Richard's Pipits

It dawned clear and bright, with frost on the car and snow on the Wolds. The orange sun rose as I passed Bridlington and dropped down to Flamborough. I had the place to myself so walked round the grass field (owned by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust) to the east of North Landing. Sadly, the three Richard's Pipits were nowhere to be seen, with two showy Rock Pipits and a single Meadow Pipit being nice, but little consolation. After checking a few more fields, I headed back to where I had started and scanning the first field, there were three large buffy pipits - surely these must be the Dicks! No sooner had I scoped them than they took off and flew calling down to the bottom of the field, where they started feeding happily in the early morning sun. I watched them for the next hour or so, noting their pale lores and checking out their median covert bar, to see whether I could pick out the pointed dark tips to the centres of the adult median coverts - I could, but it wasn't easy! The pipits showed well but did not come closer than about 20 metres. They walked purposefully through the long tussocky grass, occasionally stopping for a few moments to look around, particularly if the local gulls started calling. They were presumably well aware of the threat of the local Peregrine. Whilst watching the trio, a Water Rail suddenly squealed in the ditch in the gulley behind me - unexpected to say the least! I managed at least one shot with all three in the same frame, but it wasn't easy as one of the birds seemed less clingy than the other two. Smart birds.

Wandering about

Bit of local birding this weekend. Yesterday, I checked out some big flocks of gulls in the fields along the ringroad, before moving on to Rufforth where I joined Chris Gomersall to look at a wet field which was pulling in lots of birds. Chris picked out a first winter Glaucous Gull that was having a wash in a pool in a muddy field. It seemed to be getting dirtier the more it washed. A leucistic Herring Gull (1w) on the airfield nearby was interesting and a Short-eared Owl was hunting over the usual field near the village.

Today, headed down the LDV but the floods were massive and everywhere was either inaccessible or the water was so deep there was very little to be seen. The road either side of Bubwith Bridge was flooded and a bit hairy; I wasn't convinced I would get through with the water streaming across, but it was alright and I held my nerve... Ellerton Church proved the best for birding, with c20 Whooper Swans, 62 Shelduck (amazing mid-winter count showing how mild it has been to date), 7 Redshank, c500 Lapwings, 10 Pochard visible. Two Egyptian Geese were by the pool at East Cottingwith. I couldn't get through to Sutton or Thornton the usual ways due to flooded roads, so went round via Allerthorpe and ended up on the Common, so I thought I'd have a look for last week's Lesser Spotted Woodpecker that was found on the Birdrace. No sign, sadly, but I'll try again in a few weeks time when it might be calling. Looks a reasonable area for a pair, with loads of birch and plenty of old veteran oaks.

The road is still impassable down to Acaster, so who knows what's on the floods down at Church Ings....

Welcome to 2016

Spent five days in the Great Glen, staying on the south shore of Loch Lochy. Passed through Pitlochry on the way up and popped into the Cuilc to see the smart drake Ring-necked Duck. A lovely bird, hanging out in this very picturesque spot with ten Tufties. Didn't do much birding in the Highlands, but saw a fine immature Golden Eagle up Glen Roy on 30th December. The real highlight was seeing the Northern Lights on New Years Eve between 11.30pm and 12.15am. It got really good at about 11.55pm with vertical curtains appearing. It was all bright enough to light up the snow on the mountains across the loch - simply stunning. We got Addie up to have a look but we couldn't wake Sol sadly.

Headed back south on the 3rd and stopped off at Caerlaverock WWT which I hadn't visited since I was about 14. c2000 Pink-feet in the fields nearby, with c500 Barnacle Geese and 100 Whooper Swans providing a wonderful spectacle. A first winter drake Ring-necked Duck (brown feathering along the upper flanks) was on one of the lakes and nearby, a drake Green-winged Teal was kipping on an island in Folly Pond. A lovely way to spend Christmas week and we even got a bit of snow up Aonach Mor on New Year's Day!

Bye, bye 2015

Celebrated the end of the year with a walk up Glen Roy with the Clan. Saw a fine juv Golden Eagle soaring over the slopes. Happy Hogmanay!

