East Coast pleasures...

Sunday 9th October: Spurn

A typically early start got me to Easington by 7.15am. A search round the cemetery produced nothing of interest so I retired to Canal Scrape for a break. Snipe, meadow pipits and redwings.  Snipe Snipe Snipe Lesser Whitethroat A little grebe with a fish at Canal Scrape. Little Grebe This redwing had just been ringed at Church Field. Redwing A little later behind the White Horse a pallas's warbler was located. I had brief views as it flew off but I hung around after the crowd had largely dispersed. Ian Smith and co relocated it behind the warehouse building in the corner in a sycamore. Great views but as I heard lots of shutters firing I couldn't get a clear shot among the foliage. Still, a good bird for the day. I made my way to Kilnsea Wetlands. Pretty quiet there - a pair of greenshanks came reasonably close.

Greenshank Greenshank Greenshank For me the best session was down at Sammy's Point. After walking past all the paddocks and seeing little other than goldcrests...

Goldcrest ...I turned back towards the car park. First encounter was a wheatear... Wheatear Wheatear Wheatear ...even a dunnock can be photogenic. I like this image very much!

Dunnock Then a redstart popped into view on the grass of the second horse paddock.

Redstart It came onto the wire next to me... Redstart ...and then onto the path in front of me. Redstart

Redstart A lesser whitethroat was hiding among a pile of rubble overgrown with 'Russian vine'. It eventually surrendered! Lesser Whitethroat Lesser Whitethroat Lesser Whitethroat Lesser Whitethroat I thought this one was a bit different! Lesser Whitethroat Last photoshoot of the day was of an extremely obliging [and interested] ring ouzel. It allowed us to watch him as he watched us!

Ring Ouzel Ring Ouzel Ring Ouzel Ring Ouzel Ring Ouzel

Monday 10th October

Sheila and I headed north to Hartlepool Headland having seen reports of a red-breasted flycatcher at St. Mary's Church. En route it changed into a red-flanked bluetail at the Putting Green. We watched for a long time... and saw little other than robins and sparrows. Eventually we heard it was going to be released on the beach. Instead of instantly disappearing it posed for us!

Red-flanked Bluetail Red-flanked Bluetail Red-flanked Bluetail Red-flanked Bluetail Red-flanked Bluetail Red-flanked Bluetail

Red-flanked Bluetail

As a postcript we did eventually also see the red-breasted flycatcher at St. Mary's church - there were two rather good birds on the headland that afternoon!!

258 UK 2016