Pat Haven

I had another cracking session at pat haven this morning.

I got there before first light and set up in a new spot-it didn't take long for the first greenshank to appear, then it was joined by a redshank and a couple more greenshanks. Then I heard an unusual call coming from behind and within seconds a cracking spotted redshank landed on the lagoon in front of me. It flushed with the rest of the waders when a raptor went through, then settled back on the lagoon even closer.

It was a smaller tide than yesterday so I had longer and the small waders just kept coming-the whole area was covered in mainly dunlin with odd ringed plovers and the long staying curlew sandpipers.

hardly any bigger waders though, just one grey plover being notable.

Must be getting near to the end of the pat haven season but whilst the warm weather continues so does the good birds.

East Yorkshire Waders

I had quite a stroke of luck today-firstly I went to Patrington Haven and managed to get 20 minutes on the waders before the lagoon flooded and it just so happened that a curlew sandpiper chose to walk by me within 20 feet.

There were quite a few other waders on the lagoon including bar tailed godwit, grey plover, redshank and ringed plover. The only other bird of note was a merlin.

I had a quick ride out to Spurn after Pat haven, but a quick look on canal scrape and a chat with some other birders confirmed that there was little of note around.

I then went up to Hornsea Mere in the hope of seeing the pectoral sandpiper. At first there was no sign despite quite a few birders on site, then it appeared out of nowhere as 2 other birders and i watched it circle above us before flying off towards the south side. After a while it was re-located on the spit next to swan island. the only other bird of note was the odd little gull mixing with the black headed gulls.

One of the locals had arranged for the guy who owns the motor boat to take us towards swan island and within 10 minutes we were watching the pec and a rough at very close range. It was quite skittish and didn't hang around, but did stay long enough to get some cracking views.

we went further in search of a med gull which flew north and then we saw what at first we thought was a little egret but after some scrutiny the bird revealed itself as a great white egret.

Cracking bird to end a cracking morning.

Buff Breasted Sandpiper

i went up to Thornwick Bay for the buff breasted sandpiper this afternoon. Quite a long walk uphill to get to the sheep field it favoured with very little in terms of birds on the way. A peregrine falcon being the best of it.

Once I got there the bird showed well in the north western corner, probably kept there by the buffeting south westerly wind. It was always a struggle to get a sharp shot in poor light and as a fairly heavy shower came over the bird took flight an alighted some 500 yards north west.

It was time to go. best other bird was a hobby.