Through the cracks in the concrete!

September 18th to 24th

Greetings to Rob Grant if you're reading this! You certainly made my day.

September 18th: Fairburn Ings

New Flash report of cattle egrets.

Also present- a great white egret and a fly-over swan.

September 19th: Saltholme and South Gare

Saltholme seemed very quiet but it was nice to see a kingfisher perched up on a board through the visitor centre glass.

However news from South Gare prompted a change of plan. Barred warbler near the bomb hole. It took a long time plus the efforts of Peter Garbutt to persuade the bird to show for us. When it did it posed nicely.

September 21st: Hartlepool Headland. I knew I should start by the bowling green and immediately saw a plentiful scattering of birders. Some were looking for the great grey shrike - others hoped for a yellow-browed warbler down Olive Street. I spotted Barry Bishop heading towards me and we soon had the shrike in view. My camera couldn't 'see' the bird as it looked like a patch of light coming through the undergrowth [I think] so it's quite blurred.

The light was poor and we didn't fancy our chances of spotting a tiny warbler in the gloom. I drove down to the putting green where we saw a pied flycatcher and then a red-breasted flycatcher. My attempts to capture this highly active bird proved frustrating. I could hear other birders' shutters firing away. Were they on the bird or just firing away in hope to make others think they were ace photographers with amazing eyesight? Eventually I got a partial view.

We went off to the Headland itself to stare into the mist. Plenty of gannets, occasional sandwich tern and cormorant but eventually I was pleased to spot an arctic skua heading out and northbound. Barry set off for Saltholme whilst I decided to have another try for the red-breasted flycatcher. The bird can look quite different in different lighting conditions.

And then a while later on different bushes near the gate to the putting green.

A few from Phil Stead hide at Saltholme before I set off home. Ruff and redshank.

September 23rd: Stamford Bridge

No, not that one. Although I did hear the story of two girls in a Mini who set off from somewhere in London to see a football match. New to satnav they told the machine to take them to Stamford Bridge. To give the girls their due they were astonished at how long it took them to get there...

Hoopoe reported on a nice estate with open plan lawns near Huntsman's Lane, After a good walk round and a loiter the bird was seen and it showed nicely. Here it is.

September 24th: Hartlepool Headland

Determined to get a decent view and photo of a yellow-browed warbler I drove north to Hartlepool. The Putting Green is an unpretentious looking patch of grass surrounded by shrubs but it is nonetheless a most wonderful magnet for special birds at certain key times of the year. This month and the next are not to be missed. Yellow-browed warbler thrilled me.

I heard that the shrike was still around in the Ferry Road area so I headed that way. The shrike duly appeared on a wild buddleia that had grown through the concrete of this abandoned industrial site. While watching the rather distant bird through a wire fence a fellow birder asked: 'Were you a teacher?'

I confirmed.

'French?' he asked.

At this point I felt I knew what was coming. Should I run?!

'Yes.'

'QEGS Blackburn?'

'Yes.'

'Are you Chris Downes? I'm Rob Grant you taught me once.'

I left Blackburn in December 1976, 48 years ago. My gob was well and truly smacked.

Oh, and here's the shrike.

Back to the Putting Green!  I don't know why but I thought my yellow-browed photos were no good. Turns out they were ok. Lesser whitethroat this time.

Wild goose chase to Zinc Works bushes for a bird that wasn't there. Saw this flower. Any ideas? I think it might be some kind of rocket but I'm not sure.

194 UK 2024