Red-footed Falcon

On the way back from the Blyth's Reed Warbler last week I stopped near the village of Biggin in North Yorkshire. A first-summer female Red-footed Falcon had been frequenting some fields and wires to the south of the village, and I arrived just in time to see it flushed and fly out of view into the distance.

An our later it wasn't looking promising, but then the falcon was picked up flying towards us and it gave a nice flypast before landing back on its favoured wires. Just the second Red-foot I've seen, it was quite a smart bird and nice to see a female after the moulting male at Druridge in 2015.

The location was quite productive for other raptors and I managed to pick up another four species while looking for the Red-foot; Peregrine, Red Kite, Buzzard and Kestrel. Also nearby, a Little Owl was sat on a roof and a Yellow Wagtail flitted around the fields. 

Red-footed Falcon

Yellow Wagtail

Great start to July...

I have to say we didn't really have great expectations for today when we first set off, but it turned out to be a really good day of summer birding...

First up was Druridge Pools (via Bell's Farm where there was a couple of Little Gulls). A Green Sandpiper was showing well in front of the screen and the number of Black-tailed Godwits had increased to 19. The three Spoonbills also flew off heading west. We then heard news of a possible Pacific Golden Plover, so, given it would be a lifer for both of us and presented a bit of an ID challenge, we decided to go for a look. My dad may also be able to catch up with the Corn Bunting...

Unfortunately it was quickly apparent when we arrived that our target was no longer in the Golden Plover flock, but the lingering second-summer Glaucous Gull was snoozing on the rocks and the Corn Bunting was still around.

Just as we were getting ready to leave, news came on of a White-winged Black Tern at Chevington so we headed back that way. By the time we got to the bay, the stunning adult summer White-winged Black Tern had moved to Druridge Pools where it showed nicely on and off for the next hour or so. Such good birds! Two Greenshank and a Ruff also appeared here.

Finally we had a look for orchids in the dunes at Chevington, which resulted in 5 different types being seen, and we also got onto a Red Kite moving inland which had been spotted just to the north by other observers, providing me with a very welcome patch tick!

Other good birds seen today included Avocets, Little Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpipers and a Little Owl.

PWC 2017
Species: 156
Points: 218

White-winged Black Tern

Red Kite

Recent photos...

Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits at Cresswell.

Wood Warbler

Female Blue-headed Wagtail

Little Gull

Spoonbill

Little Owl

Garganey

Male Ruff

Broad-bodied Chaser

Spotted Sand!

We headed to Hauxley for the open day hoping to catch up with the Spotted Sandpiper which had been on the reserve for the past week. We were especially keen to see it after missing the Alnmouth bird in 2013.

When we arrived in the top hide we had missed the bird by ten minutes. It was seen to fly off so we headed around to the wader hide only to see everyone pointing out of the window of the Top Hide! We rushed back to the hide and thankfully the extremely smart adult summer Spotted Sandpiper was showing well on the spit in front of the hide and continued to do so on and off for the next couple of hours.

Also while we were on the reserve we saw a juvenile Marsh Harrier flying over the car park where a Red Squirrel was on the feeders. Twos of Whimbrel and Pintail were also around.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier was also at Widdrington Moor Lake along with a Mediterranean Gull.

The juvenile Little Ringed Plover was still at Druridge Pools along with 5+ Ruff and Greenshank and the number of Black-tailed Godwits had increased to 24.

Spotted Sandpiper - sadly the light and distance meant I could not do the bird justice.

Little Ringed Plover

Juvenile Little Owl

A trip to East Anglia...

Recently me and my Dad had a trip down to Norfolk, stopping on the way and way back at RSPB Frampton Marsh on the way down and way back and spending a day at RSPB Lakenheath Fen. The weather was poor on all four days yet we still had a great time and saw some good birds...

The highlight of our first stop at Frampton was a brief but good view of my first Turtle Dove for five years. Other birds included a Corn Bunting singing from a fence, 3 Little Gulls, 6 Egyptian Geese, 10+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a Mediterranean Gull while wader highlights were 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Ruff, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel and 15+ Grey Plover.

