Sandbeach Outflow twitching Red-breasted Goose

   After our success with the Northern Waterthrush we continued on to the Essex coastline where there had been a Red-breasted Goose seen among the rafts of thousands of Brent Geese on the arable fields there. So we spent the rest of the daylight hours here enjoying some very pleasant birding, with a wide variety of species on offer.

  Sadly, despite searching through over 5000 Brent Geese during the afternoon, we failed to find the Red-breasted Goose. It was reported at another location around lunchtime so we headed there, but ultimately failed in our quest. Still, it was very enjoyable and we still had some rare goose action with a Black Brant and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose at the second location we checked. 

  In addition the birding was excellent, with flocks of Corn Buntings being the highlight, a species I see so infrequently in the UK. There were also groups of waders around, especially Golden Plover in the fields. Despite the dip, it was an excellent afternoons birding. 

-Dark-bellied Brent Geese & Marsh Harrier

-Black Brant & Dark-bellied Brent Geese

-Corn Bunting

Species List:
Sandbeach Outflow: Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Pale-bellied Brent Goose, Black Brant, Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Teal, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Pied Avocet, Grey Plover, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Grey Heron, Western Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Cetti's Warbler, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, Fieldfare, European Robin, European Stonechat, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, European Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Eurasian Chaffinch, Common Linnet, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Common Reed Bunting, 

Spurn Bird Observatory

This is our first of no doubt many autumn visits to Spurn, and it was a nice return to things, if not a little steady. While the migrant front was pretty quiet, it's nice to just see a lot of birds again, especially the waders and seabirds in the Kilnsea Wetlands and Beacon Ponds area.

The impressive numbers of common waders were joined by a very smart Red-necked Phalarope which we visited on our first evening at the north end of the Beacon Ponds. It showed nicely in the evening light as it weaved its way between the high-tide roosting Dunlins. And sat among the Dunlins was an adult Curlew Sandpiper, a good few years since my last. There was also a Great Egret on the ponds, but this is not a rare bird here anymore, how times have changed.

While the migrant front was quiet it was nice to spend a sunny afternoon in the Crown car park watching two Pied Flycatchers whilst enjoying a few ciders. Other migrant activity to a pair of Whinchat down the Canal, but on Saturday evening a Wryneck appeared in Mark Andrews garden in Kilnsea, so we had a view of a very showy bird bathing in the evening light.

On our final afternoon, we had a look in the Driftwood-sponsored set-a-side field at the top of Kilnsea Wetlands where a few Corn Buntings had occasionally appeared. It took us some time before we finally found a Corn Bunting which then took some time before it showed well, but once it did both Lia and I were able to watch the bird sat atop the crops before it dropped down.

Again, although steady, it is a completely different birding experience to that of inland Halifax. We will be back here in two weeks unless the forecast easterlies deliver something incredible…

-Great Egret

-Red-necked Phalarope

-Great Spotted Woodpecker

-Woodpigeon

-Wryneck

-Corn Bunting

Species List:
Spurn Bird Observatory:  Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Eurasian Teal, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Pied Avocet, Eurasian Oystercatcher, European Golden Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit, Red Knot, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper, Sanderling, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Red-necked Phalarope, Common Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Eurasian Wryneck, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Common Blackbird, European Robin, European Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Corn Bunting, Common Reed Bunting, 

Lincolnshire surveying Grey Partirdge

I spent the last week surveying arable farms across Lincolnshire. I did four farms with the main target species being Grey Partridge. I was super excited for it and had a great week with plenty of Partridge, both Grey and Red-legged seen. A host of other birds also played a part, with really good numbers of Yellowhammer, cracking views of Red Kite and Buzzard, Barn Owl. I also got my first migrant species of the year; Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff were all common in the woods around the farms, with all three species in song. I heard my first Swallow of the year twittering but I was unable to see it.

The highlights of the week were really obvious to me. First of all was an Osprey that flew low over us whilst we were having a meeting before the week surveying. I did not have my camera on me at the time, which was a real shame given the views we got. And the other highlight was a small colony of 4 singing Corn Buntings I encountered at one of the farms. Obviously its a species you hope for on farms like this but there was so little talk about them before the surveys I presumed they were not in the area. I was pleased to find out that I was wrong. 

-Corn Bunting

Species List:

Lincolnshire Farms: Corn Bunting, Linnet, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Starling, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Common Snipe, Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Red-legged Partridge, Osprey, Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl, Robin, Wren, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Dunnock, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Collard Dove, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Rook, Jackdaw, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Raven, 

Spurn Weekend Day 1

So for my first full day at spurn before the NGBs arrived in the evening I had already decided to do the point providing there was not much moving. There was nothing moving as a thick fog had set in overnight. As a result I set off down the point with the intention of doing a proper count and hopefully getting plenty of stuff seen.

