End of Pelagic Season

Yesterday, I led my last two Yorkshire Coast Nature pelagics off Staithes, North Yorkshire, with skipper Sean Baxter. This is my eighth season guiding these tours for YCN and whilst perhaps not quite as spectacular as last year, was still very enjoyable. 

Starting in mid-July, breeding seabirds were much in evidence, with local Razorbills and Kittiwakes busy feeding young on shoaling Sandeels, whilst good numbers of Puffins, Guillemots and Gannets were drifting up from Filey and Flamborough Head to the south, to gather the bounty. On the 11th July, the most surprising thing was the large influx of Small White butterflies, which seemed to be continually passing by, heading into the coast from the sea. This was part of a collossal national influx from the continent, presumably driven by hot, dry weather. Small numbers of Manx Shearwaters, Arctic and Great Skuas were seen on the July trips, with a sprinkling of passage waders heading south over the sea. Calm seas led to sightings of Harbour Porpoises, but it seemed the Minke Whales had headed further south and my first two were seen from a seawatching session at Flamborough Head on 2nd August. 

 Sooty Shearwater

I then had a gap of a few weeks, before hitting the sea again in late August. Sure enough, the Minkes had arrived and we saw 14 on what turned out to be a fantastic trip on the 24th. This trip ran a few days after a brisk northerly pushed a lot of seabirds into the North Sea, and I logged over 200 Sooty Shearwaters that day, many sitting becalmed in rafts of 20-30. As if this wasn't spectacular enough, among these I found a stunning Great Shearwater, which lingered for at least three days, as I found it in the same spot on the 28th. A Pomarine Skua and a Blue Fulmar were additional highlights on this day, and I started to see juvenile Caspian Gulls among the local Herrings as they arrived from the continent post-breeding. A day or so later, the wind got up again, and the shearwaters all left, presumably heading back out into the North Atlantic. By now, the breeding seabirds had fledged their chicks, and gangs of Razorbill and Guillemot fathers were much in evidence, with downy chicks in tow. These chicks jump off the cliffs before they can fend for themselves, quite unlike the Pufflings that were around, which had been fed for much longer, before being abandoned by their parents and left to their own devices. It seemed to have been a good breeding season, with lots of young auks, Kittiwakes and terns around.

Great Shearwater 

Mid-September yielded prolonged views of some of the resident Bottlenose Dolphins, which had evaded me until then, but they certainly made up for their absence! Minke Whale numbers dropped off quickly, although on my last trip on 27th, we found seven to the south of Robin Hood's Bay. By now, breeding seabirds had departed and the Kittiwake colony by Staithes Harbour was silent once again. Red-throated Divers were conspicuous, and a few exciting species included Barnacle Geese heading south, a nice feeding flock of ten Little Gulls, plus Merlin and Redwing coming in over the sea. Caspian Gulls had increased, with at least five juveniles approaching the boat very closely, providing exceptional views. 

 

 

 

 Caspian Gulls

Another season comes to a close and it has been such a privilege to have been out guiding for YCN again. The clients have been brilliant, enduring occasional rough seas and periods of little activity in good spirits. It has been great to share the fantastic marine wildlife of this part of the North Sea with so many of them, together with Sean our skipper and my fellow guides at YCN and boss Rich. It felt appropriate that the best bird of the season, a Fea's-type Petrel showed up on one of Rich's trips. It was always going to happen, and a great reward for all the effort Rich has put in over ten plus years to manage and run these pelagics. I hope to be there for the next Pterodroma - I live in hope! 

Barnacle Geese. Netherlands-bound.

If you wish to book on one of next year's tours, check out the Yorkshire Coast Nature website. I have a few weeks break, and then my Winter Wetlands Tours start, where I will be showing people the avian spectacles of the Lower Derwent Valley. Hopefully, I will see you there!
 

Pec Sand Hat Trick

With strong southwesterlies dominating, the east coast wasn't going to be worth a visit, so I stuck to my recent plan of trying to dig out Yank waders, by visiting Blacktoft Sands. It has been a good early autumn for Yanks and there had been a brief report of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper from there yesterday, so it had to be worth a look. Spring tides has put much more water on to the lagoons which had ben drying out, and duck numbers were up, with over 400 Teal on Reedling lagoon. I carefully checked through the loafing ducks, which paid off, when a Garganey suddenly stuck its head up. They've been scarce locally this year, so this was great to see. Half a dozen Spotted Redshanks, a few Ruff and Green Sandpipers were hanging out here too, along with a couple of Pochards, several Gadwall and Shoveler too. A nice start!

