2021 Review

December 29, 2021

Well what a year that was-to describe it as weird would be an understatement.

No real fall of migrants in Spring, definitely no fall of migrants in the Autumn yet still ended up with a year that will be difficult to beat in terms of rare birds (and I could have had more).

The year started with us in lockdown so the main focus was on garden birds. Nothing of note so was glad to get out to Spurn in the spring once the restrictions had been lifted.

Highlights of early Spring were gorgeous sunrises on Kilnsea Wetlands that made even the most innocuous birds look quite appealing.

Late Spring spluttered into life and I eventually saw a hoopoe at Flamborough, bee eater at out-newton and a golden oriole at Spurn.

Badgers at an undisclosed location were a personal highlight.

The first big bird of the year came in late June in the form of an oriental turtle dove. Then news of an albatross at Bempton resulted in several memorable trips to view this magnificent seabird-for me the highlight of the year.

There was some promise of a fall in August with some good numbers of common migrants, but scarce birds were few and far between, A western Bonelli’s warbler at Flamborough was nice, and the third ‘mega’ rare bird of the year was a white tailed lapwing at Blacktoft Sands.

Next came a two barred greenish warbler at Spurn closely followed by a particularly memorable trip to Flamborough in which I saw a rather elusive taiga flycatchers as well as some brilliant views of a red-flanked bluetail.

Photography wise, the year ended with a trip to Spurn in the teeth of storm Arwen-another memorable day when the wind was that strong, opening the door of the hide at Kilnsea Wetlands was no easy feat!

On the whole, a fantastic year for photography, just leaves me to wish you a very happy, peaceful and wildlife-filled new year!

Black-Tailed Godwit - - Kilnsea Wetlands

White-rumped Sandpiper - - Kilnsea Wetlands

Common Gull - Spurn (battling against Storm Arwen)

Flamborough Rares

November 06, 2021

Unexpectedly news of a Taiga Flycatcher came out on Thursday and it hung around while today, so thankfully managed to catch up with either it (or another) as it would appear that it cant be distinguished from the bird that first appeared some 20 days ago.

The day dawned breezy and not very bright, initial hopes were subdued as it hadn’t appeared up until 9am.

Compensation at the time was by way of a nice red-flanked bluetail- not the sought after rarity that it once was but very nice all the same.

News broke that the Taiga Flycatcher was showing in the gulley and given the orientation I chose to go round to the east side on the basis that the light was better. This proved to be a bad move as it was obviously showing judging by all of the activity on the opposite bank, but was frustratingly out of view from where I was standing.

It wasn’ long before it flew up into the canopy and it remained faithful to a tall ash tree for most of the morning and into the afternoon.

I flitted between the red-flanked bluetail and the Taiga Flycatcher until well into the afternoon-the RFB getting most of my attention.

The light was never great so all images are at ISO 6400.

It was a cracking late Autumn day, not a lot of other birds around but the two that were there more than made up for the lack of quantity.

The Spurn Two Barred Warbler

October 18, 2021

Well, it’s been an interesting weekend.

Saturday dawned bright and breezy with a wind from the west so anyone could be forgiven for thinking that it wasn’t to be a classic birding day, and it wasn’t up until around 3pm.

News of a red-breasted flycatcher at Flamborough stirred some minor interest for me, if it had been a male in its finery I might have thought about going. In other news there was a report of a yellow browed warbler and some bearded tits at Spurn. All was well and I was content in the knowledge that my planned fishing trip for the Sunday was not in danger of being overshadowed by any dramatic bird news.

Late afternoon and all of that changed. The red breasted flycatcher had been re-identified as a Taiga Flycatcher and only the 5th for Britain. The yellow browed warbler had been re-identified as a 2 Barred Greenish Warbler- a first for Spurn and only the 8th for Britain.

I could only hope that at least one stayed a second night so I could go out to see it on Monday (given that I am half way through a 2 week holiday).

Well the Taiga Flycatcher predictably disappeared overnight but the 2 barred warbler stayed on at Spurn and thankfully was present again this morning.

At first it was viewable from the roadside next to canal hedge. It then moved into the Canal Bushes and regularly completed a wide ranging circuit giving the assembled crowd some decent views, albeit sometimes fleeting.

The Two Barred Greenish Warbler is a very rare Autumn vagrant in Europe. It normally breeds in Central and Eastern Siberian taiga. If this is accepted it will be the 400th bird species recorded in the Spurn area, I feel privileged to have been able to see it and photograph it.

There was a movement of redwings overhead as the rain started as well as a few goldcrests which showed at least some signs of migration.