Far Ings 30-10-11

With the clocks going back meaning it would be lighter a little bit earlier this morning and with high tide at 8.19 we decided on setting the alarm and having a look for any Skuas on the Humber first.
Off we set with some nice light and light winds we arrived a bit later than we wanted as the tide had started turning,we gave it a hour but nothing moving apart from around 400 Golden Plover.

We decided on heading for Far Ings,so started to walk along the bank to Barton reedbed which we checked in to see if any Bearded Tits were about but no luck but did have 1 Marsh Harrier fly over.
With the cloud not breaking to allow the sunny spells through as per BBC forecast it started raining thanks for the precise forecast idiots.
We headed for the Western Approach pit to at least get the male Ferruginous Duck which I pointed out for a chap who couldn't find it and I also noticed the immature female Scaup on her own.A great a patch tick in the bag.
With more rain and cloud coming in at us we gave up due to rubbish light and not much in the way of birds

Normanby Hall CP 28-10-11

With a day off work today due to having to go to the Doctors and giving blood samples to be tested,Mandy & myself decided that the weather forecast was good and we would spend the day at Normanby Hall to try and photograph Red Deer rutting.After a hour on the bus we arrived at our destination a place that I have not visited before so was a bit excited about seeing some rutting deer.
We made our way for the deer park and we soon found 2 Stags this looks promising I thought,so we grabbed some shots of them but no other deer appeared so we took a walk down as far as we was allowed in search for more deer but no luck and returned to the original 2 stags that didn't even make a half hearted attempt at a rut.
with these being the only deer seen I was more than disappointed a deer park with only 2 deer :( Mandy assures me that there is a whole herd of Red & Fallow deer.
Birds noted
Tree Creeper,3 Tawny Owls (Heard),Nuthatch,Goldcrest,Jay and lots of Long-tailed tit.
A real nice day out with my beloved partner and a nice change from birds.

Waters Edge 24-10-11

With today starting off at work at 7am and being back home at 7.30am due to the first aider not being able to treat an open wound,so this morning was spent at the doctors and making other appointments for tests to be done on me,with that all done and not being able to return to work Mandy & myself decided on spending a few hours at Waters Edge.
On arriving at the Grebe pool the wind had picked up but was quite warm so we sat on the bank for a hour or so just to see what would come over and was pretty productive with Common Snipe,Redshank,Black-tailed Godwit,Kingfisher and the resident Kestrel being noted.
We then took a walk around looking on various pools with only the usual wildfowl present,we arrived on the Humber Bank where Mandy picked out more Redshank on the shoreline and a single Curlew,as we headed towards the visitor centre I noticed a bird high up next to the bridge which was soaring and after a look through the bins and to my excitement it was a Pomarine Skua and soon after I noticed a pale phase Arctic Skua but Mandy was photographing a darker bird making 2 Arctic's (poor heavy cropped record shots below of all 3 birds),also a single Dunlin & several more Redshank flew past.
With the cloud building and time pushing on we continued along the board walk in front of the centre with a few Common & Black-headed Gulls present,half way along the board walk a Redshank came in and landed for a few seconds before taking flight again.
A pleasant afternoon out with my partner :)
Back to work tomorrow :(

Pom Skua

Pom Skua

Pom Skua

Pom Skua

Arctic Skua (pale)

Worlaby Carrs 22-10-11

With today looking the best day of the weekend and my first chance of getting out due to work we decided on going to Worlaby for the day.
We arrived at Worlaby around 8.30 and walked down to the first car park and sat on the bridge as this was most sheltered from the wind.Fieldfare flew over all day long with a few Redwing and a large flock of Goldfinch hung around for most of the day feeding in the scrub areas.
The Rough-legged Buzzard started it's day off sat on top of a Hawthorn bush but we was looking straight into the sun,then it was seen hunting over the fields around 9.00 and that was the last time we seen it as we was told it was pushed off by Corvids.
A Barn Owl flew along side us and perched up in the hedgerow but was unable to get any photographs as it flew over to the plantation and wasn't seen again,a Marsh Harrier flew along the drain and went behind Mandy which she didn't see and could of got close shots if she hadn't been texting on her phone :(.
Lost of Kestrels present today and I was able to count 5 in one view,as the day went on Mandy and myself walked up to the next bridge to see what we could find lots of Skylark and Meadow Pipit in the ploughed field but no sign of any Hen Harriers or Short-eared Owls,so we headed back to the first bridge and Dean Eades had turned up after going for the escaped White Stork good to see you again mate.
With time running out we had to leave for the last bus home a busy day down at Worlaby with around 30 cars
so god knows how many people were present but a nice warm day apart from the wind good to see new and old faces.
We later found out that 9 Short-eared Owls were seen at dusk.

