySTh5zAwJJWA/s400/DSC_8683.JPG.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy Owl sat on a post</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-xcEUme-W7HdRMcKF_Fm8Ewm5qWT50Ry3I9E4Bma5hziaHvu4TzHzmIcWjBPHsL49kkV8ZzgmlN5ljIOFayCPwURKZAwzCmWy14Vn0WLSbyf77b-ucBGQc13jG4lxPXJCDyPlTrs2UY/s1600/DSC_8706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="1477" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-xcEUme-W7HdRMcKF_Fm8Ewm5qWT50Ry3I9E4Bma5hziaHvu4TzHzmIcWjBPHsL49kkV8ZzgmlN5ljIOFayCPwURKZAwzCmWy14Vn0WLSbyf77b-ucBGQc13jG4lxPXJCDyPlTrs2UY/s400/DSC_8706.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy Owl sat in a bush</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BcMF1-t26RTqsr6JeStvUEXpWOkOXuTuJbR83tEPaptALcSZhKfNlyVVSdiK0nUGIh58wP_TzN4F4Q3jW3dirOFz1FxNWxgXFX7gPg4_nQBXLrpi6jjEPJQoemTi26HDAS1-0v96Xc4/s1600/DSC_8712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BcMF1-t26RTqsr6JeStvUEXpWOkOXuTuJbR83tEPaptALcSZhKfNlyVVSdiK0nUGIh58wP_TzN4F4Q3jW3dirOFz1FxNWxgXFX7gPg4_nQBXLrpi6jjEPJQoemTi26HDAS1-0v96Xc4/s400/DSC_8712.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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As we walked back, a Snow Bunting was showing well on the beach<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r5zg7y6Q5OGUi_S9hR7_dsLCdS0dmwRzEffl0Woo2tctDIMNFugz5x-_0NsgNirmCBbnTq29wmL5dm6VoXYIniJZo6UX5y6y8D62ZLHImElTyny2W2k7f5aviQzmVAmdS_BK5JJB2rA/s1600/IMG_20180311_103805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="742" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r5zg7y6Q5OGUi_S9hR7_dsLCdS0dmwRzEffl0Woo2tctDIMNFugz5x-_0NsgNirmCBbnTq29wmL5dm6VoXYIniJZo6UX5y6y8D62ZLHImElTyny2W2k7f5aviQzmVAmdS_BK5JJB2rA/s400/IMG_20180311_103805.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Bunting by Lich</td></tr>
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We headed round to Thornham Harbour and eventually found the nine Twite. Next stop was Holkham, where nine Shore Larks were showing well about 20 minutes walk out from the boardwalk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLmGxBaNRatuXF-xTNMmed6e-8IvKtVITb9MmieINlk-zw5YeG-eZT4m1WAkBG8-LK1bqeTR7gZ9jYt9v4sA-QA2JKZCMk6LMzoX1FEjrJtXkmspzYtb9nG-jgteh8AeB04dxZ5uj8OI/s1600/IMG_20180311_103808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1230" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLmGxBaNRatuXF-xTNMmed6e-8IvKtVITb9MmieINlk-zw5YeG-eZT4m1WAkBG8-LK1bqeTR7gZ9jYt9v4sA-QA2JKZCMk6LMzoX1FEjrJtXkmspzYtb9nG-jgteh8AeB04dxZ5uj8OI/s400/IMG_20180311_103808.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shore Lark by Lord Lichfield </td></tr>
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We stopped on the main road and a quick glance saw a Barn Owl, GWE, a few Y-fronts and an amazing 59 Egyptian Geese. All in all it was a jolly good day out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CGZ_DFrNZ7XDCKITAaJnIR02Qd-qHvmjQdYH25gVph3DTBtr6wto-gTlvgYla8ZFi2F0zDecMhZHGBeiz_TZ_Jp_Vp4IuoVhqIYxHsPqOPeaozV0wQ_RocuETmOoLnbHAPI16qATWy0/s1600/DSC_8718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CGZ_DFrNZ7XDCKITAaJnIR02Qd-qHvmjQdYH25gVph3DTBtr6wto-gTlvgYla8ZFi2F0zDecMhZHGBeiz_TZ_Jp_Vp4IuoVhqIYxHsPqOPeaozV0wQ_RocuETmOoLnbHAPI16qATWy0/s400/DSC_8718.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under a huge Norfolk sky, three Clayheads stroll along</td></tr>
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Finally, today's song is dedicated to a recent Westport twitch. I could have chosen another Icelandic export with Bjerk and "Its oh so quiet" but in the end I went for this. Enjoy xxx</div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-15545204506171257602018-03-11T10:24:00.001+00:002018-03-11T10:24:58.411+00:002018 - an update<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been ordered to print the following statement from Mr Hugh J'Arce, the solicitor representing "The Stalker".</div>
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Dear Mr C Head,</div>
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Since your blog stopped in December 2017, my client, known as "The Stalker" has seen a drop in earnings. "The Stalker" regularly used to be booked to open village halls, asked to attend Christmas Fayres and also make celebrity guest appearances in hides. Now, he is finding it difficult to get a seat in the hide at Aqualate and even strangers walk past him now and don't speak to him. I therefore am requesting you send him the sum of £4-57 as compensation and print this statement on your blog. </div>
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Many thanks Hugh</div>
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So there you are folks. In order to save me from going bankrupt and having to give up the doorway in Burslem where I now live, I will have to, against my will, start this stupid, nasty, trouble causing, atmosphere creating blog again. </div>
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So 2018 started on January 1st this year and I went to Westport. I parked my car in the car park and I saw a Coot, some Mallard, a fabulous Black-headed Gull, six Willow Tits in a bush.....argh.....dam</div>
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I didn't leave the county at all in January and concentrated on going back to basics and patch birding. I did get to see the brief Great Northern Diver at Chasewater and the Whitemoor Haye Whopper Swans, and managed to add Great White Egret to two site lists.</div>
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Hawfinches also showed well at Kingsley. Video below taken by Lord Lichfield</div>
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February again was a struggle with local patches being very quiet. It wasn't until 25th February that I finally left the county and went on a trip down to Weymouth with Grizz to see the Ross's Gull. The trip started off perfectly at Lodmoor as we arrived just as the adult <b>Ross's Gull</b> flew in. We had decent views but it soon flew off and it was all over so briefly. We considered heading off to see the STILT SANDPIPER, but we decided we wanted better views and so we camped out in the Radipole car park and waited. It was at the height of the beast from the east wind, and we just sat in the car and watched the crowd. It was unbelievably bitterly cold. But eventually it flew back in and performed well. Can't beat a good Ross's Gull...this being my fifth in Britain, one of which was within 40 miles of Staffordshire.<br />
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-25960062491515122132017-12-10T17:39:00.000+00:002017-12-10T17:39:35.067+00:002017And so that was 2017.<br />
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Thanks for taking the time to read this blog over the last seven years or so and sharing the good times we all had together.<br />
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Take care, enjoy your birding and goodbye.<br />
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....and to end with a bit of humour</div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-63099258805282141652017-11-17T16:32:00.001+00:002018-10-18T17:09:04.284+01:00Birding with the Clayheads - The Future<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well its November and this Autumn has turned odd, or maybe we have been spoilt by the last two Autumns...I don't know. Anyway, a few weeks / months ago, myself and Hilda's nephew came to a decision (on some long journey somewhere or something). </div>
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Unfortunately, the Clayheads are taking a rest. No...its not the end of the Clayheads. Once you are part of the elite North Staffs Birding group, the title cannot be taken away from you. </div>
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There needs to be a rule clarification as to what constitutes a Clayhead. To be a Clayhead, you have to share a car trip with the rest of the group. The current list of Clayheads are - Shirley, Hilda's nephew, pops, RSu, Bob the Builder, Grizz, The Stalker and JSu. These are the only current members. </div>
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So what plans are there for the next year. Well, after two years of extensive tripping, we realised we can't go on as we are. Life has changed. My life has changed. Next year, we are birding locally and returning to birding in Staffordshire. We have a target and an aim that we want to achieve. Obviously, if anything turns up then we will go and see it, but, for the majority of Saturdays, we will be hitting Staffordshire. </div>
