2 'lifers' in 2 days, a Shorty fix plus a bonus Grey Phalarope close to home.

Hunting for migrant birds on the East Coast as is my want come Autumn I'm a frequent visitor to RSPB Bempton Cliffs if there's anything about - It's such an easy pop in from Flamborough where my radar seems to automatically default to at this time of the year. A Red Eyed Vireo, only the 3rd record for Yorkshire, has been the star of the show so far at Bempton and although I got a reasonable 30 seconds eye balling of the bird, along with hordes of other twitchers, I failed to find it in the lens and execute a shot. Shame, too excited I guess but here's a cracking shot of the bird from a long standing birding mate of mine.

Red Eyed Vireo, Bempton, 02/10/23. Tony Dixon

 Caspian Gull (topmost), Flamborough, 28/09/23

A couple of days before the Vireo turned up I was on the Headland with some birding buddies experiencing a splendid morning's sea watch, best I've had in ages, with many birds passing South. Nothing rare but you can't complain at watching a steady progression of Arctic Skuas, Red Throated Divers, Common Scoters, Teal, Wigeon, Sandwich & Common Terns and a thrilling female Merlin passing by?😁 A single immature Caspian Gull on the foreshore was handily picked out and I'm one thankfull birder for getting a positive ID on this long running bogey bird for me! Cheers Alan.

10 Bar Tailed Godwits amongst various other waders aside, nothing else unexpected at South Landing. So on to Bempton hoping maybe for some 'wee' passage migrants, maybe a Yellow Browed Warbler, but the remnants of the south westerly blast of storm Agnes always favoured sea birds over passerines and so it proved - 1 Blackcap!. A brief seawatch producing more Common Scoter, a Goosander plus the usual Gannets, the odd Kittiwake and auks. 

This time of year though Bempton has become somewhat of a magnet for migrant Short Eared Owls. They migrate across the North Sea and spend a good time of the winter here. 3 present on the day, we got good views of one before noisy farm vehicles put them to ground.

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 28/09/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 28/09/23

The RSPB have done great work in terms of creating and maintaining the grassland habitat to keep these majestic daytime hunting owls happy, and I was more than happy to fill my boots with some even better pics 2 days later on the Vireo twitch. Gone a bit overboard with pics here but hey, and I'm not dissing a 'lifer', they grab the lens much more than some yank warbler in a bush!

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Short Eared Owl, Bempton, 01/10/23

Difficult not to be captivated by their haunting, slightly menacing (very if you're a Bank Vole), graceful flight as they quarter the fields here. 

The day after, and to round off a great few birding days, a Grey Phalarope turned up in the York bird recording area at some gravel pits nr Hemingbrough, a new location for me. Phalaropes are dainty, 'blackbird' sized wading birds that breed in the Arctic Circle and swim just as well as they wade!

Grey Phalarope, Hemingbrough, 02/10/23

Grey Phalarope, Hemingbrough, 02/10/23

Grey Phalarope, Hemingbrough, 02/10/23

Grey Phalarope, Hemingbrough, 02/10/23

Grey Phalarope, Hemingbrough, 02/10/23

Grey Phalarope, Hemingbrough, 02/10/23

I was back up to Bempton looking to get my own picture of the Red Eyed Vireo but it had gone. Never mind, plenty more passage migrants both common and scarce to come and I'll be back on the coast soon.😎

 

The comings & goings of October plus standout local birds - Hen Harrier & Short Eared Owl

October, the month when birds from further north begin arriving in earnest to winter in the UK. I love this time of year, still get a thrill when the first Redwings & Fieldfares arrive and usually have a few extended days on the east coast somewhere to witness a bit of incoming migration. Not the case this year though - an almost complete absence of favourable winds did nothing to blow in any of the usual 'falls' of migrants, and I just couldn't match any free days in my diary with decent weather periods, so its been very much a 'bits and pieces' October for me.

Brambling, Flamborough, 06/10/2021

I twitched a couple of  the few rarities that were around - a Two-barred Greenish Warbler at Spurn and a Long-toed Stint at St Aidan's (details and pics here) and picked up a few common passage migrants from a couple or 3 trips up to Flamborough Head - a few Siskins and Bramblings in off the sea, the odd Wheatear, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Jack Snipe flushed from the cliff top, but slim pickings really and the first year for a while I've gone without a single Yellow Browed Warbler.

Spotted Flycatcher, Flamborough, 06/10/2021

Best birds of the month by far were much closer to home with a stunning Short Eared Owl on my own patch at Fangfoss  - a great record for the York area and my first at Fangfoss, and then a few days later a ringtail Hen Harrier through Wheldrake Ings. 

