BROWN SHRIKE

The great birds just keep on coming. I picked a good Autumn for my rehab'. A was hoping to connect with a Shrike...I didn't expect it to be a BROWN one! Yet another Spurn tick (277), not a Yorks one as I saw the Flamborough bird.

 

I must admit I didn't rush down. Instead I returned home to drop Bud off so I could enjoy a quieter experience! On arrival the bird had done a disappearing act. It didn't show for another 40 minutes. Anyway, eventually it did. It was very active and did a circuit around the Canal Bank. It kept it's distance from the increasing crowd but I managed a few shots to give a flavour of the occasion...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yorkshire Quality

A grim morning here plus "wintertime"!!!

 

One bird maybe but TWO quality birds in the North of the (old) County...definitely! So, let's have a drive up there, maybe the weather will be better?

 

M62 - A1 - A19. Arrived at Skinningrove just before 2pm (I had a lie in!). It was sunny and warm as I pulled into the car park at Skinningrove. I was quite impressed with the quaint little valley, reminded me of Cornwall?

 

I gave Bud a stretch and then headed off along the coastal path. I saw a chap taking photos and asked him for directions. He pointed to a gap between some rocks. I walked through and immediately found the admiring group. Some were on the beach, some above looking down on the rip-rap. I looked down...there it was!

 

 

I didn't see Andrew (Kinghorn) below but he came up and joined me to inform me he'd been there half an hour and hadn't seen it yet! Never presume. We eventually enjoyed prolonged views of a superb bird. As you say Trevor...if it looks different...tick it! Must be a contender for species status. More on splitting headaches later...

 

Nice pose?

 

 

 

Success then. I walked back to the car with Andrew and it was nice to have time for a nice relaxed chat. I was pleasantly surprised that despite our (great) age difference we shared many similar views on many matters regarding British Birding. We also shared a brief chat with Gary Taylor who'd just arrived from the Pied Wheatear.

 

Time to move just up the road to Redcar.

 

I finally sorted out the location with my newly discovered and much overdue smartphone!? The Sat Nav was most impressive and not annoying at all. The scene was typical of a seaside Sunday. The bird was totally unconcerned! There were quite a few "following" the bird. I remained along the seawall. The bird was performing well to those on the beach but I got my chance eventually...

 

 

It performed either side of the old cinema...

 

 

I really enjoyed the trip. Two excellent and showy males on a wonderful late Autumn afternoon. A nice memory as winter closes in. Still time for some late Holmpton action. Now there's optimism for you!

 

The Star...

 

 

RLB sex-change plus Pallas's Warbler

Seems like I've made an error. That's OK. I make plenty, in all areas!

 

Rough-legged Buzzards eh! Thing is, you look at various references and they conflict? Never to old to learn, that's the secret.

 

Collin's shows adult male with pale belly BUT ah ha, there's a dark variant showing dark hood, darker belly (emphasizing pale collar) and dark underwing coverts. A dark individual! I've seen so many different tail patterns (upper and lower) illustrations I won't even go there! I'll admit the Collin's (dark variant) illustration points to a male. I'll know next time...maybe! I wasn't on my own with this one as it came out more than once on the information services as adult female? An excellent educational bird. After all we don't get many adults.

 

At least I got the RLB right...lol! Let's move on.

 

I spent three hours down at Old Hive this morning. Maybe a YBW or Pallas's? Of course not. Leaves thinning dramatically now which helps viewing...if there's anything to view that is! Nothing for 30 minutes...then a tapping...yes a Woodpecker. Great Spotted to be precise. Migrant? Probably. I approached the area and had decent views through the bins. I then sorted the camera out and...it disappeared! Just shows that if a decent sized thing like that can slip by...

 

 

Then a spluttering sound...it exploded out of the undergrowth and headed off into the mist...

 

Woodcock

This pic shows the pot belly well.

 

News broke that the RLB was still present so I had a drive down to see if it was showing. Unfortunately not. I gave it an hour then drifted off north towards Holmpton. Further news: Great White Egret flew south at...you guessed it...Holmpton! You also probably guessed...no further sign!

 

After lunch I tried for the Pallas's Warbler at the north end of the Gas Terminal. As I arrived a group of birders were leaving. I had a rough idea were to go but I wasn't that bothered as I wanted to try and re-locate it for myself. As I searched along the fence and wandered towards the copse it became clear I was on my own. I started to walk the well trodden path and scanned the various trees and bushes. A Chiffchaff, well it's a start! Nothing else for a while...then, there it was...

 

 

This is a TINY jewel of a bird. The area is reasonably small but a sprite like this can easily get lost. Fortunately it remained in the area for a good 10 minutes allowing me to get some decent pics.