 

I pottered down to Ousefleet, which the friendly volunteer at the centre had told me also now contained water. A couple of birders were present and one shortly pointed out a ringtail Hen Harrier quartering the reedbed to the east. A little distant, but great to see; it has been around the last couple of weeks but this was the first time I'd seen it. The birders left after a bit, and I had the hide to myself. 

A few Ruff and a couple of Ringed Plovers were roosting on the muddy islands among stacks of Greylags. Out of nowhere, two waders flew past calling - I immediately recognised the call as Pectoral Sandpiper! Flippin' 'eck! They went over the hide and disappeared. 

As I was thinking how frustrating that was, they flew back in. One was a Snipe and the other a spanking juvenile Pec Sand - fantastic! I quickly phonescoped a couple of pics and put the news out on Birdguides to alert the other birders on site. 

 My first hurried pic of the Pec.

 I then settled down to watch this gorgeous bird. After looking like it could fly at any moment, it settled down and began feeding furtively along the edge of the island. Shortly, a Marsh Harrier came over and instead of flushing, the Pec squatted on the water's edge, relying on camouflage to avoid detection. With danger past, it flew to end of the island. Three birders then walked in and the Pec flew and I lost it - doh! I told the birders that I'd just had a Pec but I'd momentarily lost it. Their slightly incredulous tones soon evaporated when I refound it much closer. Cracking! 

The Pec showed well walking about on the island and then having a good bathe and preen. 25 minutes after it arrived, it suddenly flew off west calling and didn't reappear. 

 

So, a hat trick of Pecs so far in the last month, with two self-found and one twitched. Not bad at all. Now to find something rarer! I wandered back down to the east end, and added c20 Bearded Tits, a couple of Greenshanks, two more Spotted Redshanks and two Curlew Sandpipers to the list, with another, closer view of the Hen Harrier.  A pretty good few hours birding.

 Distant Hen Harrier - honest!

 Some videos of the Pec:

Back offshore

Two more YCN pelagics off Staithes yesterday and it could not have been more different from the shearwater-fest of two weeks ago. Not a single shearwater seen and only one Arctic Skua. Richard's Fea's-type Petrel didn't reappear and we struggled for the first four hours in rough seas. Fortunately, the Bottlenose Dolphins we'd seen off the harbour before we embarked reappeared heading south off Skinningrove, and we spent our last hour as the sun came out and the wind dropped (=calming seas) drifting with these spectacular animals. At least two adults were identifiable from the nicks and scratches on their dorsal fins - more on that later - and it was great to see a young yearling calf and another three or four year old. Their paler grey skin and smaller size was distinctive next to the gun-metal grey adults. Sean always does a good job of getting ahead of the dolphins, cutting the engine and just quietly drifting with the tide; the dolphins come leisurely past, eyeing us with interest and not at all perturbed by us as we whooped and cheered from All My Sons. 

 

  

A couple of fine juvenile Caspian Gulls accompanied us back to harbour, and on the second trip we bumped into the dolphins again. The sea had calmed by early evening, so we headed out to the two mile line, where most Minke action had been. Sure enough, we shortly found our only Minke Whale of the day, which seemed to be travelling and it soon vanished, but not before everyone got a look. Few birds were present, but Arctic and Common Terns passed by, briefly harried by a pale phase Arctic Skua, and I delighted in seeing seven Swifts over the sea, perhaps my last of the year. We headed back to Staithes in a glorious sunset, a glass of prosecco the only thing missing from another wonderful day offshore.

 

Calves compared with adults. Very cute!

 

Juvenile Caspian Gull

 

Four Swifts off Kettleness

 

Annual York Birding Trip to Flamborough

 I led the York Birding field trip to Flamborough Head today. 

19 of us York birders met at the Head this morning at 8am (though the count was a little higher according to Duncan!). A Wheatear perched on a chimney pot was a good start. We headed down to the fog station with a keen southeaster blowing, so we hid in the lee of the buildings. Several Red-throated Divers were flying about, among the commoner local seabirds, with 5 Arctic Skuas and 1 Manx Shearwater the pick of the seabirds. Several flocks of Teal flew south, along with two drake Pochards which are scarce over the sea here. Two Peregrines gave good close views hunting along the cliffs, and a number of Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns passed by. Best of all - for some - was a small pod of Bottlenose Dolphins that moved slowly north offshore, allowing us all good views. A few Harbour Porpoises and Grey Seals were noted too. 

