Huddsbirder

The outing for today was to be up on the Yorkshire Coast around the Bridlington/Bempton areas, my day starting in Bridlington at 8:30pm, it was overcast and drizzle when I arrived, it was low tide too, but the sound of Redshanks and the dancing Herring Gull near the car park made up for the dull start. Looking over the harbour mud I also found Turnstones, Dunlins and a single Sanderling, with the continuous sound of calling Herring Gulls and Great Black backed Gulls, I also found a group of House Sparrows around the Lobster pots.

I finally made my way down to the North beach and the harbour wall, at the harbour wall I spent sometime with the Turnstones and Purple Sandpiper, taking photos and videos, also saw an Oystercatcher down here. Time had flown, my car park ticket of 4 hours was nearly up, time had flown, it was time to move on and up to Bempton Cliffs.

Took about 20mins to get there, I had dinner on arrival, listening to the many Pink footed Geese in one of the approach fields, near the overflow car park. After dinner and checking in to the RSPB hub, where I was told most of the action today was around the centre and dell areas, the Owls (Barn and Short Eared) were mainly around the centre area and the fields nearby.

Little action for me around the dell, only finding Linnet, Goldfinch, Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Robin and Blackbird, there was also a large flock of Pink footed Geese in the adjacent field to the overflow car park, consisting of a few hundred birds. There quite a few people hanging around in groups with cameras at the ready hoping for sightings of the Short eared Owls, so I decided on a walk down to the cliffs, and wait for the Owls later on, there were a lot of Herring Gulls, the seabird colony had now moved off the cliffs for the winter, and were probably on the sea for the winter, until next spring were they will be filling up the cliffs again, a Kestrel ♂, was on sentry duty on the cliffs, looking around for its next meal.

It wasn’t long before the appearance of Short eared Owls started to happen, I saw three birds in all, they were moving around the reserve a bit, hunting in various fields, the photographers were trying to keep up with them. They eventually gave great views, once they had settled , I saw the appearance of a Peregrine whilst watching one Owl, coming over the top of it and moving straight down over to the cliffs.

The best time I saw the owls was late on, about 3:30 – 4:30pm, most people had gone, they were flying around the open field, near to the visitor centre, giving great views as they hunted.

To top the day off a Barn Owl as I drove off the reserve, not a great day for the species list, but it was a good day out.

Video Vlog of the Day can be seen HERE

Birds for the Day inc Brid : Barn Owl, Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunlin, Goldfinch, Great Black backed Gull, Great Tit, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Linnet, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pink footed Goose, Purple Sandpiper, Redshank, Redwing, Sanderling, Shag, Short eared Owl, Starling, Tree Sparrow, Turnstone, (24)

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A misty, cool, damp start to the day, it wasn’t going to stop me from getting out into Nature. Pugneys CP was to be my first port of call for the day, then moving onto Cromwell Bottom to finish the day off.

Started off around the main lake, at Pugneys, seeing Cormorants, Wigeon, Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Lapwing, Black headed Gulls, and Herring Gulls. I made my way down to the Nature Reserve where I found a couple already set up in the hide, there was only one bench to sit on, they were on it, on inquiry as to the lack of seating, the rest had been removed due to certain individuals throwing them in the beck, so temptation was removed, which made viewing for me now difficult so I moved on. I ended up in the smaller hide which overlooks the main lake, there was benches, so I settled in, instantly hearing a Cetti’s warbler calling, very much heard but seen very little, this was followed quickly by a Water Rail calling, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch and Robin were all seen with eventually, after hearing it earlier, the Water Rail showed giving excellent views. Out on the lake were Grey Heron, Great Crested grebe, Cormorants, Tufted Duck, Black headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Lesser Black backed Gulls, Mute Swan and Canada Geese.

After all this I moved on again, this time taking the Sanadal Castle footpath and took the turning off to the right side down towards the farm area. On the flooded field were more Black headed Gulls, Wigeon, Teal Grey Heron, and Mallard, a flock of Redwing went over and there were a few Bullfinch in the hedgerow. Time had moved on and coffee and cake were calling, so I made my way slowly around to the café area, settling on a chip butty with coffee, so with belly full I set off for my next destination, Cromwell Bottom, near Brighouse.

I arrived at Cromwell a little later than expected due to a small detour. I started off down at the weir, a Grey Heron was stood over at the far side, a few Mallards (2♂ 1♀), there was also a single Cormorant. I then worked my way into the reserve, very little around the reserve today, seems to be all hiding. I missed out on the feeding station, decided on coming back later, down on to the riverside path, my usual route, hoping for Redpoll and Goldcrests, but alas not a single thing.

Up to where I could see the ski lake, hoping foe something here, there were a few gulls, Black headed, and Herring Gulls along with a few Tufted Duck, I really was struggling for species at Cromwell today, I was however out in nature, a great place to be. My final chance on lifting the species list today was the feeding station and here I saw, Jay, Crow, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Coal tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Stock Dove, Magpie, Chaffinch, Robin, Wren and Long tailed Tit.

That was about it for Cromwell and the day, the weather to be getting worse so I decided on calling it a day.

Video of the Day can be seen by pressing THIS

Pugneys Bird List : Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Canada goose, Crow, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Lapwing, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute swan, Pied wagtail, Pochard, Redwing, Robin, Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon, Shelduck, Shoveler, Stock Dove, Teal, Tufted Duck, Water Rail, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren (36)

Cromwell Bottom Bird List : Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Crow, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Cormorant, Dunnock, Grey Heron, jay, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Robin, Stock Dove, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Wren (19)

Bit of a sunny day, so I decided on a walk out around Cromwell Bottom, mainly to get out of the house and into nature,

My first stop was at the cafe for coffee and cake, after this short break, I set off on to the reserve and headed towards the weir, nothing happening down here, so on to the reserve. I was finding it very quiet today, this was turning more into a walk.

I started looking at bramble patches, I eventually found one, a Spiked Shieldbug, a nice find. On then down to the riverside walk, once again very quiet, it wasn’t till l I got near the canal area that I picked up on Black headed Gulls, Common Gulls, Herring Gulls, and a Common Buzzard, which eventually came over the viewing point. Moving on, I didn’t take my usual route, but decided to go over the grass hump area, here I found a Common Darter, this probably being my last of the year.

The feeding station was to be my last call of the day, it was here that I picked up most of the species for the day Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Magpie and Dunnock.

My last call was the cafe again, for more coffee and cake, but I did see a Nuthatch here to finish the day

Bird List : Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Buzzard, Coal Tit, Common Gull, Dunnock, great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Long tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Nuthatch, Robin, Woodpigen

Dragonfly List : Common Darter