Zennor

Ok, its taken me a while to realise this, but why the fuck haven't I pulled my finger out already and gone to see the Snowy Owl? Even my teachers at college were asking whether I had been down to see it, so I took this as an indication that they wouldn't mind me missing a days worth of lesson to actually go and see it.

2nd thing to think about; how to get down there, everybody in Britain has seen it already, hmm?

My reply to this is perhaps the craziest idea I have ever head: "Ok, sod it, i'll ride!!"

After work yesterday I prepared the bike for a big effort twitch, I don't know what made me do this, but this is commitment to the birding society. Hitching a series of Trains at 11pm from Eastliegh - Basingstoke - Reading - Penzance, I arrived the following morning at around 8am. The 10 miles or so North to Zennor were much more tiring than expected, no helped by the fact I was constantly climbing hills. A short break in between where I utilised my time by proding a freshly killed corpse in the form of a Woodcock. Approaching Zennor and I really which I had fixed my break before embarking on this trip. Tough tits I didn't.

On arrival it took me no longer than 10 minutes to locate the bird sat shoulder height in thick heather. What a relief when I realised I hadn't strained both testicles for nothing. Wow, I was expecting it to be this big! I sat tight for at least 2 hours just admiring the bird from a safe distance, in that time a few birders came and went, and the bird was becoming more active, reaching and stretching etc.

A heavily cropped image of the Snowy Owl, when sat like this, it doesn't make you realise just how big this bird is © Ashley Howe

It was just a matter of time before it flew - hopefully in my direction.

Does it now? Ok, it didn't fly past me, but it was close enough © Ashley Howe

The return leg was comparitably easier, managing to complete the ride in half the time it had taken to get their, however my next reward was a fanny-tastic full english breakfast before embarking on the 6 hour train up to Reading again.

Titchfield Haven & Farlington Marshes

I finished work at 2, so very limited on light left. Sticking to one side of Hampshire, Titchfield Haven was the first place we stopped at. As usual I couldn't be arsed paying to go in the reserve, and too stubborn to give Emma the pleasure of entering her first proper reserve.


To be honest there was no need, the drake Scaup was viewable from the bridge, and i couldn't care less about some plastic Barnacles which could be potentially counted on the hampshire year list. Best bird of the day was offshore: a juvenile Little Gull fed briefly on the surf before heading West.


North Binness Island had held Short-eared Owls all week, until today, where we and Dan Houghton missed the buggers....end of day.

Bursledon, Petersfield & Gosport

Fridays, I don't usually have many lessons, so I took the oppertunity to meet up with Mr. Fuller and do abit of touring around Hampshire. I had more lessons later that afternoon so we still had to be quick - Lee just bunked the whole day, oh how I wish my attendance wasn't so poor that I could bunk more lessons!

First port of call was Bursledon where Waxwings had recently taken up residency, eventually finding then, we used the car as a car as a hide to get closer. I only had my bins, but used Lee's 30D to get record shots.

Part of the 23 Waxwings which thought they could elude us by feeding somewhere else © Ashley Howe

Secondly, up to Petersfield, where the drake Ring-necked Duck was back at Passfield Pond, missing it the first time of passing because it was behind the island, lead us to find 3 Mandarin (2 drakes) and a Kingfisher. The Ring-necked Duck eventually showed well for us, but photos were shit as the light deteriorated as we headed North.

Heading South and the light improved greatly, Lee told me of this stunning Black Redstart in Gosport that he had recently seen, and so this was where we went next. He wasn't lieing. Possibly the most obliging Redstart I have ever seen, if only I had my own camera today.

How stunning is that? © Ashley Howe

Hampshire Hatches

Another lifer up for grabs, this one just a UK400 tick however. My third of the year, and possibly the hardest so far to get. Not knowing that area of Hampshire well, Emma and myself took a gamble, meeting Lee and Andy (non-birding loser ;-).

Heading in the general direction, we could hear the Geese, trying to navigate around the wooded area and river was subsequently harder. Attempting so flushed several Snipe, Woodcock and an individual Jack Snipe, before finding a 'fairly' safe crossing. Covered in ice, I balanced myway across the bog, only to get three quarters across, and the amusement of the others, falling through, and drenching myself. I wasn't going to be stopped though, and so was rewarded with distant and lucky view of the Tundra Bean Goose. Unfortunately this was only thing we had time for...

Saltholme, Cleveland

A slow journey North because Mick didn't want to sleep in the car when it was as cold as it was. Taking about 10 hours from Kent at about 50mph...what did I care, I slept throughout....but the intervals I was awake for I saw no more than 3 Barn Owls and a Little Owl at a piss stop.

Arriving just after first light, there were some dodgy claims, which turnt into nothing, a few false alarms, and it looked to be turning into a nightmare. I love it when I get the wrong idea about twitches.

A Gull flying over, had the Evans crew fussing as to whether it was or not, neither could decide what they had seen. While this was happening a man drove up the road, shouting out his window "It's round the back, turn left at roundabout at the bottom".

The Rush was on, having dipped the first Glaucous-winged Gull, there was no messing, I have never seen Lee and Mick move so fast back to the car, reckless driving was the name of the game, over taking by driving down the right-hand side of the road got us there a tad quicker.

On arrival, the GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL was sat behind the tip, with just a couple of Herrings Gulls, in the ten minutes before the rest of the crew arrived, it was amongst around 100 Gulls and it was mostly obscurred, before eventually giving itself up again to the masses...

Thank God!! Never thought this one would come so quickly...!!

