Little Auks!

Brilliant day on the East coast with several Little Auk heading North sea watching from Hartlepool. Other highlights were a close by Little Auk in the bay which was too quick for my camera and lots of Purple Sandpiper. We then headed to Scarborough where there were several Little Auk in the harbour and a couple of Black necked grebe

Wagtails and Plovers

Some great local birds today at the rough ground at Kingsway Business Park Rochdale. Three Yellow Wagtails, several White and Pied Wagtail and a good selection of plovers. More Little Ringed Plover than Ringed Plover. Also present were Lapwing and many Meadow Pipits, Skylark, 2 Dunlin and a Redshank.
Back at home some Lesser Redpoll are enjoying the free seed as well as a Treecreeper who I have seen several times over the last weeks feeding on the ground

White winger Black Tern

Managed to get to Fairburn Ings this morning after dropping off my son at school to see this plendid adult tern. It looked great especially in flight. Also there was a rather photogenic Redshank and plenty of Chiffchaff to see and hear.

Spurn Head and North Lincolnshire

Had a great day firstly at Spurn. It was relatively quiet due to southerly winds but redeemed itself with a fabulous female Black Redstart.

We also had good views of grey plover, redshank, bar tailed godwit, sanderling, curlew and knot. Other highlights were a great skua and lots of dark bellied brent geese.

We then went onto Far Ings just over the Humber Bridge to see the Ferruginous Duck and were told at the visitor's centre that it hadnt shown today. However, the Gods were with us and we had good views in a pool next to the visitors centre before it skulked off into the reeds!

We then went off to Worlaby Carrs where a rough legged buzzard has been seen the last few days as well as hen harriers and up to 8 short eared owls. We stared at the skies for 2 hours but it was a no show regarding the rough legged buzzard. We did see plenty of common buzzard, hunderds of fieldfare and large numbers of geese flying over, probably pink footed geese. As the light faded we at last enjoyed a great show of at least 4 short eared owls hunting.