Ive just returned from a few days away birding with my good friend Owen Parsons and saw some cracking birds.
At Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire, where we started, we saw a Richard's pipit.
Birders on site
The bird was elusive at times but was eventually seen well foraging in the undergrowth before taking off and flying past us calling.
It was good to see this scarce species,
as I hadn't seen one in a few years.
After this, we went to Welney WWF in Norfolk, where we saw a winter plumaged Black necked grebe and four Bewick's swan.
Black Necked Grebe
Owen scoping through the swan herd, where we found four Bewick's Swan
Six Tundra bean geese were reportedly on the reserve but we couln't find them.
Moving on from Welney we headed east to Warham greens where we had good views of a female Pallid harrier.
Female Pallid Harrier
Other birds of note were 2 Barn owl, Short eared Owl, 2 Hen harrier and a 2 Marsh harrier.
Sunset At Warham Greens
After a full days birding we made are way to Kings Lynn for a goods night sleep.
This morning we got up and headed into Cambridgeshire, stopping at the Eldernell, which is at the north end of the Nene washes. Four common cranes that had been around for several days were eventually found after scoping the nearby waterlogged fields.
Common Crane
Moving on up the road to West deeping in Lincolnshire we connected with 32 Red crested pochard, the most i'd ever seen.
This is my friends patch Josh jones who sent us here to see these birds.
Josh recorded 162 Red Crested Pochard
in this area in 2022.
The discovery of an Eastern yellow wagtail in Winteringham, North Lincolnshire, was then reported. The Eastern yellow wagtail was interacting with eight Pied wagtails when we finally got to the location. The bird call was apparently heard by the finder and a few on-site birders.
A great few days away birding and home for the evening with a few more year ticks on the list.