Still easterly wind but afraid no rain, but we headed back to Spurn to hopefully see the bluethroat that we didn't see yesterday. We were not disappointed. It was very close but was nearly always partly obscured by grasses or sculking amongst the thistles. Viewing with binoculars was easy but getting a pic was a whole new ball game and almost impossible.
With rain overnight and strong easterly winds we decided to head to Spurn and boy, did we make the right decision ! We didn't get any further than Sammy's Point where we had fleeting but unmistakable views of the Pallas's Warbler. Good to catch up with folk we hadn't seen recently and it's always good to have a catch up. Standing at the far end of the third paddock and Karen glances down the path.....there's a wheatear, look how pale it is, look at it ! Bingo.....an Isabelline Wheatear and it was instantly flushed by birders coming the other way. We re-found it down on the rocks for it to be flushed again. This time it went quite a way back towards the car park and sat on the barned wire fence only to be flushed again. By this time we were getting stressed.....we hadn't had a good look and hadn't got a photo. We eventually found it in the first paddock sitting on tyres and started to alert birders to it. But as the crowds began to grow, the wheatear got further away. What a brilliant day and a cracking find.
Fabulous sunny weather, not a breath of wind and a cracking bird......what more could you want !
Sunday's forecast was one of sun and no wind so we headed back for the Baird's, hoping that it was still there. A Common Tern was flying and feeding and there was not a breath of wind so we had our fingers crossed that our luck would continue. We kept scanning along the waters edge but all we could see were many meadow pipits and pied wagtails but as we neared the area the waders were favouring we could see a few small waders on the water line. And there it was, feeding with the dunlin, the ringed plover had all departed. It showed no fear walking past us with a dunlin, we couldn't beleive our luck ! We have many, many pics, I can't decide, they are all so good so have plenty to show you, hope you like them !
It's that time of year again when my phone pings when the chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis is high. Saturday evening was quite action packed for an hour and then the photos started to appear so out in the garden I went. Not visible to the eye only on phone pics. It seemed to increase and then vanish and I caught it just right. Hope this night sky action continues throughout the winter.
Not a bad pic to say we live in quite a built up, well lit area.