 

 

 

Pleased with this one...

 

 

Superb bird.

 

Flushed with this success I decided to return to Kilnsea and wait...and wait. At least I could listen to the Footy for a while and a few skeins of Pinkfeet moved South...

 

 

Would it show? I scanned and scanned...nothing. It was gone 4 now. I then noticed a couple of crows swooping along Long Bank? Time for a walk towards Sammy's. It was an unbelievably mild afternoon. Fitting, as it was the last day of "summertime". As I approached the area were I'd seen the stooping Crows I walked down the bank to give myself some cover. More scanning...

 

Bingo!

I waited. The bird eventually took to the air and headed towards Sammy's...

 

 

The light was now typical of a late October day...murky! I carried on towards Sammy's. I lost sight of the bird but continued to check the bank and bushes. 4 distant White-fronts were noted.

 

Then...

 

 

Again I waited until it flew further North and was lost to view. I continued to the gate at SP. A message came through..."RLB still at Sammy's" Where though? Again I waited. More noisy Crows?

 

 

I'm still not seeing many bars here?

Have to say this uppertail pattern does suggest female? Anyway...

 

It returned to the southern end of Sammy's and perched again in a bush...

 

 

Further movement South...

 

 

Time to head back now. My gamble had paid off. Another quality experience with a magnificent raptor.

 

 

Rough-legged Buzzard

Spent the first half of the day in Techno hell as I finally decided to get a smart phone! Various cock-ups by staff members left me totally confused, which granted, isn't difficult...and I'd had to go to Grimsby to collect it!

 

Anyway, I finally got back over the Bridge around 1. I had lunch with Louise and headed back east. I decided to detour along the Humber bank hoping for another peep at a Hen Harrier. I gave the Budster some exercise but there was no sign of any raptors. Then, news of another prime bird of prey came through...so off I went.

 

I turned the radio on and got an update that the bird in question was over the triangle. Of course when I got there it had disappeared. I decided to take a walk along the canal were I came across a very showy young Redstart...

 

 

The bird performed brilliantly, fly-catching from the same bush for at least 10 minutes.

 

 

Then a message over the radio..."RLB on post in Clubley's Field"! Back to the car and down to Canal Scrape car park. The chap who'd called it was still present, I recognised him as a regular but don't know his name. I passed young Dan Branch on the way who was cycling furiously! We all watched the bird distantly from the car park entrance...

 

 

I decided to return to the car and sit it out hoping for a better view. The bird remained on the post for around 20 minutes, then it flew low a short distance and landed again...

 

 

What a magnificent bird and an adult (female) to boot! The dark belly and single thin tail band are apparent here.

 

One more...

 

 

The bird then took off again and then landed in a bush along canal bank...

 

 

The bird was typically mobbed by other birds...Kestrel, Magpie and Crow...

 

 

Eventually it had had enough and it flew out over the Humber gained height and spent the next hour or so circling high above the peninsular before drifting off South. It seemed to drift over the Humber?

 

 

...and higher into the clouds...

 

 

I really enjoyed spending a couple of hours with this bird. I tried to watch the jizz carefully at different heights and angles. I don't see THAT many! Forgetting the tail pattern and size comparison with Common (the latter always being difficult) I felt confident in assessing the longer wings and slightly more bent wings. It also hovered frequently, even at great height (it was often obscured by the clouds!)

 

 

A quality bird indeed and a privilege to watch it.

 

Jacanas and Harriers!

Texas LRGV Rare Bird Alert 27th October

 

A juvenile NORTHERN JACANA was photographed on October 12 and continued to October 25  at Santa Ana NWR.  The original bird has been at several of the Pintail Lakes ponds.  An apparent second juvenile - different in minor plumage markings - was at Willow Lake from the blind on October 25 and TODAY, October 27.  Please continue to report the presence of these birds and document them to the TBRC! 

 

Missed this species earlier this year by a day...it was March! An ABA Lifer. Looking promising for this year's visit? I've said it now...

 

Sneaked a couple of prime raptors late afternoon along the Humber Bank...

 

 

 

 

You can just catch the ring-tails on this particularly poor image!

 

Hen Harrier...

 

 

RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL

OK...I cracked. Well...it was a Spurn tick (276)!

 

I couldn't make it down till mid-afternoon as the old girls battery needed replacing...the car that is! The car park was full so I parked along the grass verge. I walked around the back of the car only to step on some dead grass covering the ditch. I ended up flat on my back looking at the blue sky. Nobody noticed!? Fools and Horses came to mind.

