NT
On the 13th November:
1977
A visit to Chew Valley Lake where we saw a Spotted Redshank, 34 Dunlin, an adult Kittiwake, 2 Black Terns, a Bewick's Swan, a Great Northern Diver and we found a Storm Petrel, a 1st record for the lake.
1982
A trip to Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire with Kieth Vinicombe, Chris Newman and Peter Knight, we found the mixed flock of crossbills, but it took some time to realise that there were so many Parrot Crossbills, new birds for us. In total we saw c18 Parrot Crossbills and c12 Common Crossbills, also a Tawny Owl, a Little Owl, 13 Siskins, 3 Jays, a Goshawk and a Red Squirrel.
Later, we made a 2 hour drive cross country to Gibraltar Point, arriving about an hour before dark and saw the immature male American Redstart straight away, a new British bird for us. A very active bird which gave excellent views, in the open, calling, the whole time. Also seen was a Firecrest, 13 Tree Sparrows, a Woodcock and a Short-eared Owl.
Drawing of American Redstart by Laurel Tucker.
1983
A day at Chew Valley Lake where there were good numbers of ducks, a few waders, a Red-throated Diver only the 2nd for the lake, 5 Bewick's Swans and 2 Water Pipits.
1987
In Ontario, mainly on holiday, with a couple days recording for the BBC. 1 new bird seen today.
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Evening Grosbeak.
In Madagascar on a BBC sound recording trip, 11 new birds and 1 new mammal seen today.
1988
In New Zealand on a BBC sound recording trip, 1 new bird seen today.
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Pied Stilts.
1993
1999
A visit to Chew Valley Lake where the best was a female Scaup and a Yellow-legged Gull.
2010
A day out with visiting Roy Smith, now living in Toronto, first stop was Chew Valley Lake seeing good numbers of duck, including 3 Goosanders and a Red-breasted Merganser, also 5 Little Egrets, 4 Green Sandpipers, a Greenshank, c40 Dunlin and a Water Rail. Then we went Ham Wall to see 500,000+ Starlings coming into roost, as they wheeled around we saw a Peregrine going through the flocks, also 2 Marsh Harriers.
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