The dramatic sea cliffs, crags and stacks of Rathlin Island, county Antrim, rise more than 200 metres above the Atlantic Ocean and host one of the UK’s largest seabird colonies, including hundreds of endangered puffins, attracting up to 20,000 birders and tourists a year. On a spectacularly sunny day in September, the cliff faces are […]
Tag: Manx shearwater
Sea watch at Cley
With the north winds forecast I headed up to Cley this morning for a bit of a sea watch stopping off at Buckenham Marsh for a couple of Pec Sands and then a couple of Jack Snipe before landing at the coast guards car park. The weather looked good but the going was slow. Four […]
Balearics at Dungeness and a Bonaparte’s at Oare
Birding has been very limited of late save a quick trip to Fairlop in the the week to catch the local Hoopoe so today we decided on a trip to Dunge for a spot of early morning sea watching. Arriving at 6.30am we were rewarded for a two hour stint with several Arctic Skua, three […]
Saltee Islands – Paradise for Seabirds
The Saltee Islands, St. George’s Channel consisting of the Great and Little Saltee, are situated approximately 5 kilometers off the coast of Kilmore Quay Co.Wexford. The larger island Great Saltee is the most famous bird sanctuary in Ireland and is very popular with both day-trippers and birdwatchers alike. These Islands are privately owned and are […]
Green Heron Llan-mill Pembrokeshire
After leaving home at 4am this morning we found ourselves walking down the lane to the old mill in the village of Llan-mill in Pembrokeshire by 7.30am. As we approached the MP Simon Harts home we were greeted by another birder who directed us into the back garden which overlooks the large flooded pond where […]
Skomer Island – 14th July
Sarah, Tobias and I last visited Skomer on 6th July 2014 and so after a couple of years with no visit we were looking forward to getting back and Tobias was very excited about seeing Puffin. So after a good drive to Pembrokeshire on Thursday afternoon we had time for a short stop at Laugharne […]
Mongolia – 14th May (Day 7) – Dalanzadgad to Khongor Sand Dunes
We were up 05:45 and birded the habitat around the guest house. There had evidently been a small fall of migrants and we recorded six Eye-browed Thrush, three Pallas’s Bunting, 12 Red-throated Thrush, Dusky Warbler, Reed Warbler and, best of all, two Siberian Rubythroat which showed well in a newly planted line of scrub opposite […]