Autumn Migration Continues

I chose to give the Migfest a miss this year, I wanted to get out and photograph some wildlife this weekend and I thought that the crowds at Spurn would not be conducive to great photography.

So early Sunday morning I headed up to Flamborough in the hope of some migrant birds and less people to contend with.

First stop was Thornwick Pool, nothing on the walk down to the pond and only a greenshank of interest on the ponds. Not a great start.

I then headed for Old Fall news had come out of a barred warbler at the southern end of the hedge so at least I was in the right place for something.

Upon arriving three locals put me in the right area and soon departed.It wasn't long before the barred warbler was showing quite well and was moving predominantly from left to right along the hedgerow and then just appeared to vanish.

There were quite a few other common migrants in this area including redstart, whitethroat, spotted flycatcher, willow warbler, goldcrest and overhead a marsh harrier and grey wagtail.

The walk back produced another redstart and a distant whinchat. I had a quick look around the outer head and was rewarded with a quite showy pied flycatcher but by now the sun was very high making photography quite difficult.

The next part of the day involved a long trip to Patrington Haven the target was waders and my arrival was timed to coincide with high water.

As soon as I arrived there were quite a few waders roosting at the high tide line including ringed plover, dunlin and curlew sandpiper.

the tide was rising quickly and soon the sky was filled with massive flocks of waders mostly knot and dunlin with greenshank, grey plover golden plover and green sandpiper thrown in.

They were being stalked by a peregrine and made for spectacular viewing as they wildly dispersed in an attempt to foil their tormentor.

There was at least 30 little egrets and a mixed gull flock as well as oystercatcher, curlew , whimbrel,grey heron, wheatear and shell duck to add to the interest.

At high tide it went very quiet and it was time to leave.

The walk back produced a kingfisher and marsh harrier.

All in all a very long day but most enjoyable in lovely weather and a good mix of birds.

Spurn Migrants

After some promising winds earlier in the week I found myself heading for Spurn this morning.I knew that conditions recently have not been conducive to a mega day but thought I would check it out all the same.

I started with a walk around the canal bushes and found plenty of common migrants including whitethroat, chief chaff willow warbler a pair of swifts and reed warbler.

It was here a confiding roe deer peered out of the bushes almost oblivious to my presence.

On canal script itself there were 3 dunlin and two redshanks but nothing more interesting.

I then went to Crown and Anchor car park and again nothing major.

My final stop was Sammy's Point and it was here where the best birds were.Whinchat and wheatear feeding side by side in the first paddock, 2 buzzards overhead and a pair of spotted flycatchers in the end paddock bushes.

Quite a selection of waders were present on the mud as the tide ebbed but nothing startling.

All in all a lovely morning nothing startling but a real sense of Autumn in the air and a high level of expectation for the forthcoming weeks.

Tophill Kings

I hoped to capture the force of Hurricane Bertha yesterday, but after a somewhat disappointing trip to Filey Brigg (it was literally a damp squib!) i thought the day was written off.

However mid afternoon some sunlight began to appear, Tophill is only 15mins down the road so given that it had been raining all day I thought that the kingfishers might use this lull as an opportunity to feed.

When I got there there was no wind, but crucially no kingfishers! after a while one appeared, then another.For the next hour they put on a stunning show-I was the only one in the hide and they were diving regularly and at times coming on to the closest perch , quite often in good light.

Still lots of room for improvement on flight shots but the light and colors made for some nice photographic opportunities yesterday.

At about 6pm the wind and rain picked up and it was time to hurry back to the car.