Paul's Birding Diary

Further to my last post I wanted to share a great photo by Andy Hartley of the Gibraltar Point Rustic Bunting   from 11th October. I missed it by minutes - I wish I'd seen it! Many thanks to Andy for his permission to use the photo.

Sunday 11th October 2015 One of many Goldcrests seen I visited Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, on Sunday with the Birmingham branch of the West Midlands Bird Club. This was a new site for me and I was keen to explore the reserve. The new visitor centre under construction Arty shot looking towards the east dunes The saltmarsh and the North Sea beyond Sea Buckthorn is a feature of the local coastal flora News on arrival of a Rustic Bunting created much excitement. For me and many others, however, the hoped for tick remained out of reach. After showing to several lucky birders late morning I spent a lot of time hoping it would reappear. It didn't. The cycle track it had been seen on, adjacent to Jackson's Marsh, was too regularly disturbed. The end result was a frustrating dip leaving not enough time to explore other parts of the reserve - but that's birding! Smart male Brambling There are worse ways of spending a sunny Sunday afternoon, and I was ple...

Saturday 10th October 2015 I caught up with the juvenile ROSE-COLOURED STARLING in Tewksbury this morning, at the second attempt. It showed well, but briefly at 9.57am preening on a TV aerial in Wenlock Road opposite the junction with Despenser Road. After a few minutes it flew off with a group of c20 Starlings and 2 Jackdaws . This was my third one, but my first for Gloucestershire.

Friday 18th to Friday 25th September 2015 White Storks, Doñana National Park A few photos from my recent week in Spain, based in Aznalcázar near Seville. I put up a fuller wildlife account when I get round to it. Lesser Kestrel, Seville Cathedral Moorish Gecko, Dehesa de Abajo Iberian Magpie, Pines of Aznalcázar Melodious Warbler, El Rocio Spotless Starling, El Rocio Chough, Ronda Yellow-legged Gull, Cádiz Black Stork, Dehesa de Abajo Geller's Skipper, Dehesa de Abajo Seville Cathedral