As is usual for me, birding was on the quiet front between June and September, with just a couple of trips. A brief weekend away with family in Wales produced a
Grasshopper Warbler right next to the house – only the second I’ve ever seen! A last minute (flight booked 5 hours before departure) trip to Aberdeen was very productive, with 7 species added to the year list, 2 of these being life listers –
White-winged Scoter and
King Eider.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgukh7mrgmN_QmDwjRBuKDD554MYslFs74h4PsrUGv9PtbM1bpoQOzxFN36j4W5QBe3BiOXZEU37wzGkJywz-JNZ_CaSU8xfyPhnJXXXtvJ58L_qWKgHW9Yrnt2_UURQnsApdr11BtkDXws/s400/IMG_1755.JPG) |
Puffin |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZ2vT5COgMLh2wasRBwqiaZ20P5Ebrv9cT97VEza2Rh99BgbXOfVhkjJ_OHvMzS8mueNClol9_R7FFiNcbFSZx98Lc5NT8kfYHHW44uNd8T7GYseWe8hPKTMj5HzlKdzBQcGFrmWVnd1U/s400/IMG_1763.JPG) |
Skylark |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-Y6IrYyXPWpfUOTGHB-SQqJOUC99PI9NnII1yDTEMNEkNqWTwByATKGwf1xOTKwkFCcklgqVMdLy0rsNndFjkvgDAOw9APqmZkxovsTLpzkfRw9IzIh56Nv9dzgtWDs_rR8NMiIeHDbP/s400/IMG_1777.JPG) |
Yellowhammer |
A slightly more local twitch was for the lovely little
Common Rosefinch in the Lee Valley, followed by a celebratory pint. The last trip of summer was a walk around Minsmere in hope of the Purple Swamphen. We missed out on that, but added 5 others to the year list (including that damned elusive
Reed Warbler).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1smVPeVeIPVagF-BQG0iR3UjNkmNtFByvA1r_Qyewg9SYfvvypqEYMRw-nSKlxmieaMpjXejr20kmgI1guO8tC-p_hviBGvYDhPS7Dx4u4r1cGwdxRTMENCAFesm_t9MgRot2U4TShbw/s400/IMG_1815.JPG) |
Baby Wheatear |