Another local!

Things started promisingly this morning when the first bird I saw was this Wheatear...

7.05am

...much appreciated!

A small group of Golden Plover flew north...

...wonder if there's a Dotterel in there?!

I then noticed another car on the clifftop. I presumed (you should never do this apparently) it was a dog walker. It turned out to be another local birder...Gavin from Withernsea! We chatted for a good while and exchanged numbers. He informed me that he'd watched Holmpton for a good few years with (not surprisingly) modest success! He also said he'd been the assistant warden at Spurn for a year under Barry Spence.

We will persevere. A SIBERIAN RUBYTHROAT would ease the pain!!!

I have another Buzzard saga to relay. More tomorrow...

Brid' cruise

My mate Phil Jones went on the Brid trip today...

1 Black Tern
2 Sooty Shearwaters

1 Manx Shearwater
1 Great Skua
1 Arctic Skua
6 Puffins

He also connected with the Black Guillimot in Filey Bay (an excellent Yorkshire tick) as did my pal Haydn (I've got more than one!).

Plenty of stuff at Spurn today. I'll be out on the cliff at dawn tomorrow...Holmpton that is!

VERY early Yellow-browed

Guess where? Yep Spurn! More here

I'll find one here tomorrow...yeah right!

Weather for the next week...in theory...looks great? 

Afternoon shifts till next Thursday (except tomorrow) ...then 6 glorious days off.

BRING IT ON!

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Tawny Owl - YES!

The earlier post was constructed in Starbuck's this am during an enforced break at work...Bijou!

After leaving the depot at 6.30 I shot home for Bud and headed for Snakey lane to enjoy the remainder of the sunshine. Decent numbers of Starlings had gathered pre-roost. No amazing formations I'm afraid...

Relaxing,misty sunset...feeling chilled now...

Tesco beckons! Grabbed a few bits. Might as well go through Hollym on the way home. Got there around 7.40...and waited. Maybe I'll get lucky, although I feared it had changed it's routine...it hadn't...

7.49

As stated on probably/certainly too many occasions, I'm not a photographer, I'm a birder (or at least I think I am) who takes pics for my humble Blog. It never ceases to amaze me what these modern cameras can produce. As you can see from this picture it was pretty dark. The bird was approx 50 yds away...and yet it produced this...

7.55

Not bad I reckon

Barred Warbler

Forgot!

Yesterday I did manage a brief view of the Barred Warbler near Beacon Ponds. It briefly perched in view then flew 30 yards, disappeared and I didn't see it again...

The 2 Little Stints were still present on Kilnsea Wetlands near the car park.

Plenty of Pied Fly's at Spurn...still haven't connected here?

Catch up.

Day off today, so time for a review and a general catch up.

First the morning fun. I was in position, sat in the Texas chair seawatching at 8. Quiet...very quiet! Beautiful still sunny morning though with a molten sea. No wind, well hardly. Ah, that's why it's quiet!!

Around 9 a few Gannets started to drift north. Then a few Scoter flocks. A couple of Fulmars. Almost exciting. It was nearly 10 now and time for a change of scene. One last scan. Coming in from the north...a Shag (P.134, H.92). Then 3 Arctic Skuas (P.135, H.93) cruised south. This is more like it! Finally, the icing on the cake. A superb Pomarine Skua (P.136, H.94) on display for 15 minutes chasing the terns. Great stuff!

So, there we are, a decent seawatch.

I've updated my lists. Specific species can be viewed by clicking the tabs above...if you're at a lose end!

Controversy in Cornwall with an EASTERN PHEOBE being claimed by my pal Mark Halliday. Seems now that the consensus is Spotted Flycatcher. It's a brave call when confronted with a possible MEGA. Damned if you do...damned if you don't. I'd love to have the dilemma...I think?

Hot off the press...ALDER FLYCATCHER in Cornwall accepted. No good to me though. Hopefully the Blakeney Point bird will follow?

Mixed results

Bad luck with the Tawny Owl. got in position early. Waited. Turns out it popped out on the telegraph pole BEHIND us!! Phil was there also and he informed us later.

I've been lucky with Marsh Harrier sightings lately. One flew over our house yesterday...

Maybe a lingering bird?

90 mins on the cliff clump this morning produced nothing. I will persevere...

Tawny Owl twitch!

The last four nights I've been on the 7.50 to Hull...lucky me! Each night I've seen a Tawny Owl on the overhead wires at Hollym. My mate Phil went last night and had poor views in heavy rain.

Tonight it's my turn. So, on our way to the Indian in Otringham (thoroughly recommended) we'll be stopping off for a while. Weather looks good so I'm hoping to get a pic. Any Owl encounter is a good day/night.

We went for a walk along the beach this afternoon. Nothing of note seen but junior had a great time...

Curlew Sandpiper

All quiet on the Holmpton front again this morning...never mind!

Spent an hour scanning the mud at Skeffling, hoping for a Curlew Sand'. No joy. So.I popped down to Kilnsea Wetlands and finally connected with a moulting adult (P.131, S.87)...

Head down

True to my word I was out in the village from 6.30 this morning.

I worked my way from home to the cliff with nothing of note seen. A further spell wandering around the bushes continued to draw a blank. Stick with it...stick with it! Messages started coming through from Spurn. Wryneck, Barred Warbler...Stick with it!!

What's that?

Huzzah!!!

Whinchat (H.89)

Flocks at Spurn...but this one is mine!

Buoyed by this sighting I decided to hang around a while. I checked out what's left of the pond. A movement...Reed Warbler! (H.90). My first for the village. There ARE birds here!

Maybe I just haven't looked hard/long enough.

The locals were also present...

