Thirty Tears Ago - March 1996

2^nd March

An early start to be at Tony’s for 3.30am to head to Tattingstone Bridge in Sleaford in Lincolnshire in the hope that the White-billed Diver would still be around. John Norgate drove us and we arrived pre-dawn but this did not stop Tony getting out the car and finding the Diver immediately cruising u and down! As the light improved it became obvious just how splendid this winter adult was.  A huge, powerful diving machine.  Unfortunately it drowned on a fisherman’s Pike lure just a few hours after we left.

The weather started to close in dramatically so we scurried up the road to a gravel pit where the Black-throated Diver was seen as we got out the car but then did a disappearing trick and we never saw it again but we did see both the Red-necked and Slavonian Grebes on the adjacent pits.  We pooped back for the White-billed Diver but it had gone round a bend in the river and it was tipping it down so we opted for Kings Lynn passing a few Pinkfeet on the way. The juvenile Glaucous Gull was not a problem at the port and nor was the extensive McDonalds breakfast that we devastated afterwards.

Back at Tony’s in Colchester we had a coffee and then headed out to search for Waxwings and 31 were seen in a housing estate before we located a further 105 in a Hawthorn hedge along the Mersea road.  They were at their best when they came down to drink in the furrow in a field. More film and time would have been great!

After a catch up with Kettle we went to Abberton and quickly found the male White-headed Duck before looking for the Birch Little Owls where one was being mobbed by a male Stonechat – a good inland Essex bird [Eds: at the time].  Time to head for home.

9^th March

A typical Kentish trip to Sheppey with Pete G.  Harty was well populated with Hen and Marsh Harriers as usual and a female Merlin was perched up on a clod for an age. Down at the ferry we found a smart Little Egret on the saltings; a most welcome if not entirely surprising find nowadays.  A Short-eared Owl cruising around the top farm was my first this year and a fine bird to finish off the day with.

10^th March

On getting home last night I was horrified to discover that the world and his wife had gone hurtling up to Nottingham for a Redhead – not a female Sawbill as my brain first told me but a drake of species previously unrecorded in Europe!

It was an early start for Ian W and I to the north-eastern suburbs of the city to the usually quiet village of Bleasby.  As the sun came up, so did the fog which completely obscured the gravel pit.  It was cold and damp and everyone returned to their cars to wait for it to lift.  This took till nearly 9.30 and as it dispersed in flew a flock of Pochard complete with the accompanying drake Redhead.  It was a little chaotic as the crowd tried to view through the hedge but in time everyone got excellent views of this chunky Aythya that was at times actually displaying to a female Pochard.  After a preen and stretch he dozed and watched us with piercing golden eyes.

There were lots of Kingfishers zooming around and calling noisily.  Our next stop was the Cedar Waxwing in Sherwood which of course was an absolute doddle to find with about 250 commoner cousins and then it was back down to the Werrington Black-throated Thrush that showed even better in the sunshine.  I wonder if Nottinghamshire can pull out any more good birds this year?

23^rd March

A lunchtime visit to Parsloes Park with Andrea and the boys provided me with my first personal Waxwing find with a single bird trilling from the top of a tree around the lake.

31^st March

A day out in Norfolk with Steve B nearly only got as far as Harlow as we had a nasty blow out on the car at speed on the M11 and it all would have been ok if we had been able to release the nut holding in the spare tyre underneath.  Once the RAC sorted us out, we made our way to Wayland Wood where a male Golden Pheasant was quickly found and others were crowing loudly from the undergrowth.

A new tyre was sorted in East Dereham before we arrived at a garden in Sheringham to see a fine Rustic Bunting that had been frequenting the garden.  It was ringed so I presume it was trapped there too.  Anyway it showed very well as it grovelled around the flower beds. A very boldly marked individual with prominent facial features.

Rustic Bunting - I think this was taken by Paul Gale

More Buntings and Finches beckoned us along the cliff top at West Runton where a field was heaving with Linnets but amongst them were about 40 mostly Mealy Redpolls but with at least three smart obvious Arctics although there may well have been the same number again with more subtle individuals.  There were many Goldfinches and Skylarks too and a well-marked Lapland Bunting was one of four seen.

Cley next but there was nothing on the sea but there were three Wheatears on Cley Eye where Brents still grazed.  News of Black Redstarts and Ring Ouzel in Sheringham cemetery had us zooming back that way and we saw two female of the former and partially leucistic female of that latter.