It was pretty quiet, with most of the birds seen being Common Whitethroats, of which I counted 36 singing birds, though there were undoubtedly more. At the point I was harassed by a crow overhead which would not stop calling while I was there, which probably did not help the number of birds. This crow played this way all weekend according to other birders that went down the point. There were plenty of Brown-Tailed Moth caterpillars which I had heard so much about but never seen, as well as a host of Garden Tiger moth caterpillars. The birding highlight was a Tree Pipit that went over my head calling. I did not recognise the call but a quick check of the Collins App left me in no doubt. I also found a Redpoll at Chalk Bank, as well as a Sedge Warbler.

-Common Whitethroat

-Sedge Warbler

By the time I had done at the point I decided to head off up to the ponds to have a proper look at my Little Terns for the year. Along Beacon Lane I re-encountered the Lesser Whitethroats that were still keeping a very low profile and proving very difficult to photograph.

-Lesser Whitethroat

I wandered round Holderness field. I kept checking the ponds to see what was there. I checked the phalarope pool, but the bird had not been seen for a week, so imagine my surprise when I saw it feeding. I radioed it out, but still could not believe I had refound it. Given the butterflies I had for a obvious bird that was only a refind, imagine how tense its going to be when I find something new and mega!! 

-Red-Necked Phalarope

After watching the phalarope for a while I head on my way. I had a look over wetlands with Mick, and we spotted Little Grebe (which was later put out as a red-necked) and a drake tuftie, both good birds for Spurn. Ponds was quiet, but there were a few Little Terns along the edge of the ponds and with the new Swaro I was finally able to get a proper good look at them, even though I had all of last summer.

Mick had told me about the Corn Buntings, that they were up at the top of the Easington lagoons. I had always planned to head up that way but this was good news to hear. The Lagoons were quiet courtesy of a some disruptive dog walkers. At the top of the lane, exactly where Mick had described I connected with only my second (third and fourth) Corn Bunting. 2 birds were in the corn in the field, but one was singing from the hawthorn next to the path giving me a proper good look and a chance for some nice shots of the yeartick.

-Corn Bunting

I could tell I was a little close to the birds singing perch so did not stay long. I decided to walk back down the beach to find anything there. I was rewarded with a Fulmar flying down the beach super close, probably as a result of the fog. There was also an adult Guillemot in the shoreline breakers. It seemed fine and had probably been disorientated by the fog.

-Common Guillemot

Since it was only early afternoon and I had already done the point and the lagoons I decided to do all of Spurn for the first time since I had been here, so I headed over to Sammies via Long Bank. There was not a great deal there, not even for the day list, but it was in the mid afternoon lull in the middle of the day, so its not a massive surprise.

I finished off the walk down Canal Bank where I added Coot to the day list, but not a lot else and I was knackered so after that went back to the Warren for a little sit down. Overall a smashing day with Corn Bunting the star species being only my second ever, best ever view and Year and Spurn tick, its got it all really.

Species List:

Spurn Point: Mistle Thrush, Swallow, Whitethroat, Dunnock, Linnet, Little Tern, Meadow Pipit, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Gannet, Guillemot, Reed Bunting, Starling, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, Wren, Carrion Crow, Tree Pipit, Kestrel, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Sparrowhawk, Lesser Redpoll, Sedge Warbler,

Numpties and Beacon Lane: Woodpigeon, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Swallow, House Martin, Common Gull, Skylark, Magpie, Starling, Mallard, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Greenfinch, Whitethroat, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Lesser Whitethroat,

Holderness Field, Beacon Ponds and Kilnsea Wetlands: House Martin, Magpie, Black-Headed Gull, Mallard, Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Whitethroat, Avocet, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Starling, Linnet, Red-Necked Phalarope, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Shelduck, Gadwall, Oystercatcher, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Little Tern, Little Egret, Redshank, Knot, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Sedge Warbler, Grey Heron, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Corn Bunting, Blackbird, Herring Gull, Fulmar, Guillemot, Sandwich Tern, 

Sammies Point and Canal Bank: Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Shelduck, Mallard, Starling, Swallow, Carrion Crow, Skylark, Linnet, House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove, Little Egret, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Black-Headed Gull, Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Sand Martin, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Common Gull, Coot, Great Tit, Coot,

Hatfield Moor NNR twitching Long-Tailed Skua

Despite the impending examinations the lure of the adult summer long-tailed skua was just too much to handle, so after checking that the bird was still on Hatfield Moor this morning I headed out to try and get it.

The site was a trek. I left the house at around half 8 and made it on site at half eleven. The connections were pretty smooth given my luck but there was plenty else to enjoy. Hatfield is a small town surrounded by farmland. The train station is no more than a pair of platforms and about 20 mins walk from the bus stop I needed. I also needed to use the loo at this point so on my walk to the bus stop I decided to call in at the Co-op to see if they had a loo.