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There will be far fewer blogs so you'll just have to wait and see what we are up to. So hopefully we will see all of you at Wezzer and at another location after we come up trumps and find something.</div>
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I'd just like to thank The Stalker for your support over the last few months. But most of all, thanks to Hilda's nephew for your support and for forcing me to carry on birding. Don't worry, you are still coming out for the next four months. I'll fookin sit outside your house and peep my horn till you come out. </div>
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You see, birding is far more than just ticking a new species and waiting for the next tick. </div>
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Till next time.....love to you all (except the county recorder, wrong trousers, duck-on-a-rope-man...)</div>
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-74771980565070397132017-11-05T15:10:00.001+00:002017-11-05T15:33:38.661+00:00St Aldhelm comes up trumps<div style="text-align: justify;">
So after our trip to Northumberland, we came back and planned a few quiet days at the start of the holiday. However, with news from Blithfield of a Staffs tick for Hilda's nephew on Monday 16th, we were soon off on our travels again.</div>
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The<b> Grey Phalarope</b> was performing well off the dam, and proved an easy subject for a videoman of Lord Lichfield's standards.</div>
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And so the following day, Tuesday 17th October we again planned to do nothing and we hoped something would turn up later in the week. The day started off well with a fly over <b>Hawfinch</b> at Westport. We went back home, only for news to appear late afternoon of a <b>LEACH'S PETREL</b> at Chasewater. News was vague but we screamed down, knowing that it was a race against the fading light. Confusion reigned as to where the bird was until I managed to contact Graham, Lord of Blithfield who was on site watching it. We made it with about fifteen minutes of light left (we did use the M6 toll or else we just wouldn't have made it). It was amazing to see the Leach's Petrel flying all over the place, usually with a flock of 30+ BHG's constantly chasing it. Again another county tick for the St Helen's kid (he's got a bigger Billinge and district list than you but does he brag about it - well of course he does).</div>
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Lord Lichfield did well to get this video with very little light left .</div>
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And then news reached us of another bird for us to go and see. It was none stop birding and this was the reason why we had chosen to have this fortnight off. In Dorset, there was a <b>Two-barred Greenish Warbler</b> and a trip was planned the following day. Unfortunately with work commitments, no one else was able to join us. </div>
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We arrived on site, parked in the field and walked down to join the crowd overlooking St Aldhelm's Quarry. We had been led to believe the bird was showing every 20 mins or so. But this was just not the case. It was a cold, damp day and it was keeping well tucked in. Eventually when we worked out the best place, we had brief fleeting glimpses of it. It was also incredibly active, and made a YBW look inactive. Over a period of about half hour, we finally had decent views as it lingered in one particular area. A nice second tick of the year and a nice bird to see.</div>
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Unfortunately, Lord Lichfield stood no chance with this one, but I did manage some photo's.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRlB7xqUD4J-Z9QlUxSwgC_rAyIRL7rXfRDNuTENnQlXLE41OSexvqBeT8el-SJNNy9FqI9_P4iUca_7D3hfLhBAAkXE_zD8E1C9PCsEflQvpVfN58xcSIgbVurtUkTZ0KdOtqDWRSK4/s1600/IMG_20171020_053747+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRlB7xqUD4J-Z9QlUxSwgC_rAyIRL7rXfRDNuTENnQlXLE41OSexvqBeT8el-SJNNy9FqI9_P4iUca_7D3hfLhBAAkXE_zD8E1C9PCsEflQvpVfN58xcSIgbVurtUkTZ0KdOtqDWRSK4/s400/IMG_20171020_053747+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OuHJjJYy7NodB4he2mef_MUJkTJ1gu5fMzPOf6uG3MLzu5bT9uBA75QSNyhAC5dLJdYa1XHFVZFbQYXgswD78eFkgfuOdP1U2YWrcgzh2MCQm-C9GzyGjCz3YLaNdO8ti5FZFMxQmmo/s1600/IMG_20171020_053750+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="861" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OuHJjJYy7NodB4he2mef_MUJkTJ1gu5fMzPOf6uG3MLzu5bT9uBA75QSNyhAC5dLJdYa1XHFVZFbQYXgswD78eFkgfuOdP1U2YWrcgzh2MCQm-C9GzyGjCz3YLaNdO8ti5FZFMxQmmo/s400/IMG_20171020_053750+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the best place to see it. More sheltered here</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoR76iFnL1JkC0b9aKUsS-3aiap94TPNpMNQpI_31bebfCfikl9KUkd-F9aU7UVjHrE_hytfJokgGN4_N6aqmGrmgX4J8-FFM1gjOIcUKzuraI32UGzvXcdMVwSvHr3aiIKT3uRGbEgY/s1600/IMG_20171020_053753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyoR76iFnL1JkC0b9aKUsS-3aiap94TPNpMNQpI_31bebfCfikl9KUkd-F9aU7UVjHrE_hytfJokgGN4_N6aqmGrmgX4J8-FFM1gjOIcUKzuraI32UGzvXcdMVwSvHr3aiIKT3uRGbEgY/s400/IMG_20171020_053753.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the 2bar Greenish (its just a shot of the bush actually but of course you can look for it. Ain't on the photo though)</td></tr>
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Having seen a Firecrest as well, we headed off to do some more birding. We had a brief look for a DARTFORD WARBLER and then spent sometime in the hide looking for the STILT SANDPIPER. Some big birders were in the hide with us, and they were making claims that they could see the roosting, sleeping wader in long grass behind the other waders. We weren't convinced and after an hour or so and when everything was flushed and there was still no sign of it we headed off. </div>
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On the way back to the car we spotted some good DARTFORD ish habitat, and a little walk around the area and bingo</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDARdqn_eV4O-OgKtHSSJY_9dfslVOe48HuZihYk6y-Cnmx6hBTudEwzVnPvleMmdQELHeXe8ZSAjyXxMUT9ZCrv6qTTu2SCB_bvkmKw2xhFAPAAmDVKaHbdujmLDPrV17JOZvwKpppk/s1600/thumbnail_IMG_5648_Fotor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1280" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDARdqn_eV4O-OgKtHSSJY_9dfslVOe48HuZihYk6y-Cnmx6hBTudEwzVnPvleMmdQELHeXe8ZSAjyXxMUT9ZCrv6qTTu2SCB_bvkmKw2xhFAPAAmDVKaHbdujmLDPrV17JOZvwKpppk/s400/thumbnail_IMG_5648_Fotor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Lich" nailed this one</td></tr>
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Then it was off to Lodmoor. A nice walk around the whole reserve saw us eventually find the<b> Lesser Yellowlegs</b>, along with a few Little Stints and a GWE.</div>
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My video this time!</div>
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And we though that was it. Until we saw that the RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER was still on Portland Bill. We knew the name of the quarry, and we found it on a map and we found the site. But it was an access road to a huge working quarry. I wandered up the track and met an wonderful elderly gentleman. I asked him if he'd seen anything to which he replied "Well yes", but he'd lost sight of it and was walking around to find it. This bloke was possibly in his 80's, and took me to the small copse where his wife (who used two sticks) was watching the <b>Red-breasted Flycatcher</b> flitting around. As I walked in, he pointed out every stone that I could trip over and made sure I kept on my feet as we walked in. What a gent.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5kItuGw7V3qC7SBvFHMifeYLZW0FMvbchCelN62taFBIeS7KAs95yeW24P03TRh5tAcWesoEXw_J2M7PhEuSocZKWJsZQXkipfjYxKQfD_8PWGMq5rVTofPX74WjVVC1B5ikZWDfKRE/s1600/20171018_164429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5kItuGw7V3qC7SBvFHMifeYLZW0FMvbchCelN62taFBIeS7KAs95yeW24P03TRh5tAcWesoEXw_J2M7PhEuSocZKWJsZQXkipfjYxKQfD_8PWGMq5rVTofPX74WjVVC1B5ikZWDfKRE/s400/20171018_164429.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This marvellous helpful gentleman is awarded the coveted Honorary member of the Clayheads.</td></tr>
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Lord Lich moaned about the colour of leaves and the fact that it was late afternoon on a dull day, but I think that's the best time to watch a classic autumnal Red-breasted Fly.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portland Bill R B Fly by "Lich"</td></tr>
