Double dish

Last Friday I was doing some work in Druridge Bay on a realignment site. It was blimin' chilly and I was glad of the conclusion after seeing very little. Afterwards I thought it would have been rude not to check out the Pacific Diver at Druridge Bay country park. The light was appalling but despite this I picked it out at the Eastern end by the outflow from the lake and made my way round. There was a small crowd as it fished constantly between the reedbed and outflow giving great views of its distinctive jizz and more subtle fieldmarks. It showed a definite routine of stick its head up above the water post dive and then slowly bring the body to the surface, followed by a brief cogitation followed by some odd angles with the head and then a half leap of a dive.

This was my second Pacific Diver after the first record at Knaresborough and whilst the weather was grim and the excitement didnt really reach those levels, the views were much closer meaning that a better assessment of the bird could be undertaken in the field. The bird is still present as I type so I may get another chance to view in better light. Hopefully it moults into the outstanding summer plumage whilst present.

I shot off home realising that if I was sharp I may have a shot at the Pine Bunting in Dunnington, near York. A reasonable journey time gave me a two hour window at the bunting. I was initially with a crowd of perhaps a dozen at the south end of the paddock which contained approximately one million Yellowhammers but no icy version. Those surrounding didn't seem overly bothered but I could see a couple of birders at the north end looking intently so I relocated up there.

One of the birders was Chris Gomersall who found the bird inbetween scouring the tip at Rufforth for Caspian Gulls. Chatting to him he thought the bird had a routine and had been seen twice already in the willows at the north of the paddock and he was confident it would again. Plenty of passerine interest was present with Brambling and Siskin amongst the yammers but the larger flock stayed distant.

Time ticked by and confidence ebbed with the other birder, wandering into the next paddock. Dusk was just minutes away when Chris yelped - 'its just landed in the tree, its the only bird'. We got about 20 seconds of excellent views before it disappeared, presumably to roost with its citron brethren. This was a new bird and I was delighted that perseverance paid. It was number 313 for Yorkshire which is ok I guess and a goodie for sure.