Filey Brigg 27 - 9 - 14

With the Masked Shrike still being at Spurn I was very tempted to make a 6 hour round trip bike ride but with it only a Brit tick I decided against it.
So with the decision made for Filey bus and train times checked the alarm was set,on the hour or so train journey I managed Common Buzzard,Lapwing a couple of Roe Deer nice to see different scenery that you don't see from driving up and at the whole trip only costing around £22 can't complain as it use to cost me and Jacqui that in the car.
Arriving at Filey it was only a quick 5 minute walk from the station to the brigg,I decided to look on Carr Naze first see if any Whinchats was knocking about but was all quiet apart from a lone female Wheatear,Meadow Pitits and Pied Wagtails,out on the sea I could only see a few Gannets and a single Fulmar gliding along the cliffs.
So I carried on down to the brigg and had a quick chat with another birder who had been there at first light and he only had 1 Great Skua through,with the tide still quite high I went out onto the brigg looking through the waders for Purple Sandpiper and managed 4 altogether I just love them birds only been on my life list about 7 years now.
A small flock of 6 Dunlin was busy feeding at the point along with several juvenile Ringed Plover,2 Knot and the usual Common Redshank,Turnstone and Oystercatcher,but what did surprise me that the Greenshank that me and Jacqui seen 2 weeks previous was still present.
By this time a few Guillemot came drifting past and 2 Common Scoter was in the bay and a nice treat was a juvenile Arctic Tern came and sat and let me have a right close encounter with it just reminded me of being on the Farnes also a few Common and Sandwich Terns was also present,but with the sun out and being nice it brought out the dog walkers and screaming damn kids so I didn't hang around and made my way back upto the wood but didn't find anything in there apart from some Greenfinch and Goldfinch feeding with Linnets in the field.
But I enjoyed my day there and just love Waders a few photo's below from the day.

Spurn Point 14 - 9 - 14

A earlyish start leaving at 7.00 a bit of a lie in after the long day yesterday Jacqui and myself headed for Spurn,we had a great day picking life and year ticks more so Jacqui as per usual with her bagging another 4 lifers in the form of Wyrneck,Whinchat,Wood Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler.
Other birds noted was Great Grey Shrike,Pied Flycatcher,Wheatear,Brent Goose and lots of various Waders in large flocks.
A end of a brilliant weekend thanks to Jacqui for driving

RSPB Skua Cruise 13 - 9 - 14

With Jacqui over for a long weekend I decided to book us for a Skua cruise something new for her birding experience.
We set sail at 8.00 and headed off out into the North Sea with quite calm conditions,we got past Flamborough head and started our birding with a flock of Common Scoter,Guillemot,Razorbill and some juvenile Puffins on the sea and the chum line was started bringing in the gulls.
It wasn't long after we had a Arctic Skua flyby heading out to sea and about 20 minutes later I spotted a Sooty Shearwater coming in behind us which landed on the water and gave everyone a great performance by Running along the water like a Great crested Grebe which I never knew they done,then not long after this one flew out of sight another gave us a flyby but didn't land,we carried on and a shout of Bonxie which came out of nowhere and investigated the chum line then carried on it's way then shortly after a Manx Shearwater came by but didn't stop and a Red-throated diver flew over towards Filey bay.
We arrived back at Bridlington and just coming into the harbour a single Purple Sandpiper was spotted feeding just above the waterline.
Jacqui and myself then left for Filey brigg for the Black Guillemot which was distant and into the sun
other birds noted was Greenshank,Ringed Plover,Knot,Turnstone,Common Redshank,Red-throated Diver.
A few shots from the cruise below