Postcard from the UK

The dead sperm whale at Hunstanton drew large crowds over the holiday period and was one of the highlights of the trip.

Just back from two weeks in the UK, mostly visiting family but also some great birding moments thrown in.

Duty called on the 24th of December necessitating a trip to Norwich cathedral to hear my nephew sing in the choir. Just before kick-off we had excellent views of one of the pair of peregrines which now nest on a platform at the site. It flew repeatedly low overhead. Superb! I used to day-dream about seeing this species around the cathedral whilst trapped indoors at a nearby school.

News after Christmas of a returning adult lesser white-fronted goose with a small flock of bean geese in the Yare Valley quickened the pulse. A chance to add to my meagre UK list! Nipped over on the last day of the year and had excellent views of the goose after a long wait. Also here an excellent supporting cast including bittern (1), taiga bean goose (85), white-fronted goose (180), peregrine (2), buzzard (3+), black-tailed godwit (2), ruff (a few), Cetti's warbler (2), water pipit (1) and bearded tit (1). Buckenham looked great as usual and was full of birds - huge flocks of golden plover and good numbers of wigeon evident.

A vert short session on the afternoon of the first day of the year netted a Coue's arctic redpoll at Titchwell and a confiding water rail that went down better with the kids. Nearby we enjoyed excellent smelly views of the dead sperm whale at Hunstanton, with 15 snow buntings over whilst we gawped with a huge crowd. A barn owl on the way home was welcome.

My last day in the field was another afternoon session after the long-staying western sandpiper at Cley. Sadly we failed to find the bird on the reserve, amidst a blizzard of dubious claims by other birders. Finally at dusk came the news that the bird was at Arnold's Marsh... Too late for me to drag the team up there so I had to let this Norfolk tick go. The only consolation was getting pushed off the boardwalk and flushing a jack snipe which flew silently behind the gallery and dropped in again without being noticed by anyone else. Another barn owl on the way home, one of the birds I miss the most in Sweden.