Theo de Clermont

A superb 5 day trip to Islay guiding with Nature Scotland, best of 112sp inc: finding this smart Richardson's Cackler and a Russian Whitefront. Plus Juv Snow Goose, Snow Buntings, GW Egret, Seaducks, waders and Geese galore!

This "Queen" King Eider has given me the run around since I arrived on Shetland! A gorgeous duck up close, when I eventually caught up with her at Gulberwick on 27/05. My 2nd in the UK and 1st female.

Finding this dark morph Honey Buzzard in a garden in Levenwick back on 25/05 was a bit of a surprise, a stunning bird to see up close! It was sporting some serious tail damage and taking a battering from the local Hoodies.🤞it reached its destination.

My 7th UK Pectoral Sandpiper at Leebitton, Shetland and best views yet of this superb Nearctic wader, feeding just a few metres away on the seaweed wrack.

Big day out in Norfolk on Monday: Started with the showy Eastern Black Redstart✅at a gloomy Sheringham, then onto Stubb Mill for Black-winged Kite✅showed well but distant over the marshes and finally to Ludham Airfield for a nice mixed herd of 19 Bewicks and 21 Whooper Swans.

A good Warwickshire birding day last week to start the year off: Showy Y-B Warbler and Siberian Chiff (intergrade) at Hurley. An unshowy Firecrest at Brandon Marsh. Finished off at Draycote with a 9 gull species roost, highlighted by an Adult Iceland and Adult Glaucous gull.