Mike Buckland

The Mundesley Slender-billed Nutcracker was feeding on Wasps, which it picked off the gravel driveway. Many of the Dutch birds have been photographed eating wasps recently. Clearly a major autumnal food source. #NorfolkBirding

The Slender-billed Nutcracker at Mundesley this morning put on quite a show feeding within a metre of a very appreciative early crowd. What a bird! #NorfolkBirding

Nuts! #UKBirding # NorfolkBirding

I managed a quick dash to Cley this evening for the superb male Desert Wheatear just before the torrential rain arrived. I wonder where it’s been for the last few days?. #NorfolkBirding

A walk through Holkham Pines this morning found the two Dusky Warblers and the late Spotted Flycatcher still present. #NorfolkBirding

It was mainly about wild geese today in Norfolk. Lots of groups of Russian White-fronted Geese arriving along the coast, with the odd Tundra Bean Goose tagging along, including these 3 over North Point. #NorfolkBirding

The Yellow Wagtail at Cley this pm. Superficially striking in its grey & white plumage, was its back a little too brown & the face pattern a little soft for Eastern? All its flight calls sounded Western & the odd more buzzy note was often in alarm. My sonograms seem to bear this out. #UKBirding

Yellow-browed Warblers have been frequently encountered since the all too brief easterlies on Tuesday. This bird was one of three at Holkham Pines on Wednesday morning. #NorfolkBirding

The Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler at Gibraltar Point showed well on & off all afternoon yesterday, but was frustratingly silent throughout, often alongside a YBW and several Chiffchaffs. It was astonishing how its subtle colour tones became increasingly pale and grey as the afternoon wore on. #UKBIrding

Two of the six first winter Caspian Gulls in to roost at Cley on 24th September, plus three YLG. The pink glow from the setting sun washing across Simmonds Scrape. #NorfolkBirding

Very few migrant birds so easily distracted by three Vestal moths flushed along some grassy field edges at Warham Greens this morning

The juvenile Black Guillemot at Cley gave good views off the beach this morning. Seems to like the easternmost pink buoy best viewed off the entrance to north hide #NorfolkBirding

The eclipse drake American Wigeon at Cley on Wednesday was educational. Not seen one on this plumage before and hadn’t realised how rusty the flanks could appear. Great find. #NorfolkBirding

8 of the 10+ Caspian Gulls spread across Simmond’s and Pat’s Pools, Cley this evening. Large Gulls still pouring in after the light had gone. Only 3 Glossy ibis in to roost at 19:20. #NorfolkBirding

Despite rapidly reducing water levels at Stiffkey Puddle (nee Fen) my persistence surprisingly paid off this morning when a very unexpected wader resolved into a lovely adult Pectoral Sandpiper. Not sure if this or yesterday’s juvenile Goosander was most surprising? #norfolkbirding

My first ever real wild, pure (non feral) Rock Doves in the UK! Not an uncommon bird on North Uist, though surprisingly skittish. Pigeons are so underrated. #UKBirding

Driving to Uig for the North Uist ferry on Friday I glanced across a loch adjacent to the road & noticed a Diver close to the bank & thankfully a lay-by. A quick stop was rewarded with close views of a pair of immaculate Black-throated Divers. Is there a more impeccable bird in the UK? #UKBirding

A 45-year itch finally scratched this weekend - Corn Crake! Somehow I’ve never seen a passage bird (very rare in Kent and Norfolk) and I missed them on 10+ Scilly visits. They weren’t coming to me so I had to go to them. Life isn’t getting any longer! Balranald delivered. #UKBirding

I wasn’t initially keen for the long journey to Caernarfon Saturday night, but on seeing this beauty of a Western Reef Heron was delighted I took the lift. Thanks to Paul Nobbs for electric travel, @jameslowenwild.bsky.social & @jimlaw.bsky.social for great company. Oh those head plumes! #UKbirding

This stunning hybrid 1S Black-headed x Mediterranean Gull showed a real mix of species and age features, incl a full (Med-like) jet black (ad BHG shape) head, a BHG bill with a Med-like red tint, a bold (Med-type) white eye ring, a pale grey back, and Med-like reddish legs & tertials #NorfolkBirding

Nice to bump into this Lapland Bunting on Burnham Overy dunes on 22/04. The local Sky Larks were less enthusiastic, constantly chasing it away but it gave occasional good views. I think the black face, black shoulder patches and black flank streaks indicate a 1st summer male? #NorfolkBirding

Between 12th & 20th Feb I was part of a UK/SA team competing in the Kruger Challenge 2026, a fund raising event for the endangered White-winged Flufftail. Our objective was to see the most species of birds/mammals in Kruger NP. I’ve written up our experience in my blog: travellingbirder.blogspot.com

The unpredictability of UK birding is so much part of the fun. Who would have predicted a Ross’s Gull in mid April walking around behind a tractor in a potato field in North Norfolk? Great find by Trev Girling who got the news out immediately and superb relocate by Matt Lonsdale. #NorfolkBirding

