Rough Diamond

I nipped to Hornsea Mere first thing this morning where there was the usual good selection of water birds including a Red Necked and at least two Slavonian Grebes then I got news I was hoping for, yesterdays Rough Legged Buzzard at Grindale near Bridlington was still present so I headed straight over. I got good scope views of it sat in a tree when I first arrived but it wasn’t very co-operative at first being out of view for a lot of the time, a ringtail Hen Harrier was a nice bonus during this period and there was also a common Buzzard floating around, I stuck with it and eventually by the early afternoon the Rough Legged became more active even hunting along the roadside verge several times affording fantastic views, a real star bird. I ended the day at South Landing, Flamborough where a juv Curlew Sandpiper accompanied a handful of more common waders in the bay corner, a Grey Wagtail I thought was unusual for this area.

one of the Slavs

Hen Harrier

initial views of the Rough Legged

then it came a bit closer

unfortunately a bit too far for a decent perched shot

on its favourite tree in late afternoon sunshine

one last fly past

a smart juv Curlew Sandpiper

a few Black Headed Gulls also in the bay corner looked good in
the evening light

OBP

Out with Mark and Paz and we headed up to Sunderland this morning where an Olive Backed Pipit had been found on a bit of waste ground near the Docks last Friday, it wasn’t looking good at first, despite it being a nice sunny morning there was no sign and we started thinking it had maybe gone however after an hour or so the Lesser Whitethroat thought to be of the eastern race blythii that had also been present the last two days started showing, we spent a bit of time with it with hopes raised that the Pipit would also still be around somewhere and indeed some 20 mins later it was found feeding amongst the leaf litter on a tree covered bank, in the increasingly windy conditions there was no way it was going to come out in the open as it had yesterday so it was a bit challenging for photography but views were superb, I've seen four or five before but only had brief views so it was a real pleasure to watch this over a prolonged period. After lunch we headed back calling in at Saltholme, by this time it was blowing a gale and the reserve was fairly quiet, highlights were a couple of Little Egrets, a flock of around 30 Barnacle Geese and I year ticked Merlin.

Radde's

I was out with Mark last Sunday and we had started heading for Teesside when news came over of a Radde’s Warbler at Flamborough so we turned and headed there instead, it was in the gorse field and had just started showing quite well as we arrived and it performed well if a little distantly for the next half hour or more, there was also a pair of Stonechats knocking around the Headland and a small skein of Pinkfeet went over but generally little else. We had a tramp up Holmes Gut but found little more than a few Blackcaps and Yellowhammers then we heard a Yellow Browed Warbler was showing near Thornwick Pool, we spent some time with it hoping to get some photos but it was very active and remained deep in cover, Thornwick Pool itself was fairly quiet. It was then back to Holmes Gut where a “Locustella” Warbler had been seen, we joined a few other birders there and waited patiently for a mist net to be put up then walked through the area, alas nothing was put up the bird must have got away. We finished the day at some ponds near Hunmanby Gap which were hosting a first winter drake Scaup, a Barn Owl was also hunting nearby.

the Radde's

1w Scaup