Cracking day at Spurn

Today at spurn was one of those days that will stay in the memory for a long time.

There was birds everywhere form start to finish.

I started around post 62 and straight away i saw whinchat,stonechat, meadow pipit and reed bunting. Furtherinto the bushes and it wa alive with robins plus some very confiding siskins and a few willow warblers and chiff chaffs. news of a great grey shrike had me heading up to the gate and albeit distant, the shrike showd very well with a small vole pinned to a branch in its 'larder'.

While I was there I called in at canal scrape and this yielded redstart, willow warbler, grey wagtail, wheatear, dunlin and some very confiding song thrush.

from there I went back to the point in search of a red-breasted flycatcher. it was flitting around the gun emplacement and after a walk round to get better views, it showd very well.

the walk produced even more thrushes including a couple of ring ouzel.

Also near the rbf there was pied and spotted flycatcher a garden warbler more siskins a brambling and a good passage of thrushes heading south. I had a distant view of another great grey shrike before heading back up towards the Crown.

On the way I saw a couple of short eared owls and a pair of little egret.

I looked in the crown car park and there weremarkedly less birds there, I saw a pair of blackcap and finished the day with a yellow browed warbler.

Red breasted flycatcher

Red breasted flycatcher

Red breasted flycatcher

Red breasted flycatcher

Red breasted flycatcher

Great grey shrike

Brambling

Grey wagtail

Siskin

Goldcrest

Robin

Wheatear

Blackcap

Whinchat

Garden warbler

Quiet Day at Spurn

With a recent run of west and south west winds, things have gone a little quieter on the east Coast. I took this opportunity to catch up with the juvenile red necked grebe at North Cave.
It was showing well as soon as I got into turret hide and the early morning sun made for some nice light.
After that it was on to Spurn, a quick look in canal scrape hide gave views of a purple sandpiper some juvenile yellow wagtails, a water rail and a single reed warbler.
Then on to the point quite a few common birds about just a brambling of note and then back up to the canal.
I had a look in the churchyard and crown car park but not much doing.
need some easterlies.

Western Bonellis Warbler

I had 2 trips up to bempton today to try and see a western bonellis warbler first found yesterday in the car park area.
It was there from the off but quite elusive and flighty.
I stayed while about 11.30 having seen it up to 4 times but with no real opportunities for a photo.
I looked at some shots on the net when I got back and it appeared that it showed weel in the evening yesterday so I went up again for the last hour of light.
It was showing really well in the car park when I got there but then went quite a while undercover.
It did show very well in the last half hour but I was struggling for light by then. The bird was beautifully marked and when it did put in an appearance in the sunshine it was stunning.
A lifer for me and the good start we have had to Autumn continues.
What next?

Spotted fly

Took these at crown and anchor car park the other night.
More than happy with the results.

Common Rosefinch

I had another trip to Spurn this morning full of expectation of some more good birds. it didn't quite live up to what I was hoping for but I managed to see a few common migrants such as whinchat, redstart, pied flycatcher, white throat and willow warbler.
There was a smattering of other decent birds about including a sparrowhawk, water rail, little egret and a couple of greenshank.
I was pleased to catch up with one of the common rosefinches that have been present for a few days.
I have posted one shot and 2 crops of the same image. I was quite happy with the mornings work but this was somewhat overshadowed with the news of yet another east yorkshire mega in the form of a brown flycatcher at Buckton.
One day I might manage to catch up with one.

Here we go again.....

I have bee quite busy just lately (most of my spare time has been taken up by getting used to some new gear) but I have still managed to see some decent birds just lately.
There has been a good run of scarce and rare birds on the east coast in the last week or so and at the time of going to press they keep coming (great snipe Spurn).
I managed to connect with the eastern Olivaceous warbler at Flamborough but alas no pictures.
I was at Spurn early today and it was dead still no wind whatsoever and this lack of movement seemed to reflect the mood of the birds there were a few kicking about but it seemed hard work.
First bird was a wheatear at the point followed by a fleeting view of a barred warbler. Then some decent but distant view of a couple of common rosefinches around the heligoland trap.
then back up to the crown for some close views of a wood warbler (released after being ringed) and a pied flycatcher in the church yard. I had a look for a reported lapland bunting to no avail then a report of a barred warbler in the canal zone had me heading there. I saw a rather drab redstart on the way and then the wait for the barred warbler. This is a bird that I have only had flleting views of in the past and I didnt hold out much hope after it didn't show afret 20 minutes of waiting, then it started to appear and became quite bold. It moved around quite a bit and eventually gave stunning close views.
Not long after it typically disappeared so it was time to head for home, was tempted by the booted warbler at Grimston but thankfully I didnt bother.
expectations are running high for the next week... watch this space.