30/10/2021. There was a drake American Wigeon on The Pillinge at the Marston Vale Millenium Country Park. This was the first record for this species in Bedfordshire.
American Wigeon
**MEGA** Taiga Flycatcher
7/11/2021 Another early start and trip to Flamborough Head. The bird was seen within minutes of arrival at South Landing.
There was also a Red-flanked Bluetail only a 100 yards away.
Scilly 2021
**MEGA** Two-barred Greenish Warbler
A Two-barred Greenish Warbler was found at Spurn in the afternoon of 16/10/2021. The next day this became my second trip to Yorkshire in a week. Unfortunately my photography skills do not do the bird justice!!
**MEGA** Long-toed Stint
A Long-toed Stint was found at St Aidans RSPB near Swillington, Yorks whilst I was on Scilly. The first chance I had to go for it was on the 11/10/2021 my first day back at work. I decided to book the afternoon and travel up to see it. Quite distant and the pictures I took are not very good. This site was a former opencast mine and there was an interesting and massive piece of machinery on display there.
Waders
A trip out to Frampton Marsh RSPB in Lincolnshire and Snettisham RSPB in Norfolk for two rare waders. The Pacific Golden Plover at Frampton Marsh and then the Western Sandpiper at Snettisham. Lots of other waders were seen at both reserves including Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Wood Sandpiper. No pictures unfortunately of the rarer Western Sandpiper that was always moving too quick with the incoming tide. Masses of birds at both reserves!
Pacific Golden Plover
Wood Sandpiper
Curlew Sandpiper
**MEGA** Black-browed Albatross
When news came through on the morning of the 4/7/2021 that the Albatross was back at Bempton Cliffs RSPB I had to go, even though I was recovering from a night down the pub watching the England v Ukraine game. I am glad I did as I saw the bird soon after arriving. At first it was sat on the sea quite distantly but it then flew nearer to the cliffs where it appeared to be trying to find somewhere to land.
Roller
There was a fantastic Roller at Icklingham, Suffolk for about a week. I saw and photographed it on the 26/6/2021. It was quite distant early in the morning, in poor weather, but was much closer when I went back in the afternoon sun. Between these visits I went to Hickling Broad where there was a Collared Pratincole and 2 Black-winged Stilts.
White-throated Sparrow
14/4/2021 A trip to Sussex today and I was able to catch up with the White-throated Sparrow that has been at Barcombe Cross for a while now.
**MEGA** Northern Mockingbird
There had been a Northern Mockingbird in Exmouth for the last couple of months but with England in lockdown because of Covid 19 it was not possible to travel at that time. The 29/3/2021 was the first date it was legal to travel and so I set off at 4am for Devon. There was only about 10 people there when i arrived at about 7.30 am and the bird was seen fairly quickly in its favoured holly and palm trees.
Brunsblog 