A Touch of Class

Two days out birding

In fact a couple of touches of quality birds. July 23rd took me back to Hartlepool to look out for the roseate terns. A small huddle of birders reassured me as I arrived. Three birds seen although whilst getting the camera sorted I missed the juvenile photograph-wise. Here are the two adults with a sandwich tern and common tern in there somewhere. I walked all round the Snook but things were fairly quiet. I was attacked Farne Islands style by a common tern [or was it an arctic - I didn't look that closely!] Summer sanderlings, oystercatchers and sandwich terns out on the sand. Juvenile common tern too. Limonium vulgare or common sea lavender attractive in flower. The drought continued and it was refreshing to see a sea of green as the samphire was growing well. It almost looked good enough to eat!

I headed for Saltholme before going home quite early. Phil Stead hide was action packed with bad-tempered black-tailed godwits putting on a show. Snipe present in good numbers too. Here comes a super set of images - all credit to the birds not to me.

July 25th was quite exciting. Franklin's gull apparently in front of the hide at Scaling Dam. I had seen one [badly] flying off about 11 years ago at Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire. This was  very different and as a former colleague would have delighted in saying, it ''really nailed it!''

For about an hour it slept and the assembled throng watched those tremendous white eye crescents.

Eventually the bird stirred. From here on I'll let Mr. Franklin do the talking. [The real John Franklin was a napoleonic Royal Navy officer who later tried on several expeditions to find a North-West passage through the Arctic seas] Here's my Mr. Franklin... Finally we spotted just in front of us a a very little little ringed plover. Say ahhhh!!!! 221 UK 2018

A pleasant afternoon at Blacktoft Sands

No targets, just looking for some nice photo opportunities of waders and anything else that might be around. I started at Marshland. A few ruff were quite close. I spotted a greenshank sleeping on the mud. Eventually it flew a few dozen yards to join another greenshank out on the lagoon.

As well as ruff there were spotted redshank to be seen. This dusky maiden was further out than I might have liked!

A spoonbill over on the far side.

I spotted a few bearded tits around the lagoon. There's two in this shot plus a wagtail juvenile if you can pick them out. This one's a bit clearer. They are never very close at Blacktoft. Alkborough Flats can be very good - if your luck's in! I moved on. Green sandpipers at Townend hide. Spot the dragonfly...

...perflection: a common snipe...

...and marsh harrier resting in a bush. Finally: a couple of butterflies from the walk back. Red admiral and comma.

Since then Sheila and I had an afternoon at Hartlepool Headland hoping for the reported roseate terns. They didn't return but we watched the common and sandwich terns instead. Conditions were very pleasant with little wind. Speaking personally I'm ready for something a bit different weather-wise. I just hope I don't live to regret those words!!

219 UK 2018

There's more to come!

[I hope!]

Spurn on Sunday 15th July, hoping the greater sand plover would still be around. On arrival things looked grim: lost somewhere north of the Narrows. I decided to go to Kilnsea Wetlands' tiny hide [Get a bigger one, please!] and see what was afoot.

A grass snake made an impressive appearance.

Little gull adult and curlew sandpiper on far side of the main spit. Very distant hazy photos.

Something sent all the sandwich terns off towards the estuary.

Set off home as nothing was showing. Got to Patrington when I looked at the phone. I wish I still had a functioning pager! 

However, 'GSP on Easington Beach' came up on the phone. I turned back. After all, it would be a lifer!!!!!

The bird was on the beach still. I'm a little amazed how the other beachgoers continued to walk about on the sand in front of a line of 60-odd scopes and cameras on tripods as if they weren't there!

First view.

I had fabulous views of this "new for me bird" in the scope. After a while staring out to sea the bird flew over us and higher up the beach so I was looking into the sun to photograph it.  Then it flew south down the beach, but not too far. I left it whilst the other toggers scampered after it. As they do.

Great day. 

219 UK 2018   436 UK Life list