11th-12th January 2016
Just pottering along...
January 11th saw me on the road to Hornsea Mere where I soon made contact with a slavonian grebe followed after a long search by a red-necked grebe. No sign of alleged long-tailed duck however. Bempton produced gannets, fulmars [lots of them] and my first shags of the year. On to Filey Bay where a single drake common scoter was easier to find than the surf scoter which I did eventually locate while scanning from the paddling pool, south end of the promenade. I have found this a good viewing spot before.
Next I called at Scarborough Mere to meet the unbelievably tame whooper swan mixed in with the mutes and taking feed from children.
Whooper Swan
Whooper Swan
At the harbour the black-necked grebe was hard to get close to until suddenly I had it literally at my feet - after criss-crossing the harbour several times as it tried to elude me!
Black-necked Grebe
More conventional views followed.
Black-necked Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Black-necked Grebe
Guess what this turnstone got for Christmas! Jewellery!
Turnstone
A great black-backed let me get very close.
Great Black-backed Gull
Some cormorants were drying off on one of the harbour ramps...but this isn't a cormorant. Shag.
Shag
An unusual opportunity presented itself although it took some time to get myself into a position where I could get both birds in shot. Cormorant and shag: nice size comparison.
Cormorant and Shag
January 12th took me to Old Moor for a couple of hours.
Blue Tit
Reed Bunting
Long-tailed Tit
A few siskin were visiting the feeders.
Siskin