Cley 29th October

Had a brilliant day out with good friends, Started in the 3 hides at Cley, highlights being 2 Water Pipit, one classic individual and one trickier with some Rock Pipit Vibes. A Little Stint, 4 Ruff, plenty of Black tailed godwits and ducks such as Wigeon and Teal with 2 Pintail.

After lunch East Bank had 2 more Little Stint, 12 Ruff  10 Dunlin, a few Avocet and then 6 Snow Bunting on the shingle ridge. The sea was quiet with a few Gannets 6 Razorbill and a Red throated diver.

Finished on the Iron road at Salthouse where the Long Billed Dowitcher was showing, as well as 3 Jack Snipe and i could see 3 Shorelark hiding in the long grass.

Pink footed geese were few and far between but 100 or so dropped into the pool at North Hide. 

I couldn't resist buying a nice piece of metal art for my joint birthday and Christmas present. A lovely Spoonbill.

A great day 

Alpine Accentor

Theres not many birds these days that get me in a panic but when an Alpine Accentor got found just 30 minutes away at Slaughden i new id have trouble getting to see it. 1 I was at work and 2 Rach was on a coarse and had the car until 5pm. Would i make it before Dark, i didn't think so and if i did i did wounder if i would get a decent picture. Well i did make it before dark but the bird was being chased about the beach and so was very mobile. I saw it well in the scope a couple of times but getting the camera on it before the crowd flushed it again proved impossible. The bird moved to the top of the Martelo Tower and it wasn't until it did this did it give itself up to me. Trouble was it was almost dark, certainly the sun had gone down so getting anything would be a bonus. I did manage some record shots before it roosted on a pipe giving me some excellent views. It was a world lifer for me which is why it sent me into a tizzy for a bit. 

I can relax now...

Back on patch a couple days ago, Adult Yellow legged gull and a 2nd Winter Caspian Gull.

In the garden a Male Brambling and a female Brambling and male Brambling a few days ago too.

Back to the patch

 Returned from Majorca, so highlights from Hollesley, Caspian Gull 1st Winter, Clouded Yellows and Whinchats still. A Yellow Browed Warbler seen and heard by the small res on the entrance road to car park. 2 Juvenile Little Stint 1 Firecrest.

Short eared Owl out at sea from the edge of Hollesley and Shingle street.

Firecrest in my garden again.

Upper Hollesley common 4 Brambling.

Unfortunate dead grass snake on the main rd.

Majorca 23rd to 30th September

Amazing, its here again the Wonderful Island of Majorca, this time however the flight times of both going out and coming back meant we lost both travel days. 

23rd September 

Anyway arrived late afternoon picked the car up and headed straight out to our hotel the Eix Lagotel again. What was wonderful and made out holiday was once again getting our regular room on the 6th floor over looking the s albufera nature reserve.  It was getting dark but i set the scope up anyway and could see 4 Marble Duck 3 Glossy Ibis and 95 Flamingos. Just love this place. 

24th September

It was my birthday so my plan was to be out allll day birding the nature reserve, however a b ike race meant i could get to the car park so i continued on to Son Real. I tracked my usual circular past the small hide continuing onto the beach and back. It was fairly quite but i slowly picked up all my usual suspects, Medditeranian Turtle, Theckla Larks, Serin, Common Redstart, Common Crossbills, Shag and Audoins Gulls. Also Firecrest and a couple of Red kites. 

I returned to the hotel late afternoon and once again got the scope out, Very successful with Black and Griffon Vulture over, Elenoras falcon, Booted Eagle, Pallid and Common Swifts, 2 Great white egret and now 110 Flamingo. The highlight however was a cracking Caspian Tern.

Went out for dinner and watched many egrets going to roost with our first 4 Night Herons.

25th September

A Day in Alcudia and Port Pollenca doing the wifes tourist stuff so all i can say is plenty of Audoins gulls along the coast. On the way back i did get some birding in however by visiting the S albufera Son bosc Depuradora, a little quite but Juvenile Woodchat Shrike, and Great Reed warbler singing the highlights.  

26th September

A trip to Ses salines and the cap was on today lots of water meant wader species were low however, still the most common wader was Kentish plover with over 95 on site. Black winged stilts are always good. Other highlights were the usual Flamingos 100+, Peregrine Falcon, 16 Red Kites although this total is the total travelling down to the area, same with the 10+ Booted Eagles. At the Cap 1 probably 2 Bonellis eagles but that was it. The amount of people in the area meant we didn't stop at the Cap. 

More Sightseeing this time at Porto Cristo.

Stopped at the Depuradora again on the way home for an hour which was much more productive for some reason. Stone Curlew heard, Wood Sand on the pools, 45 Cattle Egret and the Woodchat Shrike still. 40+ Yellow Wagtails of mixed Species including some blue headed types. Major highlights here though were a cracking Bluethroat, Purple Heron, Moustached Warbler and our only Bee eaters of the trip (6). Obligatory Hoopoes too. 

27th September

Managed to finally get to S Albufera marsh, fantastic reserve with close views of many good birds. Water levels were high though. Anyway, on the walk down the river great views of the usual Night herons. by the bridge a Little Bittern high up in the trees. A Geko on the board walk and then round at the hides good views of loads of Black winged Stilts, Flamingos and the Caspian Tern again. A Single Pochard showed well.

Just off the river the cracking Red Knobbed Coots and back in the hides over 60 Marble Ducks. Although the water levels were high waders were still plentyful with 4 Ruff, Grey Plover and 2 Wood Sandpipers. Osprey, Hobby and Elenora's to top off a great day here. 

28th September

The day sightseeing again this time at Soller and Port Soller so no birding done. 

Returned to the hotel and found a jumping spider Plexippus Paykulli, with just one recent record, a striking little spider.

 29th September

A walk around the Cuba Reservoir was disappointing, very few birds seen, Black and Griffon vultures were seen with plenty of Crossbills and Redstarts, highlight was a brief Wryneck. We had a drive around the mountains but its hard to bird and drive.  The scenery was fantastic.

30th September

Time for home but 106 Species seen, this trip seemed quieter for birds than normal, maybe a mix of the short trip and high-water levels. Also the fact that no Bocher valley or Formentor trips this time. Also no birds moving in great numbers. Still had an utter brilliant time. 

A Few picks just to highlight a great trip.... thanks for looking.