NT
On the 16th September:
1974
Today we started on Portland, where there were only 3 Ortolan Buntings, and seeing the Barred Warbler and Pied Flycatcher again. New in was a male Red-backed Shrike, a new bird for us.
Calling in at Ferrybridge on the way back to Weymouth, we saw 30+ Common Scoter, another new bird, also 3 Black Terns, 3 Razorbills and saw a Ring-necked Parakeet which flew overhead then out to sea.
1975
Overnight at Cley, in the morning it was quiet on the sea, so we went to Wells Woods where we saw a Garden Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, lots of Redpolls, a Treecreeper, a Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 10+ Willow Tits, lots of Coal Tits and Goldfinches, 2 Bullfinches, a Pied Flycatcher and masses of Goldcrests.
Back at Cley there were 50+ Dunlin, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Curlew Sandpipers, 15+ Ringed Plovers, lots of Redshank, a Spotted Redshank, 3 Little Stints and a Grey Phalarope. Also, Bearded Tits, masses of Yellow Wagtails, a Marsh Harrier, lots of duck, 2 Water Voles and a female Coypu with 4 immatures.
1978
Another visit to Chew Valley Lake where now there was only one White-winged Black Tern, a Black Tern, 3 Common Terns, 2 Arctic Terns, 5 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, a Green and a Wood Sandpiper and a Kingfisher.
1979
A trip to Steart where we saw a Whinchat, 30 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Wheatears, a Little Stint, lots of Curlew, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, 2 Peregrines, a Sparrowhawk, a Merlin, 7 Wigeon, an escaped Bahama Pintail and 1000+ Shelduck.On the way back we visited Fry's Hill, overlooking Axbridge, again, this time seeing 4 Cirl Buntings and 2 Yellowhammers.
1980
A drive to Cornwall, where at Stithians Reservoir there was a Semipalmated Sandpiper, a new bird for us. Also seen were 2 Ravens,
a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Golden Plovers, 8 Ringed Plovers and 6 Dunlin.
Drawings of Semipalmated Sandpiper by Laurel Tucker.
1981
In France at the end of a recce trip to Spain.
1982
Leading a Wingspan tour to Turkey, 1 new bird seen today.
1983
Leading a Wingspan Tour to Western Turkey. 1 new bird seen today.
1988
1998
On a filming and sound recording trip to Zimbabwe, no new birds seen today.
2006
A visit to Northwick Warth where there were 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Knot, a Green Sandpiper, c80 Wigeon and lots of Swallows flying north into the wind. At Severn Beach there were c300 Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, 4 Curlew Sandpipers, a Little Stint, c80 Turnstone, a Wheatear and a Peregrine.
2014
A visit to Slimbridge seeing 10 Ruff, 2 Green Sandpipers, a Snipe, 80+ Lapwing, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, several Redshank and lots of Black-headed Gulls.
2017
A visit to Slimbridge seeing 12+ Ruff, 30+ Redshank, 100+ Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Curlew Sandpipers, a Red-breasted Goose with the Barnacle Geese flock and 8 Common Cranes.
Ruff
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