Steady as she goes!

Birding progress is reasonably good so far this year. I've had a few local trips where photography wasn't really practical. It was nice when Sheila and I bumped into some bird racers from York Ornithological Club at Ellerton Church. We picked up a few ticks there including whooper swans and a ruddy shelduck.

Photos relate to the 6th and 8th of January. Starting with Saturday 6th Janaury I went up to Hartlepool. Good number of year ticks. I found a brambling in the hedge at Saltholme. Later it turned up at the Watchpoint feeders. I tried to creep up on a party of fieldfare in a tree at Saltholme but they flew off as I approached. I swung the camera, clicked and hoped... 8th January took me up Forge Valley, along Marine Drive Scarborough and then on to Holbeck. No seed at Forge Valley so I supplied some. Amazed how quickly the birds appeared: they must have had spies out watching me!

Mediterranean gulls x8 at Holbeck car park. Next stop Bempton. Just 2 gannets [both adults] and hundreds of guillemots on the sea and on the cliffs. Bridled version mid-left. Filey Brigg or Carr Naze from Bempton. I always think it looks like a man-made structure. Finally I dropped down to Blacktoft for the roost. Three marsh harriers and a crow in a bush at Singleton hide.