Birds Photographed in the UK in 1991
(August - December)

Jonathan Wasse

Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Broomhill Flash, South Yorkshire, August 1991.

Wow! I've always managed to miss this species on
my old local patch in the Spring and Autumn. I was
just about to leave before this one stopped off for
a take-away. From its plumage, it was thought to be
an adult female.

I only managed to get these photos after a frantic
change of film. Fortunately for me, it took the bird
three attempts to catch a fish.

This was quite literally a take-away. The bird flew
off so high, that it was a dot at 40x magnification
through the telescope. The bird stayed for five
minutes, but luckily a few birders were there to
witness its fishing prowess.

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk, August 1991.

An adult bird moulting out of breeding plumage.

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk, August 1991.

A smart bird showing its equally smart summer
dress.

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
Benacre Broad, Suffolk, August 1991.

There's always a few of these to be seen around
the East Anglian coastal marshes in the
summer months.

Little Gull Larus minutus
Wintersett Res., West Yorkshire, August 1991.

A juvenille bird that stayed around for a few days.

Little Stint Calidris minuta
Blacktoft Sands RSPB, East Yorkshire, Aug. 1991.

This RSPB reserve allows for good views of in
excess of 20 wader species per day in August.

Garganey Anas querquedula
Broomhill Flash, South Yorkshire, August 1991.

This juvenille bird ,as identified by its dark
appearance especially to the underparts, spent
most of its time on the mud directly in front of the
hide ...which was nice!

Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Anglers Country Park, West Yorkshire, Aug. 1991.

A regular autumn migrant to the West/South
Yorkshire lowlands.

Desert Warbler Sylvia nana
Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, Oct. 1991.

A record shot of this major rarity. This record
was of ca. the sixth ever sighting of this species
in the UK.

Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus
Cley, Norfolk, October 1991.

This immature bird spent much of its time posing
in front of Dauke's Hide during its stay on the
Cley marshes.

Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Snettisham RSPB, Norfolk, November 1991.

Immature male (left) and female-type birds on the
pits south of the car park.

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
Snettisham RSPB, Norfolk, November 1991.

A tiger-striped juvenille bird. The relatively small
width of these pits allows for close views of the
wildfowl attracted to this excellent reserve on the
edge of The Wash.

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Snettisham RSPB, Norfolk, November 1991.

It's always a pleasure to photograph these beauties.

Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva
Cley, Norfolk, December 1991.

Probably the first accepted sighting of this species to
occur in the UK in juvenille/1st winter plumage. This
bird was present in a flock of Eurasian Golden Plover
P. apricaria in the "Eye field" at Cley. It was
frequently harried by its larger cousin and spent most
of its time towards the front of the flock close to the
beach car park.