Lincolnshire

Beautiful warm and sunny day in Lincolnshire on Sunday. Nightingale singing at Whisby NR plus good numbers of Garden Warbler. Then onto Frampton RSPB where we saw Wood Sandpiper, Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, Avocet, Lesser Whitethroat, Cettis Warbler, Ruff among other common birds

Richard's Pipit and Greater Manchester Glossy Ibis

Up to County Durham for Richard's Pipit, two in a field at Whitburn coastal park with good scope views. On the way home popped into Fairburn Ings, pretty quiet with a couple of Ruff feeding close to Lin Dike hide. Best was left to last with 4 Glossy Ibis near Horwich

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

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.

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

Dave Evans visited Cumbria today whilst I was working, bugger! Went to Sizergh castle and saw 5 hawfinch and then onto Leighton Moss. Here are some photos of a spotted redshank and ruff, little egret,greenshank and snipe