Halifax birding; updates from the week 26th - 31st July

Our time in Ecuador ended prematurely and with a more significant financial cost than we had anticipated thanks to all our equipment being stolen on a coach journey between cities. Consequently, we decided to return home to the UK and as such have spent the past week birding around local sites using older optics and the scope.

Whiteholme provided some birds this week, which was nice. A dapper adult Turnstone appeared on the 26^th July, and on the 28^th another flew over calling but unseen. Frustratingly, or perhaps not given my lack of camera, the bird on the 26^th July stayed probably only a minute in total before it left, the same as the bird the previous year.

Due to my optics not being up to scratch I avoided Soil Hill, as I did not want to be left frustrated by the birding. Once new bins arrived we started visiting again and found a juvenile Sedge Warbler and Grasshopper Warbler still lurking at the bottom of the North Slope on the 31^st July. There were also a few Willow Warbler around and 3 Grey Partridge on the same date.

We also visited a few other birds in the local area as they were new for Lia. A Black Redstart found near the Withens Head by DJS was a nice treat, and it showed well on the walls there on the 28^th July. And then on the 29^th BS had a Greenshank on Fly Flatts, which was a Halifax tick for me, long overdue but still nice to see, despite being very distant. 

-Turnstone

-Black Redstart

-Greenshank

Whiteholme Reservoir: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Eurasian Teal, Common Swift, Common Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Linnet,
Fly Flatts: Barnacle Goose, Canada Goose, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Common Ringed Plover, Common Greenshank, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Northern Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Reed Bunting,
Soil Hill: Canada Goose, Mallard, Grey Partridge, Common Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Coal Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Barn Swallow, Willow Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting,

Spurn 30th October - 5th November

Spurn Day 1

For the second day of Lia’s visit we headed to Spurn, to experience the amazing phenomena that is bird migration. As soon as we arrived, we got news that an Isabelline Wheatear was in a field along Kilnsea. Although the bird was distant, we got decent views of it running around a stubble field. We did not stop for long so that we could head towards the ringing station.

Ringing was steady with a few nice birds including a fantastic Water Rail and two Black Redstarts from a group of five feeding along the tank blocks. Later on, in the afternoon, I also ringed a Cormorant that had been bought in to the Obs for the day to be looked after. It was a bit of brute but it was released on the Borrow Pit in the evening. Outside the nets there were also a few nice birds, including a smart Yellow-browed Warbler in the Obs garden. We ended the day by dipping a Bluethroat in the slatmarsh north of the breach.

-Yellow-browed Warbler

-Water Rail

-Black Redstart

Spurn Day 2

We did a normal routine for Lia’s first day at Spurn, with ringing in Churchfield in the morning before heading out birding. The absolute standout bird from the ringing was a gorgeous Icelandic Redwing (Coburni), which I was told was the first processed and documented as an Icelandic at Spurn. Not at all the standout bird that we expected.

Our mornings ringing was interrupted by the reappearance of the Bluethroat from the previous day. Consequently, we sacked off what was a steady ringing period and enjoyed fantastic views of the bird as it crept around the saltmarsh. And from there we carried on birding, heading up to the wetlands for some ducks and as a result finding the Black Brant for the first time in the autumn. Presumably this is the returning individual from previous winters, but it was still nice to spot for the first time this autumn. In the afternoon we headed to Easington Lagoons to look for Snow Buntings, and it did not disappoint with three individuals, two showing very well.

-Icelandic Redwing

-Bluethroat

-Black Redstart

-Common Scoter

-Snow Bunting

-Black Brant

Spurn Day 3

Having had such an excellent day the previous day, today was something of a bump back to earth with rain all day and strong winds. We walked along the beach to look for the Shore Larks reported the previous day, and after a struggle in the wind we finally saw a single individual feeding on the edge of the ponds.

With the rain continuing we struggled to bird during the afternoon but a short trip to Sammies yielded some nice results with a posse of 15 Grey Partridge on Easington Straight. The Little Owl was also still present on the haybales there. In the end we managed to make the most of the poor conditions.