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Last bird of the day were three <b>Black Redstarts</b> feeding along a fence at the Great Spotted Cuckoo site. It had been an awesome days birding.</div>
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And so on with the rest of the holiday. We did this Dorset trip on the first Wednesday, leaving us with another week and a half to go. But unfortunately this is where the story ends. We actually, apart from visiting Westport, we haven't been out birding since. We did have some cracking days viz migging at Westport seeing another <b>Hawfinch </b>and an amazing flock of 62 <b>Barnacle Geese </b>over.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An amazing flock of 62 Barnacle Geese over Westport. Slimbridge bound? </td></tr>
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Its now November, and autumn has simply dried up. And so until the east wind blows, its goodbye for now in this strange Autumn 2017.</div>
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-14745052752401194162017-10-20T19:52:00.000+01:002017-10-20T20:42:12.170+01:00October 2017 - Gwent, Spurn and Northumberland<div style="text-align: justify;">
October wasn't go well for me, but there was always the two weeks holiday I had booked off for the last two weeks. Amazingly, Hilda's nephew was off for exactly the same two weeks. Unbelievable.</div>
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My holiday actually started off earlier than expected. On Thursday 12th October, a ROCK THRUSH had been found in Gwent. We tentatively made plans to head off early if it was re found, but at first there was no sign. We also had our scout Grizzly on site to provide us with updates. And it wasn't looking good until just before 11am, when it was located again. When you are sat at work, having had no time off for virtually seven months, and your boss is out of town, it was a very difficult decision I had to take. </div>
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Hilda's nephew picked me up at 1130am and he kindly drove to Gwent. As I was being chaufferered down, it occurred to me on my last visit to the same area, I was kindly driven as well, by PJ. <a href="https://youtu.be/Jne9t8sHpUc">A little bit ironic I thought, don't you think</a>. </div>
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We parked up on a desolate hillside and calmly walked along a path to a quarry face. We stood with a small crowd, waited about twenty minutes until one member of our group located the male <b>Rock Thrush</b> perched behind a boulder. Eventually it came out into the open and we watched it flit from rock to rock. And there was my first tick of the year. Only a ten month wait, and a bird I'd dipped once and was thwarted on two other occasions. Unfortunately, the wind was howling and the drizzle turned to rain, and we walked back to the car.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bunch of amateur dudes to be honest. More interested in chatting and one mistook a Wheatear for the Rock Thrush</td></tr>
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We returned home, and the next morning we headed off to Spurn armed with our bins and suitcases. First stop was in Easington where we soon found the immature <b>Rose-coloured Starling</b> that was cavorting around with the resident Starling flock. We always think its important to get the first bird of the day under the belt. Next stop was Kilnsea, where we eventually saw the Arctic Warbler in the churchyard. The area was actually quite quiet, and so we went for a wander down Beacon Lane and to the Wetlands. It proved quite productive with two Whopper Swans over, a Great White Egret, six Little Stints and a Slavonian Grebe. But by mid afternoon we decided to head home.</div>
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It had always been the plan to head up to Northumberland after Spurn, stay overnight and then look for the RICHARDSON'S CANADA GOOSE in the morning. However, there had been no news on it all day, and that's why we were heading for home. We were heading back to Hull when Hilda's nephew noticed that it had in fact been on. We pulled over, booked a hotel and headed north.</div>
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Well it wasn't as simple as that. We tried to book a travelodge, but the prices were different to what we were led to believe they were. Then "the nephew" found a cheaper one, £35 a night, en suite and our own rooms. It was booked and sorted. Then he started to read the <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186394-d12292008-Reviews-Motel_Xpress-Newcastle_upon_Tyne_Tyne_and_Wear_England.html#REVIEWS">reviews</a> of it. </div>
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Well we survived the night. The shower was the sort you'd keep your boots on in, my bathroom had a few mold free walls, the rooms were tiny, I had coffee making equipment, my door handle came off, and I was outside by 630am. "The Nephew" had a worse night than me. But he chose which key to have.</div>
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So we headed up the A1 and stopped for breakfast at Macs. We were soon on site in Budle Bay. It took us a while to sort the area out. There were thousands of Barnacle Geese flying out from the roost, but very few were going into the fields. It appeared that only when the tide came in did they finally go into the fields. We found a nice spot, and spent nearly two hours scanning through thousands upon thousands of Barnacle Geese and Pink-footed Geese. As you stood there, you spotted flocks high in orbit dropping into the bay, obviously fresh in on migration. Unfortunately, no one had spotted the small one yet. </div>
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At 10am, we made the short distance to Gosport Golf Club where the obliging immature<b> Long-tailed Skua</b> was still in residence.</div>
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By the time we returned, the tide had come in and the vast majority of Barnacle Geese were now in a field, distantly viewable from the Harper's Heugh layby. After a few false claims, we eventually were watching the <b>Richardson's Canada Gees</b>e. It is actually an England tick for me, and a British tick for "The Hilda". It looks like some of the new wannabe's let this one waft over their heads even without noticing it. Apprentices my feckin arse.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHk3JbL290spqjWoI2gY-j5AFTh2n92qzUCLum2dtoviMqf5D0y9VAzJd5Ab43DzFeSDbqjwI9abE5G2sysM3qMegd8HDwhiAVRy2Df6RgOCZnwTDcbcDXh6hwUdQSqVd48eWy7bEHy4U/s1600/IMG_20171015_160602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1367" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHk3JbL290spqjWoI2gY-j5AFTh2n92qzUCLum2dtoviMqf5D0y9VAzJd5Ab43DzFeSDbqjwI9abE5G2sysM3qMegd8HDwhiAVRy2Df6RgOCZnwTDcbcDXh6hwUdQSqVd48eWy7bEHy4U/s400/IMG_20171015_160602.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I borrowed this picture from twitter and I thank the original photographer from the bottom of my heart, and if you are ever in England's finest city, I'll show you on a map where Westport is. </td></tr>
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And so we headed home. In the first two days of our holiday, we'd had a decent start. </div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-75088772583046432752017-10-20T06:51:00.000+01:002017-10-20T06:51:21.101+01:00September 2017 - some more<div style="text-align: justify;">
It has been pointed out by senior members of Hilda's nephew's management team that I managed to miss off two trips that were made during September. I don't quite know how this unfortunate error occurred, but hopefully this additional blog will prevent the matter from going to the courts.</div>
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On September 2nd we headed off on our first official trip of the Autumn, starting off at Bempton Cliffs where a GREENISH WARBLER had been lingering for a few day. As we stood and stared at the bushes without seeing a single bird, we suddenly realised there might have been a massive clear out of birds. We did see Gannet though.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUhp5HZ3G0JJGAb_HWgjd2R_szP5X4vb-OZdF8M4T4qiw44rSJLgarZScEOH2fH9yVB1JQXahQuVBERspUUbSD_aNVVMG0iV4516wjs9AGgGqV9TJlEaMNUSD7jA7M4B-azMFdKtLEos/s1600/DSC_8426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqUhp5HZ3G0JJGAb_HWgjd2R_szP5X4vb-OZdF8M4T4qiw44rSJLgarZScEOH2fH9yVB1JQXahQuVBERspUUbSD_aNVVMG0iV4516wjs9AGgGqV9TJlEaMNUSD7jA7M4B-azMFdKtLEos/s400/DSC_8426.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gannet</td></tr>
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After a quick sea watch from Flamborough we headed down to Nottinghamshire and Lound GP for six Red-crested Pochard, then finished the day at Rutland. After another run around, we found the s/pl <b>Red-necked Grebe</b> from the fishermans car park, and from the reserve, we had good views of the eclipse drake <b>American Wigeon</b>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuakVyO-Nn9xXC1GSN1k8mBSurX2RuM8Veo_MkSqzOB-p0eq_Zl7iye-yRMl2DDdV-Zct7yAJ036ZuU8L0KpSlE-Kg8-me8rEmtAS96hIfxn7tyLxbszURMdmw01_vF5F-0Yneoy_CKNY/s1600/DSC_8441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuakVyO-Nn9xXC1GSN1k8mBSurX2RuM8Veo_MkSqzOB-p0eq_Zl7iye-yRMl2DDdV-Zct7yAJ036ZuU8L0KpSlE-Kg8-me8rEmtAS96hIfxn7tyLxbszURMdmw01_vF5F-0Yneoy_CKNY/s400/DSC_8441.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great White Egret at Rutland</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBrt7DNxyi4hdy5VG28ktvSgfDrLwEc9HmMep1KNIUok-natiJQTACOwVuIOXAmGOmhgTmtNN87lLP7KDYKUJPkqG6ILxn6kX1m70fVrrUZL5zKgQZbfhbi__0LN9kNG0B-V_O0L1xrA/s1600/DSC_8455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBrt7DNxyi4hdy5VG28ktvSgfDrLwEc9HmMep1KNIUok-natiJQTACOwVuIOXAmGOmhgTmtNN87lLP7KDYKUJPkqG6ILxn6kX1m70fVrrUZL5zKgQZbfhbi__0LN9kNG0B-V_O0L1xrA/s400/DSC_8455.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eclipse drake American Wigeon<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VqucbKd007s" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Video taken by Lord Lichfield<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
The other trip I forgot about was to County Durham for the <b>Scops Owl</b> at Ryhope. Hilda's nephew had a day off in the week and went then, and so when it came on again on the Saturday, it was too good an opportunity for me to miss and I made the solo trip north. Not a bird you see everyday in Britain, and looked better in daylight this time than by torch light.</div>
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Video by Lord Lichfield</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4qKyw-A1R9mG56o5lSbVrkV9imTBQreaEqw7tEAJAqv_mFCh_AL5pHvmW4v0fImz4xaOG7rs0WWDOP7ozMjoWbklIUqdf_fSnLFMQuE6dZeGI3DUOEL07oaRqPccI5Jj4ypV8efDOfg/s1600/DSC_8592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="1600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4qKyw-A1R9mG56o5lSbVrkV9imTBQreaEqw7tEAJAqv_mFCh_AL5pHvmW4v0fImz4xaOG7rs0WWDOP7ozMjoWbklIUqdf_fSnLFMQuE6dZeGI3DUOEL07oaRqPccI5Jj4ypV8efDOfg/s400/DSC_8592.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Co.Durham Scops Owl</td></tr>
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Well I think that is September covered now. You never know, I may get the trips in the right order on the next blog.</div>
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-82219788367622856272017-10-17T15:22:00.001+01:002017-10-17T15:23:05.497+01:00September 2017<span style="text-align: justify;">Quick catch up blog with a quick overview of September. On Saturday September 9th, I was doing my chores around the house when news came of a juvenile </span><b style="text-align: justify;">Wilson's Phalarope</b><span style="text-align: justify;"> in Lancashire. It was an easy trip and I enjoyed good views at Alston Resv, a new site for me too. Unfortunately it only stayed the one day.</span><br />
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The only other trips of note were down to the Weymouth area. Hilda's nephew shot down in the week to see the Stilt Sandpiper and Least Sandpiper at Lodmoor, followed by the Wryneck on Portland and the Woodchat Shrike in Gloucs. With nothing else around for the Saturday trip, Hilda's nephew came down again for an almost repeat trip with myself and The Stalker (no lying on the settee whinging his balls off for the lad - Hilda would be so proud). Unfortunately, the trip was to end in bitter disappointment and arguing, as there was no sign of the Stilt Sandpiper. However all the other birds showed absolutely fantastically and it was a belter of a trip.</div>
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This video is taken by Lord Lichfield. I have to point this out as I'm sick of getting threatening letters from his management company now when I don't credit his videos.</div>
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Other than a trip to Norfolk for the PGTips dip, when there were a total of five Clayheads on site, nothing much else happened. </div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-32572507097529780182017-09-11T19:06:00.000+01:002017-09-11T19:06:13.128+01:00Purple Heron in Lancashire<div style="text-align: justify;">
August just fizzled out really following the first two weekends. I managed to join the "I dipped the Caspian Tern twice" club but it wasn't until the Bank Holiday weekend that we all popped out again.</div>
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Saturday August 26th started like any normal Saturday used to at Westport. As soon as news broke, The Stalker joined us and we headed up to Leighton Moss. We walked straight to one of the hides and there was the juv<b> Purple Heron</b> feeding away in the reeds. The hide was packed, and there were even some birdwatchers among the crowd.</div>
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Struggling as to where to go next, I suggested a Black Grouse site I had visited in 2001. Obviously a sunny afternoon at the end of August is prime time to see Black Grouse so we didn't really know what to expect. The drive took over an hour, but the scenery was nice and it was part of the world we don't visit very often. And when we arrived there were two Black Grouse sat in a field. Result!</div>
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And finally to catch up we headed off to Bempton on September 2nd to photograph some Gannets. And amazingly we found some. Not in the bushes as expected, but on the cliff face.<br />
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On the way back home we called into Lound GP for six Red-crested Pochards and then to Rutland for the summer plumaged Red-necked Grebe and an eclipse drake American Wigeon.<br />
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Oh and then there was this.<br />
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-2705681130910000792017-09-03T20:08:00.002+01:002017-09-03T20:10:30.493+01:00To Murcar and beyond....<div>
A quick advert from our unofficial sponsors tonight.</div>
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And a little bit of music to listen to while reading the blog. </div>
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Apologies for the last post. A real low point in Clayhead blog history. Even lower than the blog about Mr Wrong Trousers and Mr Duck-on-a-rope Man (showing well hey - tug it in a bit to get it closer). </div>
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Anyway, back to Murcar. I can't even remember where I got to. Oh yes, that dreadful song...</div>
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Right. We headed up to Murcar with the intention of if we didn't see it on the Friday, we could stay the Saturday. Just to recap, it was Shirley Not, Hilda's nephew and The Stalker who headed north. We parked up by the now very familiar Murcar Golf Course and walked out to the beach.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to know what to caption for this photo but here goes - Entrance sign to Murcar Golf Club</td></tr>
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We met two birders coming the other way. As often happens, they instantly recognised us and started chatting, asking for photo's, autographs, merchandise, you know the usual stuff. Anyway, they had seen the WWS and told us where to view from, and what else was in the flock. Result. We almost started grinning, but it did put a spring in the step of The Stalker (wow he can jog on a sandy beach. Olympic standard beach walker) and Shirley Not. Unfortunately Hilda's nephew decided to admire the view and do a bit of beach combing. </div>
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We walked down the beach to the first pill box. Yes there were a few Scoter but The "Mo Farah-esque" Stalker decided it was the next pillbox that we should walk to. It was a Blakeney Point type walk; constantly looking for some hard sand. We must have walked nearly 15 miles down that beach to the 2nd pill box. </div>
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We set our scopes up. It was a decent sized Scoter flock. We scanned expectantly. We soon found a Surf Scoter which was good news - the two birders we met told us there was a Surfie in the same flock.</div>