Spurn Point weekend 14-17/10/11

With Nicknav arriving on the Thursday night later than planned we started the weekend off at The Raj for a very nice Indian and a few pints of Loo Tanfoot to wash it down :)
Friday morning saw us heading off to my local patch so Nick could bag the Ferruginous Duck which took no time at all.
Setting off on a hours drive we reached our destination Spurn Point which I love,we pulled up in front of the Warren as we normally do each year but was kindly asked by the young girl if we could park on the south car park and if we was quick enough we could see the Yellow-browed Warbler that had just been rung.
With Mandy and Nick both getting a lifer and me just getting a mere year tick :(.With that done and dusted we set about emptying the car out and set off down to Chalk Bank.
We set about hunting down migrants when I bumped into another ex Wark's birder being Lee Johnston so we had a chat and a quick catch up on things before he headed off down to the point and we headed back to the Warren for a hot drink,by this time it was getting late so we headed off for a chippy in the dreaded place of Withernsea but nice chips!!!!
After that it was back to base for a shower before heading for The Crown and Anchor for a few drinks.

Saturday morning saw Mandy and myself up and out at first light heading for the narrows just a short walk away to see if we could get some wader shots before breakfast after a hour or so Nick pulled up as he was heading for the point so we joined him. Plenty of Fieldfare and Redwing present and I spotted a lone Brambling. After a walk around we headed back to the trap near the tower and were told that a Black Redstart was hanging around the buildings and it didn't take long before Nick noticed it sitting on a fence.
With that in the bag it was time for coffee and returned back to the warren and decided on what to do next we decided on to take a look around Out Newton where the Radde's Warbler had been seen but no luck,so went on to Hornsea Mere for a look around but not much present and after a couple of hours returned back to base,then decided on a look on the Canal Scrape and bagged 2 Jack Snipe. By this time the light was fading and tummies rumbling so we set off for a shower and change and by this time Mr Maddox had joined us and we returned to the good old faithful Crown and Anchor for a nice Gammon Steak.

Sunday Morning saw us all up early with the first bird of the day being a Merlin sat on a post opposite the Warren on the Marsh and Mandy waited for me to come out so she could tell me bless her,so we rushed over with cameras in hand for some shots but it was a bit distant before flying south putting up the many Waders,news then broke about a Red-backed Shrike at Canal Scrape so off we set and got it in the bag after a few minutes scanning,then we made our way to the bluebell where a female Scaup was present along with a Common Scoter but the Scoter had gone.This brought us to Mandys dream bird and Mr Maddox nightmare bird Red-flanked Bluetail so off we set for Flamborough Head with only 2 reports yesterday and 1 this morning was my blocker going to be knocked off!!!
On arriving at South Landing we could see the group of birders and joined them in the search and after 3 hours or so and no sign we called it a day to my relief :) and headed for North Landing for a cuppa and food.
Now it was time for Mark to find his own Bluetail and we had a search around to see what we could find the answer to that was not a lot apart from Linnet,Robin & Dunnock,so Mark decided on giving south landing another go but as all the birders had gone home so we returned back to the Warren.Better luck next time mate :)
Again our destination was the Crown and Anchor for a refuel.

Monday again we was up early but the wind had also picked right up making birding very difficult,we headed off to Chalk Bank for a Wader watch with Bar-tailed Godwit,Oystercacher,Dunlin & Redshank present with things not looking good we went back to the Warren to load the cars back up and had a quick stop off at Canal Scrape where a Ring Ouzel had been reported but with the wind blasting through we gave up and headed back off home.

All the usual Waders,Ducks & Geese noted over the weekend
Swallows still going through
Yellow-Browed Warblers became a day tick with 2 at The Crown and Anchor car park
Merlin we had 3 on Sunday with 1 female taking a Blackbird in front of Mandy and myself
All the usual passerines going through
A great weekend had by all thanks guys & we all joined Friends of Spurn.

Far Ings 13-10-11

With today being forecast the best day so far this week I decided on revisiting the Ferruginous Duck again
and hoped for better shots with the lighter winds.
I arrived around 10.30 and was straight onto the duck which was good being the only person there for the first 30 minutes giving me chance to creep around and giving the Fudge duck chance to settle down which it did but still about 30 yards away,but managed better shots than my previous visit.
With people coming & going I waited for Mandy to arrive and just as she did a flock of 8 Bearded Tits flew over and came down into the reedbed the flew across pursuit pit and dropped down by the hotel drive.
We had a walk round to them but no sign but picked out a Ruff in with the Lapwing,we ventured round to Ness hide only the usual duck here but added another 4 Bearded Tit 12 in total is great for the reserve after the harsh winter that desimated the Beardies.
With time pushing on and Nicknav making tracks up here we continued our walk through the wood and past Target pit we had a quick look in the hide adding 3 female Wigeon and a Little Grebe to the list,we pushed on and walked the Humber bank back to the Visitor Centre adding 6 Bar-tailed Godwit and then with not being foecast today it started raining when will BBC weather get it right :(
Other birds included
20 Skylark,10 Redwing,40 Black-tailed Godwit,6 Golden Plover,c600 Pink-footed geese,c300 Greylag geese,1 m Marsh Harrier,Sparrowhawk,2 Kestrel,2 Water Rail (1 on Ness pit & 1 on the Western approach pit) & 2 Common Buzzard.

Ferruginous Duck

Bar-tailed Godwit