East Coast twitch

The first East Coast twitch for me and my buddy Alan this winter. Plans where drawn Friday night as usual, Sat nav programmed. The rest of the team alerted. The itinerary included two lifers, and some good sea birds as support. Morning could not come to soon.
7:45, Picked up Alan, the others will just have to read 'em and weep.
Between Filey and Scarborough, A Pied Wheatear, goes into hiding as we arrived. Oh good a stake-out, I like stakeouts. 55 minutes later out it comes, and performs like a goodun' for ages. Photographing was hard in the wind, but the bird came very close. Yes! Lifer number 3 for me this year.
Scarborough harbour - A Long Tailed Duck was being harassed by a Great Northern Diver. Many times the Diver tried making a 'new one' in the rear of the duck by swimming below and surfacing at the rear. Good fun to watch. Great photos taken by myself and Alan. They came really close, too close for me, and being both excellent divers, 4 seconds on the surface, 1 minute submerged, made getting good pictures a great challenge. Shame about the Iceland Gull that was present. It disappeared as we looked for it. That's what makes this hobby so fun, there are no certs.
The other lifer the Two Barred Crossbill will have to wait another day, another year, another decade.
A great day out.
Total 153 this year

Heron their...

It's December, where has this year gone? Time to get those birds I have been putting of for some time now.
Leighton Moss SD4775, Today I have packed the kitchen sink into my rucksack, with the intention to 'roughing it' in Lillians hide -Carpeted, Comfy seats, and heated - untill I get to see Britains most secretive and rariest Herons. On arrival I am greated with the 'Should have been here 15 minutes ago...the Egret was posing a few feet away from the hide, before flying off'..damn! the time I spent in Morrisons buying steak pies, etc....bugger!
Black Sabbath blasts from my pocket...Guess who forgot to turn the mobile off!..Leave the hide time...It's the Wife!!..3 minutes later..back inside..Excitement in the air....A Bittern is flying across the pool, lands, 2 steps into the reeds, and it turns invisible, gone!...Incredible...that was a near miss...phew!
I load up the mule (me), And I am off to another hide in the direction the Egret fly..and get soaked...Nothing here but a very wet looking Heron...One more hide to try. As I leave the hide, My eyes catch a glimpse of a white bird flying just above the 6ft high reeds, being chased by a Heron. Yes! that's it. It lands in the area I am going..700 yards in seconds...The Egret is just outside the window...set up in record time..3 pictures snapped, and the Heron sees off the Foreign bird....Gone...Am I lucky today....Both Bittern and Great White Egret seen in my first Hour....Breakfast time declared..and some bird watching time.
Woodwell SD462744, Is a cert for Britains larges finch, Hawfinch, at the right time of year..not December though, but last week one was seen..I give it 90 minutes..no sign...But some Marsh Tit made up for the missing finch...should have been here in spring.
Hest bank, Morecombe SD4766, Great timing! I catch the tide just coming in. This brings the birds towards me. No need to leave the car, and get wet. Farsands of birds here. good bird watching, No sign of Eiders. Where have they go to?
High Rid Reservoir, Horwich, SD6610, A lost Long Tailed Duck, prefares here rather than the turbulent seas. I set up for a Foto, only for Dog walkers/ dog swimmers to put the duck in the middle of the reservoir. GRRR!
181 - Bittern
182 - Great White Egret
183 - Long Tailed Duck
Nail biting times.