-Shore Lark

Spurn Day 4

After a day away from Spurn at Filey we returned to the action today in fine form. In the morning I made the call to finally catch the bluethroat that had been lingering around the breach. It took no more than a matter of seconds before the bird was in the spring trap and was ringed and being processed. Sadly I held the bird for photos so I wasn’t actually able to take any myself. In addition, we also caught three Yellowhammer and a Bullfinch to complete an excellent morning.

After ringing we tried to see the Pallas’s Warbler that was in Easington. The bird was mobile and difficult, plus it was always against the light, but its still a Pallas’s Warbler so it was absolutely stunning. A flock of Long-tailed Tits numbering around 30 individuals also flew past at close quarters giving amazing views. During the afternoon we tried to find some Cettis Warblers that were around Sammies but we failed to find any.

-Yellowhammer

-Pallas's Warbler

-Long-tailed Tit

Spurn Day 5

Early morning conditions were pretty grim so we first headed to wetlands where we again found a low number of ducks. The Black Brant was still on Long Bank Marsh which once again showed nicely. After a few hours we headed down to the Warren to open nets and look for some twite. While we failed on the latter, opening the nets caught us two Fieldfare which were awesome birds for Lia to ring.

For the evening we headed to Welwick Saltmarsh to see any raptors that came in to roost. We had at least for Short-eared Owls, Merlin, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier and Buzzard completing an excellent day out.

-Black Brant

-Reed Bunting

-Fieldfare

Spurn Day 6

It was another grim day in the morning but we were able to open some nets and as a result we enjoyed a few nice birds but overall it was stready. A few Brambling started to appear mid-morning and this was without doubt the best bird we caught. There was serious rainstorm during lunchtime so we decided to head off to our next destination, ending a fantastic week at Spurn.

-Brambling

Species List:

Spurn Bird Observatory: Greylag Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Black Brant, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Tufted Duck, Common Scoter, Common Pheasant, Grey Partridge, Little Grebe, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Pied Avocet, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, European Golden Plover, Northern Lapwing, Common Ringed Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot, Dunlin, Eurasian Woodcock, Common Snipe, Common Greenshank, Common Redshank, Razorbill, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, European Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Little Owl, Short-eared Owl, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Shore Lark, Eurasian Skylark, Bearded Reedling, Barn Swallow, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas’s Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Redwing, Common Blackbird, Fieldfare, European Robin, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, European Stonechat, Isabelline Wheatear, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Eurasian Rock Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Brambling, Eurasian Bullfinch, European Greenfinch, Twite, Common Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Snow Bunting, Yellowhammer, Common Reed Bunting, Grey Seal, Roe Deer, Brown Hare,

Spurn Week 10

Wednesday 25^th October - Tuesday 31^st October 

This week continued much as the previous had finished, with most of my time spent in Churchfield ringing Blackbirds, other Thrushes and Tree Sparrows. However, at the weekend a few more visiting ringers arrived leaving myself and Paul with nowhere to ring. As a result we spent a bit more time targeting specific birds. A Black Redstart that we spring trapped behind the Riverside was pretty cool, but the Water Rail we baited up and trapped along the canal was without doubt the highlight, without doubt the best bird I’ve rung so far.  A nice adult Siskin was also welcome.

-Black Redstart

-Water Rail

Most of the rest of my time was spent doing work either for the Obs or for the Crown, now that I have started to work there. As a result I did miss the best seabird day of the autumn but it can’t be helped. 

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, Merlin, Common Buzzard, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Knot, 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, Short-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, White Wagtail, Whinchat, Stonechat, Robin, Black Redstart, Wren, Dunnock, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Yellow-browed Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Starling, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Brambling, Siskin, Linnet, Twite, Reed Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting, Migrant Hawker, Common Darter, Red Admiral, 

Orgreave Lakes

A bright sunny morning on my day off, so I set off down to Orgreave for a look round. The highlights of the day were the numerous signs of spring, namely the singing Skylarks all around, probably at least 30 birds. There were other more unusual site passerines around too such as a pair of Stonechat and a pair of Siskin...

