Soil Hill

   First day back and first morning on Soil Hill of the autumn produced a very nice patch tick in the form of this Mediterranean Gull, which flew south with the steady stream of Black-headed Gulls, my 131st species for Soil Hill. From the photos, it appears to have small dark edges to the wingtips, so I suspect this bird is a 2cy. The white plumage stood out a mile from the other gulls moving which first drew my attention to it, before I rattled off a sequence of very poor photos that just about do the job.

  Sadly the hoped-for morning visible migration did not transpire as I had hoped. The best I could manage was a steady trickle of Swallows going south, with 76 counted in several small bursts. At least nine Chiffchaffs were in the bushes but not particularly showy in quite blustery conditions, and a Lesser Redpoll flew south calling. 

-Mediterranean Gull

Ogden

   After an enjoyable but also frustrating morning on Soil Hill, with fog badly restricting my ability to count the rafts of thrushes coming through, I found myself at home for lunch when a WhatsApp message came through that BS had found a drake Shoveler at Ogden. Since it would be a yeartick, and I only have a week to consolidate my list, I jumped in the car and headed over. At the start of the road to Ogden I picked up JJL so we could search for the bird together.

  We parked up and headed down to the reservoir, where a quick scan picked up the Shoveler on the east side of the reservoir, so we headed down to get a closer view. On the way I was sifting through the various gulls present and picked out a bird in the middle of the reservoir which had the impression of a Black-headed Gull with no black in the wings. I remarked to JJL that I thought I might have a Mediterranean Gull, and then took a few record shots. Zooming in on these quickly confirmed that the bird was indeed a Med Gull. The bird was washing itself and occasionally receiving grief from other gull species, but generally drifting closer all the time, so JJL and I followed it and were able to get some nice views.

  After a short while it took off and flew to the west bank where the majority of the other gulls were roosting, so we walked round. Initially we couldn’t pick it out, only to then spot it right in front of us nestled among the Black-headed Gulls there. From here we got some excellent views and both got some nice photos. After about twenty minutes or so it took off and flew off south towards Mixenden Reservoir and did not return while I was there.

  After it left I decided to head back home, and JJL continued on his way. Hope you got something good John! 

-Mediterranean Gull

-Shoveler

Species List:
Ogden: Northern Shoveler, Mallard, Goosander, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Magpie, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Wren, Common Blackbird, Fieldfare, European Robin, Eurasian Chaffinch, 

Soil Hill; Isolation week 16

A far more productive week for Soil Hill than last week, although without the standout that was the Red-veined Darter. It began with a bang when two Raven flew over the Hill on the 11^th July, and the first returning juvenile Wheatear on the same day. The following day, the 12^th was really the standout day of the week when I got a really good patch tick. It was one I had hoped for at some point during the autumn but certainly not in July, a very juvenile Common Redstart in the copse oppsite the site entrance track. The local Robins gave it a hard time and it was not present when I passed again an hour later. On the same day there was a cracking male Whinchat on the walls at the bottom of the north slope, really the icing on the cake of an excellent morning. On the 16^th a Grey Wagtail flew West over the Hill, my first of the Autumn here, and that evening I had an incredible count of 24 Mistle Thrush all sat together on the wires above Taylor Lane. Finally on the 17^th I had my first yellow juvenile Willow Warbler, really giving the place an autumn passerine feeling. The Grasshopper Warbler has begun singing again and could be heard and occasionally seen at various points throughout the week. A pair of Bullfinch have also apparently set up at the bottom of the North Slope Tree-Line and were showing well at times. Sedge Warblers remain present and Reed Bunting numbers have really built up.

On the 13^th I made a visit to Whiteholme but the shoreline there is now almost none existent and there was nothing of any note. From there I carried on to Ringstone where I picked out the adult Mediterranean Gull that DF had found the previous day. Although it was distant and would go missing for long periods, it was nice to see it among the throngs of Black-headed Gulls. But the real standout of the day was on a visit I made to Fly Flatts. Sadly the site was fogged off on arrival but I had the surprise of my life when a Mole ran across the road in front of me. The first I have ever seen, I was stunned. On the 14^th I visited Ogden for the sake of variety and had a flyover Red Crossbill calling loudly. 

-Northern Raven

-Northern Lapwing

-Northern Wheatear

-Common Redstart

-Whinchat

-Eurasian Bullfinch

-European Mole

-Mediterranean Gull

Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Northern Raven, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Common Redstart, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Common Reed Bunting, Roe Deer, European Rabbit,

Whiteholme Reservoir: Common Swift, Common Sandpiper, Carrion Crow, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit,

Ringstone Edge Reservoir: Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Mew Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, Carrion Crow, Barn Swallow, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Pied Wagtail,

Ogden Water LNR: Canada Goose, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Cormorant, European Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Chiffchaff, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Red Crossbill, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, 

Scarborough Weekend

During February, with fewer people going to Spurn for the autumn, there is an annual Spurn night out in Scarborough for people to see friends that they might not have seen for some time. Besides the drinking there were some good birds to be seen over the weekend too. 

On the Saturday afternoon when I arrived I headed off to the harbor to look at the wintering Great Northern Diver and Black Necked Grebes. They were both showing extremely well, giving crippling views to be honest. Guillemot and Rock Pipit also made a nice collection in what was a very busy harbor setting. 

The morning after we headed up on to the tops to feed Mediterranean Gulls and scan over the bay. Whilst scanning we were directed to a couple of Long-tailed Ducks in with a flock of Common Scoter. The Mediterranean Gulls showed extremely well, readily coming down to the bread we were throwing for them. In the end we probably had around 10 birds of all different ages.

In the afternoon we headed off to Wykeham to see if I could life-tick goshawk. I narrowly missed one, but we did get crippling views of Crossbill ripping apart pine cones right in front of us. A cracking end to the weekend. 

-Great Northern Diver

-Black-necked Grebe

-Long-tailed Duck with Common Scoter

-Mediterranean Gull

-Crossbill

Species List:

Scarborough: Shag, Common Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Black-necked Grebe, Cormorant, Fulmar, Great-northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Guillemot, Rock Pipit, Turnstone, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Bullfinch, Robin, Wren, Dunnock,

Wykeham Forest: Siskin, Crossbill, Chaffinch, Pheasant, Bullfinch, Woodpigeon, Golden Plover, 

Old Moor RSPB

With nothing worth twitching turned up around I decided to make my first trip to Old Moor of the year, in the hope of seeing a Bittern. As a result, as soon as I arrived I headed to the Bittern Hide. I had not waited long when the Bittern, which had obviously been somewhere behind the hide, flew round right in front of us, giving me one of my best ever views of this species. It had a stream of angry gulls following its tail until it dropped down in the reeds. I did not have the camera out so I was able to just watch it, but obviously it does mean no photos. I did see the Bittern again when I was in the Wader Scrape Hide, as it flew past more distantly and much higher up, but again no photos. Still, its been over a year since my last Bittern so I was pretty thrilled with that.

I had also got myself a new attachment for my scope to hopefully aid with my digiscoping. Today was its first time out. Its a bit fiddly but helps prevent shaking when trying to take photos and I'm looking forward to taking it with me on twitches. Its fortunate that there were plenty of birds to take photos of today...

-Mediterranean Gull

-Little Ringed Plover 

-Avocet

Overall it was mainly common species on the agenda today but I got a good list gathered and Bittern is my 190th species on the yearlist this year. Its keeping it ticking over very nicely.

Species List:

Old Moor RSPB: Black-headed Gull, Great Tit, Gadwall, Moorhen, Swift, Swallow, Mallard, Kestrel, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, Great-crested Grebe, Coot, Stock Dove, Jackdaw, Pochard, Bittern, Robin, House Martin, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Sand Martin, Common Tern, Carrion Crow, Common Buzzard, Redshank, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Lapwing, Linnet, Oystercatcher, Little Grebe, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Blackbird, Mediterranean Gull, Avocet, Shoveler, Little Ringed Plover, Jay, Grey Heron, Bullfinch, Collard Dove, Tree Sparrow, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, 

Hartlepool and Saltholme RSPB

Finally I had a full day of freedom post exams and having weighed up my options during my revision breaks over the past month I knew where I really wanted to go. That was Hartlepool to see the goodies that were up round that way.

Upon arriving in Hartlepool I first made my way round to Jackson's Landing marina to see if the glaucous gull was there, but it was not. I did get a nice year-tick in the form of Red-breasted Mergansers which were feeding the harbor.

I then made my way round to the headland where I went looking for the Shore Larks. It was quite breezy so I first walked the sheltered area of the rough ground they had been favoring, but with no luck. It was at this point that I decided coming was a mistake and that it was going to be one of those days where nothing goes your way...

How wrong I was...

I decided to walk the rough ground systematically and on the far bank, most exposed, I flushed the three Shore Larks. I saw where they went down but they still took some work to locate. I managed to get a few birders onto them in the hour or more that I was watching them. I grabbed some digiscoped shots before trying my luck with my new camera. I'll let the photos do the talking, but I was buzzing.

-Shore Larks

I was intitially going to walk the headland looking for waders heading towards the fish quay for the Slavonian Grebe. I started by seawatching off where the larks were. There were a couple of other birders too but they had spread out looking for Snow Buntings. Whilst seawatching I had yearticks of Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Shag and Red-throated Diver. I was having a field day.

I heard a twittering near me and looked up from my scope to see a Snow Bunting fly past me and land with the Larks that were still feeding behind me. I could see the other birders so whistled them over.

-Snow Bunting

Whilst we were watching the bunting the news broke of a penduline tit at Saltholme. I told the other birds who offered me a lift there. I had turned down a couple of lifts earlier in the day but this news did mean that there was something else to consider for the day so I took them up on their offer.

First call was the fish quay where there were plenty of birds as well as a seal. The Slavonian Grebe took some finding but I eventually picked it up distantly fishing among the boats. There was also the earlier reported Great-northern Diver, another Red-throated Diver, a few Guillemots and Eiders. There were also a few Turnstone along the quay. It was quite a spot for an urban fish quay. 

-Slavonian Grebe

-Great-northern Diver

-Guillemot

-Turnstone

Having gained the full house at the Quay we headed down towards Saltholme. On the way we called of at a local spot for Mediterranean Gull, which duly obliged, chilling on the beach barely two meters away. We also called off at Seaton Snook Road to see if there were any shorties hunting the fields but there was not. However, there was a very obliging Stonechat.

-Mediterranean Gull

-Stonechat

At Saltholme we headed straight to the hide where the tits were meant to be, but it over an hour there I had no joy of a penduline tit nature. However, I had a great substitute when a Water Rail swam across the channel that was being watched. Its one of the best views I have ever had of this species, but it happened so quickly I got no photos. A Peregrine flew over too, and I got a yeartick of Stock Dove.

I got a tip off about the Long-eared Owl in Haverton Scrub so I headed that way and was kindly shown it by some local birders. It was quite the bird to see, sitting almost out in the open with its ears erect. What a view, the best I have ever had of this species, and that is saying something. What a beaut. I was able to grab plenty of photos.

-Long-eared Owl

After the owl I headed to Paddys Pond for the female Smew which has been at the reserve for a long time now. It showed only briefly, spending most of its time behind the island, but its still the first time I have ever seen a redhead Smew and another cracking species to add to my growing day list.

In addition to the Smew there was also a nice female Pintail and a few Barnacle Geese mingling with the canadas.

-Smew

I finished off at the main hide where I added Shoveler, Shelduck and Curlew to the yearlist. Sadly there was no sign of the green-winged teal that sometimes shows there but I was not particularly bothered given how awesome the day was.

So despite a slow start today turned into one of the best days birding I have ever had, ever, thats how good it was. What a day.

Species List:

Hartlepool: Shag, Shore Lark, Cormorant, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Tit, Oystercatcher, Red-throated Diver, Herring Gull, Snow Bunting, Sanderling, Great-northern Diver, Guillemot, Eider, Slavonian Grebe, Mediterranean Gull, Turnstone, Curlew, Pink-footed Goose, Wigeon, Stonechat, Skylark, Starling, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, 

Saltholme RSPB: Little Egret, Stock Dove, Greenfinch, Common Teal, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Mallard, Peregrine, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Moorhen, Water Rail, Tufted Duck, Herring Gull, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, Lapwing, Common Snipe, Blackbird, Graylag Goose, Pochard, Pintail, Smew, Curlew, Shelduck, Shoveler, Fieldfare, Bullfinch, Barnacle Goose, Jackdaw,