Yellow-Browed Warbler, Firecrest and jack Snipe

Lovely warm sunshine at the east coast for some quality birding at Spurn today. Highlights were good views of Yellow-browed Warbler and Firecrest and a bobbing Jack Snipe. Also seen were Curlew Sandpiper Grey Plover and Sparrowhawk.

Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpipers showing nicely at Hoylake on the Wirral amongst the thousands of Dunlin and Oystercatcher. Also of note was an adult Yellow legged Gull, several Bar tailed Godwit and some stunning summer plumage Grey Plover that were too distant to get a shot

Common Rosefinch

Back to Spurn today. Straight onto juvenile Red backed Shrike and managed some reasonable phonescope pics. Then got good views of a new species, Common Rosefinch. Nothing else interesting at Spurn so stopped off at Blacktoft Sands RSPB on way back and saw Little Stint female Garganey, Curlew Sandpiper, Greenshank, Ruff, Water rail and Spotted Redshank

Spotted Crake, Stilt Sandpiper, Wryneck and Red Backed Shrike!!

Classic birding day yesterday with all targets successfully seen. First stop Spurn where  I had crippling views of the juvenile Red Backed Shrike. We also saw the Wryneck that had hung around since last weekends fall but the views were fleeting as it darted from a bush. It was seen again in flight but no more after this. Also seen were several Whinchat, Redstart, Sparrowhawk and a female Crossbill. As the tide came in there were good numbers of waders including several very smart looking juvenile Curlew Sandpipers.
On the way back we stopped off at Neumann's Flash in Cheshire and had scope views of an adult Stilt Sandpiper. We then were undecided to either head home or go for the Spotted Crake at Belper Derbyshire. We decided on the latter and incredibly within five minutes of arriving with reducing light the Crake appeared and we watched it walk along the edge of reeds for several minutes. Sadly too dim for any photos.

American Golden Plover

A short camping trip to Norfolk at the beginning of the week proved quiet on the rare migrant front so I returned home after 3 nights in my tent. The highlights were a probable Barred warbler but again only seen flitting from bush to bush,  Little Stint, Artic Skua, Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper and Spoonbill.
Yesterday I went to Cockersand and saw the American Golden Plover. Good scope views in windy conditions.

Barred Warbler and Red necked Phalarope

Saturday 18th. August had myself and Dave off to Spurn nice and early. We stopped off on the way at Bank Island in Wheldrake where a Red necked Phalarope had been seen the previous day. No joy but a cracking spot consisting of some water and flooded fields. It was alive with Snipe and a Spotted Redshank was on view. Also several Greenshank and Green Sandpipers.
Onto Spurn we saw Reed Warbler, a cracking Garden Warbler, Sedge Warbler and a lovely female Sparrowhawk. The main target though was a Barred Warbler and after a lot of waiting around we had two brief flight views of the elusive bird confirmed by a couple of expert birders including Steve Webb who is allegedly "number one" bird spotter as he proudly told one of the Spurn staff birders!!
We were about to sack the day when the bird messenger came up with a Red necked Phalarope at Frampton. So off we went. What a superb site it is too. Hundreds of Black tailed Godwits, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Ruff, Dunlin, Wood Sanpiper, Ruddy Duck and a fantastic adult Red necked Phalarope. A great day with two lifers for me and five for Dave.