-Stonechat

-Skylark

-Siskin

Another highlight was a new addition to my Orgreave Patch List! Whilst walking along the hillside on my way over to the Waverley estate I flushed a pair of Grey Partridges from the long grass. They flew over the hilltop where I lost them but its a patch tick for me. I managed to grab one acceptable record shot before I lost them.

-Grey Partridge

I mentioned that I was heading to Waverley and that was because the male Black Redstart had been refound and was behaving himself. It took some finding but once I had it I was able to finally get some record shots, as well as getting the other birders present onto it. I was not able to get as close as I would have liked, but thats largely due to not wanting to flush it for the other birders. The female bird was also present at the far side of the estate, and I was sure I was going to get some good shots of it given how close it was but then it dropped down and vanished. I could not refind it and since I was becoming pushed for time there was not much I could do.

-Black Redstart

On my way back from Waverley through the lakes again I picked up 3 Common Buzzards soaring overhead. I first picked them up on their call before I spotted them soaring almost directly above me. They are a very majestic bird to say the least.

-Common Buzzard

What a day down on the patch. When it pays off like this, there is nowhere better to bird inland that I can think of.

Species List:

Orgreave Lakes: Blackbird, Magpie, Wren, House Sparrow, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting, Great Tit, Moorhen, Common Teal, Mallard, Skylark, Goosander, Black-headed Gull, Little Grebe, Lapwing, Meadow Pipit, Pochard, Coot, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Carrion Crow, Wigeon, Fieldfare, Siskin, Mistle Thrush, Mute Swan, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Pied Wagtail, Black Redstart, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit,

Orgreave Lakes

This years revision break was not as extravagant as last years. I decided I'd had enough of the library and needed to spend a day in the fresh air. What better way that to try my luck at a pair of Black Redstarts near Orgreave lakes. I arrived early morning to the news that the male was still present but had gone off according to birders on site. I spent two mins looking where it had apparently gone and immediately refound it. It was very mobile and at no point did I get an outstanding clear view, but its my first adult male Black Redstart and a stunning bird.

Not long after it was lost again and in my attempts to try and refind it I stumbled across the female bird feeding down one of the side roads with some Dunnocks. It was a far more obliging bird but in the gloom I labored to get a decent photo. In the end I managed a couple of record shots of the bird which I am very happy with. A morning well spent I would say. 

-Female Black Redstart

After a while I decided to give up on the male and head over to Orgreave lakes themselves. Being so early in the year I was blessed with a host of yearticks. The best of these was a nice flock of around 40 Siskin feeding in the alders near the track and the host of waterbirds. By far the most abundant bird were the Pochards, which are now a red listed species but very abundant at Orgreave.

-Siskin

-Pochard and Goosander

Whilst at Orgreave I managed to get two patch ticks, something I had not counted on. The first was a bird that has been around all winter but only now connected, a beautiful Short-eared Owl. Another birder I saw let me know he had seen it around and as we talked I picked it out quartering over the hill and then beyond, lost to view. I headed up the hill for a look and was delighted to see it perched up in a tree. It was not bothered at all about the passing lorries but decided not to risk getting any closer. What a superb bird, and probably the best view I have ever had of one.

The second patch tick was a solitary Lesser Redpoll. Just as I was finishing walking round a lake I heard a finch calling overhead and considered that it might be a redpoll. So when it landed I was pleased to see I had been right, and that I could add another species to my patch list for here.

-Short-eared Owl

On the way back I decided to try my luck at the gulls in Attercliffe to see if there was anything unusual among them. Sadly there was not, only commoner large gull species, but it was still a nice way to end the afternoon. More often than not when I try here the large gulls just don't bother landing at all.