The White Stripes - revisited

Not up as early as I'd planned due to a pretty shocking night due to this ongoing man-cold. Nevertheless, arrived at a deserted Wheldrake Ings a little after 8. As I fell out of the car in to the muddy car park, the air was filled with the sound of distant Pink-feet - wow - this was like Norfolk! From the bridge top, I could make out a line of these little dark geese happily grazing away across Yorkshire's finest floodplain meadow - lovely! Gulls drifted over, heading back to the Rufforth landfill site- they'd be disappointed: they don't tip on Sundays.

A little later I was in the Tower Hide and was pleased to count 161 Pink-feet, plus thousands of Lapwings, Wigeon and Teal out on the floods. After a little while an unknown danger spooked a huge flock of geese off the low grounds to the north. Predominantly Greylags, the flock contained at least 70 more Pink-feet and two small very dark geese- European White-fronted! Great. These had been found by Duncan Bye last month but had been rather elusive. The geese all wheeled round and then settled in front of the hide allowing me to count the birds and get a few phone-scoped pics.

Huge numbers of ducks were out on Swantail Ings, so I carried on down the riverside path to get a better look. The path to Swantail was flooded so I gingerly waded through. As I arrived, the almost-resident Cetti's Warbler welcomed me in usual style, by scolding from its hiding place in the reeds, apparently almost under the hide! The floods were carpeted in rafts of Teal, looking spectacular in the low winter sunshine: a cacophony of peeping filled the air. Surely there must be a Green-winged Teal among this lot? Having found a smart drake GWT at North Duffield earlier this year, I doubted I would strike lucky twice, but not to be put off, I started to squint through my scope looking for vertical white stripes among the hordes of horizontal. After about 40 minutes, I had counted approximately 3000 Teal, 1000 Wigeon, 25 Shoveler, 20 Pochard, 40 Tufted Ducks, 5 Goldeneye, 85 Pintail, 13 Shelduck, 40 Ruff, 2 Dunlin and had briefly seen the Cetti's Warbler fly between the reeds and a willow bush!

And then there was a vertical white stripe. Surely not! But no, it was, a cracking drake Green-winged Teal, busily calling and displaying among its European cousins. Unbelievable! It was a bit distant and was moving quite steadily with a group of 20 or so Teal towards the duck trap, so was tricky to phone-scope, but after a bit of perseverance, I managed a bit of video and a few pics. Having seen a hybrid drake here a week ago I was careful to check for any signs of impurity, but it looked bang on and I suppose could be the same bird as I had seen earlier in the year. The teal floated into some emergent willows and vanished, leaving me a little bemused but very happy. I put the news out, but shortly a pair of Buzzards came low across the Pool and flushed everything. Oh, no - not sure I would be able to refind the bird now! Fortunately, the teal decided it would head back to the same corner and after ten minutes or so, I refound it. A little later another birder (Adam Firth I think) rocked up and he managed to see it briefly before it disappeared into the willows again.

I didn't manage to do the double by pulling out an American Wigeon, so decided to head back as time was getting on. I had brought some cleaning products with me to give the info signs a scrub so rolled up my sleeves and got to work, before clearing the tall plants that were obscuring the view from Pool Hide.

Just by the Pool Hide something large slipped into the water under the willows, making quite a wave and flushing all the Mallards nearby in the process - an Otter perhaps? Or a Leopard Seal. Carrying on back, a familiar call revealed a Chiffchaff in the trees by the windpump - unexpected but quite fitting given the spring-like mild weather. I also saw a Bumblebee - bizarre! Back at Tower Hide the Pink-foot flock had risen to 231 and were back grazing on the grass, like a line of feathery rabbits. To the rear, an adult male Peregrine was hopping about on the grass, occasionally getting up for a fly around, which scared the living daylights out of the roosting Lapwings and Teal, but it didn't seem particularly hungry, and quickly returned to its grassy knoll to keep watch. A Hare tore across the meadows as if chased by an unseen predator, stopping to nibble the grass as if nothing had happened.

