Flamborough Head & Bempton Cliffs 20-5-12

With a quick chat with good friend Dave Hutton about the Citrine Wagtail at Flamborough around 10.00am,he was on his way and arrived around 12.00 and we all set off for Flamborough Head for a lifer for all of us,after a hour or so drive we arrived on site but the news wasn't good and after a search around the area with only a wheatear for our trouble we set off on a short drive to Bempton Cliffs for a afternoon of photography,but still in hope that the Wagtail would be reported again but no such luck as time passed Dave & Jacqui being quite cold we headed back to the car for a welcomed hot coffee and headed off back home.
Still was good to catch up with you Dave :)

Fulmar

Gannet

Razorbill

A day on the Carrs 12-5-12

With a nice day forecast the alarm was set so we could have plenty of time to wake up before catching the bus to Bonby and Worlaby.
After a short bus ride Jacqui and myself set off down Carr lane at Bonby to see what we could find,I wasn't sure what we would see as I haven't spent much time down here in the summer months.
We was soon picking up quite a few Yellow Wagtails and Skylark which is so nice to listen to unlike my photo's I got of them as they gained height,down at the scrapes I picked out 2 Wheatears on the mound a few Shelduck were present on the scrapes,with Bonby being only a relatively short walk we headed along the channel towards Worlaby stopping off to have a freshly made sandwich and a welcomed cool drink,here we sat and watched a pair of Common Kestrels hunting the set aside scrub.
On reaching Carr Lane at Worlaby we walked down to the bottom car park where we found another male northern Wheatear on the concrete posts until the tractors flushed him,we then went to the other side of the train lines where I notice a butterfly which landed a few times but only briefly but enough for me to identify it being a Wall Brown,but not long enough for a photo we then headed back up the lane  but not much happening apart from a couple of Common Buzzards soaring in the distance.
We reached the bridge where a chap was photographing a pair of Swallows from his car but after he left I had a go and got up closer without a car,we sat and waited to see what would pass us by while we was soaking up the sun a Weasel came running out of the scrub which was nice to see before we was joined by another birder who just sat in his car who also got his Swallow shots.
After a while the chap shouted to alert us to a Short-eared Owl hunting behind us which is a bit late in the year now for them but by the end the total was 3 different birds,1 of them having either damage or moulting to it's left wing with time pushing on we headed off for the bus home but not without a Stoat coming out and we walked back towards it but it had scurried back into the scrub this was my first Stoat I had seen in years.

Rook

Yellow Wagtail

Sedge Warbler

Wheatear

Swallow

Short-eared Owl 

Bempton Cliffs 5-5-12

With nice weather forecast it was up early for Jacqui and myself so we could catch the 8.15 train to Bempton,arriving just after 9.00 on the train journey I pointed out a Barn Owl hunting,yay Jacqui's first ever wild Barn Owl which put a smile on her face :)
A short walk up to Bempton Cliffs clocking up Common Whitethroat and the usual farmland birds on the way,this was Jacqui's first visit to Bempton so I knew she was in for a real treat despite the cold wind.
We started our visit off at the feeding station where we watched the Tree Sparrows squabbling over a place on the feeders,The ever hungry Jackdaws mopping up everything in sight reminds me of someone I know Mark Maddox :)
we made our way to the left up to Jubilee Corner the most northern view point and my favourite of them,after a hour or so of attempting flight shots of Guillemots and Razorbills we made our way down to Barlett Nab and Grandstand view points,after spending some time here Jacqui and myself made our way back to the visitor centre for a more than welcomed coffee to warm us up.
We then made our way to the south of the reserve to Staple Newk as everyone knows for the Desert Wheatear which stayed here until early this year,I picked out a lone Shag down on the sea and a couple of Grey Seals,the first Gannet chick had hatched on the 3rd fter a while we made our way up to the New roll up viewpoint stopping off to photograph the Gannets on the cliff tops but with it being busy and the RSPB giving guides we didn't stay here long with the cold setting in once again so we made our way back to the visitor centre for another coffee before making our way back to the station stopping off at the village green and watching the Rea's in the field and the goldfish in the pond.
With Jacqui clocking up 14 lifers in a day I think she enjoyed it,oh I remember the days :)