Red-necked Grebe

Tom and I went to see the wintering Red-necked Grebe at Buckden gravel pits. Found fairly easily, but views were distant.


Red-necked Grebe by Tom

Ring-necked Parakeets

Six Ring-necked Parakeets - probably flying to roost - seen whilst walking to the pub after QPR's disappointing 1-1 home draw with Sheffield Utd.

Red-legged Partridge and Buzzard

During a quick lunchtime walk in the sun around the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge, I was very surprised to find a confused looking Red-legged Partridge scurrying in all directions away from the tourists and strolling office workers.

More usual was a Buzzard perched just west of the M11 between Hauxton and Little Shelford, seen from the train on the way home.

Wicken Fen

Went to Wicken Fen with Tom and Sam to see the wintering Great Grey Shrike. I wasn't overly optimistic given that it ranges widely and Wicken Fen has a huge area of great looking habitat for a shrike to spend its time. However, find it we did, although it was somewhat distant.



Before this we found a fly-over Whooper Swan and a male Pintail, as well as a couple of Marsh Harriers. On the way back around our chosen route, we had good views of two Cetti's Warblers, out of a total of five birds heard.



On the drive home, just south of Upware, we stumbled upon two Short-eared Owls. We watched these for half an hour as they gave exceptionally close views whilst they tangled with each other and a nearby Kestrel.





Short-eared Owls by Tom

Pochard

A female Pochard at a cold and frosty Fowlmere was not only an addition to the year list, but actually a first for me at Fowlmere.

Barn Owl

One Barn Owl seen along Fowlmere road whilst driving home late in the evening.

Fowlmere

A foggy hour in the hide with Tom at dusk where the Barn Owl was once again seen.

Brimstone

The sunny weather brought out the year's first butterfly: A Brimstone, seen from the garden; my earliest ever by over a month!

Fowlmere

A short morning walk on a bright crisp morning didn't lead to much apart from three Teal and about twenty Siskins. However, spring was in the air, with a singing Song Thrush and a drumming Great-spotted Woodpecker.

At least one Snipe was added in another short walk after dusk .

Golden Plover

A flock of about two hundred Golden Plover east over the garden first thing was a long awaiting addition to the garden list.

Fowlmere

A Fox and a Barn Owl were seen in a short walk shortly before dusk.

Fowlmere

A quick afternoon walk around Fowlmere with Sam didn't produce much apart from a Snipe, four Teal, and, for the first time this year, the single male Pochard.

Norfolk

Myself and Tom headed of to Norfolk for the day, arriving at Lynford Arboretum at nine o'clock. Eventually, an hour later, Hawfinches flew in, in the end totalling eleven birds.




Hawfinch at Lynford Arboretum by Tom

Happy with this we headed to Cley for the White-crowned Sparrow. Fortunately it was on show as we arrived, and got good close views, so, as a Lapland Bunting was just down the road at Salthouse, decided to head for there. This was also found immediately, amongst a flock of around fifty Snow Buntings.




Snow Bunting at Salthouse by Tom


Turnstone at Salthouse by Tom

Next we headed west towards Titchwell; Tom wanted to do some sketching, so we decided it would be good to sit in a hide. En-route, a Merlin was seen briefly, though Tom missed it. Fortunately he did see the adult Mediterranean Gull I found on arrival. Whilst he was drawing, I went for a stroll to the beach and saw Black-tailed Godwits as well as Bar-tailed Godwits, and two Spotted Redshanks, plus the usual array of waders like Knot and Sanderling.

We then headed back to Holkham for the last hour before dark to see the geese. Two Barn Owls were seen on the way, and the two reported Black Brants on arrival. Happy with his third tick of the day, the two of us watched the thousands of Pink-footed Geese fly in as night fell.