This outing is to try and see a species of bird, the Willow Tit, that all three of us had never seen before.
M.S., Kevin and I set off at 05.00 hours to arrive at Potteric Carr, North Lincolnshire around 08.30 hours.
Bright sunny day, blue sky, prospects good.
In the hedgerows
Redwing
Blackbird
Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Robin
on the feeders
Willow Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker
The sun was bright and straight into our face, birds very fast, not clever for photography ! but I tried
Willow Tit
Willow Tit
Coal Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker
11.00 hours, set of for Bempton RSPB Reserve, East Yorkshire arriving about 12.30 hours.
Here it is bright sky but a very strong cold wind
We had come here to look for a Desert Wheatear that had been reported here for the last 10 days.
We followed directions given to us by helpful RSPB staff and within a few minutes joined about 10 other persons looking. Easily found and as it was being pointed out to me, it flew away, way off out of site into the distance. I was not pleased ! I had a wander along the clifftop, then returning to the place where the Desert Wheatear had been seen most. A Kestrel was hunting along the cliff giving a photo opportunity
Kestrel
Nobody here now. Yes the Wheatear returned, to be very close to me, posing on different perches, giving 30 minutes of 'better and better' excellency !
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Desert Wheatear, male
Also seen at Bempton was
Sparrowhawk
Rock Pipits
Meadow Pipits
Tree Sparrows, 30 +
Tree Sparrow
Day over, bed for the night and an evening meal in Bridlington.
Day 2, Sunday
We started the day of by travelling 20 miles up coast to Scarborough arriving at the harbour before day break. The weather was bright, no wind, but the forecast was not good.
In the harbour we saw
Great Black-backed Gulls,
Black-headed Gulls
Lesser black-backed Gulls
Herring Gulls
Kittiwake, 1
Turnstones
At 9.00 hours we moved on, the target was to find Red Grouse ! A 'new bird' for Kevin and M.S.
Heading towards the Yorkshire Dales we stopped of briefly at Forge Valley, where we saw
Coal Tits, maybe 20 +, many,
Marsh Tit, 4 +
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Nuthatch
Chaffinch
Dunnock
further up the valley
Bullfinch, 6
Siskin
Common Crossbill, 1 male
Goldfinch
Mistle Thrush, 2
House Sparrow
Mallard
Wigeon
Moorhen
Bullfinch, he would not show himself !
Out of the valley, up through the forest, past the sheep and now we were up by the heather,
Red Grouse
We found the first one immediately, followed by many, 30 +, males and females, some very close, calling, very vocal in flight.
Stonechat, m
Whooper Swan, 6 flew over calling
Red Grouse, m
Red Grouse, f
The weather was deteriorating fast, low cloud, light rain, then turning to sleet.
14.30 hours, mission complete, no more to be gained, headlights on, turned for home and indoors for 21.00 hours.
Lots of year ticks for all
2 new birds for me
3 new birds for Kevin
2 new birds M.S.
I say it every trip, but surly this was 'special', to say the least !
