Lashings of seawatching, good birds and ginger beer were the formula for another successful trip to Flamborough Head and the Village of the Damned with Bazzo this weekend.
A drive through the night had us seawatching just before 7am on Friday morning, in fairly calm conditions, a light northerly blowing and very crisp light.
Unfortunately the rain started mid-morning and continued all day, so the wheels fell off somewhat.
Excellent seawatching nonetheless, and while numbers of shearwaters, auks and skuas were all down on previous years, the quality and species range was still there, as we completed two sessions from the cliffs, from 6.30am to 9am and 10am to noon.
Manx Shearwater 6
Kittiwake loads
Gannet shedloads
Red Throated Diver 10
Fulmar loads
Arctic Skua 16
Bonxie 3
Pomarine Skua 1
Sooty Shearwater 5
Balearic Shearwater 1
Little Gull 37
Grey Heron 1
Wigeon 65
Teal 140
Common Scoter 43
Arctic Tern 3
Common Tern 70+
Sandwich Tern 8
Razorbill 15+
Peregrine 1
Shag 40+
Pintail 18
The persistent rain drove us off by midday, and as good numbers of Meadow Pipits and Siskins had been going over ahead of the rain earlier, we went to check out South Landing and then the Old Fall Hedge and Plantation.
Whinchat, Wheatear, Tree Pipit, Redstarts, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat were among the birds flitting along the hedge and stubble fields in the constant rain - enough to keep you believing that the real biggy was lurking in there somewhere.
However it was time to call it a day and head back to the pub mid-afternoon as the rain was seeping over the top of my boots, and was showing no sign of letting up....
Several hundred beers later and the next morning we rose somewhat unsteadily from our pit in the Ship - a great pub in Flamborough which I heartily recommend, to find it had stopped raining at last, and time for a pre brekkie seawatch.
While the rain stayed off, thick mist drove us off the cliffs at 12.15pm, but we'd had some great birds by then.
Initial seawatch (7am-8am) was fairly quiet, with one or two shears, skuas etc, but after a huge fry up, we returned to the cliffs and met with what can only be described as classic Flamborough birding behaviour.
As we walked down towards the fog horn no less that 8 locals smiled and nodded as they came the other way, some even telling us how their seawatch had gone - strange how none of them remembered to mention the Great Snipe that was hiding in the wet grass less than 100 feet from us..
Luckily one local finally did the decent thing and asked if we knew about the bird - typical Flamboro', some of these guys would make Trappist monks look like a bunch of blabbermouths.
Waiting for the rest of the Flamboro' glitterati to arrive took a good 20 minutes, but the bird was just where two silent types had watched it drop in to the long, wet grasses of the headland set aside - superb views four times as this big fat rarity lumbered slowly into the air showing a cracking wing pattern before pitching down again into the grass.
Only the second one I've seen.
It's future looked to be a series of flushes for the morning so we left and got back to seawatching - and five minutes after sitting down I picked up a Honey Buzzard coming in off the North Sea, one of several that day - Saturday was proving to be a good day...
Red Throated Diver 3
Honey Buzzard 1
Arctic Skua 5
Bonxies 8
Pomarine Skua 2
Kittiwake loads
Sandwich Tern 60+
Gannet loads
Fulmar loads
Razorbill 4
Manx Shearwater 6
Sooty Shearwater 10
Eider 4
Common Scoter 80+
Teal 80+
Wigeon 30
Good birding with two nice Poms and Bazzo had a Roseate Tern, which I managed to miss completely, but the mist rolled in on a southerly remarkably quickly just after noon to effectively end all seawatching for the day.
A Little Stint had dropped onto the grassy area by the car park as we were leaving (see pic at top of entry) - more birds on the move.
In the mist the Old Fall Hedge and Plantation, and South Landing held more Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts, Blackcap, squadrons of Whinchats and a few Wheatears.
Murky conditions meant digiscoping was difficult, but the birds were great to just watch anyway, especially in the Old Fall Plantation, where Spot Flys and Pieds were zipping about amongst Willow Warblers and Chiffies all hunting midges.
There was nothing left to do but to prepare for Saturday night in the Village of the Damned, with mucho beer, good scoff and a quite unique performance by none other than the superbly named Bon Jordi, singer extraordinaire (aka Danny McCoy), whose covers of rawk n roll classics had the clientele of the Ship headbanging like it had never gone out of fashion.
Being veterans of his performance the previous year, we both knew that hangovers of stupendous proportions loomed, so it was no surprise that Sunday morning's seawatch was short and sweet, from 7.05am to 8.05am....
Arctic Skua 1
Bonxie 1
Long Tailed Skua (juv) 1
Gannet loads
Fulmar loads
Red Throated Diver 4
Eider 2
Kittiwake loads
Common Tern 20
Sandwich Tern 12
Walking back up the cliff we met another birder who'd just flushed a Corncrake, but as is typical with this species we couldn't refind it, so went back to the Ship for a restorative breakfast.
A final walk down the Old Fall hedge, and warm sun brought more Redstarts, 2 Tree Pipits, Pied Flys, Whinchats etc before I turned the Baby Black Death west and came back to the relative sanity of home.
Another memorable trip to the Village of the Damned!
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies....
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Glad to see you and Barry are still intact.
IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION
Now then, regarding this Hen Harriers nonsense.
