AA Birdpix, Birds, Travel and More

I went to Kessingland recently by a "twitchers route" via Cley. This resulted in several year ticks, including  White-fronted Goose and Red Kite, which  although  now common in North Norfolk are still rare in Lincolnshire a nd Suffolk. I also  "year ticked" several friends. The hoped-for photo of the goose wasn't to be, but  I reflected that I'd seen quite a few over the past few years. Pre-Covid,  they had become scarce in the UK, and my previous sightings had been in Norfolk  back in the 1990's. Over the past few years I have seen birds at Budle Bay (no I didn't  twitch it, I was recovering my car from Shetland), Cley twice, South Lincolnshire and...... a flock of seven at Frampton two or three years ago! There have also been records in Essex and Martin Mere in Lancashire, but I am starting  to wonder about origins of these birds. It will never be determined one way or the other,  so don't worry, your ticks are safe, and to be fair the...

Addicted? Last year I gave up twitching. I've been trying to give it up for several years, for various reasons, but it obviously became easier when Covid was upon us, and last year I was quite happy to not see any American warblers, nor seabirds, since I've seen lots in my foreign travels. I had to go for Grey-headed Lapwing, as I wanted a photo, and really enjoyed the White's Thrush on Shetland because although it wasn't a tick I'd not had really good views previously. Anyway that wasn't a twitch 'cos I was on Shetland. Except I didn't need to go twice.  At the end of the year I was quite happy, no more twitching, year listing only out of interest and not making a conscious effort. As Ann is happy for me to continue travelling I have a trip to Ghana in the planning stages. I had devised a plan to give me a focus of where to travel a few years ago, my "Dirty Dozen". This is a list of species on Category A which I haven't seen anywhere in th...

The Best Reserve in England?  You have probably heard a lot about Frampton, but it really is the best reserve, certainly for waders, in the country. Problem is, the more visitors a reserve gets, the more disturbance and noise there is, and the less birds feel it is a safe haven, especially on migration. Thankfully, due to enlightened wardens, the reserves development has been largely for the benefit of birds rather than visitors. A new visitor centre has recently been built, but it is small with a small cafe and a few outside tables/chairs, and inside are knowledgeable volunteers and an up-to-date sightings board. No concrete hides, no full car parks (although an overflow park has had to be created recently), and plenty of space. It is the size of the reserve that makes it so good, along with obviously its location on The Wash. I have been visiting the area since before the RSPB bought it, and overall it has remained largely unchanged in terms of where you can go. Not all the area ...