East Anglia - Undisclosed Location

I spent the week doing fieldwork at an undisclosed location in the South-East, but there was too much to enjoy to not post a few photos and some short context. The birding was excellent, with Hobbies, Red Kites and Buzzards soaring everywhere, and on one occasion a Honey Buzzard flew over, which is a solid British tick for me. Wetland areas were lively with Little Egrets and even Glossy Ibis, while the woodlands had a singing Firecrest in addition to commoner species such as Marsh Tit and Lesser Whitethroat.

The insects were the real stars, and I had a lot of fun looking at Odonata whilst out in the field. It took a few days but I finally connected with a Norfolk Hawker, and from then on they were extremely abundant, often perching in very conspicuous locations. Variable Damselfly was also common here, mixed in with the abundant Azure Damselflies and Large Red Damselflies.

-Glossy Ibis

-Honey Buzzard

-Firecrest

-Variable Damselfly

-Broad-bodied Chaser

-Norfolk Hawker

Species List:
Undisclosed Location: Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Pied Avocet, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank, Black-legged Kittiwake, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Northern Fulmar, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Bittern, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Glossy Ibis, European Honey Buzzard, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, European Green Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Common Firecrest, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, European Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Western Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, Muntjac Deer, Red Fox, European Rabbit, Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Variable Damselfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Hairy Damselfly, Norfolk Hawker,

June at Spurn

June carried on much as May had finished, working nearly full time in the pub and working on the trip report for Canada. On the occasions I got out birding there were a number of good birds still to be had. The Golden Oriole persisted into the start of June, but as before it had was mobile and difficult to get close to.

-Purple Cloud

-Eyed Hawkmoth

We went and ringed the Peregrine chicks at the Hull gas terminal on the 01^st. They were a bit bigger than we had thought they would be, and the whole process was long and slow as a result of the size of the chicks and a BBC film crew trying to have everything their way. They were good fun to ring though. I was fortunate in that they did not scratch and bite me whilst I was ringing them. Paul on the other had was bitten by almost every single one of the chicks. The adults were bombing us the whole time that we were removing the chicks, it was a really fun morning.

-Peregrine

On the subject of raptor chicks, we also did a nest of Marsh Harriers on the 11^th. We had been monitoring a site just outside Patrington to try and locate the nest to ring them. Once we made our move into the reedbed we immediately became lost and had to fight our way through looking for the nest. Eventually we made it, and found two very healthy chicks in place. We ringed both birds and then withdrew to reduce disturbance.

-Marsh Harrier

We continued to target pulli around the Spurn area, on the 12^th we chased after the Avocet chicks on Kilnsea Wetlands. After a short run-around we caught two of the three chicks. We also did another chick on Holderness Field on the 21^st. On the 25^th we also did the Barn Owl chicks at the Easington primary school. They were not the healthiest looking chicks, and we ringed 2 of the 3 given their condition. It was fun showing them to the children, who were very excitable about the whole thing.

Ringing was generally pretty slow, a Grasshopper Warbler that we targeted on the 5^th the highlight until the 24^th when a female Firecrest turned up in the high net. It was the latest spring record at Spurn by 20 days. Something of a real surprise when I checked the nets, and the ringing highlight for the month. On a couple of occasions we tried to catch the Marsh Warblers on Beacon Lane. Frustratingly one bird bounced out of the net, and neither bird ever came close again.

-Firecrest

The tern colony suffered a lot of damage as a result of a fox breaking through the fence. We went up on the 25^th to assess the damage and ring any wader chicks present. We managed 3 Ringed Plover chicks and a single Oystercatcher. On the way back we were able to get distant views of a Bee-eater that was flying over Holderness Field, a late migrant. 

-Oystercatcher

During the later days of the month a Turtle Dove was present occasionally in Churchfield. We set up traps to try and catch it but sadly it was extremely wary and not keen to go in. What did go in the trap was a Hairy Dragonfly, the third record for Spurn. I was pretty buzzing when I saw it settled on the woodwork of the catching area. I held it for half an hour for people to come and see, before letting it go. The first time I have found a rare dragonfly at Spurn, so I was pretty excited about that.

June finished with a real bang. On the morning of the 29^th Jonnie found a cracking Squacco Heron on Kilnsea Wetlands on the way back from his night-shift on Beacon Ponds. Paul and I had got up early to try and catch the Marsh Warblers, but had once again failed, so I had gone back to bed. Next thing I knew my phone was buzzing like crazy. When I checked I saw the messages about the heron. We raced up in the truck and got excellent views of the bird perched at the back of Kilnsea Wetlands. An awesome British and Spurn tick. It became more mobile during the day, and it flew past me at several points during the day.

Species List:

Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Tufted Duck, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Gannet, Cormorant, Peregrine, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Sandwich Tern, Little Tern, Common Tern, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Turtle Dove, Cuckoo, Swift, Barn Owl, Little Owl, European Bee-eater, Golden Oriole, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, Robin, Wheatear, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Dunnock, Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting,

Spurn Week 12

Wednesday the 8^th was an exceptional day for the time of year. My morning started when Paul tapped on the window of the cabin with a full grown Barn Owl in his hands. It had obviously been roosting in the mouth of the Heligoland trap and had been pushed through when Paul had walked through in the morning. It was extremely docile in the hand, a real pleasure to ring. Beyond unexpected was a Bluethroat that was trapped and ringed at the Warren. I had the privilege of going down to ring the bird. I was surprised by the amount of blue the bird actually showed on its breast, a superbly beautiful bird. The morning continued to give when Jonnie picked a Firecrest out of the Heligoland trap, the only one to be ringed at Spurn this autumn. What a day.

-Barn Owl

-Bluethroat

-Firecrest

The 9^th was also an excellent day. After a steady morning ringing I decided to head up to Beacon Ponds to put some seed down in the hopes of pinning down the large Snow Bunting flock that had been present in the area. I walked down the beach so far as Beacon Ponds and was unable to locate the flock. I was just about to turn around and head back when I spotted movement on the beach in front of me. I raised my bins and was shocked to see a Shore Lark looking back at me. A closer inspection revealed that there were in fact three of them foraging among the rocks. After setting some seed down for them, I headed back and found the Snow Bunting flock right at the top where I had set off from. I put down my remaining seed and left.

-Shore Lark

-Snow Bunting

I had hoped that my seed would entice the birds down and that we would be able to trap and ring both species. As it happened though, fate was not on my side. I was struck down with a severe case of man flu, and the rest of the week was spent in bed with the exception of work and going out to ring a Woodcock. By the time I had recovered the birds had all left.

Species List:

Spurn Bird Obs: Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pink-footed Goose, Brent Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Gannet, Cormorant, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Water Rail, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Snipe, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Sanderling, Dunlin, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Greenshank. Common Redshank, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Feral Pigeon, Barn Owl, Short-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Skylark, Shore Lark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush, Robin, Bluethroat, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Snow Bunting, Red Admiral, Comma, 

Spurn Weekend

Saturday 11th March

I arrived mid afternoon to the news that the first Firecrest of the year had been found in the triangle. It performed incredibly well, especially when considering that most of my other experiences with this species have been difficult or in the hand.

There was not an abundance of other species, but such is the time of year. A couple of coots on Canal Scrape and a Barn Owl in the triangle was about the best that I could muster

Sunday 12th March

After a rough night in the crown, and with the weather being very poor, I did not spent a massive amount of time out birding but in my short walk up and around the wetlands I had incredible views of Short-eared Owl flight right towards the hide. My first Avocets of the year were also back on the wetlands.

Monday 13th March

It was a really nice morning with clear skies and little wind. I made my way steadily down to numpties where there were a healthy number of Corvids on the move. Rooks and Jackdaws were the main species. A couple of Yellowhammers and a Common Buzzard also made nice additions to the mornings birding, before I headed off back to Halifax for work. 

Species List:

Spurn: Firecrest, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Avocet, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Linnet, Siskin, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Wren, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, 

Spurn Week 17

Spurn 10.10.2016

For the first time in over a week the winds changed from Easterly to northerly. That being said, the winds were only northerly in this immediate area, but it did result in a clear-out of birds, especially the rarer birds.

Seawatching in the morning produced very little, and my walk round the triangle produced a Yellow-browed Warbler in the crown, which was the best of the clear-out. The real highlight was a Common Snipe threat displaying to a Meadow Pipit on canal scrape. It was insane to watch, really quite comical. I ended up doing most of my outstanding odd jobs, like writing up my tern report piece and sorting out the garden.

Species List:

Triangle: Siskin, Robin, Song Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Snipe, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Skylark, Mallard, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Moorhen, Blackcap, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock,

Spurn 11.10.2016

The Easterlies theme continued, and with renewed vigour after yesterday’s northerly interruption. I started the morning down at Seawatching but that was completely dead. As a result I decided to walk round the triangle, which was more successful with plenty of Robins and other common migrants. The walk round was unfortunately punctuated by the presence of rarer birds. The first was a Mealy Redpoll trapped at the warren. Having only ever seen one previously this was an opportunity not to be missed. I cycled down to see a cracking looking bird in the hand, well worth diverting the trip for. I had just started up again when shouts came out of a Hawfinch in the obs garden. As opposed to recent reports, which had been flyovers, this bird was settled down, and after a short wait I finally connected with this elusive finch.

-Mealy Redpoll

The real highlight of the morning however was one of my most wanted to see in the hand birds, and given how obscured my views were on Sunday basically lifer it. Pallas Warbler! One was trapped at Churchfield, allowing me to get up close to this stunning little bird. At absolute cracker! One of my favourite birds to have seen in the hand.

-Pallas's Warbler

In the afternoon I went up to wetlands to count the wildfowl. I was about half way through when the radio buzzed that there was a Woodchat Shrike down the point. This was a lifer so I paced it down on my bike and was one of the few people to connect with the bird before it did a bunk. In the field it was distant but showed well. Another lifer to add to the collection gathered during these easterlies.

As alluded to before, the bird did go missing mid-afternoon and was not relocated until almost everyone had left, myself included. I had just returned to the warren when the last birder looking reported that it had found its way into the trap. I was talking to Adam at the time, and he decided that he was going to cycle down and sort the bird out. It was basically dark by the time we arrived down there, and only myself, Adam and Steve Web were there. The bird was ringed and shown in the light of the ringing lab, not ideal but still enough to get a couple of photos.

-Woodchat Shrike

Species List:

Triangle: Pallas Warbler, Hawfinch, Mealy Redpoll, Robin, Redwing, Song Thrush, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Yellow-browed Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Dunnock, Tree Sparrow, House Sparrow, Brambling, Chaffinch, Common Snipe, Meadow Pipit, Little Egret, Gannet, Common Scoter, Mallard, Moorhen, Teal, Wigeon, Brent Goose,

Kilnsea Wetlands: Redstart, Goldcrest, Lapwing, Greenshank, Wheatear, Black-tailed Godwit, Wigeon, Mallard, Golden Plover, Little Egret, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Ruff, Shoveler, Teal, Robin, Blackcap, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon,

Spurn Peninsula: Mealy Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Robin, Goldcrest, Woodchat Shrike, Brambling, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Redwing, Song Thrush, Fieldfare,

Spurn 12.10.2016

A more mixed bag of showers and sunshine, along with the continued easterlies. Birds continued to be around in good numbers, especially robins. I started at Seawatching and got a few nice bits and pieces. A Black Throated Diver went south, and a Great Northern Diver and 2 Sooty Shearwaters went north. I stuck it out for an hour and then headed back to Obs. Initially I was going to walk the triangle but instead decided to spend the morning doing odd jobs for the obs.

By the afternoon I decided it was time to go birding again and so headed off to the Wetlands to count the ducks. A report of bean geese sent me up to Holderness field and around Beacon Ponds, allowing me to gather a full count of the wildfowl in the area. The undoubted highlight was a smashing 435 Wigeon, most of which were on Holderness field. 5 Canada Geese and a single Barnacle were also a nice addition. The best bird was a Twite that flew over me calling, Spurn and yeartick.

Species List:

Seawatch: Guillemot, Razorbill, Gannet, Sooty Shearwater, Common Scoter, Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Common Tern, Kittiwake, Black-throated Diver, Wigeon, Jackdaw,

Kilnsea Wetlands, Holderness Field and Beacon Ponds: Chiffchaff, Woodpigeon, Robin, Redwing, Lapwing, Ruff, Wigeon, Teal, Mute Swan, Little Egret, Greenshank, Redstart, White Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Fieldfare, Shoveler, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Twite, Song Thrush, Greylag Goose, Black-tailed Godwit, Little Grebe, Golden Plover, Grey Plover,

Spurn 13.10.2016

The rain started today, and it did not stop until after lunch. I was in no rush to get up but decided to head off to Kilnsea Wetlands and count the Wigeon early morning, followed by a walk around Easington Lagoons looking for shore larks. Sadly wildfowl numbers were well down on yesterday and there were no shore larks. The best of it was a very confiding Twite that I stumbled across whilst walking along, without doubt the best encounter I have had with this species.

The rain continued, and after unsuccessfully twitching a raddes warbler at Sammies point I made my way back to the Obs, fairly glum feeling not to lie. There was a paddyfield warbler at Flamborough and it seemed like it might be on the cards for the afternoon if nothing else happened. I did get a Spurn tick when four White-fronted Geese flew over the observatory.

-White-fronted Goose

Just after lunch Paul caught a Firecrest. I went round to have a look at it, which was great as nobody else was there. Nick and Sandra Carter came round and got to have a really good look at the stunning bird. 

-Firecrest

The paddyfield did not happen in the end, Tim decided it looked too good at Spurn and that we were going to stay. In hindsight this was the best decision ever made.  I decided to have a wander down to the bluebell and see if there was anything round there, when the radio crackled into life with a message that I will never forget…

‘Is everybody listening? I don’t want to cause alarm but there is a Siberian Accentor in Easington now, in front of me. Please can someone come and see this for me’

The message was calm and composed but obviously Lance, who found it, was extremely tense. I immediately began running back to the Obs, hoping that someone would drive past me. Within seconds John Wozencroft was coming down the road and I jumped in with him. The whole area obviously seemed in shock at what they had just heard.

I jumped out of the car at the described location and wandered up, four other birders were there. There, right in front of us, was only Britain’s second Siberian Accentor. It was hopping around on a tarmac slab right in front of us, with only about 20 people there. It was surreal. Nobody could quite believe what had happened.

-Siberian Accentor

Over the afternoon the bird continued to show well and more birders began to arrive, steadily at first but picking up towards the evening as people finished work and people travelling from further distances arrived. In the end about 150 people saw the bird before dark. It was an incredible atmosphere and an incredible bird. To be on the other side of possibly one of the largest twitches ever was a unique experience and possibly something I will never experience again. What a fantastic day. What a fantastic bird…

Species List:

Kilnsea Wetlands, Beacon Ponds, Easington Lagoons:

Easington: Robin, Goldcrest, Dunnock, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Siberian Accentor,

Spurn 14.10.2016

Early am. I set my alarm for half 6 with the plan to be up in Easington for management at about half 7. However, at about half 6 Tim came running up to the caravan telling us to get up and that Easington was already chaos.

As a result the rest of the morning was spent doing our best to manage the twitchers cars as they pulled into Easington. On the whole we did the best we could and people applauded our efforts. It wasn’t until 10 that parking was considered done, and as a result I was allowed to leave and go birding. Just in time, as the first Dusky Warbler of what would be a minor influx had been caught and was being shown off. Over 300 people turned up to view the bird, and as a result views were distant but it was the only Dusky I saw all day, and it was a lifer so I was not complaining.

I headed back for lunch, and it was just after that I was summoned to do some more martialing. This time though I was stationed at the bird itself, and my duty was simply to watch the bird and occasionally shake the donations bucket. Hardly a hard job. It means I got to spend another 3 hours with the star of the show…

-Siberian Accentor

After my three hours were up I headed down to the triangle to pick up all the goodies found during the day. The Dusky warblers were a little too popular (The crowds too big) but I went and added Shore Lark to my spurn list with a superbly showy bird in the bluebell carpark, followed by ticking Tundra Bean Goose with 8 on the Humber shore. One of the geese could have been a taiga but the consensus seems to be a Tundra with an aberrant bill, structurally it did not look right for taiga. That was all I saw in the afternoon, but a cracking days birding none the less. Great for visiting birders that’s for sure.

-Shore Lark

-Tundra Bean Goose

Species List:

Easington: Siberian Accentor, Brambling, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Dunnock, Woodcock, Woodpigeon,

Triangle: Shore Lark, Dusky Warbler, Lesser Redpoll, Bean Goose, Skylark, Swallow, Brent Goose, Mallard, Greylag Goose, Robin, Redwing, Song Thrush, Fieldfare, Wren, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Siskin,

Spurn 15.10.2016

With yesterday’s experience under our belts we were able to better prepare for the Saturdays twitch. The system worked and we were able to coordinate our efforts so that on the whole there was no disturbance to the village. I spent all morning at car parking duty, starting at 6 in the morning and finishing off at 15.00. It was a knackering day, so that when I had eventually finished all I did was crash in bed. Whilst on duty I had a right time, seeing Great-grey Shrike, Woodcock and Short-eared Owl. It’s a great place is Spurn.

I made two trips out of bed in the afternoon, one for a Grasshopper Warbler that had been caught. Initially put out as a PG tips, but turned out to just be a regular Gropper. Even so, I was not disappointed, as Grasshopper Warblers are a species I have never seen up close, only ever having being flushed out of the grass. As a result I finally got to see what a Grasshopper Warbler looks like.

The other species I saw was Bearded Tit, a Spurn tick, when three birds were trapped down at the Warren early evening. Incredibly, two of the birds were actually males with full moustaches. Cracking birds to see in the hand.

-Bearded Tit

Species List:

Easington: Great-grey Shrike, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Woodcock, Short-eared Owl, Redwing, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Robin, Wren, Song Thrush, Fieldfare,

Triangle: Grasshopper Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Lesser Redpoll, Robin, Goldcrest, Kestrel, Bearded Tit, Brambling,

Spurn 16.10.2016

Another morning spent up at the car parking duty. All good fun, and fortunately the day slowed down allowing me to go birding in the afternoon. Just as I got back the heavy rain for the morning started so I decided to have a nap until about half 2.

My afternoon was spent much the same as the previous day, walking round looking at the birds that had been found. I tried initially for the Radde’s Warbler found down the canal, but it was not showing. As a result I headed over towards the Shore Lark showing at the Bluebell. There were two now, and a Black Redstart but they were all much more distant than they had been.

-Raddes Warbler

I headed back to the Radde’s after, and I did finally get to see it. It had apparently been showing well but all I managed to see was it through a bush, an obscured view of its back. That being said I could make out its super, so that was a substantially better view than my previous encounter with this species.

Species List:

Triangle: Radde’s Warbler, Shore Lark, Black Redstart, Redstart, Wren, Robin, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Redwing, Siskin, Fieldfare, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Mute Swan, Mallard, Little Egret,