We then split into two groups, with Duncan taking one group anti-clockwise round the Old Fall loop, and Jono taking the other clockwise. The wind made birding difficult, but the sun was warm and there were a few migrants around. The best spot was in the Old Fall hedge just north of the plantation, where a fine male Redstart made sorties on to the path to catch an unwary insect, with two Pied Flycatchers and both Common and Lesser Whitethroats for company. 

 

  

A quick coffee break and we drove round to Thornwick as we had heard the exciting news of a Greenish Warbler having been discovered. We reconvened and grilled the copse by the Activity Barn, but despite good views of a trio of Pied Flycatchers, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Goldcrests, we couldn't repeat our luck from last year and find the Greenish.

 

 

 

A relaxing walk down to Thornwick Pools revealed Reed Warbler and a few common ducks, before we headed back to the car park for lunch. Next up, Bempton Cliffs where we peered into the Dell, grilled Pallas's Patch and sheltered out of a brief downpour in the centre, looking for more migrants. A fine Spotted Flycatcher was zipping around; Duncan and me saw a brief Sedge Warbler looking proper rare, and a couple more Pied Flycatchers were along the nature trail. Despite reports of Whinchats all over the place, we couldn't locate any - they seemed to be avoiding us! 

Time was getting on, so we called it a day, and said our goodbyes in the overflow car park. An enjoyable day with a sprinkling of migrants, with Pied Flycatchers and Bottlenose Dolphins the highlights. 

 

A late brood of Swallow fledglings being fed by the parents by Bempton VC. Very sweet.
 

Seabirding

 

Another day leading Yorkshire Coast Nature pelagics off Staithes. The sea was still lumpy, getting over the big northerly swell that had been running all week. This made finding stuff tricky for the first few hours, but hitting the five mile, the swell eased considerably, and we found a big feeding frenzy, with 300 Gannets, 200 Grey Seals, 12 Minke Whales, and best of all, a Great Shearwater feeding with 80+ Sooty Shearwaters. The Great Shear fed by diving from the surface and would disappear for 20-30 seconds, clearly going deep to hunt Herring. The Sooties were also doing this. 

 

Adding further class, a Blue Fulmar cruised past giving great views and my first pics of this form. Also noted, four Bonxies, a single Arctic Skua, Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns and a dapper juvenile Caspian Gull.

 

Blue Fulmar, Sooty and Great Shearwaters, plus Fulmar and Kittiwake

Casp.

Blacktoft Renaissance

Needing a wader fix, I have had two recent visits to Blacktoft Sands, the first on 12th August, and then a second today, the 24th. The first visit was with my folks, and was really lovely, with great views of Bearded Tits scurrying along the mud at the edge of the reedbed like ginger mice, plus lots of waders (8 Spotted Redshanks, 149 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Green Sandpipers, 25 Ruff, 3 Greenshank - pic above etc), a prolonged Bittern fly-past and several Water Rails. 

 

Ginger mice

 Water Rail

 Gorgeous juvenile Black-tailed Godwits, fresh in from Iceland

Moulting adult Spot Red
... 

With a few hours to kill this morning, I went back again and enjoyed really grilling the waders on the lagoons, including two smart juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, seven Spotted Redshanks (4 adults, 3 juveniles), 24 Ruff, 45 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshank, etc. The ginger mice were still in evidence, along with a few Water Rails, plus some excitement provided by a couple of Hobbies, hunting over the reedbed. 

 

Top: Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlins; bottom, Greenshank with two Spotted Redshanks.

 

 

South Atlantic Style

Another seawatch at Flamborough Head, with nine Sooty Shearwaters the highlight, plus 30 Manx Shearwaters, juvenile Caspian Gull, two Little Gulls, c250 Common Terns, c100 Sandwich Terns, Whimbrel and a Minke Whale. A quiet walk round the Old Fall loop revealed one Whinchat, a Lesser Whitethroat and a few Willow Warblers. 

 

Second Pec

After enjoying the Pectoral Sandpiper at Wheldrake Ings earlier in the month, I was quite surprised and delighted to find another bird there this morning. On entering the Pool Hide, I was initially fearing the worst, as most of the water had drained away with only a few wet muddy areas and the occasional puddle. A quick scan revealed virtually nothing in evidence. 

