Sunday 15 May 2011

How can anyone miss one of these? I did!!!

Barn Door

We left for Spurn slightly earlier this morning due to my decision to stop at the wild bird cafe at North Cave for a sausage sarny instead of eating at home. As we pulled up we saw Richard (Willison) and Gary (Dayes) with a couple of mates in situ at the table and chairs. After breaky we said our goodbyes and continued to "Mecca".

After another brew we had a run up to Easington to try for the Tawny Pipit. We started to make our way south but the wind was strong and there weren't many people about...plus Louise didn't fancy it! To be honest I wasn't that bothered myself as I'd seen a couple at Spurn before. We returned to the car and decided to have a drive up to Easington to try and get out of the wind.

We'd only been there 5 minutes when a car pulled up beside us, it was Barry Spence who informed us a WHITE-TAILED EAGLE had been seen over Hornsea Mere and was now heading south!!! Back in the car and back towards the warren (this could have been a mistake...in the form of that wonderful sense...hind-sight) where we bumped into Andy Roadhouse (thanks for posting the report pal). After a chat he left saying any further sightings would be put out immediately...good stuff. Maybe I need a radio?

So, what to do or to be more precise, where to stand and wait? I was fortunate enough to see the Burton Constable bird (7/11/99) so it wasn't a Yorkshire tick. I decided I'd like to try and pick it up myself so I positioned myself out of the wind at the end of Beacon Lane. I had a great view north along the coast and over the Gas Terminal and could pan further west. I was passed by a chap from Pontefract (again my poor memory for remembering names has kicked in...apologies). We kept looking. Then we noticed he seemed rather agitated and was pointing west. I still couldn't see anything so we decided to follow him.

Ten minutes later we reached him as he stopped to view and he then told us the dreaded news that the WTE had just disappeared into Lincs! I would obviously have loved to have seen such a magnificent bird. The only consolation being the fact that the views were apparently distant. I would of course, have expected it to fly right over my head! This it apparently did for Richard Willisons nephew Mark and Tony Martin at Hornsea!!

I should have gone to Sammy's...

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