For some reason, at this point I looked up. I dunno why, the sky was pretty standard-grey, but overhead there flew at that moment a Cuckoo. I could not believe it. When I saw the bird it had already gone over me but there was no mistaking its form as it flew away. Because of this I have no shots of it, but its quite a record, and quite an odd place to pick it up. I must have looked an odd sight wandering round the co-op celebrating.

I made it to the reserve, but once there succeeded in getting lost multiple times, and finding myself in surprise places but not where I wanted to be. I flushed a good 50 Four-Spot Chasers along the walk, but on the bird front it quiet. There was also a Roe Deer and Weasel, so overall quite a good turnout. The highlight birdwise were a few Shelducks and 3 Common Terns that flew over. 

-Common Tern

I made it to the site where the bird was supposed to be, but there was nobody there, and the pools were void of birdlife. I was gutted, so after a short stop to see if I was missing anything I began to weary trudge back. I may stress at this point that the reserve is huge, as in its massive, so the trudge back was a long trudge. On the way I did not really pick up any species. The Swifts had been showing well the whole time and they continued to do so, but that was about all.

I did however find some birders at long last, and found out why I had gotten lost. I also found out that the bird had gone at around 12. Apparently it had circled high until it was a mere speck before heading south, alas such is my rotten luck.

I wandered back by the main paths this time to avoid getting lost again. This took me through some smaller pools rather than round the more extensive marsh. Some peculiar calls, probably alarm, led me to a pair of Little Grebes, but they dived as soon as I had eyes on them, and I also found a Southern Marsh Orchid next to the path, so I was able to get some more photos of this species.

-Southern Marsh Orchid

I arrived at the main car park, and finally positioned myself on my map, ideal now that I was going. In the car park there were more birders who helped piece together where the skua had gone. There was also a very vocal garden warbler, which was obviously very close but just not visible. I stayed as long as I dare trying to find it, but it decided to stop calling, or move off as another or the same started singing a way away, so that species still continues to elude me.

In all honesty is was looking like the day could have been better spent revising, as I'm not sure a brief cuckoo along warranted the extortion that was Northern Rail. However, on the way out that all changed. I was wandering out by the road through the farmland when I heard a call that I could not recall ever hearing before, and it sounded like the kind of call that I would have remembered. So I stopped beside a hawthorn tree to try and track down the maker. There was a family party of Blue Tits in the tree by the sounds of it too, but when the bird sang again I was able to locate it on the very top of the tree, meaning I would struggle to get a complete photo. From what I could tell from my obscured view was that it was a large passerine, somewhere between skylark and starling, and that its beak was short and stumpy.

During my research into the site prior to my visit I had seen the occasional report of corn bunting in the area, but I had not really considered it, as the same thing is said of Bempton and I have never seen one there. However, here I had an enigma and my thoughts quickly jumped to the conclusion that it might just be one, finally. I grabbed some shots but the light was against me and I could make out no distinguishable features. However, I could tell that it was streaky, but that it had a stumpy beak, finch or bunting, but I can not recall ever seeing a finch or a bunting as big as this bird. I decided to take a chance and get a better view, by entering the verge of the field. From here I managed some more shots and convinced myself in my head from the evidence I had that it was, but after taking some photos from my new position I raised my binoculars to have a look, and the bird decided it wanted to go.

I had convinced myself that I had finally settled my score but having never seen one before I wanted to check. As such I waited until I could get my photos into photoshop and lighten them up before I would celebrate. Turns out I was right, and it is indeed a Corn Bunting, my first ever.

So what is my beef with corn buntings? Not with corn buntings themselves, but my interest in birds stemmed from I-spy. In I-spy birds corn bunting is somehow warranted 5 points, the same as blue tit, and great tit, but less than dunnock. So I have this ridiculous gap in my pride and glory because of their ridiculous scoring system and the fact that I could not seem to find a corn bunting.

So, finally, having sorted that out I can finally appreciate what I have seen. I was surprised by just how big it was. I had always expected something sparrow sized, but not at all. That was its most defining impression, the rest can really be said from my record shots. What a bird, finally...

-Corn Bunting

Having finally ticked one of Britain's most threatened species I headed back happy. And just to make this bunting day (there was reed on the marsh) I spotted a Yellowhammer feeding on grass seeds on the main road on my walk back.

So in the end the day was rescued from the fire and probably made up for the fact that the skua had done a runner...

Species List:
Hatfield: Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Cuckoo, Swift, Magpie
Hatfield Moor NNR: Swift, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Canada Goose, Swallow, House Martin, Whitethroat, Great-Crested Grebe, Mallard, Moorhen, Blackbird, Blackcap, Wren, Graylag Goose, Lapwing, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Great Tit, Common Tern, Reed Bunting, Little Grebe, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Linnet, Tree Pipit, Kestrel, Shellduck, Pied Wagtail, Common Buzzard, Skylark, Feral Pigeon
Other Species: Rabbit, Roe Deer, Weasel, Four-Spot Chaser, Blue-Tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly,