After yesterday's adventures, I had a lie-in and was just getting out of the shower and getting dressed when news broke of a Slender-billed Nutcracker sighting in Mundesley, Norfolk. This was a significant bird for Britain; the last truly accessible Nutcracker was seen back in 1991. I couldn't miss the chance to see this one. I rushed upstairs to find my partner, Jenna, still in the bathroom. "Hurry up, love! There's a Nutcracker in Norfolk!" We quickly got ready and set off east, hoping the bird would stay around long enough for us to arrive.
The Nutcracker had apparently been in the village for several days, with a photograph taken by a local resident on Friday leading to the news being released this morning. This was exactly the kind of bird many of us had been anticipating for this autumn. Large numbers of Slender-billed Nutcrackers had been migrating west across Europe, reaching Scandinavia and the Low Countries in substantial numbers. These birds typically inhabit the northern coniferous forests, stretching from northern Europe across Siberia and into Asia, where they primarily feed on pine seeds. When food supplies dwindle and their populations increase, they can venture much further in search of food. The Siberian form, known as macrorhynchos, has a distinctly finer bill than the nominate form. With so many birds appearing in Western Europe and strong easterly winds pushing them toward our shores, it seemed only a matter of time before one crossed the North Sea.
Heavy rain and gusty winds accompanied us on the drive down, making the journey less enjoyable. Still, we were excited to see a bird that doesn’t show up in Britain every day, and the anticipation grew as we neared Norfolk. We eventually arrived in Mundesley just after 3 PM, leaving us with about two hours of decent light to find the bird. Unfortunately, it soon became clear that at least one of the sightings reported by bird information services was mistaken, as the Nutcracker hadn't been seen for over four hours.
Many birders gathered along the pavement, sheltering under trees in the gardens as they waited for news. With the weather working against us and no sighting of the bird, the situation looked bleak. I met up with Cliff Smith, and Jenna and we went for a walk behind the houses where the Nutcracker had been seen earlier, hoping it might reappear. Unfortunately, we had no luck and returned to the main road. Just as we got back, a commotion further up the road indicated one thing: the Nutcracker had been spotted! We hurried over and caught sight of the bird feeding in a back garden. Moments later, it flew onto a house before moving toward the gathered birders and landing in a fir tree just a few meters from us. The bird then dropped down onto the ground, just a couple of meters from the nearest birders, and began feeding on beech mast. The views were absolutely brilliant, and the bird seemed completely unfazed by all the attention. It continued to move around, feeding on the ground and perching on tree stumps and a garage roof, allowing everyone a proper chance to take it all in.
Well, what a week! I returned to work in Oxfordshire on Tuesday after a good week birding on the Isles of Scilly, and I couldn't believe it when news broke after lunch that a Rufous-tailed Robin had been found at South Landing, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire.
The Rufous-tailed Robin (Larvivora sibilans) breeds in central Siberia and parts of eastern Asia, favouring damp forests with dense undergrowth. It migrates south-east for the winter, spending this period in South-East Asia. It is an extremely rare visitor to Britain, with records tending to occur in October, mainly in the Northern Isles and along the east coast of England.
The first accepted British record came from Fair Isle, Shetland, on 23rd October 2004. The bird caused quite a bit of confusion when it was first found, with some birders initially thinking it might be an American thrush, and Hermit Thrush was among the possibilities discussed. Nick Dymond eventually suggested Rufous-tailed Robin around lunchtime, and after checking reference books and photographs, the identification was confirmed. The bird was trapped and ringed before being released. It remained until dusk but had disappeared by the following morning.
The second British record was found dead on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, on 2nd October 2010. The next was at Warham Greens, Norfolk, on 14th October 2011, where the bird was only present from mid-afternoon until dusk before disappearing. The fourth accepted record was found at Feal Plantation, Fetlar, Shetland, on 6th October 2019. Unfortunately, the bird was only seen for around five minutes before disappearing and was never seen again. There was also a report from Lurand, North Ronaldsay, on 21st October 2025, but this remains provisional and has not been accepted onto the British list. With such a poor record of birds staying around, the Rufous-tailed Robin has become one of those mythical birds that birders dream of catching up with. The discovery at Flamborough was therefore a fantastic find and a chance for more birders to finally connect with this Siberian rarity. You can read the rarity finders' write-up here.>
What followed was three days of absolute torture, as I couldn't get up to Yorkshire until Friday morning, and that was only if the bird was still there. It was a four-and-a-half-hour drive, and I wouldn't make it after work to try to see it before dusk. For the next two days, birding social media was in meltdown. Practically everyone I knew had seen the bird. What an absolute nightmare! By Thursday evening, the weather was changing. After two nights of rain, it was going to be clear. This wasn't good news, as birds can easily move on overnight in settled conditions. I packed my belongings at the Airbnb and could only hope it would stay until the morning. The next morning, on the way into work, news came through just after 8am that the bird was still there. I went into work, finished a few jobs and set off from Oxfordshire, arriving in East Yorkshire just after 1pm. As I arrived on site and walked down towards the bridge, a shout went out that the bird was showing.
Easterly winds continued in earnest until Wednesday, which, coupled with rain along the east coast, created suitable conditions for a healthy arrival of Far Eastern vagrants. Read more>
Acre Nook Sand Quarry
Slavonian Grebe-Again from Whisterfield end.
Thurstaston Shore
700 Pintail, 4000 Oystercatcher, 1200 Knot, 300 Dunlin, 82 Turnstone, 115 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1000 Black-tailed Godwit, 100 Redwing flew south off Dee Sailing Club on ebbing tide this morning.
Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)
Little Stint-Probable flew northwest through No. 4 Bed with two Dunlin and Common Scoter-Juvenile: reserve open from 08:00-20:00; permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com
What a lively few days that was! October is so often the month of megas, and this week lived up to high expectations, with no fewer than eight breaking megas sounding on the BirdGuides app during the week. Read more>
19th October
Woolston Eyes NR (permit only
Water Pipit-One at No. 4 Bed; reserve open from 08:00-20:00; permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com.
Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB
Eurasian Bittern-Reedbed screen.
19th October 2015 was a memorable day for British birding, when another Chestnut Bunting was found on Papa Westray in Orkney, where it remained for 11 days. I was lucky enough to see this bird myself 11 years ago, and it was eventually accepted by the BBRC.
Now, just one day short of the 11th anniversary, Brydon Thomason found Britain's second Chestnut Bunting on Unst late on 18th October. This is a first-winter female and another exciting record for Shetland.
I've attached my original sighting of the Papa Westray bird, which was a memorable one for me and a record that was eventually accepted by the BBRC.
A Chestnut Bunting on the edge of Britain. Read more>
Chestnut Bunting Accepted – A Landmark Decision. Read more>
Redes Mere
Glossy Ibis-One flew over.
Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB
Spotted Redshank-Four still at Bevyl Road Flash.
