Monthly Archives: October 2024

Back at Frampton Marsh for day 2, had till about 15:00 hours today, before I was due back at Mablethorpe, so I had a six hour stint, and I was doing a different attack route today, I went left at the visitor centre instead of my usual right.

Seeing at first a male Marsh Harrier, Greylag Geese, Mallard, Wigeon, a heard only Water Rail as it did its pig like squeal from the reedbed, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Long tailed Tit, House Sparrow, and a Common Darter Dragonfly. Getting around to the other side, opposite the Visitor Centre, is a big bed of Sunflowers, where there happened to be a large mixed flock of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnets, all enjoying the seeds, needless to say I enjoyed the moment so spent a bit of time around here.

I headed on after down to the Reedbed Hide, enjoying the vast spectacle of so many Geese in the air, Greylag Geese, Canada and Pink footed Geese, a great sight and noise, and also a small flock of fourteen Egyptian Geese. Viewing from the hide were a lot of Whooper Swans, Shovelers, Gadwall, Pintail, Wigeon and Mallard, from here I also saw a distant Buzzard, it also seemed that the tide was coming in, at a guess, as a lot of waders had started to appear, these were mainly Black tailed Godwits, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Ruff and Redshank.

After dinner, I decided on looking around the sunflower bed again, over on the far side. On arrival I could see there were still a good size mixed flock of Goldfinch and Greenfinch, but I knew this time there was a Stonechat here, I took some finding, sadly it was only too brief when it did. 43 species toady 58 for the weekend.

Bird List: Black tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Brent Goose, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Dunlin, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, House Sparrow, Kestrel, Lapwing, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Pink footed Goose, Pintail, Redshank, Ruff, Shelduck, Shoveler, Snipe, Starling, Stonechat, Teal, Water Rail, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren (43) (58)

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Grey Heron

I had someone to drop off at Mablethorpe, so I had a chance of going on down to RSPB Frampton Marsh, one of my favourite sites.

My first visit was on the 26th late in the afternoon at about 15:30, a lot later than I usually do, so I decided on just doing the walk down to the saltmarsh along the road, hoping for the end of day raptors. I did start however at around the visitor centre, seeing from here Ruff, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Lapwing, Mute Swan. Moving off, eventually, I took the road, keeping a watch on either side as I went, there was plenty of wildfowl to be seen Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler, Mallard, Teal, Shelduck, Moorhen and Coot, there were lots to see and look thru.

Whilst I was watching a few Cattle Egret mixed in with the cattle herd, a flock of Wigeon took flight, I eventually picked up on a Peregrine as it went thru. On arriving at the saltmarsh and took a nearby seat to the gate, sat, waited and watched, sometimes its the only way to do it. Marsh Harriers ♂♀ were the first to see, floating thru as the hunted the marsh, then a Peregrine made its way thru the marsh, then a Kestrel, stopping hovering then moving on, then a dashing Merlin hunting the Meadow Pipits, both twisting and turning in the hunt, then the one I’d been waiting for showed up, giving its self up by the typical flight, long wings, buoyant flight, always a heart warming moment to see a Short eared Owl, brief this time in seeing it, but always a wonderful moment. Lastly a moment with a Barn Owl in the nearby fields on making my way to the digs for the evening.

Bird List : Barn Owl, Black headed Gull, Blackbird, Brent Goose, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cattle Egret, Coot, Curlew, Dunlin, Gadwall, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great White Egret, Greenshank, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Lapwing, Little Egret, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Meadow Pipit, Merlin, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink footed Goose, Redshank, Ruff, Shelduck, Short eared Owl, Shoveler, Starling, Teal, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Wood Sandpiper (41)

Long tailed Tit

Snipe

Wood Sandpiper

First port of call today was Hornsea Mere, viewing from Kirkholme Point, closet to the point were Mute Swans, Mallard, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Shovelers, and a fly past Kingfisher which landed briefly on the Island.

