Spurn un-masked

The third British and first Yorkshire Masked Shrike had been found at Spurn on Saturday so that’s where Me , Mark and Mike Williams headed Sunday morning, we parked up in the designated field and were soon enjoying distant scope views of the bird as it fed along its favoured hedge, before going off for better views of it we thought we’d try for Saturdays Olive Backed Pipit that was showing by the Canal taking in a skulking Jack Snipe on Canal Scrape on the way, unfortunately the Pipit had become rather elusive and although a few birders got brief views as moved around in the grass it was soon lost to view and after an hour or so we gave up on it. A bit of other stuff seen as we continued around the Triangle, Hen Harrier flying up the Point, Buzzard over, plenty of Little Egrets blogging, Redstarts, Whinchats, Wheatears, Garden Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers etc, a Red Breasted Flycatcher gave fleeting glimpses near the Church and then we were at the Shrike viewing area, we had timed it just right the bird was feeding along the near hedge and was reasonably close, just a year tick for me as I saw the Fife bird but a fine Yorkshire tick nevertheless. After some lunch we headed to the Crown & Anchor car park to see if the other Red Breasted Flycatcher was giving better views but upon arrival we were informed a Barred Warbler up the road was showing so we went for that instead eventually getting good views. With news the Olive Backed Pipit was performing again we decided to give it another try but our luck with this bird was not in, as we arrived what was presumed to be the bird flew up high then dropped in the field behind the Canal by the concrete blocks so that was that, with a good Northerly blow we decided on a seawatch instead, there were a few Sooty Shearwaters moving which was a year tick but little else with them so after an hour or so we returned to the Canal Scrape to find the Jack Snipe had moved to the front edge and was giving reasonable views also a couple of showy Wheatears there, we ended the day along Vicar Lane but failed to locate the reported Yellow Browed Warbler.

a few Wheatears posing

the star bird, never really came close enough while we were watching

not brilliant but shows the little peachy patch

Barred Warbler, I was never quick enough to get a shot of it in the open

Garden Warbler was more obliging

Jack Snipe

and its more Common cousin

more Wheatears

and Whinchat