NT
1975
Overnight on the north Norfolk coast, I seem to remember us sleeping in a beach shelter, but it could have been a bus shelter, we use to use both. In the morning we saw a male Red-backed Shrike on Salthouse Heath, also hearing a Nightingale.
Then on a pool at the end of the East Bank at Cley we saw a female Kentish Plover, a new bird for us, only in view for a couple of minutes before taking flight and disappearing. Also at Cley, we saw a Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Redshank, a Curlew, a Common Sandpiper, a Weasel, c500 Swifts, Ringed Plovers everywhere, lots of Little, Common and Sandwich Terns and an immature Marsh Harrier.
Then we drove to Titchwell where we spent sometime watching a female Montagu's Harrier. Back at Cley we saw a Coypu, a new mammal for us. Then we heard that on nearby Great Hulver Hill 2 Dotterel had been found, arriving at the site we had great views of the two birds, another new bird for us.
1980
A day in the New Forest, starting at Beaulieu Road where we saw 3 Redpoll, 5 pairs of Stonechats, 6 Tree Pipits, 4 Cuckoos, a Green Woodpecker, 5 Woodlarks, a Honey Buzzard, 2 Buzzards, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Turtle Doves, 3 Shelducks, a Chiffchaff, 2 Treecreepers and a Marsh Tit. At Black Gutter Bottom there was a male Red-backed Shrike and we heard a Nightjar and 2 Cuckoos, then on Martin Down we saw more warblers, 2 Hobbys, 11 Yellowhammers, a Cuckoo and 2 more Turtle Doves. On the way home at Larkhill we saw a Nightingale, a Fox and 2 Hares.
1981
1983
An overnight drive to Radipole Lake, where at dawn from the bridge at the northern end of the reserve we saw a Bee-eater, a new British bird for us. We also saw a Cuckoo, a Grey Wagtail, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap.
1984
An overnight drive to east Kent, at dawn we were at Northdowns Park in Margate where we saw at least 8 Spotted Flycatchers, at least 8 Ring-necked Parakeets, a new bird for us, 2 Jays, 2 Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler and after a bit of searching a male Collared Flycatcher, which was a new bird for Laurel and a new British bird for me.
1991
In the Russia Far East, 1 new bird seen today.
1996
On a birding holiday to Turkey. no new birds seen today.
2005
A trip to Shapwick with Mike and Mary McGuire who were visiting from Australia, I had stayed with Mike at his forest house on the Atherton Tableland in Queensland. We saw lots of warblers, 2 Cuckoos, 3 Little Egrets, a few duck, 48 Black-tailed Godwits, a Marsh Harrier and 8+ Hobbys.
2012
A trip to Weston Sewage Farm where there was a singing Great Reed Warbler, although I could hear it singing, quite close at times, in the reeds, it didn't show. Also there a Little Egret and 2 Hobbys.
2021
My first visit to Slimbridge after the second Covid lockdown, several year ticks including Avocet of which there were many, Little Ringed Plover there was a pair at the Rushy Pen, Reed Warblers, Barnacle Geese and with them the Ross's Goose, a Common Crane on the Dumbles and a flock of Black-tailed Godwits on the South Lake.
