An Arctic Wanderer

We were told where to visit for a Baikal Teal on the mainland which we failed to see, but we bumped into 2 lady birders who were very knowledgable and told us about 2 local birds we could twitch either a group of Lesser White-fronted Geese (probably the Dutch re-introductions) or an adult Glaucous Gull, deciding to go plastic- free, we opted for the latter Arctic wanderer and within 20 minutes we drew up in a port, 36-A Noorderkage, Beverwijk, Noord Holland, finally the sun was shining, Rob parked up by an enormous ship, docked in port. It was free of any restrictions normally associated with ports in the UK, no security, no 7 foot high fences and what was especially pleasing no security guards ready to pounce on you as soon as you had stopped your car and barely put a foot to the ground, treating you like suspected terrorists, (AKA Hamilton Dock now) and we were able to come and go as we pleased which was truly wonderful. Other birders we met here said the bird had just flown. I spotted a bird stood up on the skylight of a roof just next to us but I literally only see its head and its massive yellow bill, I was convinced it was the Glaucous and was proved right when the magnificent adult winter Glaucous Gull took to flight and alighted on a nearby light. Where it stood for sometime before eventually flying down for some bread having a brief snack before flying around again and perching on the roof of a nearby building, it then flew again and returned to its favoured light. It was nice to see the 2 lady birders draw up and we were able to put them onto the bird they had so kindly given us detailed direction when we at the previous Baikal Teal site. Finally at the Port site, we saw a Great- crested Grebe swimming close by past the ship in the river. Other birds seen in Holland and Texel were often big groups of Coot by the side of the road, Moorhen, the odd Grey Heron, 2 Great- white Egrets, Little Egret, 2 Ring- necked Parakeets, additionally on Texel, small group of Fieldfare and the odd group of Redwing were additionally seen, Blackbirds, a Spoonbill, flocks of Wigeon, small clusters of Tufted Duck dotted about, a small flock of 22 Avocet. My especial thanks to Rob H who organised the trip and did all the driving.

