Something for everyone!

Friday 4th July 

Sheila and I went to Fairburn for peanuts but had a look round as well. My second visit in just a few days. A green sandpiper was on Pickup as was this greenfinch.

Greenfinch Greenfinch

Nearby an emperor dragonfly was racing round the dipping pond. I tried to catch him in flight but failed. This young coot was an easy target! 

Coot

Down at Lin Dike there were still a lot of little egrets - up to nine present...

Little Egret Little Egret

...and the ibis was still feeding in the early evening light. I was pleased when it went for a short fly round.

Glossy Ibis Glossy Ibis Glossy Ibis

Two lapwings were fighting over the best patch of mud. Note the head of the bird going to bite the other one's legs!

Lapwing

Saturday 5th July: lifer 403!

Just putting breakfast together when a black-winged pratincole popped up on the pager at Hurworth Burn reservoir. I knew the place quite well from a couple of visits last winter to see white-fronted geese. Hurriedly putting everything together, I scampered north. A big twitch but nothing to see: everyone knew where the bird was but it was not showing in the grass on the far side amongst the lapwings. Eventually we tracked it down and here it is: still pretty distant but visible between the two lapwings.

Black-winged Pratincole

Cropping in quite hard helps but there is considerable loss in picture quality.

Black-winged Pratincole

Eventually it came a little closer among the cattle along with the lapwings. But it kept its back to us. Can you spot it? Almost centre image.

Black-winged Pratincole

Walking back to the car a fluttering moth caught my attention. Garden tiger moth.

Garden Tiger Garden Tiger

Sunday 6th July

Plan was to go to Flamborough for a seawatch as a few skuas and shearwaters had started to be sighted. I was enjoying myself thoroughly watching manx shearwaters when visibility declined, mist turned to fog and the siren started up at the fog station. I retreated to Thornwick Pool. Little to note but after the previous night's heavy downfalls this linnet looked decidedly bedraggled.

Linnet

This mipit was collecting food and looked like s/he had fared better in the downpours.

Meadow Pipit

A common poppy papaver rhoeas looked stunning after the rain.

Common Poppy

I headed inland for Tophill Low. I thought I might spend an hour or so in North Marsh hide and watch for the kingfishers. They never came but the rain did. Big time complete with thunder and lightning. Couldn't catch the last two but I iphone-filmed the rain!

North Marsh, Tophill Low

The rain went on and on [like the video!] but eventually it relented. I watched lots of reed warbler action but failed to get a decent shot. I decided to set off back. Opening the door of the hide I immediately spotted what looked like a big ball of fur rolling around on the path.

Stoat

Tophill Low can deliver even when you least expect it. The stoats were more interested in playing than in me. The light prevented really fast shutter speeds but here are some views of young stoats at play.

Stoat Stoat Stoat Stoat Stoat Stoat

Help! He's coming straight at me!!

Stoat

Stoat Stoat Stoat

Final call would be at Blacktoft where I found much better weather. Plenty of distant spotshanks, an upside down konik pony...

Konik Pony

...and a smart looking sedge warbler in a grey willow. Not a lot else although cuckoos were known to be on site.

Sedge Warbler

Monday 7th July

A day at home, I thought, but a report of the common crane at Arram along with a fairly precise location tempted me to try again. [A recent attempt to see the bird at nearby Leven Carr had proved a waste of time.] A long walk north along the drain from Arram Grange proved tiring carrying scope, camera and bins plus a heavy anorak in the heat. I went wrong twice but along one ditch I snapped this four-spotted chaser.

Four-spot Chaser

Heavy grey clouds meant the anorak was a wise but as it turned out unnecessary precaution. Before I reached the grid reference I spotted a large group of swans in a field. I scanned the flock through my bins.

Common Crane Common Crane

UK 2014: 229

British Isles life list 403