A fine conclusion

Late start today after yesterdays excitement. Finally ventured out after lunch and went for a walk up to Beacon Ponds. Lovely crisp and sunny winters afternoon. I was greeted at Kilnsea Wetlands with this exquisite Little Egret...

I also saw my first Cormorant (P.83, S.53) of the year...

Up on the Ponds there were 4 Goldeneye...always nice to see...

Further along I managed to get fairly close to the "winter" Swans...

Bewick's

Bewick's with immature Whooper

...and so to Skeffling. I was determined to pick up "something" here. I've paid many visits already this year. I love this spot. Easy access with the car and great to walk Bud...and of course there's the birds!

Large numbers of Oystercatchers present this afternoon...at least 500! I also spotted a couple of distant Pintail amongst the Mallards. Plenty of Lapwing on the adjacent farmland...

Walking down the flood bank enjoying the wader spectacular I glanced inland and saw a "shape". I lifted my "bins"...

A fine sighting...

The Buzzard was then joined by a Barn Owl that took a rest on a bush...

It was approaching 5pm by now and I was about to turn back towards the car when I noticed the Buzzard had taken off...

I followed it as it made it's way towards the flood bank. The shape then landed...

Can you see it?

I was happy with my views...but wait...surely not...YES!!!

Short-eared Owl (P.84)

It made it's way along the waters edge as the sun set...

past me...

then gone...

My perseverance pays off...

Myrtle Warbler...I still prefer Yellow-rumped!

My story starts yesterday with a Pager message informing me of a report of a MYRTLE WARBLER in County Durham...no less. Pictures on the 'net looked good...but you never know...do you?

My thoughts immediately turned back to the mid-nineties (as you do!). I remember vividly (and probably sadly) the bird in Bristol (16th/17th November 1994), followed by the bird on Tresco (4th - 15th October 1995). Both out of my reach at the time due to family/work commitments. They were called YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS then..and still are on Bubo! Since the split MYRTLE remains the only one to have occurred in Britain...we're still waiting for an AUDUBON'S.

We had arranged to go over to my lads in Huddersfield today and that was still the case first thing this morning as no details of site or access were forthcoming.

Then the *+&@ hit the fan...as they say. Arrangements were altered and we set off...pronto. My lad was somewhat disappointingly less than put out!

We arrived on site around 12.45 and joined the assembled crowd. I almost immediately saw Haydn who'd been there over an hour with no luck. As we started having a chat the bird was located and within 5 minutes we'd both "had it".

TREMENDOUS!!!

What a bonus in mid-winter...and another American Warbler to boot! You just never know in this game. Everyone seemed to connect eventually and the atmosphere was extremely convivial. I saw it on and off for the next hour before I hailed my driver (Louise) and we headed back South.

The bird was very active and spent most of it's time deep in the bushes. It frequently fed on coconut put out for it...

My next image is a result of my (extremely skillful!) point and shoot in the general direction and hope for the best technique...

To be honest I didn't even know it was in the frame until I downloaded it!

A bit closer...

Spurn update

Spent the morning down at Spurn. First stop the beach and sea for the Budster. Still plenty of evidence of the tidal surge damage. It's the first time I'd been down onto the beach and looked back on the caravan site. Not pretty. The beach is now much higher with hundreds of tons of material dumped by the sea making the "cliff" barely visible. The campsite is moving across the road eventually. Also the overflow car park by the toilet block is still covered in rubble, with some impressive boulders deposited. No pics as I find it depressing.

As previously mentioned much collection of rubbish has taken place...a commendable effort by all concerned. Hopefully the village will get the help it needs...SOON!

I returned to the spot were I saw the Skylarks singing yesterday. No song today but I did find one sheltering from the wind...

A walk along the canal bank produced my first Turnstones (P.82, S.52) of the year fighting the gale force wind on the Humber shore...

My pal Haydn made the long trip north in the early hours to finally connect with the AMERICAN COOT. He's just returned from a week in the Gambia (jammy sod). Glad it hung around for him.

Sign of Spring

Managed an hour down at Kilnsea this morning. Great to hear the first Skylarks (P.80, S.50) singing and squabbling! At least 10 in the triangle. Surely the finest sound of Spring. Camera setting issues again prevent photos.

Decent numbers of Curlew on Kilnsea wetlands...

The mixed Swans are still present north of Long Bank including 3 Bewick's and 8 Whoopers.

As I was leaving the triangle I heard a Coot! (P.81, S.51). My first of the year...

There were two actually...

Catch up time

Birding limited today...and tomorrow due to the need to complete some overdue household tasks! Plus we're visiting friends of my better half. I did manage to spot a Buzzard over Hollym plus a Barn Owl at Easington by the gas terminal whilst on doggy duties...

I've re-stocked my feeders and added a few different treats. My hope is to attract a G.S.Woodpecker to the yard. One has visited in the past...you never know in this game...

Ethereal

Spent the day in Hull on a customer care course. Driving back home I caught sight of a Barn Owl on Snakey lane. I turned my headlights off and approached slowly. No other traffic around.


Fortunately the bird continued to hunt the roadside verge oblivious to my presence. I enjoyed a wonderful few minutes in the fading light, following it with the car window down, no more than 15 feet away!!!

Birding on hold

Working towards my break on Thursday, so reports on hold for the moment. At least the sun appeared today after all the gloom...

I see a redhead Smew was reported from Duff last week. That would have been a site tick...my 150! Pity...