Arriving home to the smell of a roasting beast just ended the morning perfectly!

Winter warmer

Bizarrely warm today, 14 C at midday. Had a Tree Spug on the feeder this morning which is only about my fourth record in five years. 45 pinkfeet went west over Bishopthorpe at 11.15.

Murk

A couple of hours at Wheldrake Ings was enjoyable despite the early mist. Quite ethereal as I walked down the river with the sounds of unseen Teal, Wigeon and Pintail out on the floods. A flock of Lesser Redpolls were feeding in bankside willowherb. I spent ages looking through a tit flock for Firecrests but none were present. Four Goldcrests, three Treecreepers and a pair of Willow Tits were nice. Down towards Swantail and the Cetti's called right on cue from exactly the same place as last time. Duncan came out of the hide for a look but despite regular calling it never showed.  c130 Pink-footed Geese flew over and landed on the refuge. A bit later, Dunc picked up a bonus Short-eared Owl flying around behind Swantail. It showed beautifully, successfully hunting Field Voles and occasionally landing on posts. A good look through the ducks revealed a good increase in Pintail with about 55 present. A solitary Barnacle Goose was sleeping on the water.

Bewitched

Late Post - 29 October:
Following a fantastic October fall-wise, I had high hopes for my last trip to Flamborough of the month. Nothing rare, but really enjoyable birding nevertheless, with four Woodcock flushed around Old Fall being the best, although I was bewitched by the number of Blackbirds along the Old Fall hedge. There was easily 200 in the area and at one point I had 38 feeding on the path viewable from the plantation looking north, with 20 on the path looking south. Really cool! An odd Brambling added a touch of peachy class to proceedings, with single Chiffchaff and Blackcap the only warblers noted. Three Teal were on the little pond in the sheep field.

 Blackbirds, south and north along Old Fall, plus fresh-in Brambling.

Went looking for Golden Plover flocks around the LDV, finding a cracking flock between Stamford Bridge and Kexby. At least 1000 Goldies plus half as many Lapwings. Unfortunately a rather smart adule male Peregrine and a bumbling Buzzard liked the look of the flock too, which prematurely stopped my efforts to find a rare.

Blackneck

In charge of the kids all day, so headed to Scarborough where a combo of harbour birding, chips and amusement arcades would hopefully keep us all out of mischief. We were possibly the only people heading east from York as squally rain showers piled in from the west on a brisk wind. Not the best beach weather, but we managed to check out the sands nevertheless. Found two Black-necked Grebes, half of the quad that has been present. One was incredibly approachable loafing about among the moored fishing boats. It did a lot of simultaneous wing and leg stretching, enabling us to check out it's rather smart white secondaries and inner primaries at close range, plus its freakish lobed toes. Addie decided the birds were evil, with their rather satanic red eyes. I thought they were pretty cute.

You can't moan, can you?

The Lower Derwent Valley flooded following plenty of heavy rain over the last week or so. Headed out to Wheldrake Ings on Saturday afternoon (21st November), to find the path pretty treacherous, but the floods not as high as I'd imagined. Awesome views out of Tower Hide of c85 Pink-footed Geese feeding on the grass plus several hundred Greylags and thousands of Teal and Wigeon.

Wandered, or rather, waded up the path to Swantail Hide. As I approached, a bird suddenly called from the ditch edge to my right  - Cetti's Warbler! I stopped dead and sure enough, the bird called again. It seemed to be on the edge of the reeds by a small Sallow, but frustratingly remained out of sight. I watched intently and moved to a better position. Annoyingly, the bird moved the opposite way and called from further up the ditch. I back-tracked but after several minutes the bird went quiet having failed to show itself. This is my first record of Cetti's Warbler in the York area having dipped several in the past. Surely it can't be long before they colonise the Derwent? Time was getting on so I had a look out of Swantail where another 15 Pinks were on the water, plus 10 Pintail, a brace of Gadwall and a handful of Shoveler. This was beginning to feel like birding in Broadland! Something was spooking the geese and ducks over on the floods but I couldn't see a culprit. I headed back round and the Cetti's called again repeatedly, this time on the other side of the path. Nice! Back at Tower Hide, a Buzzard was bouncing around on the grass much to the annoyance of the geese. Whether this had been what flushed everything I am not sure. I headed home very happy, not bad for a couple of hours out.