A distant Curlew flew calling through the mist...

Great stuff. If your a Patch worker you'll know the satisfaction felt this morning. If you're not, you might want to give it a go?

After a coffee back at the ranch with Louise I made my way down to Spurn. It was around 10 now and I decided to try for the Little Stints at Kilnsea Wetlands. A birder stood on top of the embankment didn't bode well! I diplomatically passed him and made my way to the hide. Plenty of Gulls loafing...I wonder?

Med' Gulls (S.85)

Time to leave for home now. The coast was clear on the way back to the car so I had a scan for the Stints. A few waders had gathered on the scrape. Dunlin, Dunlin, Dunlin. Maybe a Curlew Sand'? No luck there but after a short while this little jewel scampered into view...

P.130, S.86

A wonderful morning...

...and so it begins...

Tried hard from 8 (planned on 6.30 but didn't make it!) in the village but saw nowt. So, by 10 I'd succumbed to the messages trickling through from you know where.

First stop was Cliff farm were a Wryneck had been seen. I gave it 45 mins then drifted off down the canal. I bumped into a couple of young birders who said they'd seen it on the beach...but I still couldn't locate it.

I'd just past the hide when a message came over the radio saying the/a Wryneck was showing on the scrape! Nobody in the hide and not many around? Still no luck but a nice close Redshank was dapper...

A distant and overdue Pied Fly' (P.129, S.85) was much appreciated also...

It was time to think about returning home and work...unfortunately. As I walked up towards the Blue Bell a black car and I face I recognised...Rich Willison. At that exact moment another message over the radio..."Wryneck trapped at the Warren". Maybe I would see one after all? I jumped (well bundled) into Richard's car and off we went the short distance to the Warren.

Adam Hutt soon did the necessaries then emerged with the bird to show the admiring crowd...

Cheating I know...but what a bird! My second of the year.

My Autumn has started...albeit slowly!

Sloooooow morning after the family visit and intensive bedroom decorating yesterday (had to be done before winter).

Clifftop constitutional produced a couple of long overdue Med' Gulls (H.88, P.127) amongst the thousands.

First on the water...

Then in the air...

A (very) brief drive around Kilnsea produced the hoped for Whinchat (S.84, P.128)...

Still entertaining

Got lucky this morning when I caught one feeding...

Last minute...

Family visit this weekend, so Birding limited/non-existent!

Managed to get out for the last hour tonight down Snakey. Brief view of a Barn Owl on the road was nice. Then a distant Buzzard...

 
Final highlight was a hare surveying his domain at dusk...

superb animals

Amazing birds!

Birds can turn up in the most amazing places. 

THIS STORY TAKES SOME BEATING!!!

Just off to brush up on my Maths...

Dawn Patrol

Gave it a good go from 6 this morning. Winds not favourable and backed up by empty bushes!          
Made it down to "Old Hive" to see if the Sand Martins were still around. Most seem t have left now but there are still some juveniles in burrows...

Here's the full colony...

Time for a es/guesstimate. I reckon there's at least 50 occupied burrows...therefore 50 pairs. Every burrow I've seen young in has two fledglings.

=  c300

Another much appreciated local breeder. It seems to have been a bumper breeding season for many species including the humble House Sparrow. Many large post-breeding flocks in the villages around here. They bred in our porch!

Once I was back in the village I scanned the plough. Great Wheatear habitat...

At least 6 birds present this morning

On returning home I could hear the sound of Swallows...lots of Swallows. A decent group of obvious migrants were resting up on the Cottage roof...

Sometimes there's interest right on your doorstep/roof!

Nearly there

Last day tomorrow, then 4 off.

Youngest lad (he's 30!) over with his fiancé...and GSD. Looking forward to it. Haven't seen them for quite a while. Too long.

My plan for the Autumn birding is simple. Bird the Village and cherry pick the Rarities/MEGAS when possible. I'm determined to find some decent stuff this year on my doorstep...

Counting down...

Day seven of a ten day stint which included the whole of the Bank holiday. Work that is...not Birding!

My time will come however...in September and OCTOBER...

Anticipation

As August ebbs away thoughts turn to the best birding season...AUTUMN. If you like the thrill of the chase (as I obviously do) it's like Christmas with some great presents (hopefully). Who says blokes never grow up?

I've managed to arrange my work schedule to allow me the optimum time windows to connect. Not as good as not working at all but far less rigid than past teaching schedules! I'll also need my luck to improve following a series of disasters over the last couple of years. Seen some crackers as well to be fair.

SCILLY...to go or not to go...that is the question. GO..GO..GO! Yes, you can get marooned...but you could also hit the jackpot. Especially with birds that don't have a track record of longevity...i.e. American Cuckoos. To see one of these two species in Britain would be right up there on my Rush list. Gives me another excuse to post a pic from Texas...

3 Yellow billed would be greedy

Persevered with the old sea-watching this morning. Phil joined me for the second time. Not much passing these here parts. Best bird was a Bonxie (Great Skua) yesterday.

Views of the Little Owls around the corner are always major compensation however...

Gotta love 'em

Patrington Haven

Made the trip down to the estuary this morning for high tide (12.30). Love the open space down there...

A couple of distant cc Marsh Harriers were a fine if distant sight. I managed a barely identifiable image of one...

Further down the track I could see the familiar swirling of waders...

Very smart on closer inspection...

A special place...

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)...c300

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)...c800

European Teal (Anas crecca)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)...8

Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)...2cc

Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)...family of 4

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)...c15

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)...c30

Red Knot (Calidris canutus)...c1000

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)...c1000

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)...c30

Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

Common Gull (Larus canus)

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus argentatus)

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)

Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)...c100

Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)