Short Eared Owl, Fangfoss Park, 16/10/2021

Short Eared Owl, Fangfoss Park, 16/10/2021

The Hen Harrier was my 4th this year in the York area and I seem to be gaining a bit of a reputation locally for turning up these most impressive of raptors. It was a group of noisy crows that put me onto this one as I was walking down the river Derwent between Bank Island and Wheldrake bridge. It didn't hang around and flew off NW hotly pursued by said corvids.

Hen Harrier, Wheldrake Ings, 21/10/2021

Hen Harrier, Wheldrake Ings, 21/10/2021

Painted Lady, Wheldrake Ings, 21/10/2021

On the same day, an unseasonably warm one for October I had another great record but not a bird - a Painted Lady butterfly which could turn out to be the latest ever for Yorkshire. 

My first Redwings of the autumn were at Flamborough on the 6th but the only mass influx was over the 13th / 14th of the month when there was a brief lull from the prevailing westerly winds and tens of thousands were reported nationwide. I had maybe 400 over Fangfoss along with smaller numbers of Fieldfares, Song Thrush and Blackbirds, and over the next few days a noticeable increase in birds such as Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Robin, Yellowhammer and Chaffinches. 

Yellow Wagtail & Ruff, Alkborough, 07/10/2021

My only trip out of Yorkshire during the month was a few hours at Alkborough Flats on the Lincolnshire side of the Humber. I met up with my birding pal Mark P. and on another incongruously warm day we weren't at all surprised to see 6 Barn Swallows and a late Yellow Wagtail, both of which turned out to be my last of the year. 

As per usual at Alkborough it was the wading birds that took the eye with good numbers of Black Tailed Godwits (c55) Redshank (c50), Spotted Redshank (15), Dunlin (c140),  Curlew, (c20) Golden Plover (c260), Lapwing (c200) plus the odd Avocet, Ruff, Snipe and Ringed Plover. Great light on the day produced some pleasing images of the waders viewable from the main hide.

Common Redshank, Alkborough, 07/10/2021

Dunlin, Alkborough, 07/10/2021

Mixed waders, Alkborough, 07/10/2021

 Other good birds on the day included a Water Rail scurrying across the mud right in front of the hide, 10ish Bearded Tits, a couple of Mediterranean Gulls, a Kingfisher and several skeins of Pink Footed Geese over and looking slightly incongruous against a clear blue sky.

Pink Footed Geese, Alkborough, 07/10/2021

Elsewhere around the patch in October it's been the usual comings and goings with a steady build up of ducks and geese at both North Cave Wetlands and the LDV (Lower Derwent Valley), and there were 5 Goosanders back on the brickyard pond behind my mother's house in York on the 20th. More Stonechats about (one of the few birds that seem to be actually growing in numbers) including 4 at North Cave along with a Wheatear on the 1st were notable, as was a latish Common Whitethroat on the 5th, a male Blackcap on the 14th, and 6 probable Bramblings over on the 13th, all here at Fangfoss Park. 

Whilst it was thrilling to add a couple of new species to my UK list this month, the highlight for me was the Short Eared Owl - you just can't beat that feeling of seeing a new bird on your own local patch! Here's a few more pics from the month - 

Northern Wheatear looking at a passing Stonechat, North Cave Wetlands, 01/10/2021

Stonechat, North Cave Wetlands, 01/10/2021

Teal, North Cave Wetlands, 01/10/2021

Female Kestrel, Flamborough, 06/10/2021

Grazing Highland Cattle, Wheldrake Ings, 21/10/2021

Hovering Kestrel, Wheldrake Ings, 21/10/2021

Long Tailed Tit, Fangfoss Park, 25/11/2021

Late summer into autumn, migrating birds, lakes landscapes and late butterflies.

I'm secretly glad to see the departure of that steamy hot humid Summer we've just had, one of the warmest on record and even now we're having record breaking temperatures into October .. where will it end! Surely there can't be anyone bar Donald Trump that can be any doubt that global warming is becoming more and more noticeable.

I'm off to the Linconshire coast next week on a camping trip so thought I'd post a few of my more memorable pictures of the last few weeks ...late summer turning to early autumn before I get another shed load of pics to sort and post. No particular order to these and nothing mind boggling but as ever, a story attached to each and every one.

These Southern Hawker Dragonflies get easier and easier to photograph later on in the day when they're less active and erm preoccupied!

Coupling Southern Hawkers, Askham Bog, 1/09/18

Small Copper butterfly, saw several of these round and about my local area late summer but this rather ragged looking individual was my first record for Askham Bog.

Small Copper, Askham Bog, 29/09/18

Closer to home (quite literally), I spent 3 weeks of September looking after my father whilst my mum had a well deserved break and during much gardening I spotted 2 good butterflies on the trusty old Budlea ...

Painted Lady and Comma on Budlea, York garden, 03/09/18

Common Swift in with migrating House Martins, Wheldrake Ings, 07/09/18

There's still a few Barn Swallows and House Martins knocking about on the coast and I hope to see a late one next week but my last Swift was on the 7th Sept at Wheldrake Ings. Rubbish pic but always try and get a record shot of my last and first birds!