Rainham Marshes, Folkestone, Hythe, & Isle of Sheppey

An early start at Rainham Marshes with the 2 Penduline Tits along the reeds at Aveley Pools. A brief look for the Serin drew blanks, before heading South East down to Folkestone Industrial Estate. A dodgy dealer approaching Lee and myself attempting to sell knock-off goods prevented us for photographing the Waxwings straight away.

The second Penduline Tit canj ust be made out on the bullrush behind, unfortunately this image was taken under terrible light © Ashley Howe

But at least 20 birds were together, which soon disappeared. We soon relocated the birds. Showing well and come down onto the berries to feed offering some great photo oppertunities.

Once they came down onto the berries, then some decent photo oppertunities came along © Ashley Howe

Onto Hythe where the Night Heron was still showing very well. Unbelievably at the same site as the Green Heron in October. We were there for a good hour and did the bird move once? Nope!!

The Heron didn't change from this pose for a whole hour! © Ashley Howe

In this time the Glaucous-winged Gull in Cleveland was confirmed, and we new we weren't going home later...

We continued the day with Dungeness, where we were basically too lazy to go anywhere so went into the visitor centre and left again. There were 3 Bewick's Swans along the road on the way out, as was a Marsh Harrier.

Up to Isle of Sheppey and the Rough-legged Buzzard, performed the best that i had seen it in the fast 4 years of visiting the island. A load of Marsh Harriers, and a Barn Owl were the only notable birds seen. Although it was unbelievably cold and it was threating to rain, neither of us could bear the element much more than necessary.

The journey up North began...

Blashford Lakes

WHAT AN AFTERNOON!! After a late night at new years; a tad pissed leaving Emma slightly over the limit the next morning. We didn't leave till midday; probably shouldn't have gone out at all with all the alcohol consumed.

However it was well worth the effort, first port of call was the bewick's Swan. We connected with ease at Ibsley water meadows. 2 Adults and a single juvenile together. Further up the road, i had a tip off that there was a Caspian Gull on Mockbeggar North Lake. And infact the gen was correct with the adult still on there today.And a cracker it was too.

Trying all the lakes with access there was no sign of the Great-white Egret, but we were successful in picking up a few easier birds around the lakes including Green Sandpiper. Back on the actual reserve it took several minutes for the Bittern to show well enough for me to clap eyes on it, even Emmas beat me to it...

Leaving the hide, heading in the direction of the feeding stations there was a Firecrest showing well. From the feeding stations there was a mealy Redpoll with half a dozen or so Lesser Redpolls. Brambling, Siskin and Marsh Tit all visited the feeder in our presents.

Walking round to Ibsley Water the Great-white Egret happened to catch my eye on Rockford Lake on the near side, lucky to get this one out the way so early in the year!

On Ibsley Water, there was mostly the usual stuff with decent numbers of Goosander, especially as the afternoon progressed. Another Green Sandpiper flew past, which i got the Ingram crew on to with their new years day total - smashing the existing record further. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was also from the hide, the 2 Black-necked Grebes, although abit distant. A flock of Black-tailed Godwits flew in last thing, that was the last thing we got before heading back to the car and grabbing a fish 'n' chips on the way back.

Lough Arrow

The next day, no sign of the Buff-bellied Pipit around Lough Beg (on the off chance it was still there!).Driving down the M2, a large flock of Waxwing were in trees by the side of the Motorway. We came off at the next junction about drove back to find the birds, about 300, feeding by a car park in Newtownabbey.

A small fraction of the Waxwings besides the road © Ashley Howe

We had a brief stop in Belfast city centre before heading south to Dublin to catch the ferry back.

A big thanks to Steve for all the driving over the last few days (even though he gave me his bastard cold!! argh!!)

Nimmo's Pier

After a cooked breakfast we scraped the half an inch of frost off the car and headed back to Galway for one last stab at Nimmo's.The 1cy Iceland Gull from day 1 was on the slipway, as were two ad Ring-billed Gulls.

Again from Nimmo's Pier © Ashley Howe

We decided to call it a day in Galway. Despite a couple of tries, we'd not managed to connect with the Surf Scoter and there was no of the Smithsonian Gull while we were there, at least not that we saw! Up in Sligo, there was no sign of any Lesser Scaup at Lough Arrow (although we were beaten by the light and didn't have time to check every bay).

Nimmo's Pier

Totals from Nimmo's on the morning of 28th were one 2cy Iceland Gull, two ad Ring-billed Gulls and two ringed Black-headed Gulls (both ringed as nestlings in June 07 in Co. Mayo, thanks to Chris Benson for the information).

One of the two Ring-billed Gulls this morning © Ashley Howe

We took a walk along the shore were we found a small flock of Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a host of passerines feeing in the seaweed along the strandline, including Chaffinches, Wrens and a horde of Rock Pipits (no Buff-bellied, despite checking every one!). A colour-ringed Bar-tailed Godwit was by the causeway to Mutton Island, all the way from Holland (thanks to Bernard Spaans for the data), and, on the way back, the Forster's Tern was on the beach with two Sandwich Terns.

One of the Iceland Gulls at Low tide, and the returning Forster's Tern on the beach © Ashley Howe

The afternoon was spent along the coast to the west of Galway again, this time a little further along. A 1cy Glaucous Gull was on a small lough between Ballynahown and Rossaveel with a Little Egret on a stream just across the road, and in Rossaveel harbour there was a second 1cy Glaucous Gull and another Little Egret.The stretch of water off An Bothar Bui held about seven Great Northern Divers, a Black Guillemot and a handful of Long-tailed Ducks.

1st winter Glaucous Gull, looking for scraps in the harbour © Ashley Howe

That night we managed to find a B&B and, after a hot shower, headed off to bed... only to wake up the next morning to find water dripping on us from the ceiling!