A good day up North

Out with Mark and Paz today and we were joined by our good pal from Rochdale, Dave Ousey, we headed North calling at Redcar first where a Pied Wheatear had been found late yesterday, it was still present and showed well by the old cinema along Majuba Road this morning, after spending some time with this superb little bird which spent a lot of the time fly catching we moved down the coast to nearby Skinningrove where a smart Eastern Black Redstart was also showing very well, present since mid-week this little stunner shared the rocks with Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins and a brief Twite. It was then back Northwards to South Shields for our third star bird, a female Isabelline Shrike of the nominate race or Daurian as some people like to call it which was also remarkably showing well on the Lea’s there, also a late Whinchat in the area and a Little Owl was roosting on a nearby cliff face. From what looked like an unpromising weekend earlier in the week it turned out to be a super day enjoyed by all with three good birds all showing very well, some say if it was always like this you'd soon get fed up of it, I don't think so.  

Pied Wheatear at Redcar

showing its extensive white rump

Eastern Black Redstart at Skinningrove

a very bright individual

also Wrens

and Dunnocks etc

Paz walking on water

Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike at the Lea's South Shields

also a late Whinchat

spot the Little Owl

Stejneger's?

Out with Mark and it was back to Spurn today with the winds turning back Easterly this weekend although they don’t seem to have brought much in this time, on saying that an interesting Siberian Stonechat had been found at the Point yesterday afternoon and was generally regarded as being of the race Stejnegeri and if proven to be is a potential split. News that it was still present came out shortly after we arrived so we prepared ourselves for the long slog out there, nothing much seen en route, a few Thrushes and a handful of Siskins and Bramblings were about it then as we reached the Green Beacon there was no sign of the bird, as more birders arrived we spread out and after around 40 mins the bird was relocated a bit further round, very mobile and never particularly close it gave us a right run around but we stuck with it well into the afternoon eventually getting reasonable views, a Jack Snipe also flew over. By the time we got back it was getting quite late, we had a little look at a Black Redstart at the Warren and a showy Snow Bunting at the Sandy Beaches Caravan Park and that was about it, a couple of skeins of Pink Footed Geese were seen coming off the Wolds to roost on the Humber as we made our way home.  

crossing the breach

the presumed Stejneger's never close

and very mobile

in flight

it showed its much darker rump

Brents on the Humber

Turnstones

Redwings

and Sanderlings on the beach

parting shot

Black Redstart at the Warren

and Snow Bunting at Sandy Beaches