Winter waders

I set off for Spurn this morning for an outside chance of a male hen harrier.The day got off to a good start with a single waxwing perched at the top of a tree in Thorngumbald.
When I got to Spurn I noticed the massive amount of waders feeding in the flooded fields so using the car as a hide I stayed with them for a couple of hours.
Nothing unusual but the curlew,snipe,lapwing,redshank,dunlin,golden plover, oystercatcher, ringed plover and godwits made for some good photographic opportunities. I didn't actually get down to Spurn but called in via Sunk Island on the way home. A single pheasant in a snowy field was nice along with a mixed flock of thrushes including blackbird, fieldfare and redwing and finally a small flock of twite on the roadside.
The conditions are making things difficult for the birds and it looks set to get cold again next week.

Winter Bites!

The recent weather has hit hard and last week I only managed a trip to East Park, most of the wildfowl had disappeared and only common birds were present.
I had a trip up to Flamborough and Barmston today. Neither place held anything special the highlights being a nice barn owl at Flamborough and grey plover and purple sandpiper at Barmston.

Lincs Rough Leg

I managed at last to catch up with a rough legged buzzard yesterday. I went across the bridge for the relatively long staying bird at South Ferriby.
It was out of view at first but soon took up its customary perch on the fence line at the west end of the cement works. It was quite distant but showed very well and caught a vole whilst I was there (and another chap said he saw it catch another 4 after I'd left) so if there is plenty of foood around it might stay for a while.
After that I went on to Worlaby it was absolutely freezing I didn't see any close up short eared owls (although expectation levels were high) but true to form as a rattor hotspot I had distant views of hen harrier, buzzard, sparrowhawk, kestrel plus a couple of SEO's anfd a fly-by barn owl.
Definitely will be back this winter but calmer days would be best.

Rose Coloured Starling

I was a little bit limited for time today, however when the news of a rose coloured starling at easington came out I was soon on my way.
It could not have been easier, I parked my car on the verge and walked 10 yards and there it was.
Would have been nice if it was an adult, however another one to add to the list.

A day to Remember

With a combination of prolonged sterly winds, right time of year and wall to wall sunshine, yesterday was truly a day to remember.
The day started well with a couple of jack snipe on canal scrape as well as plenty of song thrushes, redwings, a couple of flyover white fronted geese and a single ring ouzel.
News of a pallas's warbler at sammy's Point broke out.There are only a few days every year when a view of a pallas's is available so I was soon heading off to sammy's.
There was a good crowd already there and after some brief encounters with goldcrests, redstarts, loads of robins, chiff chaffs, willow warblers and a couple of blackcaps-the pallas's warbler put on a fantastic display delighting the amassed crowd. While waiting for it to show we had a flyover short eared owl.
After a couple of hours with the pallas's I had a break and spent some time with a fine flock of obliging bramblings accompanied by a couple of siskin.Also in the paddock was a single whinchat. I eventually headed back into Kilnsea to see a pied flycatcher i the crown car park and an obliging lapland bunting at the borrow pit.
I decided against going down Spurn Road because of the crowds and decided instead to walk back to sammy's Point from the crown.
The humber shore was alive with birds with yet more redstarts, robins and willow warblers, a decent amount of wheatears and loads of redwings in the adjacent field.
there was also a couple of stonechat and a single rock pipit.
After a quick scan around Sammy's Point and a no-show from the pallas's I had a nice stroll back in the evening sunshine thoroughly pleased with the days 'work'.

Redstart
Redstart

Redstart

Redwing

Ring Ouzel

Pallas's Warbler

Jack Snipe

Brambling

Brambling

Lapland Bunting

Blackcap