Tuesday 20 November 2018

The Coast Is Clear

 
This year my October weekends were mostly spent in Yorkshire.  A Cambs bird racers re-union staying on Flamborough Head was full of sprites.  We located 6 Yellow-browed Warblers on our pre-breakfast walk alongside a couple of Ring Ouzels in/off, a Redstart and a couple of Chiffs as a reasonable number of thrushes, finches and larks moved overhead in very strong southerly winds.  We pottered up the coast to look at a very confiding young Spotted Sandpiper on the beach at Marske and returned via Holbeck where a 2CY Med Gull put on an aerial show.
 
 
 



 
 

 
 



 
The following morning dawned spectacular.  The old and new lighthouses silhouetted against the burning eastern sky subsided and reflected against the towering clouds along a long doom laden front that moved in and drenched the rest of the day.  Prior to the downpour we connected with a new Yellow-brow and saw Redpoll and Redstart in the hand in a brief window before the nets down Holmes Gut were closed for the day.
 
 

 
 

 


Saturday 3 November 2018

Cranes

After dispersing across the fens to breed the reconvening of the siege occurs in September.  Currently viewable along the Pymore stretch of the Washes, we enjoyed their bugling spectacle back in September on Lady Fen, Welney where 39 birds picked and danced across the wet sedge.