Haves and have-nots

Reflecting on my sightings so far this year (not much else to do Birding wise with the long dark evenings) it was interesting to see what I had actually managed to connect with on my Patch.

With the new fashion of "foot it" up and running and being taken part in by quite a few of my fellow bloggers I feel a bit of a lush driving around in my car so far...at least for part of the time.

I'm still intending to have a go...time will tell?

Anyway, back to my sightings. Below is a list of birds that I would expect to see at this time of year on my Patch but as yet remain elusive...

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)

Greater Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Great Northern Diver (Gavia immer)

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

European Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

Merlin (Falco columbarius)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)

Coot (Fulica atra)

Jack Snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus)

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

Mediterranean Gull (Larus melanocephalus)

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)

Razorbill (Alca torda)

Little Owl (Athene noctua)

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Skylark (Alauda arvensis)

Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus [spinoletta])

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Redwing (Turdus iliacus)

Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

Coal Tit (Parus ater)

Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)

Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis flammea cabaret)

Lapland Bunting (Calcarius lapponicus)

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

Corn Bunting (Miliaria calandra)

Some surprising absentees...still, plenty to go at on Saturday!!

A Grand Day!

Rewarded for an early start today down snakey lane with great views of Short-eared Owl and Barn Owl (sat in the roadside hedge at 5m).

Next to Out Newton but no joy with the Little Owl.

Great joy though with a magnificent fly-by skein of Pink-footed Geese...






Kilnsea Wetlands next but still no Geese here...at least for me. The radio informed me, through the voice of Barry Spence that there was a Coot on the canal...again...not for me. I did bump into the locals doing the Michael Clegg birdrace and this character taking it easy in the triangle...

Siskin were mentioned in the Crown and Anchor car park...I managed to see them later in the day (S.50, P70). A Whooper Swan was reported from Long Bank but I didn't connect.

I did pass this rather dapper Kestrel looking for his lunch...


VERY healthy population on the Patch

























So, that's it for now...or maybe not!

A triumvirate of shots from Phil Jones that you might like...I did!


Far Ings



Ashbyville, Scunthorpe



Kilnsea Wetlands



Back in the saddle

Managed to pick up a "virus" for New Year so I've been laid low for a few days. Felt a tad better today so I was keen to make the most of the weekend before resuming training next week.

Started with a fine male Bullfinch from the lounge window. Then a look on the sea produced Goldeneye (2 adult males) and Wigeon (a lone male) both being Holmpton lifers! This brings my total to 123. Plenty still to go at.

No sign of any geese at Kilnsea Wetlands.

I then made my way to Patrington along snakey lane and added both partridges to my year list...in the same field!

Finished off at Skeffling where I managed a couple of Twite and a distant SEO...

On the way home I passed RAF Holmpton. As I turned a sharp bend another SEO was flying along the road directly towards me!!

for the record!

I've re-jigged my tabs at the top of the blog for the New Year if you wish to follow my efforts?

Good Birding...

First Footing

Did a totally unplanned trip around the Patch today to get the list started. Great weather which added to the day. Scored a modest 56 species and didn't enjoy much luck.

Highlights were 40 Pink-footed Geese heading south down the peninsula early doors...

and one of the two LTD on Beacon Ponds (very late doors?)...

Greenshank was also a surprise at Beacon Ponds.

Many glaring omissions on the day but who cares, I'll get 'em later!

Couldn't return home without finding a Barn Owl. Quite a challenge tonight but I did it at 16.46...chuffed...


Exposure 5/8 of a second!

For the record I saw 192 species last year.

I hope 2013 is good to you...and me!!

2012...a few thoughts

It wouldn't be cricket if I didn't do the traditional end of year Blog post...would it?

Not a classic in terms of personal rarities...but I guess that's partly due to the fact I've been "at it" for quite a while now!

Highlights, well, 2 British ticks in the form of Orphean Warbler and P.G.Tips...



Also saw a Hooded Merganser and a Thayer's Gull.

Finally managed my Yorks Cory's at Holmpton plus great views of Pallid Harrier at Patrington. The White-spotted Bluethroat at Spurn in early April was special, especially the close views obtained.

I don't do prolonged posts but just to say generally an average year for quality birds. Hopefully more excitement in 2013.

Relatively organised

Just got back from "my lot", now waiting for Louise's. Had a great time and a good laugh. I'll be on best behaviour until Sunday when I hope to get out for some end of year Birding. Also need to think about targets for the New Year...as we all do...don't we?

Always dreaming about a "good" bird. How about one of these in Yorks, it's been a long time...


A good start to the New Year?



Merry Christmas!

Managed a couple of hours at Skeffling this afternoon. No Christmas bonuses but nice views of the usual estuary fare including this dapper Redshank...

Finished off on snakey lane were I bumped into a gathering of pre-roosting Fieldfare...

Just about to turn for home when a local passed by...

Christmas festive fun starts tomorrow.

So, just a line to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to my followers...there are some you know!


Merry Christmas



Deluge!

HAD to get out today to let some steam off. Weather diabolical but your intrepid blogger wasn't to be deterred. OK I did wimp out a bit by "hiding" at NDC...but I did get OUT!

Me thinks the water table is rather high at the moment. The farm fields in the Vale of York are like paddy fields. The scene at Bubwith Bridge was rather damp also...

The precipitation was unrelenting so the Geoff Smith hide was the only answer for us...


He's grown a bit since this pic but the pose is the same!

Visibility was very poor but at least I was OUT!

Highlights came in the form of a few groups of Whoopers...


Amazed at camera performance in heavy rain at 150yds!