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We scanned that flock for hours. We made a decision to head off up to the dunes to gain a bit of height and this made viewing slightly easier. It was amazing to see an active Scoter flock in action. What amazed us was that all the Eider were grouped together, all the Velvets were together and the rest was on the edge. We watched the whole flock go to sleep. We watched a small group of Velvets start to feed, then after over three hours of scanning, we spotted a Velvet with a slightly more pronounced eye patch. And we all watched it. And we all saw it. And we all knew it was the adult White-winged Scoter. And the we sort of breathed a sigh of relief. It was tough birding.</div>
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Celebrate? Not really. Late to the party? Not really. Some of us saw it in 2011 so if anyone was late to the party it was the 2016 tickers! For one of the group it was the 3rd time he'd seen the bird.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "late to the party celebration" photo. </td></tr>
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It was a relief more than anything. The afternoon turned into an attempt to re find the bird for more birders who turned up but despite repeated scanning, we never saw it again. We did see a fine juv <b>Pomarine Skua</b> and a Bonxie fly past, but by mid afternoon, we were fu@@ked, sorry flagging.</div>
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After a quick break in Macs, CJW headed south and managed to carry on driving to the borders. He did a sterling job and showed he was amongst the second best drivers in the car. Unfortunately, the Clayheads main driver had to bail him out. As it was, we arrived home well after 1am, due to a complete closure of the M6 in Cheshire. It caused mayhem. </div>
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But it was a job well done. </div>
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Sorry for lack of photo's and video's this time from Lord Lichfield. You should have heard RBA shouting down the phone at him. All I could hear were the words incompetent, fraud and amateur being said. Anyway, here's the only other picture taken that day</div>
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But at least you didn't have to listen to the world's worst song again. When I'm driving, that was the sort of music we listen to. Fantastic hey!</div>
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-43918500961406859912017-08-28T19:19:00.002+01:002017-08-28T19:21:04.323+01:00Murcar Golf Course - Hilda's nephew follows last years birders and turns up late for a party<div style="text-align: justify;">
Following our long weekend off in Penzance, I had the following weekend extended-off type thing too. There was only one place to go. And that was to get the Monkey off Hilda's nephew's back. So we headed to the vets...</div>
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The Aberdeen WHITE-WINGED SCOTER had been seen on a fairly regular basis, but only at weekends, but we realised this was probably only when anyone was looking for it. </div>
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We decided to head up on Friday 11th August, give it a go and if necessary, stay overnight and look again on the Saturday. We knew there were rooms at the Travelodge/Premier Inn for £35. </div>
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This would be the 4th attempt Hilda's nephew had made for the WWS. The first, in 2011 when it was first seen was bizarre to say the least. Here is what I wrote about it at the time -</div>
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"<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I walked
out of the house at <i>01-50hrs </i>and received a text from <i>CJW</i>. He had
arranged for someone to come round and pick his dog up as we were probably
going to be out all day. However, the person had not turned up. <i>CJW</i> was
walking up and down the street looking for anyone to who could help, but, not
surprisingly, there was no one about. Reluctantly, having waited to see if the
dog sitter turned up, at <i>02-30hrs </i>we had to set off without <i>CJW</i>.</span><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;"> "</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He also missed it twice last year, and so we needed to break the cycle and get this bird in the hat. The trio of Shirley, Hilda's nephew and The Stalker set off at 2am or 3am, I can't honestly remember. But we set off at a ridiculously early hour with Hilda's nephew driving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After 3hrs, he put his flaming music on again, including this song which I think is the worst song ever written in the history of popular music. See if you can listen to all of this without turning it off. There's a free seat and all expenses paid trip courtesy of the Clayheads the next time we go to Rothwell for those who manage it!! So six mins and 29 secs of this turgid monotonous tripe. Good luck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">No point carrying on with the blog now cos everyone has gone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">Anyone still reading...</span></div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-18081090272354267722017-08-23T20:43:00.000+01:002017-08-23T20:43:02.363+01:00The Penzance Weekend - August 4th and 5th 2017<div style="text-align: justify;">
My birthday usually happens around the same time of year, but for some reason, this year it fell in August. Apparently its due to the alignment of Saturn and the Sun which was unusual for this year. If you want anymore information just Google it.</div>
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Anyway, we planned a sea watching weekend this year in Cornwall. It was very touch and go at times, as the Clayheads Chief hotel finder was having great difficulty this year in finding any suitable accommodation. Eventually it all came together following about three weeks of planning. </div>
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Six of us were assembled to head down. The advance party of Shirley, Hilda's nephew and The Stalker set off early on Friday morning heading for Porthgwarra. Sea-watching had been excellent this year from here but towards the end of the week, when we were due to arrive, the winds switched to westerlies and eased off a bit. We thought about going to Pendeen instead, but then I had a brainwave. Why not go across on the Scillonian instead. It gave us two sessions of sea watching and we felt we would stand a better chance of seeing the "Big Three". </div>
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Incredibly, we found out that the boat was full for the return journey, so it was out of the question. We decided on Porthgwarra as we felt there would be more eyes there. We arrived at 08:45 and set out our chairs and settled down. We were told it had been "quiet".</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC951LlZ38_Wc456inkvBPnbS6z2rcEbzExWb1GDyPgbhzp_adC907RlKg_GhcghjH5E-A2pV-gH2JnFfl1k_jMWwWX5XLEBT6s2hItJJkLS9iRqf3GsCW0C1irnhy7MvNhPxT-LjmCQ/s1600/thumbnail_20170804_084044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC951LlZ38_Wc456inkvBPnbS6z2rcEbzExWb1GDyPgbhzp_adC907RlKg_GhcghjH5E-A2pV-gH2JnFfl1k_jMWwWX5XLEBT6s2hItJJkLS9iRqf3GsCW0C1irnhy7MvNhPxT-LjmCQ/s400/thumbnail_20170804_084044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYj9oREW745FDjTLXQvbR-kdAuuDzvBwBJWaBSlCvsqLD1CUVVFt8m4dZAnW8s1QU3magvWjkcyXF14ooodTULZz_wT5UY9qDBjx_bPO5J2svOm-ucPOyxR-gdrJchL3VXnUwlhYLGIlc/s1600/thumbnail_20170804_104710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYj9oREW745FDjTLXQvbR-kdAuuDzvBwBJWaBSlCvsqLD1CUVVFt8m4dZAnW8s1QU3magvWjkcyXF14ooodTULZz_wT5UY9qDBjx_bPO5J2svOm-ucPOyxR-gdrJchL3VXnUwlhYLGIlc/s400/thumbnail_20170804_104710.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And so we sat there until just before 17:00. Occasionally we each wandered off for a stretch of our legs and a change of scenery. And at the end we realised we had also been baked to a crisp. We were all bright red. The issue was we had no Plan B. The rest of Cornwall was dead with absolutely nothing to go for. So our sea watch produced a Bonxie, a Puffin, we dipped Minke Whale twice but what we did see were about 500+ Manx Shearwaters and a final count of 99 Storm-petrels (I checked my note book as we were walking back to the car and it was exactly 99).</div>
