Summer Laps

Out with Paz today and we started at Hornsea Mere in search of yesterdays Red Necked Grebe but despite an extensive look around there was no sign of it today, the female Long Tailed Duck was still present though and a Cetti’s Warbler gave a brief snatch of song from the reeds by the Sailing Club. Taking our leave we headed up to Flamborough and took a walk along Water Lane where up to three Black Redstarts have been in recent days, we drew a blank at first but decided on one last scan of an adjacent Horse Paddock and managed to find a female on a fence post in the far corner, it was then on to Millennium Wood for the (northern) Treecreeper, its been around quite a while now but unfortunately wasn’t showing while we were there. There has been some good numbers of Finches and Buntings etc between Buckton and Bempton in the week so we thought we’d see what was still around next, we walked out along Hoddy Cows Lane and as we got towards the cliffs we were greeted by loads of Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Corn Buntings etc and in a ploughed field just beyond the Heligoland Trap we found our main quarry, up to five Lapland Buntings, they were showing well with at least two males in stunning summer plumage, we ended the day at Bempton where as well as the sea birds we had several Twite in with a Linnet flock by the Staple Newk watch-point one of them showing its lovely pink rump, a pleasant days birding.

spot the Sparrowhawk

a good few Yellowhammers at end of Hoddy Cows Lane

plus these stunners

this one was singing

in the car park at Bempton