Numbers per year have definitely increased. At the moment the pager is overflowing with sightings down the coast...excluding Holmpton of course! The information can be misleading however IMHO. This species CAN be VERY difficult to SEE!
This evening I was tempted down the road by a report of a Bluethroat behind the Riverside Hotel. I parked up and made my way to the Humber shore. I soon spied the small crowd looking forlornly into thick scrub.
I tagged onto the end of the group and asked if it had showed recently. I got a couple of grunts and then a pleasant chap told me he'd been watching it out in the open on the beach...until...some photographers arrived.
I'll leave it there...I'm in a good mood!
I left the group looking into the vegetation and went down to the Canal Scrape car park. I just wanted to spend some time in the wonderful late September sunshine checking out the small sycamores south of the car park. Maybe I'd see my first YBW of the year?
There were still a few birders around on the banking...I could hear them clearly! I tried to lose myself in the bushes. I could hear a few encouraging calls, there was at least one in the area. I then saw something I'd never seen before...2 YBW's...one chasing the other!!
The light was fading by now but I was still hoping (optimistically) for a pic. I stood with my back to the fading sunlight...this is where the bird should have been...
Didn't work out that way unfortunately. It was a nice spot though...
It went quiet...very quiet. My last attempt was to walk along the path back to the car park...and yes, I got lucky...not great, but conclusive...
Almost certainly under-rated these days...not by me...a jewel of a bird!
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