Redstart

I've only photographed 2 species of bird this weekend but it has to be said that I,m very pleased with the results of both.
I only had a couple of hours to spare this afternoon so I popped down to Sammy's point.A chap told me that there was a redstart in some bushes and very little else about.
Ikept my radio on but nothing much was reported so I stayed with the redstart.
Might just save me a trip further afield later in the year.

Garganey

Took the dog for a walk down swine Moor this morning.
These 2 garganeys were a nice year tick.
Not much else different from during the week.
No sign of the yellow wagtails.

Spring has sprung!

I had a couple of very contrasting mornings at Spurn this weekend.
saturday morning had a cold westerlt wind blowing much stronger than the 10mph forecast.
I started at Sammy's Point and managed a brief view of a ring ouzel as it flew north.
Then on to canal scrape nothing doing there apart from a few chiff chaffs and willow warblers.
Went down to Spurn Point and hardly any birds around the parade ground, but did see a glaucous gull flying south, so went back up to the crown for a reported firecrest which I saw albeit fleeting.
Back to canal scrape and managed some distant views of the 'continental' stonechat and by now things had warmed up slightly in the bushes I saw my first sedge warbler of the year.
headed for home with a few more for the year list.
This morning was far more springlike.I started again at sammy's Point and saw a lesser whitethroat and whimbrel and one solitary wheatear.
Down to canal scrape and saw another lesser whitethroat, someone reported a ring ouzel back at Sammy's so this being my target bird for the day I went back.
No sign where it had been reported, but I did see my first cuckoo of the year.On the way back I saw a large blckbird feeding in one of the paddocksand sure enough it was the RO.
It was always keeping its distance but I managed a coiple of half decent shots, later it was joined by a yellow wagtail.
A good few other common migrants were reported today including grasshopper warbler, whinchat, redstart, firecrest and black redstart.
At last some decent birds to look at, hopefully something big soon.

Busy Weekend

I have ,anaged to visit a couple of places this weekend,the first one a sensitive site but needless to say I got decent views (but no shots) of my 2 target birds woodlark and meadow pipit.
The second place was Spurn on saturday I spent some time in the hide at canal scrape and the yellow wagtails proved to be very obliging as was the black redstart at sandy beaches.
Second visit on Sunday wasn't so successful as a cold north easterly put a dampener on things.
It was a good weekend for firsts of the years and wheatear, willow warbler, swallow, sand martin, yellow wagtail, black redstart, buzzard and water pipit were all added to the list.
Some strong south easterlies wouldn't go amiss during the week.

Spurn in Spring

I had my first proper trip to Spurn of the year today.
A beautiful Spring day with hardly any wind and mild temperature.
I started at sammy's Point, straight away adding willow warbler, swallow and wheatear to the year list.
I had my radio with me and it was rather quiet on the airwaves apart from a few common migrants, so I stayed longer than I normally would mainly targetting the wheatear.
I had my lunch at the Crown and Anchor car park and was rewarded with a pair of blackcaps, then on to canal scrape.
At first glance not much doing then I noticed a rather pale looking pipit on the other bank, a quick look with the scope and it was clear it was a water pipit with that one of the regulars popped in and put it out on the radio.Within minutes the hide was full everyone wanting a glimpse.
It then became clear that this was only the 16th water pipit ever recorded at Spurn.
I had no idea that it ws such a significant bird, and I felt quite chuffed.
Also from canal scrape was a couple of flyover buzzards, a scandinavian rock pipit, a couple of immaculate yellow wagtails and lots of chiff chaffs feding in the reeds.
All in all a very pleasant day.