 

 

Switching to my scope, I noticed a handful of Snipe at the back, with a couple of Green Sandpipers and scanning right, picked up a gang of elegant and pristine juvenile Ruff, wading about in the shallows. Then I noticed another smaller, darker bird - an adult Pectoral Sandpiper! The bird was pecking about behind the tern raft, so at quite a distance, but the clear breast band and attenuated rear end, together with its smaller size and proportionately longer bill and shorter legs gave its identity away. Nice.

The Pec was quite distant initially, but the pool ain't that big, so it was still reasonable through the scope. After a bit, the waders flushed and flew into the middle of the pool, giving much better views. I watched the bird feeding with the eight Ruff for a couple of hours, before I had to head back. Also noted, 8 Ruff, 7 Green Sandpipers, 10+ Snipe, 2 Marsh Harriers and 2 Yellow Wagtails. 

Following the bird ten days ago at Wheldrake Ings, this is my third in the York area and my second self-found bird, following a pristine juvenile at Grafham Water in 2006, co-found with Mark Hawkes.

 

Our Grafham juvenile from September 2006, pic by Stuart Elsom:

 

A Quick Pec!

Duncan rang while I was walking Luna to say he'd sent me a pic of a bird he had seen on the Pool at Wheldrake Ings, that he thought might be a Pectoral Sandpiper. I opened Whatsapp and sure enough, an image of a Pec Sand presented itself. Nice one Dunc! I shot home, grabbed my gear and headed over to Wheldrake. Despite the heavy gear swinging round my neck, I just about managed to run most of the mile or so down to the Pool Hide, and was delighted that Dunc was still watching the bird when I arrived. 

The bird, an adult, was pecking about in the wet mud among a flock of loafing Lapwings, showing nicely in the morning sunshine. This is only the second Pec I have seen in the York area (see here for my write-up of my first), and the first adult, so very welcome - hence the dash! There has been a little flurry of Pecs into the UK in the last fortnight and so great that York got in on the action. 

Craig, Rob and Jane turned up before the flock was flushed by a hunting Sparrowhawk. At first the Pec, which called, a Bee-eater like prrrt, circled around with the Lapwings, but after a bit, before heading off high south. It seemed to have gone, and Stuart Rapson turned up two minutes too late. Fortunately for Stuart, it came back in ten minutes later and whilst landing out of sight, it came back out after I had left. This is the tenth record for the York area. Also present, nine Green Sandpipers, c100 Lapwings, Water Rail, Marsh Harrier, Cetti's Warbler and Willow Tits.

 

Seawatch Season

A great start to the seawatch season with a moderate northwesterly blow pushng a few good seabirds into the North Sea. Following yesterday's handful of Great and Cory's Shearwaters past Flamborough Head, I was up early and heading east hoping that the wind, that had continued overnight, would continue to reward.

 I hadn't missed much by the time I arrived on the cliff at 7.30am, and the first bird in my scope view was a Manx Shearwater. The sea was large with plenty of white crests, and the cool northerly made it feel more like autumn that early August! An hour later, James Spencer announced 'Cory's!' and moments later I picked up the large form of this southern shearwater, slowly heading north. True to form, it made its way through in a very relaxed style, taking the best part of five minutes to do so, allowing me to attempt some phonescoped video. It was fairly distant, but the views were reasonable through the scope. 

 

Ten minutes later, and a spooned-up pale phase adult Pomarine Skua cruised north into the wind, low over the sea. A cracker, and one of my favourite seabirds, although I have not seen many in early August.  Terns were very much in evidence, with lots of small parties of Arctics heading north with a few Commons and noisy Sandwich Terns thrown in for good measure. Good numbers of juveniles among the Arctics suggest that some colonies have been spared from bird flu. A fine intermediate adult Arctic Skua headed north, and the tally of Manx Shearwaters topped 20 in the first hour. Cetaceans were in evidence too, with several Harbour Porpoises seen despite the rough seas, followed by a pod of c10 Bottlenose Dolphins that passed close inshore, heading north, followed a few minutes later by two more. Later, glimpses of fins in among a Kittiwake feeding frenzy eventually led to confirmation views of two Minke Whales, my first of the summer. Among the flock, I also saw a single Sooty Shearwater, my only sighting of the day. Also noted, a Whimbrel, c30 Common Scoters and 25 Teal. As midday approached, passage eased off, so I decided to head home.