LITTLE SWIFT

Swifts are special birds. So the opportunity to see a rare one not too far away was not to be missed...even if it did mean a 4.15am start!

I've slipped up in the past, arriving late for "roost departing birds", so I was keen not to be late on this occasion. The bird had roosted on a house on Hartlepool Headland and dawn was 7.30. A pit stop at Hull McDonalds fuelled me up and I headed West on the M62. Traffic was obviously light as I headed up the A1 then onto the A19 to Teesside.

The Google Maps app was spot on as usual and I arrived at the Headland at 7.20...just to observe the dispersing crowd of Twitchers. The bird had just left its roost. Will I never learn?

I found a parking spot and took a break hoping the bird would linger. The forecast was excellent, so maybe the Swift would continue to feed in the area before departing? I'd seen my British tick at Hunstanton, Norfolk on 13/11/2005. On that occasion I DID make it before it left its cliff face roost but the bird departed immediately and wasn't seen again.

Fortunately on this occasion the bird DID linger and was re-located a short distance away...on the "Prom". Over the next couple of hours the bird performed brilliantly for the admiring crowd. At times shooting low over the crowd at high speed. It was either too fast or too close to photograph...at least for me! No matter, I had fantastic views through my bins and "naked eye". I did manage a few images...so, for the record...

The bird departed late morning...and so did I.

I got back around 3 and took Bud up to Out Newton. Maybe the LS would fly by?! It didn't but an excellent consolation came in the form of a Short-eared Owl (H.130). The bird performed superbly in the fading light. I let Richard know and he joined me to enjoy the bird...

An excellent day with excellent weather. I'll finish with a LITTLE SWIFT jizz image...