Further out were a couple of female Goldeneye, nearby was a flock of Tufted Duck, doing there synchronized diving, looking closer thru these “Tufties” a few female Scaup could be found. Even further out we found a couple of Marsh Harriers.

News then broke of the Little Bunting up at Thornwick, that was to be our next destination for today, off we went. We found the area it was last seen and settled in, it gave us the run around, with a female Reed Bunting giving us the run around for a bit, but eventually gave itself up as it flittered from one bush to another, giving us good side on views. Other birds seen were, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long tailed Tit, Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Magpie and Robin.

After this we went onto Flamborough, having got Little Bunting in the bag and on the Yorkshire List, it was Yellow browed Warbler time. The Motorway Hedge was where it was last seen, so it was there we headed, great and close views of a Male Stonechat was well received whilst we waited for the Warbler, Linnets flying over, a Wren giving us the run around in the hedge, eventually the cry of Yellow browed Warbler, we soon got on the bird and watched it for a while, eventually giving the best views I’ve ever had of this species. On then for a sea watch, seeing mainly Gannets, Little Gulls, Common Scoters, Shag, Arctic Skua (Not me), We moved onto the headland, where someone put us onto a pod of Dolphins moving south, a wonderful sight to watch as they broke the surface, approx about ten in all.

Hornsea Bird List ; Black headed Gull, Canada Goose, Cormorant, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Greylag Goose, Kingfisher, Little Grebe, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mute Swan, Scaup, Shoveler, Tufted Duck (14)

Flamborough Bird List : Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Scoter, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunnock, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Linnet, Little Bunting, Little Gull, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink footed Goose, Red throated Diver, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon, Rock Pipit, Starling, Yellow browed Warbler (33)

I was having a couple of days away up on the Yorkshire East Coast, with the first stop being RSPB Bempton Cliffs, after a long summer, I decided to take no camera with me this trip, would I live to regret that.

We arrived at Bempton Cliffs at about 9am to 4°, dry and calm weather, whilst I was waiting for a friend to turn up, I had a quick look around the visitor centre feeders and dell area, seeing Tree Sparrow, Woodpigeon, plenty of Pink footed Geese, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Great Tit and Blue Tit.

Moved on then, when my friend turned up, moving onto the Nature Trail first, seeing a Barn Owl in flight first and a fine Male Stonechat, which was near to the long hedge that runs down to the cliffs, a Yellow browed Warbler had been seen, unfortunately not by us, seeing only Dunnock and Goldcrest.

The cliffs were now quiet only holding a single Great Black backed Gull, Rock Doves and still plenty of Gannets.

We moved off then and went up to Filey and onto the Brigg side, hoping to find the reported Snow Bunting, this turned out to be another bird that gave us the slip. It was also high tide so we viewed the Brigg from above, birds along the Brigg were Knot, Purple Sandpipers, Oystercatchers, Cormorants, two juvenile Common Terns with in the bay itself Shag, Great Crested Grebes, Wigeon and Eider Duck with Rock Pipits along the Brigg.

Then we had a visit down to a football field near to Filey to pick up on 2 Whooper Swans, however the highlight of the day were 12 Grey Partridge in the nearby field.

We then moved back to Bempton Cliffs hoping for some Owls and the Yellow browed Warbler, and still neither showed but a lovely female Sparrowhawk was nice to see

Bird List Bempton Cliffs : Barn Owl, Blackbird, Crow, Dunnock, Gannet, Goldfinch, Great Black backed Gull, Greylag Goose, Jackdaw, Pheasant, Pink footed Goose, Red legged Partridge, Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Stonechat, Tree Sparrow, Woodpigeon Wren

Bird List Filey : Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Common Tern, Cormorant, Eider, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Partridge, Guillemot, Herring Gull, Knot, Meadow Pipit, Purple Sandpiper, Shag, Stonechat, Tree Pipit, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Wren