Brian Anderson

Brian Anderson · Post by **Brian Anderson** » Sun Sep 25, 2011 4:46 pm

Took the wife and dog to Frinton today...The Red Backed Shrike showed well and allowed a record shot. The wife now thinks birding is easy, you just turn up take a short walk in the sun and the the bird sits in the open twenty feet away for you to see it. (She hasn't ecperienced the 6mile walk to Blakeny point in the rain yet!) Nice day in good weather and the dog loved the run in the sea as she always does. Despite the good weather we only had a few whites flying which was dissapointing but with a good week forecast i'll have to see if i can get out and do what i enjoy...Walking and looking at what's there to be seen and stick to my motto...."if you get out you'll see more than if you don't"

Brian Anderson · Post by **Brian Anderson** » Sat Oct 01, 2011 2:16 pm

trip to Rochester this morning. Found a lovely spot to walk the dog which looked perfect for butterflies (chalk hill full of wild flowers and berry bushes) but not a single butterfly about between 10 and 10.30am.
Moved on to Elmley for a quick Buff Breasted Sandpiper....be rude not to while i was so close. Little more butterfly activity here with loads of whites and a single blue (too far away to ID) Lots of hawkers about.
and really hot!...just seen report of a semipalmated sandpiper in Essex..now can i slip out again?

Brian Anderson · Post by **Brian Anderson** » Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:34 pm

Back to Elmley early doors and no sign of the Buff Breasted sandpiper but the place was alive with small whites, red admirals and a couple of small coppers. Moved up to East Tilbury as the tide went out and managed to find the Semi Palmated sandpiper with a little help from the guy that find it yesterday. (Needed him to pick it out from the various little stints that were causing ID issues amongst the small crows)Lot's more whites and red admirals about and what looked liked a couple of walls mobile around the water tower.
Weather is great but it's put the butterflies on the wing and finding anything sitting still has been difficult over the last couple of days.
But two lifers on the bird front this weekend so who's complaining.....Hoopoe just reported within an hour (now can i get away from the BBQ?)

Brian Anderson · Post by **Brian Anderson** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:25 pm

Trip to Dunwich Heath on Saturday looking for a Shrike that had been seen on the Friday...no joy for me and the other thirty odd birders that turned up looking for it at 7am. But i did get to see the Speckled Crimson moth that was trapped the night before..very smart looking thing....a short walk along the shore revealed two shorte eared owls on the beach along with a small copper and a couple of red admirals.
Good views on the heat of Dartford warblers and a yellow browed warbler showed briefly too....no sign of the red flanked bluetail reported since Thursday but not a bad days work all in all...onwards and upwards!