A few days later I was in the company of good friend Mikey who had pointed me in the direction of some late Hobbies in the York area. We saw just the one but were treated to some fantastic aeriel dispalys of this juvenile bird hawking insects.

Juv Hobby, Brockfield Hall, York, 12/09/18

Juv Hobby, Brockfield Hall, York, 12/09/18

Another notable bird for me in the York area recently was this nice female / juv Whinchat in with several juv Stonechats on Strensall Common.

Fem / juv Whinchat, Strensall Common, 05/09/18

Juv Stonechat, Strensall Common, 05/09/18

A week in the Lake District with my children and was a superbly relaxing and enjoyable break. I've posted all the family pics elsewhere so with a couple of exceptions here are a few wildlife / landscape pics from a hugely memorable family holiday in one of the most picturesque places in the country.

Lakeland fields and walls, Nr Winston, Cumbria, 23/09/18

Wast Water, 24/09/18

Wast Water, 24/09/18

South Walney nature reserve & Piel Castle, 27/09/18

Common Seal, South Walney, 27/09/18

Slow Worm, roadside, nr Winston, Cumbria, 24/09/18

Me, a bit knackered after a climb! 24/09/18

My son, same climb, less knackered!

A couple of trips out so far to the Yorkshire coast for autumn bird migration and with slim pickings so far there'll be more to come! This early morning Short Eared Owl at Sammy's Point, Spurn being the highlight so far. 2 on the peninsular that day and great to get good and regular views of them. Bit gutted I never got a decent flight shot though😢

Short Eared Owl, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

Short Eared Owl, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

Day I was there I couldn't stay long but I saw plenty of common migrants flying in over the north sea, 100s of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Redwings could be seen making landfall and whilst I ducked out on Yellow Browed Warbler, Ring Ouzel and an Olive Backed Pipit, I did bag a probable Richard's Pipit and a handful of migrant goodies including Bramblings, Whinchat, a late Swallow and several Common Redstarts.

Common Redstart (juv male?), Spurn, 11/10/18

Like many migrating song birds seen in autumn, a pale shadow of the the brightly coloured thing you might see in a quiet wooded glade somewhere in late spring. This Redstart looks like a juv to me but adult birds can look remarkably similar in their 'drab and worn' post breeding plumages.










Smashing early morning light for one of many Curlews on the Humber estuary.

Curlew, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

The long staying Rose Colured Starling once again evaded me but the big influx of Common Starlings into the country are already impressing their presence on our autumn landscapes .. I've never been a huge fan of wind turbines, mainly because of their 'blot on the landscape' effect but from a photographic viewpoint this works!

Flocking Starlings, Spurn, 11/10/18

Pink Footed Geese, Flamborough headland, 04/10/18

Talking about flocks there have been some impressive skeins of Pink Footed Geese over from the north as they head for their wintering grounds around our northern estuaries and veg fields, so many more I think than in years gone by. They've been flying over the York area since the middle of September and hearing that chattering honking call, looking up and seeing a massed v formation overhead always reminds me of my time in France and the annual migration of Common Cranes ....happy days!😄 This small group went over Flamborough early Oct during an overnighter there in dismal weather and precious few good birds!




Danes Dyke looked good the next morning though, through a shaft of sunshine before the clouds really started to gather ....

Danes Dyke, 04/10/18

 ....and I'm never too proud to snap a common bird if the light is good!

Herring Gull, Flamborough Headland, 04/11/18

Back around my own patch at Fangfoss Park I'm witnessing the arrival of the first Redwings and Fieldfares in the hedges, all typically skittish, and the first big flocks of Lapwing over the fields.

Northern Lapwing, Fangfoss Pk, 02/10/18

Northern Lapwing, Fangfoss Pk, 02/10/18

These magnificent Sloes and the many other berries on the hedges around me are a magnet for winter thrushes. They'll all get eaten within a month or two and once again I'll probably not get around to picking a jug full for that Sloe gin I keep promising myself .. so much else to do!😝

Comma butterfly, Fangfoss Pk, 03/10/18

I thought his would be my last Comma butterfly but I spotted another at Askham Bog a few days later and a happy looking Brimstone the week after at Moorlands nature reserve!

Red Kite, Bishop Wilton, 10/10/18

On the 10th of October I was laid flat on my back on top of the Yorkshire Wolds near Bishop Wilton. Down to a T shirt and snoozing beneath the sun in 22C of heat, this Red Kite was one of 4 that suddenly appeared circling over my head!

















I love a good ariel battle and these last pics from my local patch are from the ageless 'Corvid v Raptor' series, in this case one of my local Kestrels getting the runaround by a Carrion Crow.

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18