-Herring and Great Black-backed Gull

Species List:

Orgreave Lakes: Skylark, Magpie, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Dunnock, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Starling, Carrion Crow, Robin, Black Redstart, Blackbird, Siskin, Blue Tit, Fieldfare, Long-tailed Tit, Pochard, Coot, Goldeneye, Great-crested Grebe, Herring Gull, Mute Swan, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Goosander, Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gull, Short-eared Owl, Grey Heron, Common Teal, Feral Pigeon, Stonechat, Lesser Redpoll, Grey Wagtail, Great Tit

Attercliffe: Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Mallard, 

Norfolk Holiday Day 3; Part 2-Return to Cley

I got off the bus at Cley visitor center to see what had been seen. It was the same as yesterday, except without my additions of little gull and mealy red poll. I headed up the beach road to the shingle bar so that I could watch the migrants. I stopped off at a bench overlooking a field for lunch, but there was not much going on there, a handful of graylag geese feeding and a few mallards too.
  After lunch I headed up the coast road to see what there was. On the base of the road I heard a bearded reedling from the reeds, but was unable to track it down. There continued to be ample thrushes, all varieties with the exception of ring ouzel, as the wire where I got it yesterday was empty today. The fog had lifted slightly, so I could at least see my hand in front of my face. I also meant I could see into the ponds in the saltmarsh on the not reserve side of the road. In one of the nearest pools I spotted this little egret, fishing seeming unbothered by my presence.

-Little Egret
I continued to wander up the path, and arrived at the sluice gate where yesterday I had black redstart. I was just thinking that, when one flew down and landed on the path in front of me. I got out the scope and was able to get great views of it. It then flew down to the cattle pens, and so I followed it and found another. Today's were much less flighty than yesterdays and so I was able to get great views and photos of them, especially the second bird which was a very photogenic bird. I followed it for a bit, finally getting some great photos of these really lovely birds.

-Black Redstart 
I sadly lost the black redstart into the field next to the pen, where there were again plenty of thrushes, including more redwings and fieldfares. You got smashing views of them, as the incredible landfall continued.

-Redwings
I reached the car park and met the birder that gave me directions to the bluetail earlier. he was part of a group who were watching maybe 4 black redstarts on the car park fence. They were not as easy to see as the others at the sluice gate, but still cracking birds.
  We started  chatting about twitching, and how different bird watching on the coast was to bird watching inland. While we were chatting, he pointed out a thrush and said that it was a ring ouzel. I mentioned that I had only had my first ring ouzel yesterday and he said that he had never seen a passage like it for ouzel.

-Black Redstarts 
I moved on, around the car park to a shrubby area where there were some goldcrests feeding. A guy told me that there was a yellow-browed warbler in among st them, so I spent around an hour looking for that. While I waited, a flock of maybe 100 brambling landed in the field behind the shrubby patch. They were difficult to make out when landed, but when they flew off you got to really appreciate the numbers.

-Brambling
While we waited the fog lifted and the sun actually came out. I was able to see out to sea and look upon blue sky, for the first time this holiday. It did mean though that when a flock of brent geese flew over I was able to get some photos of them, sort of flying in formation, but it was difficult with only five geese.

-Brent Geese
you could still see the fog inland, and as I looked across the field, I noticed a huge number of Golden plover that had been resting on the ridge, but just looked like tufts of grass. There were probably about 150, but it was the first group I had seen this holiday, so I was pretty impressed.

-Golden Plover
Brent geese continued to fly overhead. This time there were some bigger skeins, though they were still not huge numbers. It is likely that the fog was holding large numbers up in other areas of the country

-Brent Geese
Then the yellow Browed Warbler chase got more exciting as a small warbler appeared on the fence on the other side of the pool. A few of us began to watch it, but nobody got a clear view. The guy who had seen it originally managed to get a handful of photos. The guy he was speaking to had a look, and his verdict was that it was in fact a chiff-chaff. I had a look at the photos too, after the bird had gone...It was almost certainly a Chiff Chaff.
  I set of along the shingle bar to try and get some more migrants. I managed to find plenty more robins, a species seemingly not in short supply this passage. There were also a few brambling  I saw their white rumps disappear ahead of me. There was however, much less than yesterday, perhaps testament to the fact that the fog had lifted slightly.
  There were very few birds on the pools over the shingle. The Water pipit that had been reported earlier seemed to have disappeared. I did however watch as a brown bird landed next to one of the pools. Immediately my hopes raised that it may be an obscure wader, or some other obscure bird. However, when it came to it, it was a skylark, which was lovely to see, especially since they had been singing all day for some bizarre reason.

