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Snowy Owl at Snettisham, Norfolk. 11/3/2018
(Preview)
What started off by being a birding trip to North Wales on Saturday night, quickly turned into something entirely different on Sunday morning? The reason, a first winter female Snowy Owl had been found in north Norfolk during the week and on Saturday had been seen in the Titchwell area, albeit a l...
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David Ousey
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238
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Poynton, Moore N.R, & Little Neston. 17/2/2018
(Preview)
With my football team being involved in the FA Cup with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, a Saturday trip was sorted. Went on my own leaving around 10am and reaching the leafy suburbs of Poynton in reasonable weather around 11am. The Waxwing was soon located and a couple of poor snaps were made of the bi...
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David Ousey
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252
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Spurn in the winter. Sunday 11th February 2018
(Preview)
A trip to Spurn in the winter is a fairly unusual birdwatching pastime, but with the weather on the west coast looking a little grim, a trip into Yorkshire was planned. Steve B, Kevin C & myself made up the team. A Green winged Teal at North Cave N.R. was our first stop, it was a dry, bright, but bitterl...
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David Ousey
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254
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Holme Pierrepoint C.P, Nottingham. 4/2/2018
(Preview)
A Spotted Sandpiper from America has taken up residence on & around the weir / canoe slalom area of the National Water sports centre in Nottingham. Its been there a couple of weeks so, we decided to have a trip to see it. Positive news on Saturday had the three of us, Bob K, Kevin & myself, on...
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David Ousey
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262
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A day out in Lancashire. 28th January 2018
(Preview)
A full team met on a rather gloomy January morning in Newhey, our plans were to see as many species in the Lancashire area. We began at a small flooded area near Heversham, where a Little Stint had been seen the previous day. An albino Carrion Crow turned out to be the best we could muster there thoug...
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David Ousey
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237
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Twitching in Gloucestershire. 21/1/2018
(Preview)
A Penduline Tit had taken up residence on a very small nature area called Plock Court Wetland Area, Longford near Gloucester. It has been present for about a month and seems to be very settled with a couple of shallow pools and bulrushes to feed upon. Bob, Kevin & myself hatched a plan to hav...
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David Ousey
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240
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Easterly Day Out. 14/1/2018
(Preview)
A full team, with Kevin driving, had a bit of a conundrum to solve before we decided on where to go. A Penduline Tit near Gloucester or a Desert Wheatear at Whitby Abbey. Now as the Penduline Tit had not been reported until 2-45pm the day before did that mean it was hard to find? So we went for the Deser...
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David Ousey
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248
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Wirral Wanderings 19/11/2017
(Preview)
A full team met at the reasonable time of 8am with myself at the wheel. The weather was freezing in Rochdale but as we got onto the Wirral it was a balmy 7 degrees, maybe the sea air helped. We stopped at a new spot near Heswall and most of the team managed to see a passing female Hen Harrier. At Parkgate o...
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David Ousey
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298
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Rock Thrush in Gwent, Wales 22/102017
(Preview)
This bird has been present for over a week in a quarry area overlooking one of the nicest views in Britain, across from the Brecon Beacons, no wonder it has stayed so long. It had been found by a birder looking for passage Ring Ouzel`s, I bet he had a shock when he found this male Rock Thrush. One of our...
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David Ousey
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317
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Golf & Geese in Northumberland, 10/10/2017
(Preview)
The chance to see what was originally a Lesser Canada Goose, that is now called a Richardson`s Cackling Goose (confusing isnt it?) at Budle Bay, Northumberland presented itself on Monday night. Mark from York called me and we had a chat about the goose and a Long tailed Skua that was up that way on a...
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David Ousey
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283
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“Local” Twitching 2/10 & 7/10/2017
(Preview)
Scops Owl. A Scops Owl had been found at Ryhope, near Sunderland, Co Durham last week. It became a little difficult to twitch as it seemed to be one day there and one day not. Obviously with it being nocturnal, fairly small and well camouflaged it would been hard to see. As I checked the bird news early...
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David Ousey
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252
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Spurn Weekend 29th & 30th September 2017
(Preview)
Our annual trip to Spurn was a reasonable one with quite a few migrants (mainly common one`s) passing through. Due to a prior commitment, my grandson`s christening, I had to travel on my own. Kevin C & Bob K met me on the M62. Our first stop was at Stone Creek to meet an old friend, John Ward who has...
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David Ousey
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264
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Lincolnshire Twitching 24/9/2017
(Preview)
By way of a change to our regular east coast haunts all five of us decided to have a trip into Lincolnshire. The fact that Long billed Dowitcher, Red necked Phalarope where there, made it even better because one of the team needed both these species! At 6am we all piled into Chris B`s people carrier a...
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David Ousey
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282
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Pallas`s Grasshopper Warbler in Norfolk. 18/9/2017
(Preview)
Everything comes to he who waits, is a saying that I have come to like over the year`s. Being a birdwatcher/ twitcher you must keep trying to see some of the rarer species that occur on our island. After dipping or generally missing out on Pallas`s Grasshopper Warbler a few times, the above saying c...
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David Ousey
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264
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Wader Day. 3/9/2017
(Preview)
It seems like a long while since I have put pen to paper but, lots of things have happened, like having to say goodbye to two friends. Our little team has also changed with Kevin C re-joining us after a long time away, welcome back Kev. Me, Bob K & Kevin C decided on a trip to Spurn to catch up with a few wad...
