Late Autumn at Spurn

October 29, 2018

Just had a fantastic couple of days at Spurn- the north easterly winds have really brought in Autumn with a bang.

I started off yesterday with a bit of sea-watching and the very first bird I saw was a little auk. It caught me off guard as my camera settings were wrong but I actually like the blurred effect.

Lots of kittiwakes going north made for a nice photo opportunity. As did the red-throated divers.

Plenaty of ducks moving too and a nice eoder was quite close in shore.

Unfortunately there were no pomarine skuas or petrels for me.

I moved to the canal scrape hoping for a jack snipe but unfortunately there was no sign. However there were plenty of winter thrushes including a nice ring ouzel. next stop was Cliff Farm and Crown & Anchor area. Here a nice great skua flew close and more divers heading out of the humber. Woodcocks were whizzing around and bramblings were calling it had a real autumn feel about it.

Two hooded crows were blogging around and made for a nice addition to the year list.

Today was even better. The day started with a buzzard on Easington straight and then another spot of sea-watching. Not as busy today but still saw a little auk and a few kittiwakes.

There were lots of goldcrests around near the warren and even more at the Crown and Anchor.

There were mealy redpolls at panchos pond then a brambling perched up in front of me and a black redstart was flicking around on the rocks in front of the Crown & Anchor. The barred warbler showed well but distantly in the field behind the crown.

A walk around the Church Field yielded another mealey redpoll and then news of a pallas’s warbler broke. It was on the south side of the gas terminal. Initially it was quite hard to see but eventually showed well for about 10 minutes before heading off.

Back to the Crown for a yellow-browed warbler and then on to KIlnsea Caravan site for some twite. They didn’t show but a confiding black redstart was nice compensation.

More woodcocks whizzing around and a nice merlin was hunting over the humber.

News broke of a possible arctic redpoll along Beacon Lane. It showed very well and it would appear that on the whole the consensus was for arctic it wasn’t 100% certain.

the day ended back with the yellow-browed warbler at the Crown along with another load of goldcrests.

the last 2 days have been classic ‘Spurn’ days and what a couple of days they have been-reaffirming its place as Britains premier birding place.

Migfest 2018

September 11, 2018

Well another Migfest has been and gone and what a fantastic one it was. The organisation by Spurn Bird Observatory was impeccable as was the food, the stands, the volunteers and those who came to enjoy the spectacle. It was an honour to be a part of it.

I arrived at tea time on Friday and within an hour I had my stand set up and did a trial run through of the photo loop I had prepared with some of my photos taken at Spurn. I was theer to essentially talk about Spurn and what a fantastic place it is for photographing wildlife. Even on the Friday there was a steady stream of people coming up and having a chat. Conversations soon drifted towards equipment, photo editing and general chat about Spurn.

I arrived bright and early on the Saturday morning and was greeted by a spectacular sunrise so a few scenic shots over the sea with gulls, terns, divers and waders providing some good photographic opportunities.

Early sunshine soon gave way to cloud so I moved to the Humber side and captured some shots of a hunting peregrine and meadow pipits flying south. With a stiff wind and a chill in the air I made my way back to Migfest HQ and continued with manning the stand. Another group of enthusiastic migfest-goers continued with debate and discussion.

Later in the afternoon I went to see the reported Common Rosefinch and a fly-through sparrowhawk. The day ended with rain but not before tucking in to the delicious hog-roast served up as part of the package.

I made my way home after that nd another early start on the Sunday ensued. This time it was cloud at first so I went to Kilnsea Welands and managed good views of a spotted redshank. I then headed towards the canal area and it was fairly quiet but at least the sun had come out. I went to a spot along the canal with the hope of photographing waders as the flew back to the Warren area as the tide receded. I was rewarded with some great shots of common waders in flight. Then headed back to canal hedge as the rosefinch was again reported it gave good but distant views and also a merlin through was another highlight.

I headed back again to Migfest HQ and yet another steady stream of people chatting away about a wide range of subjects all involving photography and the magical place that is Spurn.

It quitened a bit in the afternoon and it was time to leave. What an event, it was great to feel a part of a fantastic showcase that really does promote the very best of Spurn. The scenery, the birds and the people. A very well done to all involved roll on next year.

Owl Fest

September 01, 2018

I had an early morning trip out to Spurn this morning in the hope of seeing some of the migrants that have been coming in for the last few days.

First port of call was Kilnsea Wetlands which were very quiet then on to Beacon Ponds. I was greeted by 2 short-eared owls perched up on some fence posts- pretty distant and pretty static so had a quick look at Beacon Lagoon. Not much there so moved back to look at the owls. They had become more active and had been joined by another two and quicckly by a third-5 short eared owls all in close proximity.

I stayed with them for the next couple of hours and was treated to close up views as one particular individual came quite close as it hunted the rough grassland.

As the sun rose and the light became more harsh the owls settled down and became les active so I moved off.

Next stop was canal bushes which were very quiet save for the odd whitethroat and lesser whitethroat.

A quick scan around the Crown and Anchor car park yielded nothing so I had a drive to Sammy's Point. Brief and distant views of the red-backed shrike were the highlight and very little else migrant wise.

I went back for a reported barred warbler at the canal but that had gone to ground.

Bird wise it was very quiet but the owls put on a fantastic show.