Author Archives: solwaysandpiper

That is probably the best way to describe the drake Long-tailed Duck currently residing on Wedholme Flow – it really is about the last species of bird you’d expect to see there in mid-May when there’s barely any water left in … Continue reading →

I managed to get to the shelter for just an hour mid-morning before work, so it wasn’t a surprise that I didn’t see any skuas in that short time, but I was totally surprised when a Wood Warbler gave 5 bursts of song from the … Continue reading →

With conditions continuing to look good for skuas today the shelter at Bowness seemed like the best place to be – particularly as heavy showers were forecast. So by mid-morning a few of us had already gathered anticipating that maybe a few birds would … Continue reading →

Conditions on the Solway were looking favourable for some good skua passage today, so mid-morning I joined other birders and made myself comfortable, well sort of comfortable, at the shelter in Bowness. When I arrived it was raining very heavily and continued to do … Continue reading →

The three Little Gulls were still at Drumburgh early morning, along with a few Sarnie Terns and 3 Common Terns (year tick!). I then did a bit of seawatching off Bowness, which turned out to be pretty good – my totals were … Continue reading →

Three birds this morning, a 1st winter, a 2nd summer, and an adult - and all different individuals to the two birds I had on the 1st of the month… 1st winter below: 2nd summer below: adult summer below: A quick … Continue reading →

As is often the case I woke up extra early on my day off and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I crept out of bed and went birding… This meant I was at Campfield very early, it was still very … Continue reading →

Every time I do this climb I say it’s the last time I’ll ever do it, but there’s something extra special about seeing Dotterel at point blank range on a windswept plateau in my home county – so I keep going back … Continue reading →

Surprised to see these two smart Little Gulls in the channel off the marsh today… Also here were 25+ Arctic Terns… Even more Wheatears were on the marshes today, lost count how many we saw - they seemed to be everywhere … Continue reading →

It was 3rd time lucky for me this evening when I finally caught up with the elusive pair of Garganey at North Plain… A gropper was reeling nearby and was glimpsed a few times, and once again there were plenty of Wheatears … Continue reading →