SHETLAND BIRD NEWS, PHOTOS, BIRDING, LIFE AND MORE! MY 14th YEAR ANNIVERSARY 2024!


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Thursday 30 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

Black Redstart at The Lifeboat House, Blakeney Point
BEE-EATERS x 4 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Black Redstart at Cathedral, Norwich
Honey Buzzard at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Spoonbills x 4, Spotted Redshanks x 4 at Titchwell RSPB
Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh at Snettisham Coastal Park
Wood Sandpiper at Welney WWT
Wood Sandpipers x 2, Spoonbills x 4, Spotted Redshank at Brendan's Marsh, Hickling Broad NWT
Quail singing at Burnham Deepdale
Spoonbills x 25 at Stiffkey Fen
Spoonbill at North Point Pools, Wells
Spoonbills x 4, Garganey x 2, Spotted Redshank at Cley NWT
Spoonbills x 7 at Potter Heigham Marshes
Spoonbills x 5 at Holme Dunes NWT

MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
SHORT-TOED EAGLE
Reported recently, ENE of Lairg, Highland and Caithness

Wednesday 29 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Turtle Doves x 3 at Snettisham Coastal Park
Spotted Redshanks x 7 at Snettisham RSPB
BEE-EATERS x 5 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Honey Buzzards x 2 at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Spoonbill at Thornham Harbour
Spoonbills x 12 at Potter Heigham Marshes 
Bee-eater flew west over Sidestrand
Caspian Gull at North Point Pools, Wells
Spoonbills x 2 at Holme Dunes NWT
Spoonbills x 5, Little Gulls x 5 at Cley NWT
Bee-eater flew north over Holt Road, south of Beeston Regis, Sheringham

MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire

RBA Weekly Round-Up 21st to 27th June!

By Jon Dunn

Tuesday 28 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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Great Reed Warbler, Spoonbill at Ken Hill Marsh, Turtle Doves x 2 at Snettisham Coastal Park
BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Bee-eater flew west over Sidestrand
Honey Buzzards x 3 at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Wood Sandpipers, Spoonbills x 4 at Brendan's Marsh, Hickling Broad NWT
Spotted Redshanks x 4, Spoonbills x 5, Little Gull at Titchwell RSPB
Wood Sandpiper, Little Gulls x 4, Spoonbills x 4 at Cley NWT

MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire

Monday 27 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Great Reed Warbler, Spoonbills x 2 at Ken Hill Marsh, Turtle Doves x 2 at Snettisham Coastal Park
Turtle Dove, Spoonbill at Snettisham RSPB
Curlew Sandpiper, Little Gulls x 4, Spoonbill at Cley NWT
Honey Buzzards x 3 at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Spoonbills x 5, Little Gulls x 3 at Titchwell RSPB
Caspian Gull at North Point Pools, Wells

MEGA NEWS
TURKESTAN SHRIKE male
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
MOLTONI'S WARBLER male
Gutcher, Shetland
LEAST TERN male
Portrane, County Dublin, Ireland

Sunday 26 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Bee-eater flew south past Happisburgh
Turtle Dove, Spotted Redshanks x 6, Spoonbill at Snettisham RSPB 
Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Curlew Sandpiper, Little Gulls x 3, Spoonbills x 5 at Cley NWT
Wood Sandpiper, Little Gulls x 4, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Titchwell RSPB
Honey Buzzard flew over Guist
Honey Buzzards x 4 at raptor watchpoint (do not park on road) at Swanton Novers
Black Redstart at Cromer
Spoonbill at Buckenham Marshes RSPB
Osprey at Martham Broad
Spotted Redshanks x 3, Spoonbills x 9 at Potter Heigham Marshes
Spoonbill at Denver Sluice

MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
MOLTONI'S WARBLER male
Gutcher, Shetland
LEAST TERN 
Portrane, County Dublin, Ireland
FEA'S OR DESERTAS PETREL 
Porthgwarra, Cornwall

Saturday 25 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Great Reed Warbler, Spoonbills x 12 at Ken Hill Marsh, Turtle Doves x 5 at Snettisham Coastal Park
Spotted Redshanks x 9 at Snettisham RSPB
Honey Buzzard (probable) flew over Great Melton
Spoonbill on Rush Hill Scrape, Spotted Redshank at Brendan's Marsh, Hickling Broad NWT
Wood Sandpiper, Little Gulls x 2, Spoonbills x 5, Spotted Redshank at Titchwell RSPB
Bee-eaters x 2 flew over, Caspian Gull at Cromer
Roseate Tern, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper at Cley NWT
Little Gull flew past Winterton
 
MEGA NEWS
MOLTONI'S WARBLER male
Gutcher, Shetland
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
LEAST TERN 
Portrane, County Dublin, Ireland
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
Reported recently at Ivybridge, Devon
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 
In garden at Porthcawl, Glamorgan

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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FRIDAY 24th JUNE
BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Little Gull, Spoonbill at Titchwell RSPB
Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Black Kite flew SW over Weybourne
Wood Sandpipers x 2 between Cley & Salthouse
Honey Buzzard at Easton, north of Marlingford
 
MEGA NEWS
MOLTONI'S WARBLER male
Gutcher, Shetland

Thursday 23 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Bee-eaters x 2 flew over Weybourne Camp
Bee-eater (heard only) flew over Sidestrand
Little Gull, Wood Sandpiper at Titchwell RSPB
Little Gulls x 2 at Cley NWT
Spoonbill at Breydon Water
Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Glossy Ibis at North Point Pools, Wells
Spoonbills x 8 at Brendan's Marsh, Hickling Broad NWT
Little Stint at Potter Heigham Marshes
 
MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire

Wednesday 22 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
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Bee-eater flew over (heard only) Sidestrand
BEE-EATERS x 8 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Bee-eaters x 2 flew over, Turtle Dove at Kelling Heath
Roseate Tern on wreck at Cley
Spoonbills x 2 at Cley NWT
Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Caspian Gull on beach at Cromer
Little Stint at Salthouse
Wood Sandpiper reported at Pensthorpe Waterfowl Park
Little Gulls x 4, Spoonbill at Titchwell RSPB
Spoonbill at Berney Marshes RSPB
Spoonbill at Haddiscoe Island
 
MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire

Tuesday 21 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

Bee-eaters x 2 flew west over Weybourne Camp
BEE-EATERS x 7 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Spoonbills x 2, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Brendan's Marsh, Hickling Broad NWT
Garganey, Little Stints x 4, Little Gulls x 2, Spoonbill at Cley NWT
Turtle Dove in garden at Foulsham
Red-throated Diver at Ormesby Little Broad
Great Reed Warbler at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Turtle Doves x 2 at Hardingham
 
MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire
PACIFIC SWIFT
Isle of Noss, Shetland
LITTLE SWIFT
Probable, flew west over Wangford, Suffolk

RBA Weekly Round-Up 14th to 20th June!

By Jon Dunn

Mid-Week Update

Since I last posted on Thursday, things have not improved much at all. The nerve pain in my shoulder and arm seems to be far worse at night and does not allow me to sleep or lay flat at all. I have to give up and come downstairs. I have never experienced anything like this in my life, my arm is extremely tender to touch, even clothing makes it feel sore. I feel totally wrecked.

I am currently on my fifth day of taking Diazepam to relax my neck muscles (which is helping a bit) and Amitriptyline for nerve pain, but this isn't working! Also taking Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. I'm exhausted and totally fed-up. Still doing all the exercises and using the neck traction collar several times a day, as advised by the staff physio.

I had a physio appointment this morning at 10.30am and was told that if the Amitriptyline is not working, then I need to ask my GP to prescribe Gabapentin. The physio described my arm pain as 'Radicular pain in arm'. The physio is referring me to the Pain Clinic and flagging it up as urgent – he hopes this will also be the quickest route to have an MRI scan of my spine, which he said I need for a correct and full diagnosis.

After my appointment, I popped in to see some of my colleagues (on their tea break) in the Stroke team. It was so lovely to see lots of smiley faces! I'm not good at being at home on my own and when I can't physically do any jobs either – if I could, I would be back at work! I usually cut my hedges with my shears at this time of year, I'm going to have to pay someone to do this, which is very annoying, as I certainly can't do it!

I can only drive essential short distances (eg appts, food shopping) as it hurts my arm to change gear and use the handbrake. I so wish there was somewhere nice to walk from my house for exercise and where I feel totally safe – sadly there isn't. I miss doing my photography so much and I was just at the beginning of trying to master the Canon R5 before this happened and its killing me not being able to get out birding along the coast. 😞 Made even worse by the fact, there are seven Bee-eaters at Trimingham that I haven't seen yet, heartbreaking!

Anyway, I returned home and not long after this, I had a surprise knock on the door – Vivien turned up! This was so nice and she sat and chatted with me all afternoon – I had a job to keep awake though, if I'm honest as only had about two hours sleep early this morning. I swear I had a fleeting glimpse of a "Silver-washed Fritillary" in my garden, but it was gone over the fence before I had a chance to get a closer look, Vivien saw it too – if it was, it would have been a first for my garden! It was the heavy kind of typical flight pattern, that caught my eye. Vivien left just before 5pm to return to Ely for her tea with Ray.

Monday 20 June 2022

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

Great Reed Warbler, Spoonbill at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Turtle Doves x 7 at Snettisham RSPB
BEE-EATERS x 7 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Sooty Shearwaters x 2 flew past Beach Car Park at Cley
Little Gull at Cley NWT
Spoonbills x 2 at Potter Heigham Marshes
Spoonbill at North Point Pools, Wells
Glossy Ibis at Brendan's Marsh, Spoonbills x 3 at Hickling Broad NWT
Red-throated Diver at Ormesby Little Broad
Glossy Ibis flew past Welney WWT
 
MEGA NEWS
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire

NORFOLK BIRD NEWS & MEGAS!

SUMMARY OF TODAY'S BIRD NEWS VIA "RARE BIRD ALERT" 
  For access to full details of daily sightings, please subscribe to one of RBA's Bird News Services 

SUNDAY 19th JUNE
BEE-EATERS x 6 at nest in sand quarry from RSPB view point. Park ONLY in designated field south of Gimingham Road/Mundesley Road junction 7am-7pm  £5 charge. NO access to quarry – SE of Trimingham
Great Reed Warbler, Turtle Dove, Spoonbills x 4 at Ken Hill Marsh, Snettisham Coastal Park
Red-throated Diver at Ormesby Little Broad
Honey Buzzard, Spoonbill, Little Gull, Little Stints x 4 at Cley NWT
Glossy Ibis, Spoonbills x 4, Spotted Redshanks x 2 at Brendan's Marsh, Hickling Broad NWT
Bee-eater at Hungry Hill, Sidestrand
Spoonbills x 6 at Titchwell RSPB
Bee-eaters x 4 (unconfirmed report) flew east over Whisonsett, Mileham
Caspian Gull on beach at Cromer
Turtle Dove at Salthouse Heath
 
MEGA NEWS
Sumburgh Head, Shetland
(First for Shetland, second for Scotland!)
BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS
Lamba Ness on sea (16th June), Unst, Shetland