Sealed with a Miss

Took the family to see the seals at Donna Nook last Sunday and my wife was like a different creature - oohhhing and aahhhing all over the shot and taking so many photos its not true (they will feature in a follow up). Big numbers of Brent Geese were knocking about with a few distant waders. I didnt get a handle on any of the pale-bellied birds but no worries. After an hour of staring at the seals we jumped in the car to avoid getting soaked. It was then the apocalypse occurred. The rain was mental.

The second destination was Saltfleetby where a small party of Shorelark were associating with Twite and Snobs. After heading to the wrong brickyard lane in the vicinity I eventually found the place I wanted. En route a Weasel crossed the road in front of us.

It was still monsoon like when we pulled up so Angela and Isabelle stayed in the car whilst I got wet. As I walked to the end of Brickyard lane another Weasel crossed my path. Magic. The beach was grey but filled with passerines. A handful of super sum plum male Snow Buntings were dotted amongst the hundred or so present. Among these were the inobtrusive but more numerous Twite - about 150. I searched through this flock for 30 minutes or so and scanned across the saltmarsh but no sign of the Shorelarks. I decided not to leave my girls in the car too long and headed back only to be given a nice bonus - 6 Whoopers migrating south. Very nice.

A post-script to this is the shorelarks were seen laterly and not by me. Grrr.

Banked

Paid a flying visit to bank island, Wheldrake as my wife visited a friend in the village. Was very successful with 2 Whoopers the highlight. Also 10 or so male Pintail, a couple of Jays, Sprawk, 2 Kestrels and various other bits and pieces made for an entertaining time.

Red Rooster

On my way home today I paid my first visit to the wolds Red Kite roost. Upon arrival 2 birds were up with two trios in distant trees. At least12 were seen descending into the roost but im pretty sure i missed some of the early entrants as they were already headed in when i arrived. Along with the kites I had a very vocal Kestrel harrassing an incredibly white Barn Owl in the gloom. Will definitely be back.

Filey

BF meet in Filey today was billed as the big November extravaganza but sadly it failed to live up to expectations. An early Peregrine en route was nice and 6 Snobs (a single and a 5) were expected fayre even if they were cute. A very confiding Kingfisher at Filey dams was great but to be honest everything else was standard, scoter, r-t diver and gannet. Bit of a shame really but I had a great time was had with good company and ebirder was packed on his merry way to Inverness. Michael Flowers has done a far superior write-up on his blog - check it out.

p.s. just booked a week in the highlands for 2nd weekof jan. Mint.

Skiiving my duties

A dank, wet and windy morning on Saturday soon put paid to our ringing with the sensible decision to close the nets taken unanimously after two hours and a retrapped wren. A Concensus was made to decamp to Bempton in order tosee the Red-flanked Bluetail that had taken up temporary residence beside the feeding station. This was merely a year tick for me having seen the corking 2007 bird in Old Fall at Flamborough but it would be a first BOU rare for will aged 9 and Graham, Will's dad. Graham had previously missed Bluetails on there breeding ground so this would be some form of catharsis. Fortunately the bird was showing like a gem at about 5m range when we arrived on low branches and then feeding in the leaves like its commoner red-breasted cousin. It was quite confiding but some dickheads decided they wanted to be at one with the bird and promptly flushed it deeeper in to the plantation when the started edging in. Why? Bloody photographers. BTW thanks for the shots Paul Reed. Also BTW he wasnt the flusher. We quickly moved on to look for the RB Shrike that has been a field or two north but it was sensibly hunkered down in the high winds. Graham had to get away to domestic bliss so I decided to truely abuse my pass out by seeing the Dusky warbler at North Landing. It'd be rude not too. My previous with this species involved a particularly skulky bird in Easington in 2007. All i saw was an eyestripe that went 'TACK' moving through the hedge. This bird as to prove a little better with out in the open views and soft calling. Radde's and Chiffy were duly eliminated and 3 or 4 brief views over a forty minute period pieced it all together. Im chuffed I went to see this educational bird. Back to the baby afterward though...

Eastern Crowned Warbler - Whitburn

WOAH!!!! Just come out on BF. 1st for Britain. Chances of getting there slim. Heres a link to the pic

Eastern Crowned Warbler

Day Release

Got allowed out for 4 hours today so hit the geadland at Flamborough. Gave south landing a good workout but it only produced a handful of 'eastern' abietinus type Chiffchaff plus a nice variety of turdus. The beach produced a Mipit amongst the Rockits. Also 3 Barwits and a distant duck sp. Hmm. Not really the quality id hope for. Moved onto old fall where further eastern Chiffers were supported by an acredula type Willow Warbler. A Clouded Yellow was a butterfly lifer. Just as i went to leave a male Ring Ouzel flushed from the plantation into the hedge. Which was nice. The strange Ladybird was not one id seen before -- is it a Harlequin?