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We did see a Clouded Yellow and we were told there were Grayling along the cliff. Sure enough we found them and that's my 50th butterfly species in Britain.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmOiwt0b-X7zndueXEQVk6oTtdjwcwY-QzwcACmgJUT6Dw4Kbm6jpqJKG_1W23oJZSwMbaD7pYqN5Ru7XKcijoB62uiaBX6XnebRtAuCl9HMaS8RQmzkqVgBUbfWwMsw-CKJaxpevWkI/s1600/thumbnail_20170804_123856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="591" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmOiwt0b-X7zndueXEQVk6oTtdjwcwY-QzwcACmgJUT6Dw4Kbm6jpqJKG_1W23oJZSwMbaD7pYqN5Ru7XKcijoB62uiaBX6XnebRtAuCl9HMaS8RQmzkqVgBUbfWwMsw-CKJaxpevWkI/s400/thumbnail_20170804_123856.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grayling at Porthgwarra</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIe60Y-ZZjHi1jiQE7fUKpjFQNVLJiAzVCRyAiGNAWnWqpW3rfr7TzKVAV2o_Eq62_uly8wuml4MLSyvoj7Sno78s5HqJ2C_q9kXxz4XU9M2PVCOBBb3LxkEbeQjsQoVRJ6bf3a6EzR4/s1600/thumbnail_20170804_145128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIe60Y-ZZjHi1jiQE7fUKpjFQNVLJiAzVCRyAiGNAWnWqpW3rfr7TzKVAV2o_Eq62_uly8wuml4MLSyvoj7Sno78s5HqJ2C_q9kXxz4XU9M2PVCOBBb3LxkEbeQjsQoVRJ6bf3a6EzR4/s400/thumbnail_20170804_145128.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My birthday present off Hilda's nephew</td></tr>
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Hilda's nephew amazingly managed to find some accommodation for us in St Ives, and it took about half an hour to get there. Fortunately there was a chip shop in town and we all restocked our energy levels. We all hobbled around; our legs had seized up. Then we all started laughing as we realised we'd been sat on our arses all day and done no walking.</div>
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As it was my birthday, I won the competition for having the single room all to myself. It was fantastic to finally have some peace and quiet.<br />
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After an early night, we were up by 5am and drove back down to Penzance. We had booked on the Mermaid for a pelagic off Penzance. Following the poor sea watch the previous day, none of us were really up for it, and we accepted we weren't going to see much at all. At least the forecast was alright and we could enjoy the boat trip.<br />
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It was in Penzance that we met up with the other three. Grizzly had driven down through the night with former MI5 secret agent Andy "M" and Grant "Nemo" "Captain Birdseye in his early days without a beard" "Granty" Grant. They had tried unsuccessfully to sleep in the car park, and we found them still in their pyjamas, dragging their sleeping bags and pillows along the pavement. It was a distressing sight.<br />
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As we sat there waiting, Grant "Nemo" Granty Grant even then said he started to feel sick. He complained of the chair rocking side to side and he started to go a funny colour. A few moments later and the captain allowed us to get on the boat.<br />
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We sailed out. The sea was ok. We managed to muscle our way to the back of the boat. It was a good position. What happened next and for the next six hours was absolutely incredible. But enough of Nemo fumbling around the boat looking for his sea legs that he hadn't even packed.<br />
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When you don't expect the trip to produce, and then it does, well we all just stood there grinning. The chumming started and the Storm-petrels came in. At one stage we had thirty dancing over the churning boiling sea. Then the big boys came in. We had up to six Great Shearwaters around the boat - four in view together on one occasion. There were a few Sooty Shearwaters, 100's of Manxies, Gannets overhead, and a few Balearic Shearwaters on show. We had feeding frenzies on occasions when the sea seemed full of birds in every direction. We had Dolphins a few feet away swimming under the boat. We had a sunfish. I was holding Hilda's nephew for dear life just so he could keep RBA off his back for not producing any videos recently. It was a class pelagic. Some of our party had four lifers, some three, even Hilda's nephew scored with one tick. The Stalker and myself just enjoyed the whole experience. As inland birders, its not something you see everyday.<br />
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Conditions were tough for videoing, and Hilda's nephew realised that he was actually missing the action and so stopped. Even so, the following video gives you a taster. This video made me feel more sea sick watching it than the actual boat itself. The Great Shearwater video is when I was holding Hilda's nephew still.<br />
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-57507276061424940462017-08-19T21:06:00.001+01:002017-08-19T21:10:20.900+01:00Ha! Just when you thought....<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well having been inundated with emails as to what has happened to the blog, I've decided to continue and start again. Also I have a new laptop as you can see and doing a blog doesn't take me a whole week anymore. So what's been happening to the Clayhead's I hear you say. Who has Shirley fallen out with now I wonder?</div>
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So what have the Clayheads been up to since the last blog which I think was the QUEEN EIDER trip. Well on 16th July, Hilda's nephew and Shirley decided to pop over to Cambridgeshire for the CASPIAN TERN that had spent a few days frequenting a quarry there. Upon news we left Blithfield where we were waiting and headed off. Unfortunately when we arrived, stood next to the last bloke in the queue and asked "Which island is it on you Cambridgeshire southern softy" he replied it hadn't been seen since the first sighting. Ah we thought, an erroneous sighting then. </div>
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Plan B was quickly formed and we headed over to Cley for the s/pl Long-billed Dowitcher that had been found earlier. We felt this was a decent Norfolk bird and in the end it turned out to be correct. A useful addition to Shirley's Norfolk list, which now stood at 14 species.</div>
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We amazingly found a space at the bottom of the East Bank (<i>you must ask Hilda's nephew of the time when he sat on Richie Richardson's lap and listened to his stories of identifying Britain's first Ringed Plover before he went back to his Aunt Nancy for some bread and butter pudding</i>) and walked out to the small crowd gathered further down. We were soon watching a virtual full s/pl Long-billed Dowitcher and the day wasn't a complete failure after all.</div>
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Long-billed Dowitcher at Cley by Lord Lichfield</div>
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We then went to Titchwell where I pointed out to my accompanying camera crew a few juvenile Bearded Tits feeding on the mud. Fortunately, Lord Lichfield again got all the plaudits for his fine videoing. If only RBA knew who really was behind these videos.<br />
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We also saw 5+ Med Gulls, Spotshanks, Pochard with young etc....it was a good brief visit.</div>
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On Sunday 23rd July, the trio of Shirley, Hilda's nephew and The Stalker headed off to Kilnsea Wetlands again, this time to see the adult <b>WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER</b> - another bird beer bottle collectors wouldn't leave their settees for. We were very fortunate as waders were zipping all over the place, flying from the Beacon Pools to the Humber. The small flock of Dunlin that contained the White-rumped Sandpiper decided to stay putt and feed. We also saw a Brent Goose - a July tick for Shirley. Our brief stay at Kilnsea ended with three distant Manx Shearwaters off the Bluebell. You are right, we could have stayed on the sofa but then again a quick dash to Spurn on a summer Sunday morning.....<br />
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And that completes July. Next blog will be about the amazing story of Nemo on the Penzance pelagic to celebrate Shirley's birthday.</div>
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-33906438232720599102017-07-08T19:39:00.001+01:002017-07-08T19:39:29.579+01:00Why do I effin bother?<div style="text-align: justify;">
That's the question many of you may have asked yourself. I certainly have recently. This morning at 7am I was walking along the beach at Borth Sands, Ynyslas overlooking Cardigan Bay. The sky was blue, the sea was flat calm and there was not a breath of wind. There were c3000 Manx Shearwaters showing offshore. Indeed why do I bother? I could have been sat on my sofa looking at my Old Scrotum. </div>
