Going Stateside

Just a quick one! Last minute decision to visit the wonderful US of A for 3 weeks. Flying into New York on Saturday and touring New England, out to Detroit, down to Washington. I reckon some birding might be involved to boost the ABA list!!

Might send a few posts if possible.

Record those Swifts

Back to the Brigg

Had a couple of hours over at Filey yesterday to take a peep at the KING EIDER. Just made it at 3.45 before it was flushed by jet-skiers and flew off into the bay. Been a while since I've visited, used to be a regular for me but I guess Spurn took over. Funny, doesn't seem to get as many decent birds these days?

The run of records of KING EIDER is interesting as well...like buses! Missed the South Gare bird by a whisker (was it accepted, not on RBA?)  Got out of the car to be told it was flying across the Tees to Hartlepool!! Scored with the Flamboro' bird, at dawn on the second morning. Always worth seeing and still a special bird. Let's face it we had a long wait...it was 1846 before that!!!

Something for July Sir!

How about one of these!!! In Yorkshire of course...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO_sgn9_QbA&feature=player_embedded

It's not that far away?

Bempton

Made my trip with Louise and Rock. Bit windy but definitely not complaining after a week of steaming heat! Always enjoy seeing 'our' seabirds, so lucky to have such a site in Yorkshire. It was fairly busy, but no trouble viewing with a little patience. Only slight hassle, as usual, was ensuring Rocky didn't get into any male dog situations! We gave the old boy a good walk from one end to the other and enjoyed the spectacle, the noise and well maybe not so much the smell!

Towards the northern end of the reserve I noticed a group of Gannets very close to the path...new site for me? This enabled me to try a few digiscope shots through my Leica APO 62 using Louise's TZ7 Panasonic Lumix. You've heard my views on photography before so I won't go on...phew! Anyway just placed the camera over the eyepiece and pressed! Most of them just...nice, like this one. Note the soft focus!!

Quite pleased with these though...

n.b. All photos also viewable on Flickr

Footy today - Bempton tomorrow

Just watched the Germans crush the Argentinians. Amazing mentality, got to be favourites now. Opposite of us...average club players, great internationals!

Going to make the annual pilgrimage to Bempton tomorrow. Might even post a photo or two...not too many of course.

n.b. Added my Scilly list to Bubo