Don't you chappies realise that these 'blasted' birds gobble up our poor defenseless baby grise. As Chairman of AGHASHT ( the All Grouse Herabites Are Shot Humanely Trust), I must protest most fervently at the constant whingeing and whineing, from all you greenie types.
Most of you have never been in the proper countryside and wouldn't have a clue how to load a pair of Purdies in a Range Rover. Never mind put a load of shot clear through the left eye of a Frenchman ... eerm sorry Partridge, whilst lighting one's Cubanos..
We only introduced our friends, Mr and Mrs Eagle Owl to our lovely Whitendale in the first place, because my gillie Bob, overheard one of you birdy, twitcher- types, saying that they definitely kill other birds of prey. He got them from a man in Catterick and granted, at first they did a bloody good job. But I was appalled, when I found out that they had also despatched, 666 Grise, three Red Setters, a Patterdale, 23 sheep and a Mandarin-speaking Chinaman, we had to employ as a damned environmental consultant. My god man,do you think good gun dogs grow on trees! Never mind the loss of the grice and sheep.
Just so you are aware, AGHASHT are not giving up on this matter. Therefore, we give you due warning, that before the next killing ... sorry hunting season, we will be introducing a new and perfectly natural predator on to the moors to sort out the 'blasted' harriers and now thanks to you twitter types, those 'darned' Eagle Owls also.
Bob has met a man in a pub in Chipping, who has just returned from the real Jurassic Park in Alaska. Bob says he was from De Pool, wherever that is, perhaps Holland? No matter. This person has managed to extract the semen from a Tyrannosarus Rex, (or did he say DNA).
We intend to reintroduce this perfectly natural creature, which once roamed these moors anyway, so you left-wing, commie, greenie loonies can have no complaints. Apparently the last one hereabites), according to Bob and the the Hollander chappie was accidentally killed by a meteorite splinter, only some 60 years ago.
Bob is a bit concerned that when it is fully grown the creature will be 25 feet tall and weigh around six tons. Apparently, his cottage fence is only made of pressure-treated softwood panels, but I've assured him that the fence is quite sturdy and at least seven foot high. I have also advised him, that in the unlikely event of any damage done to his fence, well mine actually, he (I) will be fairly compensated.
AGHAHST are confident that Mr or Mrs T. Rex will do a much better job of controlling these appalling birds of prey of tiny Grice, than those bloody Eagle Owls ever did...and it's all natural and green to boot.
You see we are not at all the self-interested, unfeeling, uncaring, pompous, arrogant, bastards you think we are.
Yours etcetera
Capt (Ret).H.F.R.S.T Fotheringay-Smyth
Chairman
The All Grouse Hereabites Are Shot Humanely Trust (AGHASHT)
Chumpley Hall
Lanarkshire
ItâÂÂs that time of year again when WWT Martin Mere will be welcoming home the Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese for the autumn and to provide our visitors with a unique experience, Martin Mere has a variety of early morning events planned throughout September, October and November.àThe events offer the chance to experience the haunting sound and the thrill and enjoyment of watching up to one thousand Whooper Swans being fed on the Mere and thousands of Pink-footed Geese leaving the roost.
There are three Dawn Flight events over the next few months on Saturday 27 September at 6.15am, Saturday 25 October at 7am and Saturday 22 November at 7am. The early morning dawn experience includes a hide visit with a warden to see the geese and swans at dawn as well as a walk along the nature trail.àBreakfast is included and the event costs ã14.00 per adult.
To book onto this event please call 01704 891220.
Visit http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/martinmere/ to find out whatâÂÂs on all year round at Martin Mere and the other eight centres.
Thank you John, sorry, Capt Fotheringay-Smyth. Your journey from Wryneck to Redneck in less than 12 hours is as impressive as it is unsettling!
Or alternatively you can come and join the RSPB warden at Marshside Nature Reserve for a walk and learn about our nature reserve and it's amazing inhabitants. Walks are free and last about two hours.
Saturday 27 September 9am. Autumn arrivals, come and see Godwits and Geese
Saturday 11 October 10am. Harriers and hawk, see if we can spot Marshside's raptors.
Saturday 15 November 11am. Shorebird spectacular, high tide brings in thousands of shorebirds - can you tell a Knot from a Dunlin?
All walks begin at the Marshside car-park, opposite the junction of Marshside Road and Marine Drive.
Osprey flew over outer marshes and inland over Marshside (Sandgrounders) late yesterday afternoon.
Leighton Moss highlights - July/August: We had three successful Marsh Harrier nests on the reserve with nine young fledged (4, 3 and 2) with the first young bird fledging on 30 June.
This year we had one Avocet chick and a young Bittern was seen (which means we probably had one successful nest).
Our Bearded Tits have had a good breeding season. After last yearâÂÂs poor productivity, when only 13 young were ringed, our population has bounced back and to date 50 young have been ringed including some recently fledged in late August.
So far, 13 adult males have been identified suggesting a breeding population of 18-20 pairs.
They are always very quiet and difficult to see in August as both adults and young are moulting, but they should start using the grit trays during the second half of September. Other wildlife to note is a record count of 48 Little Egrets, the Chough has still been around Warton Crag and the surrounding area, a Little Stint was here on 1 and 30 July and two Crossbills were seen on 20 July.
An adult otter and presumably two young cubs from last year have been seen on a couple of occasions, which is great news!