Autumn birding can be special.

Let's see what happens...

September 6th - a day at Spurn

I began at the Warren waiting for a rosefinch to appear from the bushes. Five of us waited about 45 minutes. And gave up! I spotted grey plover and knot on the mud. Redstart seen as I walked back to the car park. Kestrel flew past.

Kilnsea Wetlands had ruff, little stints and dunlin but they were tucked down at the reedbed end difficult to see from hide or gate. Black-tailed godwits from hide.

A white-headed gull looked interesting but although I like gulls I've never felt I could identify a Caspian gull. But I did wonder - one has been regularly reported recently.

Called at the Bluebell and found a whinchat. Not easy to get close and it was hiding among downy thistle heads. Distant views.

Later I returned to the Kilnsea Wetlands area to walk a long way to Beacon Lane in pursuit of a red-backed shrike that I never saw. Such walks are always much more exhausting when they come to nothing than is a successful walk for a rarity. You walk back then with a real spring in your step!

I was glad to reach the hide for a sit down. The dunlin and stints were just outside the hide.

I drove to Sammy's for a quick look round [saw golden plover] and to get the car ready to load up with garden compost on the way home. Spotted Karen and Simon Spavin in the distance so walked along to chat. Good idea as Simon pointed to a bush where I soon saw pied flycatcher. Seven ticks in one day in September. Crackin' stuff!!

September 13th: a photo jaunt to Blacktoft

Not really fancying the green warbler, I don't know why but if I saw it I didn't think it would thrill me any more than a  nice bright young willow warbler would so I passed and decided to see if I could get better, closer views of Blacktoft's rather special plover. A glossy ibis would be a bonus. Not much sunshine but I had a lovely hour and a half at First hide and then at Singleton.

The white tailed plover did just what I had hoped!

At Singleton I was watching the ibis just after I had sat down when a great white flew in from somewhere out of sight.

Glossy ibis too. No year ticks but I had a lovely time. Blacktoft can be very special if you consider what it can offer through the year.

Also seen were spotted redshank [not photographed as they were too far away], ruff, blackwits and wildfowl.

166 UK 2021