After spending 6 months back home in UK, I recently returned to Thailand. While I was home I got out as much as I could to go birding, mostly within an hour’s drive of my mother’s home in Kent, although I did have a few short trips into Suffolk, Norfolk, East Sussex, East Yorkshire, The New Forest and South Wales.

It is always nice to go back home and see some birds that I rarely see as well as a few new ones. For me many of the seabirds and winter migrants are species that I have seen very little of over the last 10 years so it is always good to see them as well as many of the less common resident birds. On this blog posting I will mention some of the birds which were highlights for me over the last 6 months.

Kent

This is my home county and where I did the bulk of my birding. In the summer species such as Nightingale & Black-winged Stilt at Cliffe were nice and Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer and Firecrest within a short walk from home were good too; my only Turtle Dove was at Grove Ferry in July. Visits to Dungeness turned up Red-necked Phalarope, Sabine’s Gull, Montagu’s Harrier, Black Redstart, Ruddy Duck, Little Stint, Glossy Ibis, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Black Tern and several Arctic Skuas through the year and into the Autumn many trips to the Isle of Sheppey gave me some interesting birds such as Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, White-froted Goose, Merlin, Hen Harrier, Barn Owl, Brambling, Ring Ouzel. My final birding in UK this year was a quick twitch to Reculver where a Desert Wheatear was performing nicely, also seeing Shorelark and Snow Bunting into the bargain.

East Sussex

A couple of summer visits to Ashdown Forest were nice with the highlights being Nighjar, Woodcock, Short-toed Eagle, Spotted Flycatcher, Woodlark, Raven and Redstart. Another trip to the coast in this county was to twitch Tawny Pipit which showed briefly.

Suffolk

I had two trips to Minsmere/Dunwich Heath where Dartford Warbler was perhaps the highlight of the last 6 months. A Barred Warbler on the way was a lifer for me.

Norfolk

A weekend in August was not the best time for birding on the north Norfolk coast but lots of Spoonbills were nice to see as were my first Grey Partirdges in years. A visit to Thetford Forest turned up a flock of over 40 Stone Curlews and some nice close views of Marsh Tit and Siskin.

The New Forest

Dartford Warbler was again a highlight for me and large flocks of Redwing were nice to see in late October. Lots of Marsh Tits were also a welcome sight as were several flocks of Siskin.

East Yorkshire

A weekend in East Yorkshire in late September gave me a lifer in Masked Shrike but superb views of Jack Snipe were probably more pleasing. Purple Sandpiper and Kittiwake at Bridlington were really nice at point blank range and at Bempton Red-backed Shrike, Razorbill, Sooty Shearwater and Pomarine Skua gave me really good views too. Flamborough head gave me my only sightings of the year of Eider, Red-breasted Merganser and Red-throated Diver.

South Wales

A few days in the Brecon Beacons in early November were surprisingly nice with Dipper, Crossbill, Fieldfare and Goldeneye the highlights. Great views of Brambling and Bullfinch were also really nice.

Of course there were also several birds I tried to see but failed; the less said about those the better!