James Dee Birding

I was sitting at the screen on the ARC Pit, RSPB Dungeness and about to leave, when a Harrier species, either Montagu's or Pallid flew in front and off to the NW.  The light was unhelpful so I couldn't clinch the identification, but my gut said it was a Pallid Harrier .  I was immediately worried we'd never see it again and never know for certain. On the opposite side of the pit, at Hanson Hide where Richard Watkins was located, I watched as he strained to get a look at the bird.  Had me seen enough?  I messaged him to find out what he'd seen, but he didn't see the message.  I rushed around the other side to talk with him and met him on the path to the car park.  He was as excited as I was. At some point in the excitement we both sent message to the local birders to let them know. We agreed that it definitely wouldn't be a Hen Harrier.  I asked where there's a good spot to go scan the area.  Richard was already thinking about that and replied up t...

I've walked across, through, around Wimbledon Common thousands of times over the many years I've lived or been visiting SW London.  Until this day, the most excited I'd ever been about the birds seen there were the three occasions I'd seen a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (now sadly gone from the Common). I was returning to Wimbledon Chase via what's known as 'Caesar's Well", after a loop starting at Raynes Park Vale when I heard the distant song.  I've heard Golden Oriole numerous times abroad and once or twice in the UK, but I still doubted my ears.  Perhaps it was a Song Thrush or Blackcap with a few Oriole notes, but really, it's pretty undeniable once you know the sound.  I bee lined towards the bird, crossed two fairways and one and a half woods before I found myself under the singing bird.   I couldn't see it but I made a recording.  It sang for about 15 minutes before going silent.  I patrolled the area hoping to see it hear the bird agai...