Goggle-eyed for a Spectacled Eider on Texel

I had been contacted by Rob H about the possibility of a twitch to Texel island in Holland specifically to see a Spectacled Eider, an extremely rare visitor to Northern Europe, a species usually inhabiting the high Arctic in the extreme north of Alaska and Russia. A difficult bird to see, A bird I had first seen in pictures of birds and wildlife in the National Geographic Magazine (which my parents subscribed to in the early 1970's) and a bird I had always wanted to see. normally in virtually inaccessible Arctic regions, indeed its breeding grounds were only discovered in the mid 1990's. I was certainly up for that. We drove down to Harwich on Thursday 23rd January and took the 1pm Stena overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland, arriving at 6.30am. The cabin was compact but had 2 bunk beds, a TV and toilet and shower. It's all you need! Then Rob drove north through Holland past the Hague (through rush hour!) and Amsterdam Airport and we took a second ferry at Den Helder to the island of Texel, where it was a short 20 minute drive to Oosthuysen where the Spectacled Eider was. The island habitat had a lot of cultivation and could have doubled for Norfolk, Suffolk or even Lincolnshire as it was very flat! Much of the land being polders and having been reclaimed from the sea there were lots of dykes around often bordering the road, where we saw small groups of Tufted Duck, Cormorants or a bevy of Coots. However the sheer parties of Geese were an instant feature partularly gaggles of Geese, first we saw big groups of Egyptian Geese anything between 30 -150, and then larger flocks of Greylags. There were also smaller parties of White- fronted Geese too. Rob drew up and leapt out of the car and ran up the bank, whilst I got all my equipment together I locked the car and walked up a couple of minutes later, but I was too late! I was greeted with the news that Rob had already seen it and photographed it, but it had flown right and seemingly right out of the bay, perhaps never to be seen again. Typical! We arrived at the south end of Wagejot, Oosterend, Noord Holland. The viewing site at Lancasterdijk, composed a green bank we had to walk up and over the fence onto a sloping concrete wall leading to rocks by the sea. I walked right past the steel structure, where I saw several Common Eiders and a Black- necked Grebe on the sea. But conditions were extremely difficult with Storm Eowyn in full flow and galeforce winds of up to 50 mph winds, making photgraphy nigh in impossible. The weather wasn't on our side whilst we were on Texel with Storm Eowyn raging on the Friday and drizzle then heavier rain on the Saturday morning. It took a further and very frustrating 1 hour 50 minutes walking up and down, constantly checking all the birds on the sea before Rob shouted the bird was flying right out in front of us and over the sea distantly (nearer the horizon) and I could see a very black- bellied Eider with white head, it was the fantastic Spectacled Eider. I followed it flying and it passed a green buoy and I noted it dropped down and settled onto the sea near the end of groups ofsticks in the sea. I then walked right couldn't see it and then I spotted it reasonably close near a short stick, I looked at the bird, it was slightly smaller than nearby Common Eider with completely black underparts extending onto the mid breast with base white head, cheeks, neck and mantle, the mantle was also very pale grey. It's eye area was white showing a black eye. The white around the eye was bordered by a thick black spectacle line and a peach green area in front and a pastel green behind the black lined spectacle encompassing the wider eye perimeter, a truly striking species, almost if it had come straight out from a colouring book, duly coloured with varying shades of green. Or the head looking like a patchwork quilt of whites and greens! The bird was soon swimming left and I switched to the camera and sadly it disappeared completely. Rob later found it again further back amongst the sticks where it was seen occasionally. Having settled into our accommodation on the other side of the island, it was like the 'Krypton Factor' as it wasn't clear how to access our quarters, we were in the North Hamptons 1 & 3, we found a chap residing in North Hampton 2 who was a Hotel worker and having a perfect command of English as well as his native Dutch, he was thankfully able to decode our message which truly was to us in double Dutch!!! Apparently, we had to go up to the nearby Hotel to get the card keys, we did but they had set them both for the same accomodation so I had to go back and get my card changed to no.3 my quarters! Incident the Hotel had a display of high end Swarovski binocular that they lent out for people to try for the day, can't see that happening in the UK! We walked into a very pleasnt low key tourist town with picturesque Estonian style Church and old tree with a thick iron supported supporting gnarled bent old trunk. The local restaurant which served excellent Texel beer (so good I consumed 2 pints of the stuff!) but the local beef burger was properly cooked in the middle, no pink has to be cooked throughout! The accommodation was one of these so called smart houses but nothing properly worked, perhaps it was my fault as the operator, but I was sure I had set the room heating to the maximum allowed 18 degrees celsius but nothing worked! The temperature was freezing and the shower was lukewarm at best, pity. However the saving grace I was extremely tired so I kipped on the bed from 5pm to around 11pm with a double duvet wrapped like a thermal glove, I then had a cup of tea and another sleep until 6am the following morning. I had to brave the lukewarm shower again and having handed the cards back at the hotel, Rob and I did a spot of first light birding in a local wood and dune system that could have doubled for Winterton Dunes! The wood was productive with a posse of crests including 3 Goldcrest and a fiery Firecrest and Rob heard a ST Treecreeper and I spotted an excellent Short- toed Treecreeper creeping up a tree. We then drove back to the Eider site, where again we saw Goose flock this time with more small parties of European White- fronted Geese being seen, plus 2 Bean Geese stood in a field. Back at the Eider again, we quickly got onto it again with Eiders by the stick about half way to 3/4 of the way out, I managed some distant pics, but there was a light drizzle which was threatening to increase to heavy rain, so after seeing the bird again for 45 minutes we left. Driving around Rob spotted an excellent Hen Harrier flying away from us down a dyke and an incredible flock of 1000+ Bean Geese all fairly close to the road, annoyingly I couldn't get any pics as my camera was in the boot, I couldn't fit it into the car and to get out would have completely disturbed the birds. We then went to Texel Bird shop, where well stock feerders attracted a variey of birds and inside the shop the most striking thing was the sheer number of immacutely stuffed birds in many cases lining the walls of the shop, like a retail version of the hotel from Hitchcock's famous 'Psycho' film, the birds in cases included Siberian Rubythroat and Pallas' Warbler all looking remarkably fresh and stuffed by a taxidermist who truly knew their birds. We purchased some very but well made cheap home made bird boxes (made from silver birch trunmks) here and we also bumped into Texel island's biggest lister, who gave us a lowdown on the islands interesting avian visitors, aside from the Brileider, the rather appropriate Dutch name for the Spoectacled Eider, a Brileider indeed!

