Pelagic

Out with Paz and Mike Williams and we were booked on the RSPB Skua and Shearwater cruise out of Bridlington this morning, it was a bit chilly and overcast first thing but the sea was flat calm, it was not a classic trip out but nevertheless reasonably good, highlights were quite a few Little Gulls, a couple of Manx Shearwaters, several Sooty’s including three sat on the sea and a “Blue” Fulmar but remarkably no Skua’s. Back on dry land we headed off to Bempton Cliffs where yesterdays Red Backed Shrike was still present, showed well albeit a bit distant for a decent photo, not much else there so we went back to Flamborough, spent an hour at Thornwick Pools, no Waders today but a Water Rail showed briefly, then moved on to South Landing where a few Waders on the beach included a Bar Tailed Godwit and several Sanderling and we finally got a Skua, a juv Arctic chasing a Gull out at sea.

as we headed out an old Coble was an intriguing sight

a few Harbour Porpoises surfaced near the boat

Auks

still a good few Puffins around

Gannets

a Sooty Shearwater

or two

plus a Manx

"Blue" Fulmar, a rather pale individual

Little Gulls

Heading back in

Purple Sandpiper on the Harbour wall

Red Backed Shrike at Bempton

Little Grebe, Thornwick Pools

Bar Tailed Godwit and Oyc,s

Sanderling

Bobbing down to Tophill

I nipped to Tophill Low after work today, a couple of Red Kites were seen over the Wolds en route, went up to North Marsh first where a Kingfisher posed for a short while but there was little else so I carried on to the new Hide at Helmpholme Meadows, a couple of Little Egrets and a Buzzard over were the highlights, walked back and went to check out the Southern part of the site, several Tawny Owls were calling to each other and at South Marsh East a Jack Snipe was bobbing away in front of the Hide plus a Barn Owl flew over but otherwise it was fairly quiet, a Hobby dashed through as I was walking back to the car.

Kingfisher posed for a while

I think it looked better when the sun went in

hunting Kessy

Herons and Egrets at Helmpholme Meadows

Squirrels were busy foraging for winter fodder

plus a bobbing Jack Snipe