Three days worth!

Day 1: Notts and Lincs

Rufford CP for hawfinch drew a blank but I carried on to Hoveringham sailing club lake and walked from the village [no car access for non-members - coded gate] but the bird was soon spotted. Friendly members let me use their scope and within a minute, literally, I had seen a curlew, a glaucous gull, a black-necked grebe and my target, a black-throated diver. All were a long way off seen in a powerful Swarovski scope. I decided to wait and hope the diver would approach.

Great crested grebes were friendly. Great Crested Grebe The diver was out by some rescue craft. Black-throated Diver Eventually it came a bit nearer before heading way out again.

Black-throated Diver Black-throated Diver I returned home via Clumber Park where I saw 2 hawfinches, each briefly, from the car park.

Day 2: We went to Bempton!

Sheila loves to see the sea and to see owls so what better than Bempton! I got an easy year tick with my first razorbills of the year - just seven on the cliffs with hundreds of guillemots. Here are the owls - followed by a skylark singing for Yorkshire and the world! Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl

Skylark

Day 3: Wintersett and Ibbotsons Yard!

Walking the old railway line near Wintersett looking for a firecrest was a complete failure - although the roving tit flock did appear after I'd left along with the crest and a load of redpolls. A song thrush sang beautifully all the time I was there - reminiscent of a nightingale briefly at times. I wondered if it had heard one once and was mimicking a memory.... Song Thrush Song Thrush Song Thrush

Not to worry - I had left for Acaster Selby or thereabouts to see the local great grey shrike. Lots of people near Ebor Trucks. I decided to look nearer Ibbotsons and found the bird. I waved to the others who came at a pace. I began to worry as the bird disappeared before anyone else saw it. Happily after ten minutes the bird was seen again just beyond the trailers. Eventually it came quite close. Great Grey Shrike Great Grey Shrike Great Grey Shrike Great Grey Shrike

160 UK 2017