-Skylark
I had descended from the path to try and get a good view of the skylark, and on my way back up I noticed something moving above it on the shingle ridge. It took me a few moments to work out what was going on, but when I got it it was a stoat carrying a vole off to its lair, so I rushed for the camera. sadly, the only photos worth putting up were those from the when the animal had stopped moving, so I didn't have to move the camera to catch up with it.

-Stoat
The rest of the walk along the shingle passed with only ample robins to report, though at the turn off down to the road I had brambling and chaffinch, which were nice birds to see. Walking down the path to the road I spotted an obscure bird flying towards me. Only when it flew overhead did I realise that I had just seen the resident sacred ibis which was apparently about. It was curious to see, and weather or not it counts on my list of species or not. either way, I only managed one quick photo of it.

-Sacred Ibis
I made it to the bus stop for half four, but decided not to catch that bus, even though it drove past me as I decided two seconds before not to catch it. I decided instead that time could be better spent birding, so I headed towards the hides to try and boost my species list for the day with some wildfowl and waders. I settled down in the middle hide and waited to see what would appear. The first bird to catch my attention away from the gulls and ducks was a chiff-chaff that settled just in front of the hide happily hunting for insects and other things.

-Chiff Chaff
It was while I was watching the chiff chaff that I noticed a hare appear on the grass ridge in front of me, which sat rather obligingly all things considered, but only for a few shots, as the camera click seemed to disturb it, as it had done rather too many things in its time.

-Brown Hare
Out on "Pat's Pool" I began to check the edges of the mud through the scope. This way I managed to find the ruff from yesterday (or probably the same one). Its a long way away from the hide for my camera so I was difficult to get a photo. It was however much better than yesterdays effort since there was less fog today. Other unusual birds on the pool included a lone avocet near the back and a lone pochard near the front.

-Fog
It was approaching 5 o'clock, and the birds were starting to settle down and disappear. I was watching "Simmond's Scrape" casually, killing time really as I had seen pretty much everything that was still around, when a cream colored bird began to appear over the reeds at the back. Lines to remember; "that's a scruffy little egret!". It took me a moment to realise that I was actually looking at a barn own, and immediately reached for the camera to take some record shots of only my second ever Barn Owl. I was able to watch it hunt and fly loopingly over the reeds through the camera.
  Perhaps it was the fact I was not expecting it, or perhaps it was the fact I was the one that had seen it, I felt more amazed at seeing this barn owl than the Bluetail this morning. I felt a sense of pride at being able to watch this unusual bird that had just appeared in front of me.

-Barn Owl
So it was another exceptionally rewarding day, especially with smashing views of Black Redstarts, a Barn Owl and of course the Blue tail. Here comes today's species list anyway:
Stiffkey Woods: -Red-Flanked Bluetail, -Long-Tailed Tit, -Goldcrest, -Fieldfare, -Redshank, -Little Egret, -Great Tit, -Blue Tit, -Robin, -Blackbird, -Song Thrush
Cley Marshes NWT: -Black Redstart (7), -Brent Geese, -Ring Ouzel, -Golden Plover, -Sacred Ibis (escape), -Goldcrest, -Little Egret, -Gannet, -Skylark, -Chaffinch, -Brambling, -Goldfinch, -Blackbird, -Song Thrush, -Mistle Thrush, -Redwing, -Fieldfare, -Cormorant, -Starling, -Avocet, -Herring Gull, -Lesser Black-Backed Gull, -Greater Black Backed Gull, -Black-Headed Gull, -Common Gull, -Mute Swan, -Shoveler, -Teal, -Wigeon, -Shelduck, -Mallard, -Graylag Goose, -Coot, -Moorhen, -Lapwing, -Ruff, -Redshank, -Curlew, -Marsh Harrier, -Black-Tailed Godwit, -Pochard, -Willow Warbler, -Chiff Chaff, -Pied Wagtail, -Blue Tit, -Great Tit, -Dunnock, -Woodpigeon, -Robin, -Barn Owl, -Pheasant,