NT
1975
A visit to Pagham Harbour where the best birds were 2 Spotted Redshank, a Purple Sandpiper and a Slavonian Grebe.
1980
A walk in Leigh Woods were we saw 5 species of Tits, including 8+ Marsh Tits, 2 Nuthatches and heard more, 4 Treecreepers, 3 Jays, 4 Mistle Thrushes, Goldcrests, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, but only heard a Hawfinch.
1983
A morning visit to Chew Valley Lake where we saw 2 Chiffchaffs, a female Smew, 12 Goosander, 14 Goldeneye, 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 70 Ruddy Ducks, 48 Wigeon, 2 Sand Martins, about 50 Fieldfares and 15+ Redwings.
Drawing of Smew by Laurel Tucker.
1986
1990
1993
Another trip to the New Forest, this time to record woodland atmospheres, where the best birds were 6 Hawfinches.
1996
Overnight at Paul's in Norfolk again, in the morning we went to Holkham Park to look for a reported Black-throated Thrush, we didn't see it, but, we did see a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
We returned to Nottingham and this time, after a bit of a wait, finally saw the Cedar Waxwing with around 300 Waxwings, a 1st British record, the birds were sat in trees by crossroads near the city centre, a bit distant, but through the telescope good views for around 15 minutes and then the flock flew off. On the way home we visited Coton Lake at Lea Marston where there was a male Ferruginous Duck.
2020
A visit to Chew Valley Lake where I saw 2 Great White Egrets in Heron's Green Bay, from Stratford Hide there were low numbers of duck, mainly Tufted Ducks, and with them 3 Scaup, a male and 2 females, also 2 male and 3 female Goldeneyes. In the bushes, trees and reeds on the approach to the hide, there was a Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler and a Reed Bunting. Back at Heron's Green there was a Little Egret and sat on a post, behind the pool, there was a Barn Owl.
2021
At home, where I watched a male Green Woodpecker feeding on the lawn, after a while another bird appeared, a female, they displayed for a moment and then flew over the hedge into the sheep field. After a couple of minutes the male flew up to the Birch tree, where he stayed for another couple of minutes. The female must have flown off beneath the hight of the hedge as I didn't see her again. Photos taken through the window.
