Black Redstart

Eastern Black RedstartThat should be Eastern Black Redstart a bird that was gracing us from lands far away (residing in Central Asia and wintering in East Africa) and has been on Yorkshire (or is that Cleveland) shores at Skinningrove since late October 2016 and has been an internet celebrity since.

I arrived on site at about 11am and parked just off Marine Terrace in a small car park close to the beck and made my way along Cleveland Way towards the jetty seeing Bar tailed Godwit, Black headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Rock Pipits, and Redshank along the way.

I went thru the gap along the jetty to the beach area and stayed along the side of the jetty, this is where the bird was last seen (along the boulders place at the side of the jetty) whilst waiting for it to show I picked up Fulmar (on the cliff face), Dunnock, a few Robins and a few Turnstones. It wasn’t long before I was joined by other people and with extra eyes the Eastern Black Redstart was soon picked up along the boulders, a stunning bird to see with its orange belly and black back, we soon had great photo opportunities has it came within close quarters. Here’s a a blog post from A.W. Birder in 2011 giving the various Redstarts CLICK

Video of Eastern Black Redstart HERE

Cant stay for ever so one my way back to the car park I picked up Stonechats (♂,♀), more Rock Pipits, Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Wren

After Skinningrove I stopped off at RSPB Saltholme, basically because I’ve never been and I was in the  area, so I had a quick walk around just to get a feel of the place.

It’s a big place, you need a full day to get the benefits of it, café on site always need one of these, and plenty of birds and hides to stop off in, tried searching for the roosting Long eared Owl here to no avail

Birds List from Skinningrove :- Bat tailed Godwit, Black Redstart (Eastern), Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Common Gull, Dunnock, Fulmar, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Pied wagtail, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Robin, Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Turnstone, Wren

Bird List for RSPB Saltholme :- Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Gadwall, Great black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lapwing, Linnet, Little Egret, Magpie, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pochard, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Shoveler, Starling, Stonechat, Teal, Tufted Duck, Wigeon

Eastern Black Redstart

Turnstone