Spurn Bird Observatory

 Since I missed the Migfest, and had friends up for the week, I decided to spend the latter half of the week visiting Spurn, but this time actually birding rather than at an event. It also helped that the forecasted easterlies in Calderdale would relegate Soil Hills potential for migration to almost zero, so it is not like I would be missing anything at home.

There were a few bits to get excited about while I was at Spurn. Generally I missed most of the ‘standout’ birds through trying to avoid the crowds, but did drop onto a very tidy Barred Warbler in the observatory garden, which showed incredibly well at one point, sitting right out in the open for a good minute before resuming its more typical behaviour. There was also a Pectoral Sandpiper on Kilnsea Wetlands throughout the duration of my stay, and I called in to visit this bird as well. It was always distant, at the back of the lagoon. 

And then, just as I was about to leave on the Sunday, news broke of a Red-flanked Bluetail at Sammies Point, and you just don’t miss those. So I headed up to have a look. The size of the crowd already present, and the elusive behaviour of the bird, meant that it was difficult to see but it did show well for me at one point, giving a chance to take in all the features.

Most of the time I spent birding a nearby reserve called Hodgson’s Field, which has ample incredible habitat and almost no birders visiting. Although I failed to find anything of real note, it was nice to see good numbers of common migrants, including double figures of Lesser Whitethroat on the Friday. And there was also Barn Owl and Marsh Harrier to be seen, so absolutely not time wasted.

Although my visits are more infrequent these days, trips like this remind me of why Spurn is such an excellent place for birding. And there was still time every night to visit the Crown and Anchor for a few light beverages. 

-Barred Warbler

-Red-flanked Bluetail

Species List:
Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Pied Avocet, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Arctic Skua, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Red-throated Loon, Northern Gannet, Little Egret, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Barn Swallow, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Barred Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Red-flanked Bluetail, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,
Hodgson's Fields YWT: Pink-footed Goose, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, European Golden Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Western Barn Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Common Reed Bunting, 

Anglers CP

 Since I was traveling east on my way to Spurn, I decided to call in at Anglers CP in order to see the Black Tern that had been lingering there for a few days prior. Normally I wouldn’t make the effort for such a bird, but it was only a slight detour, and my efforts to find the species in Calderdale have thus far proved fruitless.

From the hide the Black Tern could be seen doing full loops of the lake, feeding along the back and throwing itself in the water to, presumably, clean itself. It would fly past the hide at close quarters on occasion, but would often go missing for extended periods as well. It was only as I was leaving that it became apparent that it had been roosting on a buoy close to the entrance. Here it showed extremely nicely and offered even better views than those I was afforded in the hide.

In terms of other birds on the site, there was the usual assortment of early September wildfowl and commoner garden birds in the bushes and on the feeder. The only bird of real note was a female Pintail that dropped in just before I was about to head off. 

-Black Tern

Species List:
Anglers CP: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Northern Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black Tern, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Barn Swallow, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Goldfinch, 

Ogden Water

  I don’t bother twitching so much these days, but when something local catches the eye, its hard to say no. And although it's hardly a mega rarity, when two Shovelers turned up on Ogden, found by NK, I decided to make the short journey across. As if extra motivation was required for a species that would be a Calderdale tick, I had also managed to miss two already this year, both at this same site.

  Of course, seeing a duck on Ogden is not difficult, and sure enough, upon arriving at the site, the two birds were still sitting in the middle sleeping or preening. I did a full loop of the reservoir to get a better angle for photos, but they always remained quite distant, and as such I could only manage a few record shots.  

-Shoveler

Species List:
Ogden Water: Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Little Grebe, Common Wood Pigeon, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Jay, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin,