NGB Spurn Weekend Day 3

The first day with any NGBs actually on site. Of course I headed up to numpties first. The sea was like a millpond, incredibly flat. the only time that changed was when a Porpoise breached the surface, which they frequently did. The total count at the evening log was of 12 individuals roaming around offshore. For birds moving on the sea, not so many. Auks were moving in a few good numbers, including my first Puffins of the year, MY 200th SPECIES OF 2016 (!!!), and a Red-breasted Merganser going North. So there was some variety, just not very many species. Bizarrely for May there had been 700 Brent Geese still on the Humber as of Friday, but there was something of a clear-out this morning, as at least 200 birds headed off out to sea.

-Porpoise

-Brent Geese

Perhaps one of the highlights of the weekend was the stunning male Grey Wagtail that was caught whilst we were up at Numpties. In the hand you really got a different perspective on this really beautiful species, for example I never noticed the white markings around the face. What a beautiful bird.

-Grey Wagtail

Yesterdays Red-backed Shrike continued to perform along the canal, but the rarest new birds were a pair of Turtle Dove that Steve found behind the Crown. I jumped in Tims car and we raced up but we had only just left the Warren when news changed that they were now heading south. We swiftly pulled up in time for the doves to fly straight over out heads. We thought that was that but they then circled round and landed on the wires above the Warren before continuing south towards Lincolnshire.

-Turtle Dove

Considering how badly I wanted this species at the start of the year, to have seen four individuals at different points has really been something. These were probably the best view I have had so far, such lovely birds.

Without a radio it was less tempting to go out hunting for birds on the off chance something rare turned up and I ended up missing it. As a result I stayed around the Warren for most of the morning, and this reaped rewards when a dark headed Yellow Wagtail went overhead. I can't claim to know much about Yellow Wagtail subspecies, but this was clearly something. Tim managed to get a good shot of it in flight, but thats when the real problems started. It obviously lacks a Supercillum, seemingly ruling out flava. However, the sub-moustachial stripe seems to rule out thunbergi, and then there is the issue of its apparent chest band. The popular school of thought seems to be a flava x thunbergi hybrid type, but in reality we will never really know the birds ancestors. Also at the Warren was a very smart micro moth chilling on my scope. If anyone has any suggestions to its identification that would be appreciated.

-Probable flava x thunbergi

-Micro-moth sp. 

The winds had looked good, but the bushes were very quiet. The only birds in any real numbers were Spotted Flycatchers, with 18 seen over the day. My wanderings around the canal were fruitless, and with nothing seeming to happen I went for a nap. Not long after I had re-awoken I received a text about 2 Crossbill heading north, so rushed outside on the off chance that they might go over the obs. I yelled to Sims, who was also in the Obs, that they were coming and we waited outside. As soon as we were outside Ollie started about how there was zero chance we were going to see them, and that they could be anywhere. I told him in no uncertain terms, to hush up so I could hear, and that he clearly did not know Spurn well enough. I wish I could have appreciated the dead silence when one Crossbill came over the Obs not 60 seconds later, calling frantically. It then looped and landed in the tree at the back of the Obs, for a short time before it flew off North again. More interestingly was that this was a different bird to the two that had been reported. Still, another yeartick for me. What a result that was. 

Sightings List:

Spurn: Canal and Warren: Swallow, House Sparrow, Great Tit, Carrion Crow, Spotted Flycatcher, Greylag Goose, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Bar-tailed Godwit, Gannet, Gadwall, Mallard, Mute Swan, Meadow Pipit, Collard Dove, Magpie, Cormorant, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Kittiwake, Starling, Fulmar, Brent Goose, Common Scoter, Little Egret, Red-breasted Merganser, Goldfinch, Feral Pigeon, Tufted Duck, Sanderling, Skylark, Yellow Wagtail, Swift, Linnet, Red-throated Diver, House Martin, Razorbill, Black-headed Gull, Common Teal, Chaffinch, Puffin, Black Tern, Common Tern, Turtle Dove, Barn Owl, Crossbill

Spurn NGB Weekend Day 3

Final Day with the NGBs at Spurn. I decided I would head up to Kilnsea Wetlands since it was so close to where I was camping. There was still a little fog around but the light was glorious out there. There were a few birds on the marsh already, mainly Curlew, Dunlin, Lapwing and Redshank. There were a few other bits around too including Skylarks and a couple of Black-Headed Gulls.
After a bit 3 Swans came in off the ponds. 2 were presumably the local Mute Swans from the ponds but a Whooper Swan had joined them from somewhere. The 3 Swans remained on the wetlands for at least as long as I did, gradually coming closer to the hide until they were right in front of it and I could get some reasonable shots of the Whooper. In the morning light all 3 birds looked fantastic.

-Whooper Swan

The only other change in the bird fauna was when a Merlin flew over the wetlands sending all the waders up. I then moved round onto the ponds but they were pretty quiet with only a few ducks on, It was nice to see the site again though after not having worked there for a couple of months now.

I made my way down Beacon Lane and then to Numpties to see the others. Along Beacon Lane there was not much really, a couple of Goldcrests. Along the walk down to the warren there was also not much, a couple of Stonechats on the fences near the Borrow Pits being the only real birds of note.

Once I arrived at Numpties it was already about 10.00. Passage was pretty quiet, and had been all morning apparently. There were a few geese moving through though. I spent pretty much the rest of the day up there counting the geese with some impressive Skeins going through, including one of 500 birds. There were also a few other bits and pieces, including Rock Pipits, of which Tim was trying to Spring trap some along the top of the path. He succeeded too, as we caught 2 birds in total.

-Pink-Footed Goose

There were some birds moving, but the highest count was only 105 Goldfinch. As a result it was a slow afternoon. I did spurn tick Brambling though, and got to get a record shot of Harbor Porpoise at last, as 2 spent the majority of the afternoon just chilling offshore.

-Harbor Porpoise

By late afternoon, Daniel Wade and I decided to try Canal Scrape to see if there were any jack snipe. There were not, and not many birds at all really. It was rewarding though as the limpy Redshank flew in while we were there. Having not seen it yesterday I had wondered if it had been eaten, especially since I saw a cat on the scrape but it appears that is not the case as yet.

After about half an hour in the hide we moved on. Since there were no birds about really we decided to go and have a look for the yellow-browed warbler that had been seen in the Crown car park. We did not see it or anything else there really. As a result I decided to head off and take my tent down in preparation for leaving.

However, on my way up it all kicked off. I got a text from Oli Simms telling me about a Grey Phalarope up near Easington. I knew it was a trek but decided I had nothing else to do and so prepared myself for the walk along long bank. Had I done this I would have been one of the first to arrive at a much rarer bird, but I was rescued this and offered a lift up to the Phalarope. Once there it took us some time to work out where it had gone as it had apparently moved up the beach. It was here that I also learned about a Raddes Warbler on long bank...

I had not brought my scope but kindly got to borrow Steve's and got a reasonable view of the Phalarope. It was clear to tell what it was, as it fed in the surf along the edge of the sea. It was another much needed lifer. But since it was so far away we did not stay long but moved on to the Raddes. Steve gave me a lift there and we were soon at the site where it was.

It was very skulky and not showing unless flushed. Tim organised a flush for when everyone had arrived before trying to get the bird out. We did manage to get it out but it flew and then went straight back down, making it difficult to get good views of. The colour was easy to appreciate but that was pretty much the only feature that we could make out. We flushed again but the bird dived back in immediately this time too. After the second flush I decided to call it quits, as did many others. The light was going and I though it would probably be right to let the bird settle down rather than to go chasing it round. Either way, its another nice lifer from the weekend!

The light had pretty much gone by the time I had my tent down and we spent most of the journey home in the dark. It has been a great weekend, met some more NGB's, got another 4 lifers, seen a whale and counted a lot of birds. It does not get much better than that.

Species List:

Kilnsea Wetlands: Lapwing, Curlew, Little Egret, Skylark, Dunlin, Black-Headed Gull, Redshank, Whooper Swan, Mute Swan, Wigeon, Teal, Knot, Mallard, Magpie, Brent Geese, Shelduck, Merlin, Grey Plover, Stonechat,

Vis-Migging: Brambling, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Wigeon, Teal, Pink-Footed Goose, Rook, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon,

Mooching About: Redshank, Swallow, Goldcrest, Grey Phalarope, Whooper Swan, Brent Goose, Mediterranean Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Raddes Warbler 

scotland holiday-day 3

logan botanical gardens:
scotlands largest garden for tropical plants. because of the gulf stream many tropical plants can be grown here. this did affect the wildlife in a way but there were some briliant photo oppertuneties.

chaffinch that walked right past me



red legged partridge-really close but not as tame as the chaffinch

mull of galloway-RSPB
have been before but the visitor center wasnt running. now it was so we all had a nice lunch. it had much improved since the last time especially the wildlife. last time it was just kittywakes and stonechats and guillemots but this time there was

poor male linnet shot
1 twite only my second
3 mipits
2 wheatear
2 rock pipits

2 black guillemots
2 common gullemots
infinate razorbills
2 puffins
infinate gannets
2 hourbour porpoise
perched male peregrine-absolutely amazing
5 manx shearwater
infinate kittywakes
infinate herring gulls
infinate greater black-backed gull
infinate shags
infinate cormornat
raven

port logan:
sandy beach with rocks at either end
10 ringed plovers
2 sandwhich tern
been snorkeling here before and seen cuckoo wrasse but today the wether was apauling