Also some smart groups of Lapwings and a Barn Owl hunting around the car park...

Gave it till 1 then went for some lunch and made my way home. Took a snap of this seasonal character through a steamed up lens before I left ...

 

Tot up

After a less than scintillating 6 hours route learning on 2 buses (rather busy with Christmas shoppers), I managed to make it down to "the triangle" just in time to see the 3 White-fronted Geese (S.139, P.177) dis-appearing into the distance! Also noted a few Fieldfare and Redwing. The weather was horrendous on this the shortest day.

Hope to add something decent over the weekend. Off to Mother's (super cook) Christmas Eve for the festivities...

Strange seabird movement?

Something funny going on in Florida. Hopefully NOT a severe climate shift?

Finish work tomorrow with my first bus ride for quite some time as part of my route learning. It's been a challenging but enjoyable 3 weeks.

Then it's time for some serious BIRDING!!! I wonder if there's another late Yank hiding somewhere?

Dream bird

Check out the photos of the South Uist Gyr on Surfbirds. AWESOME!!!

Christmas present on Scilly. Brings back great memories of the St Agnes bird I was fortunate enough to see in 07...

Quality threesome

We all went for a walk this morning from Skeffling to Welwick along the floodbank. The weather was unbelievable for mid-December, bright sunshine with little wind. As we left Skeffling I spotted a small group of birds distantly over the saltmarsh that looked good for Twite.

We continued towards Welwick enjoying a good selection of estuary species. As we approached Welwick I spotted a bird that I'd hoped for but didn't expect to see...Hen Harrier (P.176) and a male to boot!

It was only in view for around a minute, floating gracefully and unfortunately distantly over the marsh. One was reported from Sunk Island, possibly the same bird?

As we approached Skeffling on the return journey I noticed a group of small birds in "the bush". Twite, 12 of them. They allowed close approach...unfortunately the battery in my camera was flat!

Phil Jones went down later in the day and obtained this cracking image...

After some lunch at home I went down to Kilnsea Wetlands to see if I could find the Long-tailed Duck again...after all I did find it!

Sure enough it was still there. After a while it decided to co-operate by coming quite close to the hide, in the late afternoon sun...

The "Barnie" is still present also...



Lone Star

Great to get out in the sunshine! Took Bud down to Welwick saltmarsh hoping for a Short-eared Owl or some Twite maybe. No luck but we enjoyed the walk.

Got a text off Phil saying he'd seen the Snow Bunting at Withernsea sewage works. Shortly afterwards I got another informing me the Buzzard was still at Hollym, so I had a ride up there. No joy, but Phil managed a photo...

We then made our way back to the sewage works and managed to relocate the Snow Bunting feeding on the cliff-top stubble...

A few bits

Cracking day but few birds of note. Merlin over Patrington and Kingfisher at the Haven.

Tried for the LTD this afternoon. Walked with Bud up to Beacon Ponds only to be told it was on Kilnsea Wetlands (I should have looked!). By the time I'd returned...I couldn't locate it?

Late start

The early morning sortie never materialised after the long week! Never mind.

Enjoyed the afternoon sunshine and a few Barnies. Three birds seen...

Owls brighten the darkness

Leaving the house at 7.15 has some benefits (not many). My initial journey is brightened by Barn Owls (at least 5). My return journey also, plus the sound of Tawny's in the village.

Now for some daylight Birding early tomorrow...

Wires crossed?

Stopped off at St Andrews tonight for some pet food...Blackbird singing in the snow?

Butlaaaa!

Started training today for my new career, so posts will have to drop off in the immediate future. Birding will only be possible at weekends but I will post a few thoughts on Birdy things.

So what will I be doing...here's a clue...



Hope I live as long as Reg...

A Peregrine is roosting on the tall mast at Easington gas terminal by the sharp bend...be careful with those bins though! Also a LEO is being seen at Spurn by the sheepfield.

Decent find!

After a late start due to domestic problems (no, we didn't fall out) we made our way down to the Bluebell cafe for some early lunch. After a short chat Louise decided to go to Hull for a De-humidifier to (hopefully) solve the problem?

After I'd dropped her off at home I returned to Long Bank to take Buddy a walk and do some birding. As I approached Beacon Ponds I noticed a distinctive duck on Kilnsea Wetlands...

My first self-found LTD (P.174)...it helps being on the coast now!

It commuted between here and Beacon Ponds...

not the best but you get the idea!

Also managed to see the Barnacle Goose (P.175)...



Bumped into a few of the locals, namely Ian Smith, Steve Exley and Andy Gibson. Also had a good chat with Adam Hutt till the sun went down...

Fresh in!

Morning dog walk proved fruitful. Still pretty damp around these here parts so we headed up to Out Newton and walked north towards Holmpton. Almost immediately a Woodcock drifted over and headed inland. A nice record!

This was topped a few minutes later when I flushed a Jack Snipe (H.114, P.173) from the clifftop scrub. It behaved to type by flying low a short distance before disappearing again. I say typical behaviour (ala text book) as I must admit this is the first time I've actually seen it!!

I used to trudge round the LDV hoping to flush one...but never did? All my sightings (bar one) have been of birds from hides (particularly on Scilly)/ The "bar one" was a bird trapped and ringed at NDC and kindly shown to me by Craig Ralston.

I may have a record shot but I'll need to work out how to remove it from the camera memory!

Returned to Out Newton for a seawatch this afternoon. I also wanted to try out my car window mount...and listen to the Footy. Decided it isn't the answer...too much vibration.

Bonus came in the form of this Barn Owl hunting the same area I walked this morning....it didn't flush the Jack Snipe!