Local Stars

Nice surprise this morning on a stroll along Snakey Lane induced by Richard's Lapwing sighting! No luck there, although I didn't make it far. 4 Bullfinches (3 male) more than made up for it...

Always a treat to see, especially locally and in an unexpected location. They were feeding in the roadside ditch and adjacent copse...

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News broke late afternoon of a Franklin's Gull at NDC!!! An excellent find indeed and a reward for meticulous checking. 

Black Brant

Checked out a few of the local haunts the first couple of hours. Another brief Corn Bunting encounter on Snakey, when I stopped at a pull-in and heard that familiar chip...

Has to be the best Winter since I've been here (8 years) for this species...or maybe I haven't been looking hard enough! Just as I was about to pull away I saw some Swans flying towards me..always a reason for excitment here. Turned out to be 6 Whoopers...

Possibly two juveniles?

...and away South...

I may have mentioned I love this species...once or twice!!

Next I checked out "the Sewage" hoping for a Grey Wagtail...or a Jack Snipe...or a Water Rail...or something...but I could only manage a couple of Pied. I also scanned the sea for an hour but nothing passed by. There had been some Velvet Scoter earlier.

After lunch I drove down to Skeffling to check out the Whooper Swan herd. It was pleasing to see they were still present. As I counted them it became apparent they had increased in number...18 yesterday...6 over Snakey this morning = 24?

It was now time to drive up onto the floodbank to give Bud a stretch. As I reached the bend in the road I was greeted with this sight...

An estimated 500 birds were present. The light was poor (no change there) but a bird at the front of the group stood out. I pulled off the road and looked through my bins...

A dandy!! To me, the bird looked stockier than the surrounding birds, as well as distinctive in plumage...

Rear View

The fact that it was so close was obviously VERY fortunate...

Dapper

I then read through a few messages to discover the bird had been reported earlier! There was mention of a "hybrid" but this bird looked "kosher" to me. I sent an image to a few pals who agreed on the ID. On good views the bird stood out like a sore thumb but it could be surprisingly elusive when feeding amongst the flock. Definitely a sight to brighten up a dull day...

Follow Up

Gloomy one today weather wise, I'm afraid. I decided to follow up on a couple of yesterday's sightings, namely Whooper Swan and Corn Bunting. Firstly to the Humber. I parked up and started the familiar walk West. Almost immediately I noticed "the Swans" in the first field? Had they just arrived through the mist, as I didn't notice them on the approach road? Back to the car so I could approach closer. Down the embankment to the first corner...no Swans? Blimey, that was a quick departure! Back to the car park...they were back!? Turns out they never left!! I just couldn't see them from the road as there was a slight dip in the field!! Duh.

18 birds

I only counted 15 yesterday? I took the farm track so I could get slightly closer to check them with my bins and camera...just in case there weer any Bewick's...there weren't. The problem from this viewpoint was that I was looking into the light...

It was a privilige to see these magnificent birds so well, at one of my key sites. I left them in peace. I then headed for the area of Snakey Lane where I had seen the Corn Buntings. Sure enough, there they were. This time there were NINE birds together in a tree...

Record Count!

Again, a privilige to see this species locally, especially in Winter. Another one from yesterday...

I've always had a special affinity for this species...for some reason. The "Fat bird of the Barley".

Once I realised I'd dropped my gloves earlier I returned to the Humber to discover some kind soul had left them on a fencepost. Some restoration in Human Nature occured. The Swans were no longer there...definitely! I decided to try yesterday's location and sure enough, there they were...

Here and There

Slow start...again! Never mind. As I was sorting myself out Richard was just returning from the Cliff and reported it was "quiet". On that report I decided to start down Snakey on a surprisingly bright, sunny morning. I headed for the west end by East End Farm?! There's an impressive stubble field here (unfortunately none on the coastal strip this Winter) which has attracted decent numbers of birds. I usually bird from the car from the numerous lay-bys but today I had a walk with my mate. It paid dividends when almost immediately I picked up a group of Corn Buntings in a tree right by the road as a skein of PFG flew over...

As you can see, I was looking into the sun, so I moved round for a more favourable aspect. The bird obliged...

Richard appeared but the birds had flown off into the enormous field.

After lunch I decided to have an hour down by the Humber as the sun was still shining. As I started to walk West I noticed a group of Swans in the fields. I jumped (well slid) back in the car and drove a farm track to confirm they were indeed Whoopers (15)...

