August 20th 2023 ff
The latest batch
In my last report I sort of promised a stock dove photo then forgot to include one. So here it is - from Blacktoft on 6th August.
Ok. Next outing was to Spurn...
August 20th: the canal gave me my first good bird of the day: a juvenile red-backed shrike
One of several wheatear seen at Sammy's and at Kilnsea Wetland.
Whinchat distant on fence in horse field at Sammy's Point.
Swallow just outside the hide at Canal Scrape.
Wheatear at Kilnsea Wetlands
August 21st: trip north of Newcastle to see the red-necked grebe at Widdrington Moor reservoir. Difficult to locate as vegetation has grown up a lot since my last visit but help from a regular local birder found it eventually. Also a greenish warbler seen elusively by many birders at Cresswell Pond in the hedges approaching the hide.
August 23rd: a trip to Tophill Low to see the blue-winged teals [there were 2 birds] on South Marsh East. Yellow wagtail seen from another hide on the walk back.
Also photographed on my walk back: small tortoiseshell and red admiral on buddleia.
Later I drove over to Flamborough and visited Thornwick Pools. A sparrowhawk was on the lookout for a meal.
It kept flying round the pool and diving into the reeds. Nothing caught but the two dunlin soon left.
To my surprise just when I thought the dunlin were flying back it turned out that the two birds that then dropped in were wood sandpipers.
A heron caught a fish...
...and I almost trod on a baby toad.
August 30th: A trip up to Redcar to see the caspian gulls off Marske roundabout but they were definitely not there! I spotted a pair of waders in the surf so I decided to try to get a little closer.
Bar-tailed godwits.
Common terns were present too.
Finally I turned to head back to the promenade. In my way were some ringed plover. Quite tame and unruffled...
A dark juvenile gull flew past me.
