The Juvenile Birder

Rare Breeding Birds and North American  Waders! We arrived at 8:28am at the RSPB Bee-Eaters Viewpoint (location pinned) in Norfolk in hopes of seeing breeding bee-eaters. Bee-eaters are a scarce sight in the UK, so to have them breeding here is tremendous. The last time they bred in the UK was in 2017 in Nottinghamshire but they ended up failing to raise young. The last successful nesting site was in Cumbria in 2015. When we arrived, an RSPB man named Darren said they were seen earlier today. We waited ten minutes and then we saw them. A Bee-eater flew as it got mobbed by some swallows. It circled round then slowly swooped towards the nest, the wind occasionally pushing it backwards. After that, Darren scoped out two other Bee-eaters on the wires in the distance. I looked through his scope and saw them. They were very colourful with their orangey-yellow back standing out when they faced away from us and their cheeks standing out when facing towards us. Then, one of the bee-eaters f...

 Spotted Redshank and Egyptian Geese! We arrived at 5:30pm in hopes of seeing Spotted Redshanks and Ruddy Shelducks. We first walked round the back of the mere but didn't see much other than a Water Vole crossing the path briefly. We then stopped at Reedbed Screen where we saw two Reed Warblers as they defended their territory. We then arrived at Marsh Covert Hide. I asked someone who let me look through their scope to see a distant, yet stunning Spotted Redshank in summer plumage as it waded and foraged along a strip of green weeds. Also present was a stonking Ruff in breeding plumage, showing brown and blue colouration. On our way back, I saw a bird as it flapped its wings on the back of the mere. At first I thought it was a Ruddy Shelduck but upon closer examination I identified it as an Egyptian Goose, a first for me. A brilliant way to end then day.

 Wader Fest! We arrived at 4:30pm in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rare Black-Winged Stilt seen from Nel's Hide a few minutes ago. When we arrived, we saw it. To the right of the hide was a Black-Winged Stilt feeding far out on the flooded fields. We viewed it as it foraged besides a Curlew. Just as we were about to leave, a Ruff flew in and joined the flock of Avocets on the bank of the main lake. We then went to Sandgrounder's Hide where we saw a Little Ringed Plover, a first for me this year, at the bank of the pool; viewable from the screen outside. It ran along near the grass before laying down, camouflaged within the dry mud. Just then, a bobbing wader caught our eye. On the grass near to the Kingfisher Post was a Common Sandpiper, another year tick, foraging and then flying off. A brilliant way to end the day!

  Winter Waterfowl and Finches We arrived at 9:40am in hopes of spotting a rare Green-Winged Teal. We walked in and headed straight for the Ron Barker Hide where it had been seen. We arrived with no luck. We only saw the usual Eurasian Teals, Common Moorhens and Western Marsh Harriers. We then headed to the Discovery Hide where we saw Common Pochard, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallards, Tufted Ducks, Ruff, Black-Tailed Godwits, Northern Pintails, Greylag Geese and Whooper Swans. We then went the opposite direction to the Janet Kea Hide in hopes of seeing Bramblings. At first, the hide was quiet until one Brambling went out to feed on the feeders, then it hopped back into a bush. European Goldfinch & Greenfinches, Eurasian Blue Tits, Great Tits, Common Chaffinches and Eurasian Tree Sparrow where also there. We saw Rooks and a Common Kestrel on our journey home.

 Christmas Rarity! We arrived at midday on Christmas Eve. We were hoping for some festive sighting and we got what we wanted. We first went in the Discovery Hide where we saw Common Pochards, Mallards, Common Shelducks, Northern Pintails, Ruffs, Tufted Ducks, Eurasian Wigeons, Whooper Swans, Greylag Geese and Northern Lapwings all over the mere in their hundreds . We then made our way to the Janet Kea Hide in hopes of spotting some Bramblings. We didn't see any Bramblings but we did see European Goldfinches, Eurasian Blue Tits, Great Tits, European Greenfinches, Common Chaffinches, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The highlight though was a rare Willow Tit that hopped onto the feeders a few times. We then went to the Gordon Taylor Hide where we saw lots of Eurasian Teals and one Northern Shoveler resting on a muddy island. We also saw Western Marsh Harriers hunting some huge flocks of waders to end the Christmasy Day.