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David Ousey
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349
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Martin Down, 29th June 2017
(Preview)
Managed to grab a hour on this fantastic chalk down in Hampshire and the following were noted: Buzzard, 1, Turtle Dove, c10 purring birds plus 2 flying over, Stock Dove, 2, Barn Owl, 1 hunting in broad daylight, Green Woodpecker, 1, Skylark, c20, Stonechat, pair, Whitethroat, c12, Lesser Whitethro...
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David Nuttall
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351
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China 2017 Report
(Preview)
Find attached my report of my recent trip to China 8th to 23rd May 2017. Its a long rambling report so have a good read and enjoy! Dave Ousey.
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David Ousey
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304
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ELEGANT TERN, CHURCH NORTON, PAGHAM HARBOUR, SUSSEX 12/6/2017
(Preview)
This species of tern has never been accepted onto the British List, the chances of being able to prove that they were not a hybrid`s has always clouded the issue. Three Elegant Tern`s have been breeding with Sandwich Tern`s for a few years in the south of France, producing hybrids, the adults are...
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David Ousey
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156
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East or West - which was it to be?
(Preview)
Either this spring is never ending or it is going very quickly. Another day to spare and with it another dilemma. I had planned to do a trip to Yorkshire with the intention of a my first ever trip to North Cave Wetlands and then onto St Aidans/Swillington Ings. However, Buffy the birding trip slayer turn...
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sarfraz
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1
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252
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East is East!
(Preview)
After reading Dave Ouseys report to Whisby and learning that it was less than 2 hours away I decided that this largest most Northerly concentration of Nightingales should be visited. I suggested the idea to Craig and Craggy who did not dispute and asked when? It took a couple of weeks of dilly-dallyi...
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sarfraz
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223
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Pallid Harrier. Dunsop Valley, Bowland. 28th April '17.
(Preview)
For anyone interested in seeing a rare Adult Male Pallid Harrier head up the Dunsop Valley in Bowland and take the Whitendale (right hand) branch road at the top end until you reach the cattle grid and look over to the adjacent right hand heather moor and you will see this beautiful bird quartering the m...
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C Bel
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6
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Faxfleet, Blacktoft Sands & North Cave. 23/7/2017
(Preview)
With the onset of spring and a really nice weather forecast in store, a trip to the marshy areas of Yorkshire was planned. Myself & Steve K met the York lads at North Cave and after the news that the day before`s Curlew Sandpiper had not been found, it was decided to visit Faxfleet. With Nigel S at th...
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David Ousey
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160
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Whisby NR, Barnack, Fairburn Ings & Swillington. 16/4/2017
(Preview)
A trip to Lincolnshire to see / hear the freshly arrived Nightingales was eagerly awaited and when news of their arrival was confirmed a trip was planned. Meeting at 6am in Newhey with a dodgy weather forecast was not for the faint of heart, but I never really believe forecasts. Off we went with Bob K at t...
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David Ousey
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195
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Kilnsea & North Cave. 9/4/17
(Preview)
Myself, Bob K and Nigel S from York, decided on a trip to the east coast. Me and Bob got to York at 8am and as we picked up Nige news of an Iberian Chiff-chaff at Kilnsea came through. We headed of through the sun drenched city of Hull on our first trip of the year to the Spurn area. In the Crown & Anchor ca...
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David Ousey
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169
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Bluethroat, Woodlark & a naked man. Sunday 26th March 2017
(Preview)
A long staying Bluethroat, at a very remote Lincolnshire fen, had been giving birders / photographers amazing views, so a trip was organised. We met in Newhey and with Steve B at the wheel, myself Bob K & Chris B, set off for Willow Tree Fen N.R. at 6am. The promise of a sunny day was very much in eviden...
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David Ousey
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1
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178
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Birkdale, Lancashire 19/3 & Cheshire rain 22/3/2017
(Preview)
As I watched the rain splashing against the windows at home last Sunday morning, I casually looked at the BBC Weather news. It was sunny in the Southport area, so, I decided to have a look at the 6 Cattle Egrets that have been in the Birkdale area for some time. As there were no takers to accompany me I...
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David Ousey
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158
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Black Grouse & Anglesey 12/3/2017
(Preview)
A nice trip to the principality to see some birds that, sadly we dont get to see very often, which is a good enough excuse to visit Wales. We met in Norden at 6am with myself, Steve & Chris Brown with Chris driving. There was a feel of spring in the air as we gained height towards World`s End, we were...
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David Ousey
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156
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Once Bittern Twice Shy
(Preview)
A Bittern has been showing very well at Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve run by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Mere Sands Wood has been a hot spot for wintering Bitterns and decent photographs. I believe this year it has been the best for a long time. I think the number of sights with wintering Bittern...
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sarfraz
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135
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Hartlepool & Teesside. 5/3/2017
(Preview)
A hurried decision to go with the lads from York, Nige S & Mark K was fully justified with a really good days birding. We met in York and with Mark driving, we were soon at Ward Jackson Park in Hartlepool. A couple of Ring Necked Parakeet`s gave excellent close up views on a sunny but cold morning....
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David Ousey
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2
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159
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Yorkshire Coast & Dunnington (Hagg Wood). 26/2/2017
(Preview)
A good day out with Mark K and Nige S from York and apart from an early communications problem, a memorable one. We met in York at 8am and headed off towards Wykeham Lakes with Nige S driving. The possibility of seeing Egyptian Geese at Wykeham spurred us on as we traversed a bumpy, muddy track to a g...
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David Ousey
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146
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