 

Phil was in the car park having had great views of the bird. I made my way round to the hide were the bird was showing immediately...

 

 

On the way home I detoured via Easington Cemetery to see the Eastern Black Redstart. The light wasn't great but a smart bird indeed...

 

Shame about the twig!

 

An adult male RFB was at the point together with the funny Stonechat. If both are present tomorrow I might walk the walk...

 

Just received this from Phil...

 

 

A few thoughts

October is into it's final quarter BUT there's STILL time for some surprises. The winds are swinging West again (my favourite direction) so let's hope for something special from the US of A! A large eruption of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES down the Eastern Seaboard at the moment? Ah, memories of Spring 1990...April 11th to be precise. I missed it in the Autumn of 1989. Norfolk was a long way in those days. Lucky boy!

SIBERIAN ACCENTORS are still appearing with another on Orkney today. NOBODY could have foreseen the scale of this invasion. Is that 8 or 9 now? To think I went scuttling off to Shetland for No1, then No2 shows up...you know the rest. It caused some amazing twists of fate for some admirers

I must admit thoughts are starting to turn to my next trip...but I must stay focused for the next fortnight...at least...

Hunt for rare October

I've been saving that one! So much for the magical 23rd, no wonder I never win the Lottery...maybe next year!?

 

First hour was spent down at Old Hive. Not many leaves left now but a lone Redwing was resting up in a Sycamore...

 

 

Three distant Tundra Bean Geese passed by distantly although the white fringed tertials were apparent...

 

 

They were joined by three more before heading South...

 

 

The afternoon was spent doing "the loop". Seaside lane looked well in the afternoon sunshine...

 

 

There were still a few Goldcrests about and the odd Fieldfare...

 

 

As stated earlier, I'm continuing with my Patch work until the end of the month and into early November. I'm a glutton for punishment!

 

Ton Up!

The pool at Out Newton produced my first Jack Snipe (P.160, H.100) of the Autumn. Rather amiss of me to forget my Village Woodcock (2) and Siskin (c50) sightings. Still all squared up now...I think!

Still a few straggling Bean Geese still around which us always nice.

My pal Haydn had made the journey over from York for the ISABELLINE WHEATEAR which was a Lifer for him. He also saw the Siberian Stonechat. I then got a call from him to say he was in the Village, so I joined him and we walked the circuit. He was very impressed with the habitat, if not the sightings we had! We did manage a few Siskin, many Goldcrests and a few winter thrushes. We also had a sighting of Graham Speight. He left me around Noon and I worked the coastal paths all afternoon for no significant reward.

BIG day tomorrow...hopefully?

October 23rd!

Made it to one below the ton with a Peregrine (H.99) over Seaside lane this afternoon. Other noteworthy records came in the form of  8 Long-tailed Tits and 2 Brent Geese heading for the Humber.

 

Big weekend in the rarity year combined with very favourable easterly winds. Let's hope it's not as big an anti-climax as Liverpool v  Man Utd!

 

My favourite date has produced some belters...

 

Black-billed Cuckoo

 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

 

Common Nighthawk

 

Chimney Swift

 

Cliff Swallow

 

Siberian Blue Robin

 

Rufous-tailed Robin

 

Siberian Rubythroat

 

Red-flanked Bluetail

 

Isabelline Wheatear

 

Pied Wheatear

 

Nutcracker

 

Red-eyed Vireo

 

Ovenbird

 

Common Yellowthroat

 

Cape May Warbler

 

Chestnut-eared Bunting

 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 

We can dream...

 

Full of Eastern Promise!

 

One for the teenagers! Winds swinging East again. Bring them on!

 

Love Wildfowl, not everyone's cup of T but certainly mine. Remnants of NDC! Might have mentioned that before?

 

Grey Geese?! Especially Bean Geese.

 

Flock in silhouette coming in to Out Newton this am...

 

 

Bottom right bird? Shorter neck, bigger head...maybe shorter bill? Tundra (rossicus)?

 

They landed down towards Old Hive. I didn't want to flush them but I managed a double head shot over the rise...

 

 

Dark heads, orange and black bills BUT the left bird has a bigger head, doesn't it? It's also a different shape for me. Isn't the neck thicker? As stated many times, I'm no expert! Good fun though. Got to be Bean Geese? The flock were later seen in flight as I was sat in my car. I'm convinced I saw a Taiga and a Tundra. According to Collins some Taiga (fabalis) have Tundra (rossicus) bill pattern!? Left hand bird?

 

Anyway, I think I can say I've seen a Bean Goose (H.98) in my Village. I'm always happy to be wrong. Well, most of the time!