Birding and other distractions

I arrived at Flamborough at 9:45, driving through wet weather with flooded roads in that part of Yorkshire. The walk to where the Red-Headed Bunting was being seen was very muddy and I was glad to have Wellingtons. Together with 40 other birders I waited in light rain for nearly an hour before the bunting appeared. It was then in view for about 10 minutes in the favoured strip of bramble, along with Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers. The bird is in heavy moult and has been identified as a first-winter male. There was a big flock of Pink-footed Geese in the field behind. Walking back, then driving round to the lighthouse the rain had stopped and it was becoming brighter. By good fortune the Two-barred Warbler was seen soon after arrival, the bird frequenting a hedgerow alongside a narrow crop field. It was watched for about half an hour, at one point disappearing behind the hedge for a while. My second following the Two-barred Greenish on St. Agnes (Gugh) in 1987, when it was sti...

The main quarry today was Solitary Sandpiper, one of which had been giving birders the run-around for 2 weeks. I arrived at the Reed Bed Hide shortly after eight to find it already quite full with birders, though there had been no sign of the bird by that early hour. I wasn't able to get a seat, and by 10:30 was losing patience so wandered back to the car for a snack and toilet break. Then came news that the sandpiper had flown in, so rushed back to the hide, only to find birders already leaving, having had good views of the bird which had now flown off. Fortunately, a short time later I heard that it had been seen from the Lampen Wall, so headed that way. It was on a small pool, partially obscured by reeds much of the time, though I managed decent views over a ten minute period. Only my second Solitary Sandpiper, the previous bird being at Seaton, Devon in 2010. Other birds seen at Stodmarsh included Great White Egret and Water Pipit. Great White Egret  Water Pipit As above  ...

Rain today cleared up at 3 p.m. with sunny conditions to follow. The opportunity was therefore taken to visit Cliffe. The Grey Phalarope found several days earlier was seen from the lookout point on Radar, though was actually present in the north-east corner of Hidden Pool. Despite the distance good views were obtained thanks to the new 'scope and the good light. It was high tide and all the pools had high numbers of waders. Difficult to estimate though probably several thousand Dunlin, up to 300 Grey Plover, and a similar number of Avocet. The Grey Plover is the white bird on the far bank!

My first visit to Bough Beech for several years. Very sunny to start with though cloud then building up with showers by midday. Approx 20 Mandarin were on the banks of the reservoir and at the far end a solitary Ruddy Shelduck together with Canada Geese. The shelduck was quite aggressive to the geese. The sunny weather proved good for raptors, with up to four Red Kite, two Sparrowhawk and three Buzzards. A couple of Ravens were also seen. At Sevenoaks a Kingfisher flew over, though didn't land in view. However, a bizarre sight was of three Fulvous Whistling Duck in flight from the Tyler Hide. Red Kite Migrant Hawker (female) Fly Agaric