4 Geese species at Hen Reed beds

Seeing a tweet about WF's at hen Reedbeds, I dove straight over from Benacre on Sunday 19th January and saw Gavin again at the car aprk who told me the Geese were still there just past the second hide and looking west. I walked down and by the second hide with a couple of birders we spotted the field with the Geese in it, there were 14 White- fronted Geese along the western edge of the Goose line, c60 Barnacle Geese and c80 Greylag, with 14 Pink- footed Geese seen on the right hand edge. Finally, 2 Canada Geese flew in. Walking back c80 Avocet flew west over the estuary. Also a calling Rock Pipit seen too. 3 Curlew seen too. Back at the car park, I heard a calling Treecreeper which was seen scampering up the western trees bordering the car park.

Back to Benacre and Covehithe

Later on Sunday 19th January, I visted benacre Broad, the 7 Whooper Swans were seen in the extreme south- west corner of the Broad, mostly asleep. Andrew E. walked in and amongst the Gull flock he located 2 Caspian Gulls , 1st winter anda 2nd winter- bird and an adult Yellow- legged Gull! I spotted 6 Goldeneye- 3 pairs at the back western part of the Broad. No sign of the Scaup and with Andrew we walked along the cliff to Covehithe Broad, where we saw a Song Thrush fly of the weeds and inland. No sign of the Scaup at Covehithe broad either.

Hawfinches

On Sunday 19th January, after hearing an incredible 37 H'finces seen at Sotterley I parked by the side of the road and immediately before the copse I heard and then saw a Nuthatch scampering up a tree, right on the edge of the copse. Walking tp the Church I saw a group of birders just before the entrance looking up, they had been seen earlier but no sign currently. I walked in with Gavin and immediately saw a quartet of 4 Hawfinches flew south west over the Church area before another sextet of 6 Hawfinches flew in the opposite direction and then a single bird seen in the bare tree just west of the Church complex, so 11 Hawfinches in total. A Redwing was also seen perched on a tree south east of the church complex and a Bullfinch seen briefly in flight. I then went to Covehither Old Cemetary, where Gavin and I saw a male Bullfinch fly out from the north hedge.

RNG at Whittlingham Broad & Somerleyton

After receiving excellent directions from Jane F, on Saturday 18th January, I drove to the end of Thunder Lane parked up walked across the railway line footbridge and walked down Whittlingham Lane to the Thorpe Marshes reserve where the RNG had been seen on St. Andrew's Broad, initially no luck but Jane F told me it had gone back onto Whittlingham Borad, so I drove down Whittlingham Broad access road from , there had been a lot of developments with several pay and display car parks for the Broad area, I drove on and after half a mile I found a wooded area with parking for a couple of cars off the road. I just got out of the car and fortunately bumped into Chris L who was walking down with his family. So I retrieved my gear and walked a 1/4 mile back to the broad, seeing a female Goosander on the Broad and saw Jon B and his family. Jon was scoping the bird andf I saw the excellent Red- necked Grebe, initially asleep right at the back, the far side of the Broad when a GC Grebe took exception to it and chased it off and I saw the RNG swimming left and out of sight. Nearby in the bushes behind us Jon said he had a Redpol, I saw several Siskins but I missed the Redpoll. I then drove to Somerleyton Church saw the Balck Cattle but no Cattle Egrets, there were 5 Grey Herons and a Great White Egret in the field with them. A Lizard What's App message stated Rob Wil had a bug Finch flock in the field just after Somerleyton Primary school on the corner of the main road, with a set aside field with a big tree in the middle. I parked nearby and walked over from the hedge I saw a 350+ strong Finch flock mainly Chaffinches, Goldfinches but also when the periodically flew up into the tree I spotted 8+ Bramblings, white rumped and varying amounts of peach- orange plumage several gawdy males seen amongst their number.

Cornelius the Kellogg's Cockerel at Ness Point

On Thursday 16th January, I went down to Ness Point before work to see the Cockerel that had been put onto the Compass circle, presumably for an advert for Kellogg's Corn Flakes? I needed to get down by 8.05am (typically the Ravine was closed) so I arrived 15 minutes earlier and took a load of pics, as the Cockerel was being removed that day.