Thursday 26 December 2019

Blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail (tschutschensis), Sedgeford, Norfolk - 26 Dec 2019

It was many moons ago that I consider I first saw an Eastern-type Yellow Wagtail on the Isles of Scilly. Three different observers called it different species and without a consensus it has remained in limbo, ever since, in the back of my mind. With the boys getting multiple EYW on Scilly that bird in the back of my mind needed sorting...

Fast forward to the afternoon of 23 December and news from Norfolk of an Eastern Yellow Wagtail was surely too good to be true... fortunately not! Indeed, with the bird being a well-patterned male, not only was the (current) species confirmed, but the bird was deemed (by better people than myself) to be of the nominate tschutschensis race - whether you want to call that Blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail (a bit of a mouthful), Alaskan Yellow Wagtail or just Alaskan Wagtail is entirely up to the list keeper.

With work on 23 & 24 Dec and something else happening on the 25th...the first available slot for me to travel to Norfolk was early doors today. Thankfully the weather-gods played ball and the rain held off - alas, the bitterly cold wind was a constant reminder that I should have actually put the gloves on and not just drive them to the site and then leave them in the car...

Thankfully the BHEYW...was still present and showing well both beside the puddles in the field and then on the dung heaps. A few snaps taken...

Blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Sedgeford, Norfolk - 26 Dec 2019
Blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Sedgeford, Norfolk - 26 Dec 2019
Blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Sedgeford, Norfolk - 26 Dec 2019

















Saturday 14 December 2019

Rough-legged Buzzard, Funton Creek, Kent; 14 Dec 2019

Went out for a couple of hours this afternoon to get some fresh air. Arrived at Funton Creek just after 3pm and didn't even have to wait five minutes before the Rough-legged Buzzard flew in to view and tracked west towards the trees. A quick search for crabs and mice, under the copious quantities of tyres and building materials thrown out by Kent's finest, meant that Max also had a great trip out!

Rough-legged Buzzard