White Tailed Lapwing

 I visited Blacktoft Sands for the Mega wader from India White Tailed Lapwing. There was a nice selection of birds including Greenshank Green Sandpiper Spotted Redshank Spoonbill Water Rail and Bearded Tit. I went onto Spurn and saw a typical elusive Wryneck and lots of Mediterranean Gull

Cumbria

Excellent day out yesterday in Cumbira. First off was Sizergh castle with good views of a couple of Hawfinch. Then onto Leighton Moss where we had the best views ever of a Great White Egret. Also seen were Marsh Tit, Greenshank, 5 Red breasted Mergansers Spotted Redshank Marsh Harrier and Tree Sparrow

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

American Vagrants

Went to the northeast yesterday and myself and Dave managed to see the Baird's Sandpiper at smelly Seaton Snook which was a miracle with all the dog walkers about. The waders were buzzed by two Peregrines and a Lapwing had to throw itself into the sea to avoid becoming lunch! Highly entertaining.
We also had a quick visit to Saltholme RSPB to see the Pectoral Sandpiper. Nice numbers of waders including Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and a female Garganey.


                                                             BAIRD'S SANDPIPER

PECTORAL SANDPIPER

GREENSHANK

PEREGRINE

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.

Anglesey Trip

Rather than having a lie in on Sunday I went over to North Wales and Anglesey on Sunday 20th. November with David Evans for some birding. After a foggy start we arrived at Llandullas in beautiful sunshine and blue skies and went sea watching for the velvet scoters that were seen yesterday. Sadly the birds were far out in the bay and there appeared little chance of picking ou velvets amongst the thousands of Common Scoters that could be seen. We did see Red Throated Divers and Goosanders.
We then went to Anglesey in search of the Glossy Ibis seen on Malltraeth Marsh. No show but saw Whooper Swans, Greylag Geese, loads of Ravens and plenty of chipping Snipe. Then onto Llyn Penrhyn for some excellent views of the long staying Red Necked Grebe. We then went to the Alaw Estuary where we looked for the Lesser Yellowlegs. After a failed first attempt on which several birders, myself included tried to convince ourselves that a Greenshank was the said bird, we finally nailed it after a quick visit to South stack to watch the Choughs. We finished off the day at Llyn Coron and saw White Fronted Geese, Tundra Bean Geese but no Siberian Chiffchaff that was reported from there earlier in the day.
In all, an excellent day smashing our day list record with 68 species!