The next morning we were told that we should go to the Sea watching hide as it is good early morning and it turned out to be great. We spent several hours in the hide. Our totals are:
10 Teal
9 Eider
2 Red breasted Mergansers
4 Gadwal
10 Common Scoter
5 Red Throated Divers
6 Gannets
5 Kittiwakes
7 Knot
1 Pomarine Skua
1 Little Auk
2 Guillemot
2 Razorbill
1 Porpoise
I got 2 lifers from this which were Pomarine Skua and Little Auk, these were great to see also my Dad saw a Porpoise which sadly I missed. We then went to look in the Canal Scrape hide where we saw 2 Redshank and a Little Egret after that we went for a walk along the top of this bank, we didn't see much but we did see lots of Oystercatchers, a few Turnstone and a couple Grey Plover and in the bushes there was a few Reed Buntings. Afterwards we had walk back round to the car, on the way I spotted a male and female Stonechat on the fence just before the Canal Scrape hide, I was watching the male when another bird popped up next to him, I expected to see another Stonechat but when I looked through my bins I got a very big surprise, a Whinchat!!! I still couldn't really believe it, how late is this! I thought all of them would be gone by now. What a great record and I have just found out that it is the latest ever record for Spurn! I was really pleased to find it and I hope the little guy survives.
Stonechat
Whinchat
We then went to tell the people at the Obs who were just as surprised as me, most of them then went down to see it. We also went to try get some better shots.
Whinchat
We then left him in peace and headed of to North Cave on the way back in hope of seeing the Tundra Bean Goose but we had no luck but we did see a Green Woodpecker, a Kestrel and a male Goldeneye.
Smashing day mate. Thoroughly enjoyed it and so proud of you getting that Winchat. Top birder ;)
ReplyDeleteWow what a great trip with some really top birds seen , great photos to , awesome find that Whinchat Ellis , hope you had a pint Mark to celebrate :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post Ellis, and story to match. Pleased for you to find that Whinchat, wow!
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