Brunnich's Guillemot Twitch Portland Harbour 28th December

On Friday 27th December I received a phone call from Allen Worgan, who I had met earlier in the year down at the Semi-P twitch on Hayling Island, asking me if I wanted to go to see the Brunnich's Guillemot. I wasn't feeling to great as I had a cold, so said I would not be joining him. Later that evening I was feeling much better so called Allen to see if he was still going and if offer of a lift was still on, it was. Allen would pick me up at 04:30 Saturday, as we would stopping to pick up his brother Chris in Basingstoke. I then got all my kit ready set the alarm for 04:00, and went to bed.
04:00 came round and I got up quietly so not wake anyone else, Allen arrived just as I was finishing my bowl of porridge, loaded up the car & of we went to pick up Chris. With us all in the car Allen drove down to Weymouth, we popped into Mcdonalds to use the toilets, and I got a coffee, then to a garage for some lunch. We then went to the car park oppersite Portland Castle, as it was still dark we waited in the car and watched other birders arriving. When it was light enough we left the car park and headed to Portland Marina, where we soon had a first views of the Brunnich's Guillemot. It liked to follow the harbour wall and get level with the castle, then turn around come back into the marina and go around the moored boats, diving alot as it went. This made for quite an amusing sight as birders followed it up and down, we stayed put and got great views over the three hours we were there as it passed close by to us. Some of the photographers with their huge lenses went down to the waters edge, one slipped and nearly toppled in, which made alot of birders laugh. Birds seen: Black throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Shag, Grey Heron, Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Guillemot, Brunnich's Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Kingfisher, Pied Wagtail & Carrion Crow.
We left just as heavy rain/hail arrived, Allen stopped at the garage in Weymouth for some energy drinks, we then found out where the Glossy Ibis was so we went to Radipole Park Drive to the flooded playing field, and we had a quick look watched it feeding and then flying to be in one of the goals for Radipole Park Rangers, a nice bonus before Allen drove us all home.

Brunnich's Guillemot

Me, Allen Worgan & Chris Worgan

Glossy Ibis in goal

2013 Year List = 192

Thunder Christmas Show

On Friday 20th December 2013, Tracey and I went up to Wolverhampton Civic Hall to see Thunder, we also had meet and greet passes for after the show.

Me with Harry James

Me with Luke Morley

Me with Chris Childs

Me with Spike of The Quireboys

Me with Ben Matthews

Me with Danny Bowes

Tracey with Spike of The Quireboys

The Cadillac Three at The Barfly Camden

I went with one of my sons Callum to see The Cadillac Three, Tuesday 3rd December 2013, with Support Buffalo Summer at The Barfly Camden.

Buffalo Summer

 The Cadillac Three

Lavell's Lake LNR Berkshire

Thursday 28th November, back in Bracknell, so at lunch time went looking for the Lesser spotted Woodpecker reported at Lavell's lake. I had a good look up and down the River Loddon and around Lavell's Lake, no LSW, but had 38 species which included Green, GSW, Snipe and Water Rail.

Shell Ness Kent on a very grey day.

Wednesday 27th November, work took me to Romford, and after I completed the call, I drove to Shell Ness, as I had not been there for a number of years. As I drove to Shell Ness the fog got thicker and thicker, but I continued on, and had a good walk around seeing 29 species, which included Dark-bellied Brent goose, European White-fronted goose Marsh Harrier and ten different waders, watched a flock of 30 Avocet feeding along the shore line.

Swinley Forest Berkshire

Tuesday 26th November, back in Bracknell, so this lunch time went for a walk in Swinley Forest, saw 12 species, these included Fieldfare, Redwing, Bullfinch & Lesser Redpoll.

Mill Pond Bracknell

Monday 25th November I was working in Bracknell, so at lunch time I went to the McDonalds next to Mill Pond, and after eating, had a walk around the pond seeing 22 species, which included Little grebe, Egyptian goose, Common gull and Grey wagtail.

Mott the Hoople, Thunder & Fish at the O2 London

Monday 18th November, another concert this time back to the O2 London, Mott the Hoople may have been good back in my granny's day, Thunder & Fish amazing, I have never seen so many people leave a gig early.

Fish

 Thunder

Mott the Hoople

Bellowhead, Portsmouth Guildhall

Saturday 16th November, Tracey & I went to see Bellowhead play the Portsmouth Guildhall, and very good they were to :o)

Surf Scoter in Poole Harbour

A juvenile Surf Scoter had been reported for a number of days in Brand's Bay Poole Harbour, and I had some luck, as work sent me down to Bournemouth for work on the 15th November. When on site I checked the web and the Surf Scoter had been seen that morning, so I set of at lunch time to try and see it as this would be a new bird for me. Drove to Sandbanks and got the ferry as a foot passenger across to Studland Heath. I then walked up the road until I was level with Redhorn Quay and then followed the footpath to the shore line, as I was walked up the path two birders were coming back, they had seen the scoter, and told me it had flown off towards the harbour entrance. So I carried on and started to look for the scoter walking back towards the harbour entrance, I got to Jerry's Point still no scoter, and as I was scanning across Bramble Bush Bay, I found the Surf Scoter, that was close to some Red-breasted Mergansers. Took some record shots and then headed back to the ferry, I was able to put another birder on to the scoter, on the walk back to the ferry.

 2013 Year List = 188