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Anyway the story goes like this. Hilda's nephew was working this weekend and The Stalker was away with the TA on live fire training. The AMUR FALCON had buggered off so I resorted to plan A and that was the QUEEN EIDER at Ynyslas. An early morning journey through central Wales with nothing much on the road was completed in about two and a half hours.</div>
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I parked up and walked along the beach towards the mouth of the estuary, marvelling at the thousands of Manxies flying past. They were even on the river itself showing down to a few metres. The scenery was stunning. It was an idyllic scene. But I couldn't find QUEEN EIDER. I began to panic that this idyllic scene was going to bite me back.</div>
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In the far distance i saw a birder who I'd spoken to earlier watching the Manxies. I walked towards him. It turned out there were two rivers in the estuary and I was looking at the mouth of the wrong one.</div>
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It had only taken me an hour and a half to find the <b>Queen Eider</b> but there she sat on a grassy island, preening away, occasionally stretching up and showing her head. This is my first ever Queen Eider and what's more it's a Welsh tick too.</div>
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As I stood there waiting for it to swim, the sun was beating down and I was slowly joined by more birders. You can't go far without meeting someone you know, and I was soon joined by the apprentice Clayheads Grant "Granty Grant" Grant and former MI5 agent Andy "M". They stood and watched the Queen Eider sat on the grassy island and more birders joined us and we all stood and watched the Queen Eider on the grassy island. For two hours she never moved!</div>
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It was at this point I gave up and we wandered over to the sea with the apprentices and saw a few more Manxies going past. A quick pop into the Dyfi Osprey centre and the day was done. A fantastic easy day in a beautiful part of Wales I don't visit very often. And you wonder why I bother?</div>
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As I stood talking to the apprentice Clayheads, Grant "Granty Grant" Grant mentioned he was a massive Barry Manilow fan. I never knew this and it turns out he's got every album he's released and has seen him 24 times in concert. He even showed me his Barry Manilow tattoo covering his entire back. An absolute work of art. Ask him next time you see him. So Grant "Granty Grant" Grant, here's the song you requested.</div>
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<br />Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-48520506835478309312017-07-02T20:22:00.002+01:002017-07-03T05:20:56.737+01:00PanickingRight I'm back. Let's carry on the story...<br />
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So Saturday 17th June was a baking hot day. Hilda's nephew was working all weekend so I went out to get a few cheap year ticks just so I could edge forward in the big race. I popped into BGP for some reason or other, I forget now. I've never experienced heat like it in Britain before. I think it was the combination of the grass, high vegetation and no wind and I just stood there with the sweat pouring off me. It was incredible. I soon left and it took me some time, even with air con to get myself back up and running. I did see the Doxey Spoonbill later.</div>
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The following weekend, 24th June, well there wasn't much to see, and to be frank, I just couldn't be arsed to go out. I told <i>CJW</i> I was having a weekend in. On Saturday morning I started cutting the hedge, and every so often I'd check my phone. On one occasion, there was a missed call, and a text saying did I want picking up.</div>
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Some forty minutes later, we were marching round Belvide. Steve Nuttall had found a quite surreal three SABINE'S GULLS, but two had already left. We reached the hide, and soon we were watching a <b>1st summer Sabine's Gull</b> at Belvide in June on a flat calm summers day. A bird / occurance like this creates more questions than answers I'm afraid. The whole experience was actually quite entertaining. We shared a hide with two characters we'd never met before. One chap spent the whole time trying to find the bird despite quite a few very useful pointers being given to him. Use your bins first Mr Muppet, not your scope!<br />
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So if you remember, this was a weekend without birding. Following a call from someone, we headed out Sunday morning after Westport to another site. A low a behold we bumped into something else....a second for me in fact. An unbelievable weekend when you've planned no birding.</div>
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And so to this week. I managed an afternoon trip down to Blithfield during the week, and accidently bumped into none other than "Big" Dave Robinson, our year listing competitors. I pretended to be his friend and chatted away to him, but all the time I was picking his brains, trying to get as much info out of him as possible about future trips. I told him we were planning to go for South Wales on Saturday for the CASPIAN TERN and QUEEN EIDER, knowing all along that both birds would do a Friday bunk. I lulled him into a false sense of security, and he spilled the beans. They were going for HONEY BUZZARD over the weekend. I'd got him. If only Tony "Big List" Jackson knew what "Big" Dave had done.</div>
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Come Saturday morning we headed over into Nottinghamshire, and we were soon enjoying the five <b>Bee-eaters</b> that have appeared to have set up home there. The place was busy.....possibly the largest crowds we've seen this year. </div>
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There was no time to loose. We'd got a busy scheduled to keep to. Kilnsea was the next destination, but unfortunately it was Hilda's nephew's turn to drive this week. He insisted on playing a full 2hr long Genesis album at full blast for the entire trip. I fell asleep during one track, woke up 45 minutes later and it was still the same morose track. By the time we arrived at Kilnsea, both myself and The Stalker were goggled eyed, mumbling to ourselves, rocking with saliva dribbling out the corner of our mouths. You are right, the music didn't affect us one bit. And thanks to Hilda's nephew's for playing the entire Duke album by Genesis for two whole hours.</div>
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We were a bit worried about our next target bird, as the sun was out, the sky was blue and it had become quite mobile. We screeched into the car park, grabbed our stuff and ran hell for leather down to the gate at the corner of the car park, and we walked the rest of the way. The full summer plumaged WWBT was an absolutely fantastic bird. It performed very well for us. I do like WWBT and its always a pleasure to see them. For you "seen one once wonders" sat on your sofas, well this is my 13th WWBT and 6th full summer plumage bird. And I know you are wondering, yes, it's my 3rd in Yorkshire.</div>
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Lord Lichfield at his best - watch this in HD<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Videograbs by myself</td></tr>
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It was baking hot, the grass was green, my eyes were running and I wanted the sneeze. Oh the joys of summer birding. One last target bird. One last site. It was another two hours journey. Lord Lichfield put some music on this time, and even he had to skip over the crap tracks. Unbelievable. At least its another three weeks before we ride in his juke box again.</div>
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Our final destination was the Wykeham Raptor Watchpoint, and CJW did another sterling drive. Just as we arrived we received news that three Honey-buzzards had just been seen, but by the time we were in place they had gone. In fact we had to wait probably an hour and a half before we had one bird wing clapping directly overhead. We also had three Goshawk.</div>