There were decent numbers of Pink-footed Geese present both on the Estuary and in the adjacent fields. It seems to be a bumper Winter for this species in Yorkshire...

Next...a SEO along the saltmarsh which typically disappeared rather quickly!

Better luck later though, after much stalking...

Very pleased to get a perched bird.

Something different...

Male Marsh Harrier

The Whoopers were still present at 4.30pm.

The Tree Sparrow count on the feeders has risen to 5 and the Goldfinch to 9. I'm also getting daily visits from a juvenile GSW.

Catch up

One or two from Hornsea Mere from last Wednesday during my unsuccessful attempt to locate a drake Smew...

1000's of PFG's

Brent Geese at Skeffling...

Snakey Lane...

Encouraging to find a couple of small groups of Corn Buntings (c12)...

Corn and Reed...

The "Winter Thrush" flock is still present but very mobile and Fieldfares are slightly more approachable than Redwings...

Red-legged Partridge...

No luck with any of my December targets...yet.

Hunkering Down

Prized myself out for a Seawatch from dawn. Gave it a couple of hours before realizing I was wasting my time! 4 Gannets went South.

There was a brighter period late morning before the rain returned with a vengeance. A cruise down Snakey drew a blank on Winter Thrushes but 3 Corn Buntings together were a nice surprise...

Silhouette view

Catching some rays

Long Winter nights ahead. Definitely time to tidy up my records and plan ahead for hopefully better COVID free (or at least protected) days. Texas 2021 must be in the balance I guess BUT I have to hang on to some hope to get through the Winter! I'll also throw in a few riviting anecdotes from previous trips that may be of interest to you?

I don't think I will beat this California/Arizona trip from 2005!!! Happy Days indeed. I was younger then...weren't we all!

As you know I won't be going anywhere I'm not comfortable going...a moral conscience is important...to me.

Grim

Not what you want to hear I'm sure in deep and dark December...but that's how it is...here. After an admittedly late start due to a few domestic issues I made my way down to the sea hoping for a break in the weather. It never really came but birds are always around, if you look hard enough. A solitary Goldcrest on my lane was a brief ray of light on a dismal day. It was only in view briefly but I surprised myself with a "record shot"...

Lockdown over but Tier 3 here!

Hope I've got this right? Having read the bumph it seems I can travel within my "area" for exercise and recreation. I'm a good boy (most of the time) so I'll limit my journeys to local sites BUT I will be travelling to NDC which in my book just qualifies for the odd winter visit being on the border of East and North Yorkshire.

On that note I had a trundle up the coast road to Hornsea Mere this morning. A report of a drake Smew is always tempting. It's a very large piece of water and my luck wasn't...in. I had seen one well a few years ago. On the plus side Pink-footed Geese were present in large numbers being almost constantly in view and earshot; a wonderful experience. It was very relaxing to spend time at the waters edge despite the gloom!

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I couldn't help noticing today...news of the final total of a collection on Tiree, as a result of the YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER twitch. Much self-congratulation from successful twitchers at the amount raised for good causes, which is fine (I'm trying not to sound too bitter here lol!). As you know, I (and others) refrained from travelling due to COVID 19 and the wishes of many of the Islanders in this small vulnerable community. This was the correct decision in my book. My problem is seeing the difference between visiting Tiree and Barra which was the site of the (rightly) suppressed RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. This is because...there isn't one. I'll throw in Yell, Shetland as well, regarding the...TENNESSEE WARBLER...where many locals were far from happy...including the finder! All should have been suppressed on health grounds.

On a general note...sharing information regarding a MEGA (chance would be a fine thing) is always frought with risk...and undoubtedly great pressure...especially regarding a "First for Britain". If you confide in someone and they let you down that's...er...disappointing!! I guess the aftermath could be pretty awkward also! This was unfortunately the case on Tiree (I know this for a fact) but obviously not on Barra.

To each their own...

No additions from a two hour seawatch from dawn this morning. VERY quiet. A Sooty Shearwater was seen travelling North up the Coast...not by me!

After thawing out with a coffee I headed for the Humber as the sky had cleared. It turned out to be a good decision. There was a good flock of Brent Geese present...a male Marsh Harrier disturbed them...

I was then treated to a Pink-footed Geese fly-by...heard them coming first...

Then a Hen Harrier...

I got another fly-by as I was leaving...

I finished off on Snakey and was pleased to find the "winter thrushes" still present. I was hoping for a Lapwing or a Little Egret! Maybe tomorrow?