What a 'HOBBY' this is..

August..Is Wader-Time...Here in the north, We have two superb reserves for watching waders, Leighton moss in the west, and Blacktoft Sands, in the East. Blacktoft Sands is the second best wader reserve in the country (Minsmere has attracted one more species). First trip to the Wardens office for the upto the minute news. Great! plenty of waders are about. From here we check the hides out on the west. First hide and it is apparent that the Snipe have come out of hiding. Good numbers of godwits too. A scan of the bins along the fringes of the reedbeds, I find 3 Green Sandpipers. The next hide is the main hide for the waders, At the far side, a group of 10 Spotted Redshanks show off the lovely plumage, Ruff show there weird variations of plumage. Also seen Dunlin, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Grey Heron, A single Little Stint, Greenshank, Redshank, Little Egret. A nice selection of waders in anyones book. Marsh Harriers, Barn Owl, as support acts. But the bird of the day was a Hobby, that flew towards us from along away, right over our heads, clearly showing it's streaked under belly, and red trousers. Hobby is a falcon I haven't seen this Millennium.
Total 146.

Flamboro Lifer

I made a late decision to make my first trip to the East coast. Great choice.
Flamborough Head TA2570
A King Eider was seen here daily since Thursday 24th a rare bird to English coasts. As I reached the car park I saw a few people doing there best impressions of Amy Winehouse (not a good sight), "not showing", one guy said. Still, I am here, may as well do some sea dogging. I head over to the 50 or so birders on the cliff. As I join them, a lady is pointing to a white speck on the sea - That's it! Lifer 2 in two weeks. My pictures don't do this stunning male justice, as we are hundreds of feet above sea level.
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, TA1974
I love taking pictures of the cliff clinging sea birds here. With a scope you can get great views. Always popular with th public. In my opinion, the Gannet numbers where down this year. I saw the Kittiwake population lessen by one, as a Grt. Backed Back Gull, pick a Kittiwake of the cliffs, drown it, then took some time opening it up from underneath. It tough living here for birds.
Blacktoft Sands
All the reedbeds are full of song - Grasshopper, Sedge and Reed warblers have arrived. Also reported today was a very early Swift. Once again I dip on Gargeney (2nd times this year, - 3 times last year). Spoonbill has gone earlier as well. My pager informs me that a Spanish Sparrow was seen at Flamborough Head, but I don't care. I have had a great day in the sun. It won't be sunny during the Bank Holiday next week.

Wader Seasons begins..

August for me is when the wader season really begins. Waders begin showing up anywhere, any many times they are often accompanied with rarities.
Fairburn Ings SE4527:this weekend had a Great White Egret. This, the largest of the Egrets, and is getting more and more common to Britain each year. Once this was ticked, it’s off too..
Blacktoft Sands SE843232: Reports of many species of waders here. So pencil sharpened, book at the ready. Ousefleet and Marshide are the ones to be in. Greenshank, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Ruff, and Snipe, phew. That’s 15 species. Can’t be bad! And there was the residents as support cast, Bearded Tits, Yellow Wagtails, Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl, Buzzard and more. You should be able to get about 50 species.
August is the best time to get Butterflies and Dragonflies too.
An excellent day out, and some good pictures taken. Looking forward to next week already for some rare waders. Ciao.

“It may be winter outside…but in my heart it’s spring”

To beat this weekends foul weather coming from the North. I headed East, too mop up on some long staying birds.
First stop. Pule Hill, Halifax. This hill, overlooking Halifax town itself, was favoured by a single Shorelark. A bird that is more typically found on the shores of the East coast, seems to have overshot it’s landing grounds by 70 miles. I struggled to stand upright, in a real “hooli” of a gale. After about an hour, I was fortunate to find the bird. But the wind did not allow for any photos.
Second stop: Fairburn Ings RSPB Castleford. For a few weeks now, a pair of Long Eared Owls, had taken up residency in evergreens. Once pointed out, a single bird was easy to spot. Other birds of note where good numbers of Tree Sparrows at the feeding station. With the Owl found quickly, it’s of to the next stop.
Budwith, Nr Selby. Part of the extensive Lower Derwent Valley floodplain. Two male American Wigeon, had made friends among a few hundred European Wigeon. Their notable size and plumage differences made this another spot in no time, but too distant for photies. So with the “Yanks” in the book, A short trip to:
Blacktoft sands RSPB, Ousefleet. Part of the exciting complex of habitats around the Humber estuary. The tidal reedbed is the largest in England and is important for its breeding Bearded Tits, Marsh Harriers and Bittern. It was here that I once choose to volunteer to spend a ‘Birthday week’, pulling up weeds, digging dirt, and guiding visitors around the reserve for NO PAY, just feeding my soul, with the knowledge that I have contributed to the future of both existing and visiting birds. The reserve is waiting for the start of the ‘wader season’ to begin. Single, Avocet (RSPB logo), and Spotted Redshank, where the only specialists on show. Above the extensive reed beds, 3 ‘lezzer’ female Marsh Harriers, practiced ariel maneuvers! with each other, in readiness, should, a male show up. An excellent day, in atrocious wind.
Additions to the list included: Avocet, Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Shorelark, Long-Eared Owl, Linnet.
Year Total: 92