Collared Pratincole

Went up to Pulfin & High eske tonight for the collared pratincole.
Strange night really, drenched in sweat by the time I got there, clouds of midges, nearly pitch black at 7.00, chucking it down with rain while 8.30 then sunshine.
Got home (10 miles away) not a drop of rain.
Oh by the way a Yorkshire Mega showing well but in really poor light.
The bird looked ill to me didn't feed for the 2 1/2 hours I was there, tried flying a couple of times but only got about a metre off the ground.
Hopefully it will perk up but the signs aren't good.

Hornsea Mere Revisited

Having seen the recent reports about the good numbers of common sandpipers at Hornsea Mere I couldn't resist in having a go for them.
I set myself up in a likely spot and waited.
When I got to my spot a small flock flew off as well as a wood sandpiper.
Once I got set up it didn't take long for the birds to come back, some more obliging than others.
First was the juvenile common tern, almost oblivious to me as it came within 2 metres of my bag hide.
Then it was the greenshank, a little more wary but still good views at 10m.
Finally the common sands came back, always distant they had a small group of rocks they preferred and they didn't stray too far away.
In between there were plenty of little gulls to look at, a little egret that flew by also hundreds of swifts and swallows hunting low over the water.
A cracking evening, would like to get a shot of the wood sand so will be back again.

Hornsea Mere

Been down to Hornsea Mere acouple of times this week.
The first was just a recce, got some decent views of a hunting barn owl and there were plenty of litle gulls but quite distant.
the second time I went I was better prepared and I managed a cuple of shots of the barn owl.
On the foreshore there was a little more action with lapwing,common tern,common sandpiper and the best bird a wood sandpiper, plus the little gulls were a bit closer and I managed a cuple of shots.
Last night when I went it was overcast so not so good for photography but saw a black tern,greenshank,dunlin,oystercatcher,greenshank,a couple of little terns and again distant little gulls.
the water levels are quite low and if the drought continues and other traditional water holes (Swine Moor) dry out, it might just produce a goodie!
Will be back a few times over the summer to check out.