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Well with another five year ticks added today, it was a useful but extremely long day. Over 16hrs in the saddle, but we saw some decent stuff.</div>
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But where were Tony "Big List" Jackson and "Big" Dave Robinson and even Gladwyn "The third member" Bould? Nowhere to be seen. I'd fooled them with my fake South Wales trip, and they were in fact playing crown green bowls. When they saw our day tally, they hastily organised a trip on Sunday, starting off at Wykeham and then down to Kilnsea. They even resorted to Twitter, but it was obvious we had won the weekend, and they are getting very worried now. The gap now is less than 50. The Clayheads are marching on and they are too scared to turn around now, because they know we are coming. </div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-12852913930558857332017-06-17T21:05:00.000+01:002017-06-17T21:05:53.633+01:00Rudi, a message to you<div style="text-align: center;">
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Till next time...</div>
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634897044552860577.post-79221203686729438492017-06-12T19:49:00.001+01:002017-06-12T20:07:38.239+01:00He who dares....<div style="text-align: justify;">
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The first week in June is when the not only do the megas strike, but it's the time when the giga's strike - yes they come big this time of year. The birds I've ticked in the first ten days of June trip off the tongue like a mouth watering list of good birds.This year however was slow going. Westport had slipped into summer mode week's ago. There wasn't much to see. </div>
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Last Sunday, 4th June, we popped up to the small village of Davekelsall in Cheshire to see the Iberian Chiffchaff. We weren't disappointed and it sang for us. Nice song.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCP2VR8alcmpVGHgyOuM2sER6eU24BfnHbHU-JNfpCnnGcT31WlutBRB9TuLpgJC9bU-2JhHbjZoigH1Jk0WCQKdoBXZUF2sJMK0UwApriOppiIVOMnFeSilvHsylTo06X511AOC_jhkw/s1600/thumbnail_Iberian+Chiffchaff+2+Kelsall+June+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCP2VR8alcmpVGHgyOuM2sER6eU24BfnHbHU-JNfpCnnGcT31WlutBRB9TuLpgJC9bU-2JhHbjZoigH1Jk0WCQKdoBXZUF2sJMK0UwApriOppiIVOMnFeSilvHsylTo06X511AOC_jhkw/s400/thumbnail_Iberian+Chiffchaff+2+Kelsall+June+17.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28rOBoazlWkcBrmN7wVJAz4mRuLzevIy6YbOokT59l-HWTnside3ptOrT2Yabq6UPck9rKj6c5z7No1RWnP4K_YET_rQXZeplZS7HQZobxlgqpMLn6QYh5Wd7HHdaE9nwdNULS8eJxQg/s1600/thumbnail_Iberian+Chiffchaff+Kelsall+June+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28rOBoazlWkcBrmN7wVJAz4mRuLzevIy6YbOokT59l-HWTnside3ptOrT2Yabq6UPck9rKj6c5z7No1RWnP4K_YET_rQXZeplZS7HQZobxlgqpMLn6QYh5Wd7HHdaE9nwdNULS8eJxQg/s400/thumbnail_Iberian+Chiffchaff+Kelsall+June+17.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iberian Chiffchaff at Davekelsall, Cheshire. By CJW</td></tr>
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And so to Saturday 10th. We discussed a few birds to go for and year tick but there was nothing much else nearby for us to create a decent day. So we decided to play safe, stay local and see what happened. The day started off at Westport. And then we went back to the car. To put summer patch working in context, we were quite pleased to see the Greylag Geese had risen from six to eight birds. That was the highlight.<br />
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We then headed to the "Chase" to do our survey on our selected area. Sir Roger, for some reason chose Patch 1 for us (for obvious reasons really that I don't really need to go into. Actually Sir Roger has an amazing sense of humour because originally I was paired up with one of the Snake twins!). Patch One has proved tricky this year with only a few highlights. Today, however we struck gold with a pair of Mandarin flying over the bracken. Fantastic sight/site.<br />
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As we were walking back to the car following our survey of the area, we received news of an interesting wader species at an RSPB reserve in the SE of the county. Just what we had hoped for. Quick drive down and a nice early finish we thought.<br />
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We managed to get down to Middleton Lakes without using the sat nav; quite an incredible feat don't you think. We walked past the Jubilee Wetlands to the next small area of water and sharp eyed CJW found the spinning female Red-necked Phalarope. We stood and watched it until Lord Lichfield decided to go into the "hide" so the he could stand with his photographer mates and discuss light, ISO and shutter noises.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red-necked Phalarope at Middleton Lakes by NJS</td></tr>
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As I stood all alone with no one to chat to cos I've only got one friend now, I received a message. The ELEGANT TERN had been seen again. It was one we'd considered but it was a long way for a bird that had not settled down and had only shown briefly so far.<br />
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It was 1200. I ummed, CJW arghed. We pulled faces and then I played the Clayhead motto card. It's not one we use often. But we have on occasions. "He who dares" I said.<br />
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We headed off midday on Saturday to the south coast. News was scratchy and infrequent and we went long periods without any updates. We had the bird flying out to sea, lost behind the island and no further signs but we plodded on. CJW exhibited the full range of moods during a tense frantic drive. I just cruised at 85-90mph. Yes it was one of those drives.<br />
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As we were only about 20 mins away there was still no further sign in Pagham Harbour. We made a decision to head to Hayling Island instead. We crossed the causeway only for me to spot a message. It was back in Pagham Harbour. We screamed onto the nearest petrol station. Pasties and sausage rolls went flying. We were left with several ice creams on our windscreen. But we didn't care. It was back.<br />
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It was only about 20 mins drive away but we knew the car park was full and it was s 10 mile walk from the RSPB car park. We just couldn't risk it. I hurtled through the lanes. It was now CJW's turn to get scared and tell me to slow down. We just kept going. Down the lane, straight past several potential spaces. But we kept going to the full car park.<br />
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As we drove in, a car was coming out. Unfortunately someone else dived in. But there was just one more space. A white faced CJW fell out of the car. I gathered my stuff together and hurtled down the path to see a vast crowd stood on the edge. I managed to find the adult Elegant Tern sat on the breakwater and slow CJW ambled along. Bingo. A hand shake. A slap on the back. Grins. Another lifer for CJW and a fine year tick for me. Sorry, didn't I say I've already seen an Elegant Tern in Britain. Oops sorry.<br />
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Despite showing rather well on the breakwater, within seconds it flew back to the island and dropped down into deep vegetation. And that was the pattern for the next two hours or so. A few flight views, a few beak shots and one final fly past for us.<br />
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The gambled paid off this time. It's hard to keep going on negative news but we just kept on going.<br />
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Never tire of seeing these pictures from Blackdog, Porthmadog in July 2002. In fact, I laminated the sand bank of the above photo and its been my book mark ever since. In the top three of birds I saw in the 00's. <br />
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Now then. As we started to wander away, our leader LGRE shouted me. "What's all this about you supressing loads of stuff and falling out with everyone". They were his words. We explained the one time recently that SBN (of which now I am no longer involved in at all. I've just had enough) did suppress something as part of a group decision with the finders but that was all. So if you have the balls to talk about me to LGRE why not come and talk to me or ring me and I will put my side if the story. You know my number.<br />
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Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16738591135241208458noreply@blogger.com