Spurn Point

This has to be one of the best places on earth. A wonderful birding spot with a magical feel to it. It will surely disappear soon as the sea and the river are getting ever closer and will definately take the end of Spurn. We were lucky today as the lighthouse was open for a resident artist to display her work. This meant we could climb to the very top, not an east task but well worth it. The views were stunning. It was quite busy at the top and with limited space meant photography wasn't easy. It didn't help us as we got a text whilst at the top to say a red breasted flycatcher was showing well in the pub car park........you can guess which option Simon chose!

One of those fantastic Spurn days........

 

Well, we got up this morning with the thoughts of going to Norfolk as all the birds seemed to be there until the early morning finds at Spurn started to come on the pager. So off to Spurn we went and so glad we did. Within 2 minutes of parking the car we had yellow browed warbler closely followed by red breasted flycatcher. The birds just kept on coming with yellow browed warblers aplenty, garden warblers, pied flycatchers, redstarts, whinchats, a stonechat, short eared owl, 3 pale bellied brent geese, grey phalaropes and a brambling. All topped off with the opening of the lighthouse where the views from the top were amazing. Pity we didn't see the corncrake or red backed shrike but you can't win them all! One of those magical birding days in excellent company.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper at Toft Reservoir, Lincs. So nice to see one so close and not bothered by us at all.

Olympic Torch

Simon was very proud today to hold a genuine Olympic Torch. It made his day! It belonged to a good friend of ours who was lucky to be chosen as one of the torch bearers in our town.

Ferruginous Duck

Finally managed to catch up with this duck after visiting Far Ings 3 times - 3rd time lucky! Another new year tick for Karen bringing her 2012 tally to 217. This 'Big Year' hasn't been easy thats for sure.

There seemed to be a working party on the reserve. Pity they didn't cut the path back leading to Pursuit Hide which is just about unwalkable, or even cut the vegetation that totally blocks all views from the hide, the same as it does in the Miles Hopper hide. I suppose being able to view any birds from the birdhides is just not what the Lincs Trust is about.........now if it involved sheep that would be a different matter.

A text from the Donny Birders with 2 Pec Sands saw us dashing off into Yorkshire and then Notts to see these. Very distant but still another 2012 bird for Karen, making it 218.

Spoonbill

We had just said 'lets go home for tea' when this single spoonbill flew in. General feeling was this one was a different one to yesterdays bird, so these are simply passing through. Fabulous birds.