Ortolan Bunting

Had another trip out this morning, this time for the ortolan bunting at sammy's Point.

It showed almost straight away although it was flighty at first.Posed nicely for about 5 minutes for these shots.Another good day in the Spurn area, I saw the wood warblers in the Crown car park plus a female red backed shrike in the canal zone.

Plenty of other bits and pieces about to keep the masses of birdwatchers happy.

Red Backed Shrike

Had a quick trip to Spurn tonight after reports of a considerable fall of late migrants, from yesterday and today.The most productive area had been around post 62 so I headed there first.

Almost immediately I saw a flight view of a golden oriole, then almost straight after that I saw this magnificent red-backed shrike.

It was flitting about from post to branch and I managed to get within 20m for some nice views.

near the warren I got within 5m of a singing marsh warbler but it stayed well down in the undergrowth.

Not a bad couple of hours at all.

East Coast Waders

'Tundra' Ringed Plover

Grey Plover
Ringed Plover


Broad Billed Sandpiper
Broad Billed Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Broad Billed Sandpiper

Dunlin

I went over to Spurn at the weekend in the hope of a curlew sandpiper and anything else that might be on offer.Beacon Ponds and Spurn near the warren were very productive.

I managed to see the CS but also got a superb bonus of a broad billed sandpiper.It was feeding with the waders as the tide flooded and ver flighty, however it did stay put long enough for these record shots.

There were plenty of birds about including summer plumaged sandpipers, knot and bar-tailed godwit.

Also there were a couple of 'Tundra' ringed plovers.

The wind spoilt any chance of a decent photograph, but the quality of birds on offer more than made up.

A few more shots

Just browsing through my recent shots and I thought I would add these.

Early Morning Start

I got up at 4.00 am yesterday and went out to Patrington Haven.The day was clear and bright, but chilly for the time of year.

I went to Patrington Haven with the hope of seeing a curlew sandpiper, but really just being out at that time was something... to see anything out of the ordinary would be a bonus.

The first birds on view were a couple of grey partridges, they were happy to stay cloese while i was in the car but as soon as i got out they were off like a shot.

It was at this point when I realised the amount of birdsong, sedge warblers, reed buntings and skylarks were giving it their all.

The little car park at Pat.haven is just ooposite an old farm house with well established trees in the grounds,it was here that I heard the iconic summer sound of a calling turtle dove,there was another a short distance away, the morning was almost perfect.Complementing the turtle doves was a cuckoo.

On the way down the track there was a heron flying up from the drain and on the farm side there were meadow pipits, yellow wagtails and goldfinches.

at the flood realignment the air was filled with the avocet alarm call as I walked over the top of the bank.

The avocets were joined by a small flock of dunlin, some ringed plover a couple of bar tailed godwit and a few shellduck.

I gave the lagoons a good scan, but there was no sign of anything out of the ordinary.

A large flock of striking summer plumaged grey plovers made a spectacular scene.

Not much on the way back, but as I drove out of Pat haven a barn owl posed conveniently for some nice shots.

On to Easington for the reported raven (no sign) but some nice little terns and greenshanks made the walk worthwhile.

All in all a most enjoyable morning.

Cuckoo Under Attack!

Had a walk down the Humber at Paull on Saturday evening, I noticed this cuckoo perched on the fence posts that run along the bank.

In between trying to feed it was constantly being harassed by a pair of meadow pipits (probably due to its resemblance to a bird of prey.

At one point there were too cuckoos but the efforts of the pipits saw the other one off.

There were very few waders were on the mudflat, with no avocets at all.

Managed a nice view of a short eared owl hunting on the farmland.

Nice.

Woodchat Shrike

Late news of a woodchat shrike prompted a quick visit to Kilnsea.

It was showing distantly on canal scrape hedge until it flew right to the end of the hedge nearest the riverbank.

Managed a few shots before it disappeared.

Nice bird.

Mellow Yellow

More yellow wagtail shots from yesterday.

All is Quiet

Went to Spurn today in the hope of something special, but the day was very quiet and sometimes it was difcult to find something to look at.

No sign of the red rumped swallow,just left a few common migrants and the first little terns of the year.

Quite happy with the yellow wagtail shots.

Great Grey Shrike

A trip over to Lincolnshire during the week resulted in this magnificent great grey shrike.It took some finding following some dodgy directions but well worth the trip.