When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now
Will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out 'til quarter to three, would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm sixty-four?

Well, I just made it. 64 I mean. And I'm losing my hair too! Got some greetings, drank some wine but not until I got back from a day's birding in Lincolnshire...

Friday 10th January

Set off very early and arrived at Cleethorpes Country Park for just after 8am. Lots of children cycling to school through the park from a large estate; dog walkers too. I walked right round the lake and saw a kingfisher and a selection of wildfowl. No sign of the black-throated diver. As I got back to the beginning I checked the narrow channel between the island just in case... and there it was looking up at me. I dashed back to the car, grabbed the camera and returned to the channel. The diver was out in the middle of the lake!

Black-throated Diver

I sat down on a bench and waited. Perhaps a yapping dog had driven it away from its feeding spot? Slowly the bird returned. Eventually I got my wish: total frame filling!

Black-throated Diver

Black-throated Diver Black-throated Diver Black-throated Diver

After that thrilling encounter I headed south for Theddlethorpe Saint Helen and Brickyard Lane. When I arrived the road was blocked by a removal lorry and it didn't look as itf it was going anywhere soon. I had no option but to take the next lane down to the sea and walk back. This worked out ok and I could see several birders out on the sand back north by Brickyard Lane. I walked north. A flock of twite was soon espied.

Twite

Once on the ground I realised there were shore larks there too. In fact the larks were easier to approach...

Shore Lark

Shore Lark Shore Lark Shore Lark

There were no snow buntings but who cares? I'd never seen shore larks like this before. Clouds of golden plover filled the air.

Waders

Walking back a party of about 8 curlews raced overhead.

Curlews

Large numbers of yellowhammers were congregating on the buckthorn in the dunes.

Yellowhammer

 I set off for Freiston Shore RSPB in search of whatever might be there...

...such as my second great northern diver of the year...eyes wide open...

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

...and eyes wide shut...together with snipe, black-tailed godwits and ringed plovers.

Saturday 11th January

Barry and I set off at a fairly civilised time for Scarborough hoping for a firecrest at the Mere. We succeeded thanks to other sharp-eyed birders. A great start to the day. The turnstones were very cold: maybe a touch of frostbite for this fella?

Turnstone

The great northern diver was soon spotted only to disappear again. A bird dismissed as a cormorant turned out to be a young shag.

Shag

The diver eventually performed for me!

Great Northern Diver

Great Northern Diver

We set off for Bempton Cliff and saw fulmars and, nice surprise, a stonechat.

Stonechat

Final call at Hornsea Mere was very cold and neither scaup nor great white egret could be found. Nonetheless an excellent day's birding!

UK 110 2014