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.
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