The homeward journey took in Weeting Heath gave us close views of two Stone-Curlews just out front and a male Goshawk harassing Wood Pigeons over the pines while Woodlarks sung above and a huge flock of Fieldfares and Redwings were milling around probably wondering whether to start the long journey home or not.

18th March 2026 - Estonia for Oriole Birding

Our final day in Estonia saw us heading after breakfast for the centre of the country in the hope that the long staying but somewhat erratic Hawk Owl was consider showing itself.  We eventually left the fog behind and only stopped for our first two newly arrived White Storks one of which was already sat up on one of the numerous nests.  We had a family of Bewick’s Swans and a couple of Whoopers along with the expected Cranes pairs dotted across the arable landscape.

White Stork

White Stork

Whooper Swan

It was not to be with the Hawk Owl around Paide and despite our best efforts at scanning every tree, pole and wire we could not find it and Tarvo had said that they simply do not hide – they are either on view or not there.

Our first stop however was excellent with our closest views of Black and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers along with Fieldfares, Nuthatches, Yellowhammers and few finches which included a couple of Mealy Redpolls for me. The sound of Cranes resounded once again across the fields. 

Middle Spotted Woodpecker - Dickie Greasby

Black Woodpecker - Rob McIntyre

Tarvo took us on a loop into the surrounding forests but there was no Hawk Owl joy but here once again we did very well with Woodpeckers with Great Spotted, several Grey-headed including a pair on the same tree and calling Blacks once again.  Nutcrackers eluded us too but a pair of Pygmy Owls put on the best show yet and flew past us within a few metres while all the local Tits, Goldcrests and Nuthatches went spare.  A Great Spotted Woodpecker even came in and gave them some stick.

Grey-headed Woodpeckers

Pygmy Owl

Pygmy Owls

Pygmy Owl

The trail took us back into the farmland for a final scan round which did give us a rather fine female Rough-legged Buzzard sat up on a telegraph pole.  This is a scarce bird here and one we were hoping to bump into.

On to a fine fish ‘n’ chips lunch and then into the Kõrvemaa forest for a final attempt at elusive grouse and game. It was quiet but we did get to explore on foot after noting the ‘don’t underestimate a bear’ sign.  The understorey of mosses, lichens, Common Bilberry, Lingonberry and Marsh-tea but a Treecreeper was the only bird.  We did find the trails of Roe Deer and even where a Moose bedded down for the night while on the road there were the tracks of a large Canid.

Cladonia

Cladonia

Common Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus

Lingonberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Marsh-tea Rhododendron tomentosum

Stiff Clubmoss Lycopodium annotinum

Ruby Tiger cat I think

Another Pygmy Owl was singing and was found perched up on the very top of a young pine where amazingly it got mobbed by four male Parrot Crossbills that were basically the same size.  There was no way to get them in the same shot unfortunately!  It was good to see the Crossbills this well rather than just flying over.

Crew and the last Pygmy Owl

Crested Tit

Parrot Crossbills

Parrot Crossbills

Parrot Crossbill

Pygmy Owl 

Pygmy Owl 

The surrounding farmland gave us a our last Great Grey Shrike but little else so we started to wend our way back to Tallinn where a fine coffee and tart awaited. We then took a final short walk around the suburban woods of Pääsküla where a Goshawk shouted and attracted the attention of a passing male to round up a marvellous trip of Estonian wildlife, fine hospitality and gastronomic delights.

17th March 2026 - Estonia for Oriole Birding

A super early start on a clear and very crisp still morning saw us on the road at just after 5am and heading deep into the forest tracks of Soometsa.  The first Ural Owl glided across the road well before dawn and we stopped to have a listen and quickly picked up Tawny Owl, Pygmy Owl and a male Ural Owl on the opposite side of the road.

Driving around to the other side gave us a good chance of finding him and sure enough he was sat up at the back of the clearing and he gave some fair views as he patrolled his patch.  The first Blackbirds and Wrens were singing and Cranes trumpeted way off in the distance and it resounded through the forest.  A Woodcock called and one dropped back into the trees after its night out in the fields.  Onwards and another Pygmy Owl was heard but closer and it was quickly found in the half-light.  They are just so tiny. 

