Monthly Archives: January 2012

Male Hen Harriers are quite simply superb. I was looking at the (incredibly) distant Barnacle Geese on Rockcliffe Marsh this morning when I noticed a cracking Hen Harrier passing the monument on Burgh Marsh. After a few minutes observation it disappeared to … Continue reading →

Last day of my 3 day weekend today, it’s another 5 weeks before my next weekend off – the joys of having to work for a living eh? So I was keen to get another fill of the Red-breasted Goose … Continue reading →

Wow what a day! Great fun. I was just feeding my garden birds when I received a call from Nick saying he’d just had a Red-breasted Goose with Barnies just up the road from me at Drumburgh. Unfortunately it was … Continue reading →

Not more than a few minutes away from home I stumbled across no less than 3 Little Egrets, which is very unusual for mid-winter on the Solway. In fact a quick look on the RBA website revealed that the species has not been reported on … Continue reading →

I was up for first light and nipped over to Campfield Marsh before the crowds arrived- my target was the over wintering Great White Egret and as I neared the layby I could see the bird flying towards the scrape – … Continue reading →

After the storms of recent days the forecast for the northeast coast today was much calmer and brighter, and with a couple of days off work we headed east across the A69. With no news on the Desert Wheatear since the … Continue reading →

I decided to have a short trip just up the M74 to Lochmaben this morning to search for the returning American Wigeon that is reported regularly from the area, mostly from Kirk Loch. It was still very windy but I soon located … Continue reading →

More geese have arrived at Abbeytown and yesterday Craig managed to find a blue morph Snow Goose amongst them. Another good find. Running out of species to find there now!… So the plan was to go there this afternoon after work, I had a 5am … Continue reading →

Well another year has come and gone, so how was 2011? It’s always going to be difficult to juggle birding with an unflexible full time job and family stuff, so for me seeing 5 new British birds was far better than … Continue reading →

Despite the bitterly cold wind a couple of hours out birding in the Abbeytown area was extremely worthwhile today. There was a few Bewick’s Swans amongst the Whoopers – here’s one of them…. And close scrutiny of the Pink-footed Geese revealed good … Continue reading →