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

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.

Grasshopper Warbler and more

Managed to get some birding done this lunch. Went to Altrincham sewage works and got great views of a reeling grasshopper warbler. I'd left the camera in the car so quickly went back to get it and spent an hour seeing or hearing no more sign of it. Typical! Also present were willow warbler, chiffchaff, and blackcap, a whitethroat and a nice sparrowhawk over.
Then went to Astley Green where there were lots of yellowhammer, and a lovely willow tit. A single whimbrel was in a field sadly no sign of cuckoo, crane or hobby.

I finished off in Rochdale at Kingsway business park where incredibly there are 4 ruffs in summer plumage. I hope they hang around as a couple of the males are starting to develop some neck/breast feathers. Also present were 2 wheatears and several ring and little ringed plover