Thought the chance of seeing Twite in Norfolk this winter had gone so delighted to see this flock of 16 at Cley this evening. Also the first time I’ve seen Twite in the UK feeding on Salix buds (a behaviour I have seen only in Armenia with ssp brevirostris Caucasian Twite). #NorfolkBirding

Definitely weather to stay indoors, broken by a brief dash to nearby Morston when an adult Red-breasted Goose was found by some intrepid souls. It is unringed, associating with 7 unringed Barnacle Geese within a flock of c500 Dark-bellied Brents #NorfolkBirding

After yesterday’s lovely slinky Todd’s it was a surprising contrast to (re)find this big, presumably canadensis Atlantic Canada Goose in a flock of harvested-beet feeding Pink-footed Geese today. Big lump of a long-necked bird, behaving naturally and probably a genuine wild vagrant #NorfolkBirding

Also at Burnham Overy today was this satellite-collared, white ringed Pink-footed Goose (White 95). Possibly the bird seen a few days ago at Cley by @markgolley.bsky.social? Details sent to @kanebrides.bsky.social via email. #NorfolkBirding

Todd’s Canada Goose today on the freshmarsh at Burnham Overy, Norfolk. A nice textbook bird, similar size to a Pink-foot, though longer in the body, nice and dark brown including the chest, snaky little slim neck, etc. Hopefully it stays in an easily viewable non disturbable location #NorfolkBirding

Was amazing to watch the Eastern Black Redstart at Sheringham trying to kill, swallow and digest a large Sea Slater Ligia oceanica on Sunday am #NorfolkBirding

After being away from Norfolk for perhaps the most bird productive five December days ever I was relieved to catch up on some great seasonal birding on an amazing Sunday. Black-bellied Dipper, Eastern Black Redstart, 35+ Common Cranes, Glossy Ibis and Black-shouldered Kite #NorfolkBirding

A comparison of Hume’s Leaf Warbler (Wells Woods), left, and Yellow-browed Warbler (Holkham), right, from the last two days. Subtle but distinctive differences between these two similar Phylloscopus species supported by their quite different calls. #NorfolkBirding

Some great views of Divers at Wells-next-the-Sea over high tide this morning included a juvenile Great-northern and a couple of Red-throated nearby. #NorfolkBirding

Hume’s Leaf Warbler is a variable bird. The 3 currently inhabiting Holkham NNR all look different. The two I found on 16th: a grey/greenish rather scruffy bird (top left), & a buff/cream clean bird (top right) & Ash Saunders’ Wells bird is grey with contrasting green secondary edges #NorfolkBirding

Yesterday with Sibe Phylloscs all around the best I could find was a late Willow Warbler. Today at Holkham I made up for it: first up a Hume’s was soon followed by a Pallas’s and concluded when they were joined in a flock by a Yellow-browed, a Sibe Chiff, a Firecrest & 3 Chiffchaff! #NorfolkBirding

After hearing the American Golden Plover was showing well I popped in to Titchwell but it had gone missing. Managed to find it distantly showing just its head above a bank before the flock flushed and it landed close to the path. Four hurried phone scoped shots later it was gone. #NorfolkBirding

Two Isabelline Wheatears today and a Desert Wheatear yesterday. So just how lucky were @jameslowenwild.bsky.social and me when late this afternoon we found a Northern Wheatear beside the golf course at Brancaster 😢 #NorfolkBirding

A nice end to what had been a fairly quiet walk around Warham Greens when I got back to North Point and in very quick succession a Yellow-browed Warbler was quickly upstaged by a calling Dusky Warbler #NorfolkBirding #UKBirding

Has anyone got or seen a photo of the 5x reported adult female Pallid Harrier around Warham Greens and North Point over the last 10 days? #NorfolkBirding #UKBirding

This gorgeous Jack Snipe was hunkered down out of the wind while trying to warm up in the morning sunshine outside Bishop’s Hide at Cley NWT. #NorfolkBirding

This beast of a juvenile Glaucous Gull was patrolling the Cley beach this morning, giving several close fly pasts as it searched the tideline for food. #NorfolkBirding

The cruelty of bird migration laid bare at Cley this morning as a tired Woodcock reached the end of its sea crossing to be met by a hungry Peregrine. Knocked into the water the Woodcock ultimately succumbed to the rough breakers while the Peregrine left with just a tail feather. #NorfolkBirding

Still (sadly) at least that annoying Sparrowhawk won’t be chasing any more migrant passerines that arrive here exhausted. Looks like it lost a scrap with the local Peregrine! #norfolkbirding

It was like AI birding today. I got exactly what I asked for, but not quite what I had in mind… an offtrack oddity blown of course and sheltering under a coastal bush 😫 #norfolkbirding

While clearing rubbish I happened upon an interesting looking, camouflaged, fast and tiny spider. I was surprised to learn I’d seen a Sand Running-Spider, Rhysodromus fallax, a Nationally Rare and Threatened Arachnid, found only at a few sites in coastal Norfolk and Wales @norfolknats.bsky.social

Today was largely spent clearing rubbish from East Hills. Some was the inevitable flotsam from fishing boats, but so much left by inconsiderate visitors - I don’t understand why people go to enjoy the beauty of a place only to leave all their rubbish for others to ‘enjoy’ (and clear up!).