Arriving with a commendable casualness, Mr Eugene McCann and I found ourselves wandering down the Old Fall Hedge at Flamborough early this afternoon, following an agreeable cross country drive via the M62 etc ( we won't mention the bit where we both forgot to turn off the M6 and found ourselves hurtling south - that would have been WRONG and not a little embarrassing).
How times change - a birders' car park in a stubbly field, and even signage to direct you to the bird - must be an uber-friendly Flamboro' from an alternative universe we blundered into today...I was half expecting complimentary optics and golf buggies.
The Eastern Olly was dug in deep in the hedge when we arrived, and stayed that way for half an hour or so, but as it called a few times (tackety-tack-tack-tack) at least we knew the bird was present.
And despite folk chuntering away, it emerged from cover in bright sunshine to feed on a hawthorn heavy with fruits, shining so pale in the afternoon sun.
No chance of getting great digiscoped shots of the tail pumping wonder, but it was a buzz to see a normally skulky critter like this happily feeding out in the open.
I could get all serious and waffle on about brown flank washes, narrow superciliums and primary projections etc, but to be honest, it was nice just watching such a little cracker in the autumn sun.
Blackcap, Redstart and Chiffy in the hedge too today, with Greenshank and Yellow Wag over.
After 30 minutes or so of Olivaceous, we headed down to South Landing in a futile attempt to find a good bird of our own, but Yellowhammer, a Chiffy or two, Arctic Skua, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Greenshank was all we could muster.
However, once Mr McCann declared himself "cock-a-hoop" at the day's proceedings it was clearly time to head back west thro' a balmy September evening.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
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The three Spoonbills on Polly's Pool till 2.30pm at least.