Swantail sunset

Super Stripy Sibe Sprites!

Another afternoon dash to Flamborough, once my Dad duties had been dealt with (well done Sol for winning football player of the week!). Arrived at a busy Flamborough lighthouse car park to be greeted by John B, who remarked 'There's a man who looks like he's in a rush!' Not 'alf: my phone had been non-stop all morning as a whole smorgasbord of stonking sibes were discovered at the Great White Cape.

South of the Gorse Field, I bumped into Janice from Notts WT and Craig who were searching for the Pallas's Warbler. Sure enough, within moments, the stripy little Sibe appeared with a gang of comparatively-drab Goldcrests, working the brambly edge of the hedge. The little sprite showed superbly for several minutes, hopping down into the grass, through the brambles and occasionally hovering to show off the full complement of seven stripes (two on each wing and three on the head) and a pale lemon blob on it's rump. Completely brilliant!

 

We headed round to the other end of the wild bird strip where a first-winter male Siberian Stonechat fed from the tops of blowy thistles and hardheads, showing a plain apricot rump, nice pied tertials and overall pallor, though I was unable to check out it's underwing coverts.

Carried on round to Old Fall Hedge. As we walked up, a Great Grey Shrike shot out of the hedge and grabbed an unseen Goldcrest in mid-air with it's feet! Incredible! I had never seen one do this before, and never even knew they could catch birds in flight - wow! It then hovered, looking presumably for a good perch, and then dropped into the hedge literally ten metres in front of us, but sadly out of sight.  Great Grey Shrikes are just awesome. Goldcrests do not stand a chance with these little velociraptors around.

We carried on up the hedge, with Goldcrests everywhere. Suddenly, I picked up a male Firecrest, which whilst fast-moving, gave itself away to the others and even stayed still momentarily allowing a lucky photo. Vying for pole position as stonking sprite, though I think the Pallas's still edged it!

A Kestrel flew past and landed to consume, yes, a Goldcrest. Looks like these little guys are top of the menu. Mind you, they are rather naive in their behaviour, flying out in to the middle of bare fields and hopping about on the plough. Not wise when shrikes and falcons are at large!

I left Craig and Janice to head off to lunch and I walked the clifftop to Booted Gulley and then on to South Landing. Much quieter further west, though still plenty of Goldcrests, a brief Ring Ouzel and several more Chiffchaffs. A drake Velvet Scoter was close in off the gulley as Craig had indicated. A Peregrine cruised menacingly along the cliffs, worrying the waders feeding on the shore below and looking out for a tired Redwing of Fieldfare to pick off.

No sign of the recent Bluetail at South Landing, so I headed back to Old Fall. Craig's Dusky Warbler was calling occasionally from the hedge south of the plantation, but I couldn't see it. Time was getting on, so I had a quick look at the plantation. A squealing from over the fence turned out to be the death screams of an unfortunate Rabbit which had been killed by a Stoat. The Stoat looked up at me with the scowl of an angry teenager who had been interrupted doing something very important. Further on, a Chiffchaff sleepily hopped about in the grass, catching a few beetles in the leaf litter, before cosying up in the grass and having a nap. A tired migrant no doubt.
 

Back at Old Fall steps, a gent pointed out a fine Yellow-browed Warbler in the willows, a most welcome sight, if not a little eclipsed by the earlier Pallas's. A minute later, I picked up another Pallas's Warbler in the hedge and the same gent then said 'Firecrest' and sure enough, there it was again. The 'Super Sprite Treble' in less than a minute, unbelievable scenes!!

 

Feeling rather exhilarated, I headed back round to the lighthouse and away, beaming like a buffoon!