Pygmy Owl 

A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker flew over us and the first of several Grey-headed Woodpeckers was heard yaffling before coming into the closest pines.  Black Woodpeckers were also to be heard giving a variety of calls and drumming and by the end of our pre breakfast jaunt I think we had seen at least five and probably heard another three or four and with Great Spotted too, it was definitely a Woody morning. 

The best was still to come with a fervently drumming female Three-toed Woodpecker that stayed put on the same snag sounding board in a huge Aspen for at least twenty minutes and it became a one of the birds with ‘walk away views’.  We knew we were lucky to be able to watch one so intimately for so long.  Her chosen broken branch was perfect and it resonated throughout the trees but she failed to get the attention of a male.

Three-toed Woodpecker - just look at how the plumage matches the tree.  No wonder they are so tricky to find.

Three-toed Woodpecker

A frosty sunrise - Ron McIntyre

As the light came up the volume of Blackbirds and Mistle Thrushes increased and we also heard several more Pygmy Owls which in turn attracted the Tits and we got close views of Cresteds, Marsh and Willow as well as seeing Jays, Nuthatches and Goldcrests again and several more dusky looking Wrens.  I am unsure of the race out here.  Three Common Crossbills called overhead and were part of many finches all morning including Siskins, Chaffinches and quite a few high flying Northern Bullfinches.

It had been cold and still enough over night for the rare Hair Frost to form

We tried for Capercaille and Hazel Hen but had no joy and you need so much luck with both species before making our way back to Parnu for breakfast.

Hot food and coffee and then back out to be greeted by a fly over Hawfinch and then off along the coast to check on the fields at Häädemeeste.  It started well with two good sized flock of Geese to go through.  Most were Tundra Beans and White-fronts but there were a few Barnacles and at least six hefty Taiga Beans Geese in there too offering a useful comparison. A pair of Cranes were with them and we found a good flock of Bullfinches and a Woodlark.  A local farmer pulled up in his bale lifter and got very angry about us looking in the general direction of his house which was lurking behind some barns and trees, before speeding off down the road.  Unfortunately he got his wish as within two minutes a wall of mist started to creep towards us from the frozen Gulf of Riga just over the far bund which very quickly became a proper foggy mess that stymied all further attempts to view or even find any geese within the whole coastal belt.  Our chances of Lesser White-front and Red-breasted Geese had literally vanished before our eyes.

Taiga Bean Geese

Taiga & Tundra Bean Geese, White-fronted Geese & a Crane

We cut our losses and headed back inland where the fog was still a way off and set about continuing our hunt for elusive gamebirds and such like.  No luck but we did see some more Crested Tits and at last find a pair of Northern Long-tailed Tits that showed incredibly well as well as hearing more Woodpeckers and listening to a very vocal but stationary Goshawk somewhere in the pine canopy and a large Eagle went over at a distance that was not a Golden or White-tailed but we had to leave it at that despite our suspicions.

Wood Ant nest

Northern Long-tailed Tit

Northern Long-tailed Tit

Northern Long-tailed Tit

Crested Tit - always in the canopy

Contrasts - Ron McIntyre

We were all flagging and so after a light lunch we headed back for a siesta or whatever they might call it in Estonia before an delightful early dinner and a return to the field (well forests around Soomaa) from about 6pm for three hours.  

We needed coffee

The crew: Judy and Steve, Sue and Ron, Dickie and Tarvo in his usual birding attire

It was still and overcast and as we approached the first potential Ural Owl spot, Tarvo found the male sat up next to the track and in serious hunting mode and we got to watch him in the low light silently dropping onto ‘things’ in the grass between the pines. He was not bothered by us in the least and only moved on when another car approached.  A male could be heard off in the distance and just around the corner we found third male our hunting which at one stage cruised silently just over our heads and landed on a pine stump.  I had given up with my camera at this point and let the bins soak up the light and the experience.

Ural Owl

Ural Owl

A couple of Woodcock were already roding and Cranes were still going strong well after sundown.  Continuing around allowed us to find two more male Ural Owls on territory but our one chance for a Tengmalm’s Owl failed with not one tremulous note to be heard. 

Some subsequent driving of the lanes and checking of the fields with the thermal gave us Foxes, Brown Hares, Roe Deer, Mallards and Woodcock but alas no big cats and with the temperature now just above freezing and heavy drizzle falling we called it a night and returned to an even foggier Parnu for out final night.