I've added my Duff Life list to the tabs above...if you're interested?

A tale of two Thrushes

7 Fieldfare on the clifftop field at Easington Gas terminal were a nice surprise this morning whilst on the dog walk. They were accompanied by a healthy flock of Linnet (c50). At the far (south) end I picked up at least 70 Tree Sparrows amongst the mixed finch/bunting flock. I didn't hand around in the biting easterly wind!

On my way to Patrington I noticed a distinctive shape on a wire through the continuing gloom...

Mistle Thrush P.78

Always a chance

First Partridge sighting of the year this morning, ironically in heavy rain. This individual looked understandably forlorn as it sat in it's chosen field...

Grey Partridge (P.77, H.40)

Fun with a Buzzard

Picked up my first Patch Buzzard (P.76) of the year today down at Patrington Haven. I'm fairly sure it's the same bird that's been hanging around the area since before Christmas. I saw a Buzzard in the same area a couple of times when visiting the IVORY GULL.

I spent an enjoyable hour trying to get some decent images. I failed but managed a few surreal shots non the less...

Distant at first

Then closer

After much patience...

The camera behaved strangely (nothing to do with me of course!). I thought I'd post them anyway...

Garden visitor

Laid up the last couple of days due to tooth extraction! On the plus side it enables me to take part in the RSPB garden birdwatch. I'd stocked the feeders up last week so the birds would hopefully be familiar with the feeding station. It's paid off as I've had good numbers of many species. Star visitor today was this cracker. Very skittish but I eventually managed a decent shot...

If you have an interest in birding Stateside, rare birds or both, I'd just like to flag up this new book. I've just ordered it!

No apologies

Never tire of seeing this beautiful bird. I am blessed with a good population in the local area. I regularly see two birds at Out Newton...no recent sightings of Little Owl, alas.

This morning I spotted a bird perched on a roadside post. It was flushed by a delivery lorry but ended up back by the barn...

It then flew off and started hunting the roadside verge...

In no time at all it had it's breakfast...

The "Ghost"

One thing about having a dog is that it forces you out in bad weather! The bonus being you might see something decent even in adverse conditions. This morning was a good example. As Bud was doing what dogs do at the Patrington end of Snakey lane, I spotted this Barn Owl...

Always appreciated...

Yellow jewel

Thick fog here for most of the day. It lifted briefly mid-morning down Snakey lane enabling me to add Yellowhammer (P.75, H.39) to the patch year list. I reckon there were at least 10 present.

The old stomping ground

Spent the day at NDC. I've promised myself at least one visit a month. After all, I am the "Duffbirder". Great to return to the old Patch.

I decided to do a Big Sit. Maybe not the best idea considering the temperature...

The view from Garganey hide at 10.30

It was a beautiful crisp winter's day however and I was well wrapped up. I started down at Garganey hide as there was more ice free water and a good selection of ducks including at least 30 Pintail. No Whoopers were apparent. I did see some over on Ellerton Ings later in the day.

Around 11 I moved up to the Geoff Smith hide and set my stall out in the "freezer"...

Carpet on the benches these days!

The hide faces North, which is great for viewing but not for warmth. An impressive number of Lapwing (c300) were present with a scattering of Golden Plover (c30)...

Below is a list of birds (35 species) seen in 6 hours...

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Greater Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
European Teal (Anas crecca)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus argentatus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)
Great Tit (Parus major major)
Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

Some surprising/amazing omissions. Chuffed with a Moorhen at 2.30!! Finally picked out a female Mallard sat in the reeds at 3.45!!!

A couple of (very) distant Buzzards were the highlight of a steady and very enjoyable day.

A bit closer

Through the freezing fog

Went to thaw out at 4 after finally giving up on a Barn Owl sighting.

Back in Feb...

Hard..."work"?

Out and about locally today at the start of my mini-break till Tuesday afternoon. The day had a delayed start due to heavy rain. When I eventually ventured out I headed for Long Bank to take another look at "the Swans". Three species in close proximity! It was interesting and hopefully educational to view them from a distance to compare "jizz". Great to have all three so close to home.


Both yellow-bills are still persecuted both on their breeding grounds and on migration. I won't get on my soap box!


I prefer to dwell on the achievements of these magnificent birds. The stat that stands out for me is the altitude they can fly at.

"Perhaps the most impressive altitude record is that of a flock of Whooper Swans which was seen on radar arriving over Northern Ireland on migration and was visually identified by an airline pilot at 29,000 feet"

Whooper and Mute

Bewick's

Afternoon spent down at Skeffling. Nothing significant but some nice sightings...

A lone grazing Brent

Things coming along steadily regarding the update. Hope to complete soon...

Garden surprise!

Coal Tit (P.69, H.38)

This little gem graced me with it's presence at my feeders this morning. Easier than getting neck ache searching the conifers!

Bewick's Swans!

Top sighting yesterday in the form of 3 Bewick's Swans (P.68, S.34) at Long Bank, Kilnsea. A rare bird in Yorkshire these days. Not like the late eighties when I made my first visit to the North Duffield/Bubwith area from my "then home" in Scunthorpe. Three figure numbers of both species were present on the floods...MAGIC!

This morning started well with an impressive flock of Ringed Plover (c50) on the beach at Easington (P.69, S.35). A few Sanderling (S.36) were also present.

Sterling efforts have obviously taken place regarding the Spurn "clean up". I would have helped but I was working at the weekend.

On the way home I noticed someone was having trouble with their car!!!

A Volvo too