Stu and I are having a stop over on our way to Nethy Bridge.
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We then visited the lagoons.
Lots of greylag geese, a smaller number of pink footed geese. Curlew
oystercatchers were asleep.
In the mean time I am walking my daughters dog everyday this week.
Still plenty of colour in the hedgerows and lots of birds to be seen.
25 birds on my list for this mornings walk.
Scotland on Sunday
Barbara and I visited Wheldrake Ings today in preparation for a local group walk in the area on November 9th. The car park at Bank island was full, as the contractors are still working on the new building. We drove down the lane to Wheldrake Ings and parked near the river.
As we walked along the riverside path towards Bank Island we saw lots of bullfinches,mostly males. ^ were sat close together on the top of one bush. Goldfinches, blue and great tits were also flitting from bush to bush.
The hide at Toms Ponds has been the home to an owl, lots of droppings and owl pellets on the floor. No water in any of the scrapes in front of the hide. Cheesecake hide has been extended and a ramp walkway added. This hide has also been home to an owl. A small pool of water remains, but only carrion crows near it. Lots of woodpigeons feeding in the fields and a jay flew towards us but went into the hedge. We stayed in the hide while a rain shower passed overhead.
We then walked back to the car and walked over the Bailey bridge onto Wheldrake Ings. The farmer was gathering his sheep together, so there was some disturbance.
From the Tower hide was saw a male reed bunting and a pair of stonechats. We then walked to the pool hide. Just outside the hide were a party of redpolls.
Still some water in the pool, but it is not very deep. A cormorant landed and soon found itself stood up not swimming! We heard but did not see a tawny owl.
These green sandpipers were the highlight of our visit. As we walked around to Swantail hide we heard the sound of swans flying and saw mute swans flying in the distance. we also heard pink-footed geese but were unable to find them.
There is some water in front of Swantail hide, but it is partially covered by vegetation. 3 teal appeared briefly while a marsh harrier hunted over the fields behind the hide.
A pleasant day with a list of 29 birds.
Wednesday morning at the ringing session started with a new bird, a garden warbler.
Another new bird and a difficult one for the ringers to handle was this young sparrowhawk.
The ringers often allow visitors to release the birds after they have been ringed and this is Suzanne releasing a redwing.
Catherine joined us for the morning ringing session and then Stuart and I joined her at Carr Naze, Filey.
We walked to the end and after a short stop to look at the snow bunting we looked out over the Brigg, looking for purple sandpiper. A lady birder pointed one out to us, a year tick for Stuart. The same lady also managed to locate a red-necked grebe just off the Brigg, another year tick for me.
I joined my son for an evening meal in one of the local pubs.
Thursday was our last full day, so we decided to spend the first hour or so at the ringing session before doing a seawatch.
Yellowhammer, bullfinch and yellow-browed warbler were some of the birds the ringers dealt with.
Stuart and I walked to Flamborough head, while Suzanne and David drove and met us there. On our walk we added
linnet and reed bunting.
From the sea watch hide we saw gannets, red throated divers, common scoters, peregrine, and arctic skua.
A couple joined us in the hide and during our conversations they told us about the excellent views that they had had of a tawny owl. We had made several attempts to find the bird, but had been unsuccessful .
The sea watching session was very slow due to low numbers of birds, so we decided to walk to Old Fall.
Once there we found goldcrest, long tailed tit, robin, great tit and tree creeper. David met us and we drove back to the Living Seas centre. Another attempt to find the owl. We saw other birders who kindly took us to the best spot to see the bird.
A nice bird on which to end our visit to Flamborough. Many thanks to Stuart and to Suzzane and Davis for the generous hospitality and driving.
Our first full day at Flamborough Migfest.
Our day started at 8 am at the Living Seas Centre, where the bird ringing was taking place.
Yellow browed warblers were the highlight of the day.
Bullfinch, fieldfare and blackcap were also ringed.
Suzanne was allowed to hold and then release a redwing.
In between ringing sessions we walked down to the shore, A red breasted merganser was still present as was a grey plover.
Bottle nosed dolphins were showing well.
After lunch David drove us to Filey Country Park where we walked out along Carr Naze. A snow bunting was feeding close to the path.
On the way back to our house in Flamborough we called in at Filey Dams.
Carrion crows were trying to cope with a fresh water mussel.
52 curlews flew in for a preen before returning to feed in a nearby field.
Today was the first day of the annual festival and I arrived at 0815 to watch the early bird ringing sessions. I was leading a walk for RSPB York Local Group, and others arrive for about 10am.
Goldcrest, bullfinches, redpoll, wren, tree sparrow, dunnock, coal tit and great tit were some of the birds that they had caught in the mist nests and then ringed.
After a couple of hours we walked down to the shore.
Still a little misty and the only birds we could see were herring and black-headed gulls and oystercatchers.
We then drove to the lighthouse car park. While we sat and ate lunch we were able to watch several bottle nosed dolphins slowly swim north.
There were lots of seals on the rocks along with gulls, turnstones, curlew and oystercatcher. As we walked a little further along the path we stopped to look at a pair of stonechats when Tracy looked back to rocks and saw another bird. When we looked through my telescope we could see that it was a male wheatear.
We stopped a little further along the path and saw 3 red-throated divers on the sea, then Andy picked up an Arctic Skua in flight. We walked back to the car park along a path near the hedge but were unable to add to our day list total of 43 birds.
Tracy and I called in at Bempton Cliffs on our way home. Still a lot of gannets about and a few birders hanging around in case the needle tailed swift re-appears.
Lots of chaffinches at the feeders.
Back on Monday for more Migfest.