On day two we tried Burnham Overy Dunes for migrants and the best we could find were 2 Spotted Flycatchers. However we did see our first Bittern and Cuckoo of the trip and our only Hobby. A Greenshank was the best we could find at Cley while Holkham produced at least one Green Woodpecker. A Little Gull and Cuckoo were at RSPB Titchwell.

Our third day was the most productive with the first good bird being a pair of Stone Curlew showing well at Weeting Heath. At RSPB Lakenheath Fen a pair of Cranes were giving great views from the Joist Fen Viewpoint providing me with my best ever views of the species. Some of the other many highlights from the reserve included 2 self-found Spoonbills flying north, great views of 2+ Bitterns, lots of Cuckoos all over the place, Cetti's Warbler, Bearded Tits, Kingfisher and plenty of Marsh Harriers (8 alone in one scan).

On the way home Flitcham Farm produced a Little Owl and at Frampton Marsh a drake Garganey and a Cuckoo were the best birds.

In the end we saw a total of 112 species over four days with Avocets and Little Egrets all over the place and Red Kites seen on several occasions.

Avocet in the rain at RSPB Frampton Marsh

Cranes - I should have digiscoped them!

Self-found Spoonbills at Lakenheath

Marsh Harrier food pass

Corn Bunting

Cold weather and migrants...

Headed out to the bay this morning to try and make the most of the sun and despite the cold wind more migrants had arrived...

The Long-billed Dowitcher refused to move off the sand bar infront of the hide at Cresswell Pond which it shared with 4 Ruff.

We then got word of a swift with white on its body at Druridge Bay Country Park so rushed up to find an aberrant Common Swift with a lot of white on both its upper and underparts. It was flying around with a normal Common Swift and despite it not being the hoped for Alpine Swift it was still an interesting bird...

Moving south to East Chevington, a Little Egret flew through heading north. The north pool held 2 Red-breasted Mergansers before flying off along with a female Goosander. Plenty of hirundines were around the reserve including a few House Martins and the aberrant Common Swift joined two normal birds over here. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing by the approach road with both Grasshopper and Sedge Warblers at the south end and a male Marsh Harrier quartering the fields.

Druridge Pools added Little Owl, a singing Whitethroat and a flock of 20+ Whimbrel to the patch year list with at least one White Wagtail in the area.

A quick look at the north end of Cresswell Pond on the way home produced another White Wagtail, a Wheatear and 2 Avocets.

PWC 2016
Species: 133
Points: 166

Aberrant Common Swift

White Wagtail at Druridge Pools

Wheatear

A weekend in Yorkshire...

Spent a few days birding with a relative in Yorkshire and we managed to see a number of good birds...

On Sunday evening we headed to Nosterfield Quarry where a walk to Flasks Lake produced the smart Red-necked Grebe which was my first for over two years, 3 European White-fronted Geese, 2 Little Owls and 2 Avocets. The reserve centre allowed viewing of 5 Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Pintail and a Little Egret. 3 more Ruff and another Little Egret were at Pallet Hill.

Monday saw us heading to the east coast where we started at Filey. Once the weather eventually cleared we walked to the end of Filey Brigg and were able to locate the first-winter drake Surf Scoter. A Wheatear and 2 flyover Mediterranean Gulls were also seen here.

Next up was Bempton Cliffs where the usual impressive selection of seabirds were on the cliffs with my second-ever Corn Bunting singing on the clifftop.

The two Richard's Pipits were showing really well at Flamborough Head when we arrived and continued to over the next hour, providing me with my best ever views of the species.

A return to Filey Brigg to watch tp sunset also resulted in some more great scope views of the Surf Scoter.

Another site on Tuesday evening held 4 Avocets, 3 Little Ringed Plovers and 2 Ruff.

Sunset at Filey

Surf Scoter - taken after the sun had gone down!

Surf Scoter

Corn Bunting

Richard's Pipits - last photo copyright Steve Clifton

Richard's Pipit

Red-necked Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Little Owl

Avocet

Fulmars - Bempton Cliffs

 Looking south from Filey Brigg