Monthly Archives: September 2010

Red Knot

Posted on September 30, 2010 by

Do or Die Chalk Bank Hide, Spurn, late August 2010. Watching the shorebirds and chatting to Gristy- John Grist. Spurn’s ‘Mr. Shorebird’ (or is it Waders, John?). We were watching the Knot. A species whose large numbers and densely packed flocks can easily mean … Continue reading →

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Redwing and Visible Migration

Posted on September 26, 2010 by

More than you might think Meadow Pipit – along the Rod Moor ‘special lane’ this morning -where migrants sometimes pause. Visible Migration really began with this species in Sheffield. Keith Clarkson’s pioneering skills in the 1970′s lead him to notice the movements of Meadow Pipits along Sheffield’s Penine fringe. Suspicious that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Chats and Thrushes, Pipits | Leave a comment

Moorland Birding

Posted on September 25, 2010 by

Sheffield’s all-reet Staying local in the last week, I was reminded how much there can be to see. Just need to keep getting out (even when it feels like there’s nothing to see)! Sheffield, where I live, is on the edge of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Posted on September 21, 2010 by

Discovery, Confusion, Fascination and Mystery (all rolled into one) (a Magnus Robb and Martin Garner production -because without Magnus , MG would be stumped!) 1st winter flava Wagtail. Canal Scrape, Spurn 24th August 2010. What are the origins of this rasping flava? … Continue reading →

Posted in Wagtails | 12 Comments

Short-tailed Shearwater

Posted on September 19, 2010 by

Short-taileds and Sooties Compared Short-tailed Shearwater has been in the UK and Irish birding news recently. I have only seen Short-tailed Shearwater once. About 10 minutes after watching a Sooty. Slightly shorter, more rounded wings, slightly more flappy flight and lacking the … Continue reading →

Posted in Seabirds | 14 Comments

Zino’s Petrel off Ireland

Posted on September 17, 2010 by

TWO DAYS AGO! The utterly irrepressible Derek Charles -texted me a couple of day ago – fresh from a seawatch at Kilcummin Head, co. Mayo. It’s an all time favourite spot of mine – as it is of many others birders. Besides an impressive array … Continue reading →

Posted in Seabirds | 1 Comment

Yelkouan Shearwater

Posted on September 16, 2010 by

Heads up! With an increasing number of claims of Yelkouan Shearwaters in the UK, thought I would post this superb plate. Its from the ‘Frontiers book’ http://birdingfrontiers.com/writing/ , but here in colour and enlarged.  If I get time I will put down criteria worked out … Continue reading →

Posted in Seabirds | 3 Comments

Orange Juvenile Harrier

Posted on September 15, 2010 by

But Which One? Here’s the story. It’s about a juvenile harrier that did a once fly-past at Spurn, East Yorkshire on 28th August 2010. Mystery Photograph: Identify the species. Answer next month! (any one else remember regularly reading those enticing words?). Flying over shorebirds on … Continue reading →

Posted in Raptors | 11 Comments

Sanderling

Posted on September 13, 2010 by

Close up Action I like Sanderling. Perhaps the ultimate roof-of the world shorebird? Maybe Knot deserves that status too. I am thinking of the fact that Sanderling only breed in the High Arctic zone. Other species also breed there, but their breeding ranges usually extend further south as well. I certainly didn’t know, … Continue reading →

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Lesser Yellowlegs

Posted on September 13, 2010 by

Shorebird finders bonanza Got an email from Derek Charles this morning. Wilton and Derek  enterprisingly headed west over the weekend. To Mayo’s west coast – a favourite old destination of mine. They scored! Finding a fresh (mostly) juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs, … Continue reading →

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