Buff Breasted Sandpiper

i went up to Thornwick Bay for the buff breasted sandpiper this afternoon. Quite a long walk uphill to get to the sheep field it favoured with very little in terms of birds on the way. A peregrine falcon being the best of it.

Once I got there the bird showed well in the north western corner, probably kept there by the buffeting south westerly wind. It was always a struggle to get a sharp shot in poor light and as a fairly heavy shower came over the bird took flight an alighted some 500 yards north west.

It was time to go. best other bird was a hobby.

American black Tern

I went to Covenham reservoir yesterday for the black winged tern.

Posed very obligingly from the outset.

It patrolled up and don the east end and whilst there was quite a few people chasing it up and down, it was equally as rewarding to wait for it to cme a it eventually did.

the back up cast was provided in the form of 2 obliging little stints.

Went over to Rimac for the buff breasted sandpipers but they failed to show.

Nice late summers day but not a patch on this time last year-we need some strong easterly winds and quick.

Greenshanks

A nice morning dawned today and i thought I'd have a couple of hours at pat haven then move on to Spurn.

Got there for just after 7.30 and there were already a few waders and gulls on the lagoon as well as a grey heron.

As the tide flooded the greenshanks came in and landed pretty close as did lots of small waders but by the look of it only one curlew sandpiper.

the greenshanks were quite wary at first then settled down.

then something really spooked them and they went into a mild panic, looking round, it was a merlin that had gone chasing the waders.

After the merlin had gone it had cleared everything off the lagoon barring the greenshank.

left at around 10.30 to go to spurn but it was dead quiet.

Waders at Dusk

Went down to Pat haven a couple of times this week after work. First night it was blowing a gale and raining but cleared in the last half hour to give some fantastic light and very close views of dunlin, ringed plover and curlew sandpiper. Went again last night, again very close views of dunlin but didn't see any sign of cs.

Lots of dunlin and ringed plover on the lagoon, a couple of knot and odd redshank and greenshank. probably the last visit of the year for waders but quite pleased with the shots.

Bridlington Skua cruise

I went on another Brid skua trip this morning. Quite a contrast from last week as southerly winds put a bit of a chop on the sea.

There were a couple of skuas on view from the harbour wall to start as well as a couple of red throated divers. Almost straight away the skuas were on view mainly bonxie but also the odd arctic. A confiding manx shearwater was nice as was good views of a sooty at the rear of the boat. There was a big flock of plunge diving gannets that was quite spectacular.

there was another flyby sabines gull which i didn't see, then on the way back there was some close views of a bonxie.

All in all another very enjoyable trip but far more difficult trying to photograph birds when the boat is pitching and tossing in the sea!