With a counter attraction on the Wirral of Cattle Egret, Red necked Phalarope & Pectoral Sandpiper, we put it to the vote and went to Spurn on the east coast. We thought there was more potential of something "rare" turning up and we were not disappointed. A full "A" team was assembled at a dark Newhey and Bob K kindly packed us all into his car. As the mists of the motorway began to clear it became a nice, warm day as we arrived in the Spurn area. Around 6 Whinchat were seen near Kilnsea Wetlands along with 2 Little Stints. At the seawatching hide, which was almost deserted as a Honey Buzzard was in the Easington area, we managed to see a few Arctic Skua's a single Sooty Shearwater and a Great Skua and a steady flow of more common seabirds e.g. Sandwich Tern, Common Scoter & Gannets. A trip to the Crown & Anchor carpark had us soon watching a very bright Yellow browed Warbler and a bird, which for me, was my bird of the day, a Wood Warbler, very well marked and not seen very much on autumn passage. We then walked the Canal triangle to see if we could get on the Corncrake that had been seen earlier, without any joy. The churchyard and Beacon Lane where visited without any new birds and then as lots more birders returned from the Easington area, we decided to try for the Honey Buzzard ourselves. A good look around revealed mainly Kestrel's and Wheatears, so back to Spurn. A showy Wryneck on "Sunny Beaches" caravan park was seen next, what a lovely bird and fairly close. Then a smart Great Grey Shrike was seen from the road in the canal triangle, it was seen chasing and catching bees and was great entertainment. A trip to Sammy's Point allowed us to watch an energetic Red breasted Flycatcher for a couple of minutes, then a tantalising glimpse of a large raptor, that promptly disappeared! A Redstart & more Whinchat's and one of our lads had 5 Curlew Sandpipers on the falling tide, they had gone when we left Sammy's, we also missed a Barred Warbler, you can't see all the birds. A call at the Canal Scrape and at Kilnsea Wetlands was our last birding of the day. A bird filled trip that will be remembered as, "one of those days at Spurn". We reached home around 5-45pm with news of a Great White Egret on one of our local reservoirs in Rossendale ummm should I go?
I have been reading the Spurn reports quite regularly and had I been less busier I would have made two trips. I have also decided to dedicate more time to Rossendale as I was sure that there were birds being missed in the valley. Spurn is quite a magical place. The first time I went I was with a photographer. I told him don't raise your hopes and don't form any expectations. It was a bleak and windy day with a few showers. We were greeted by dozens, hundreds or thousands of birds mostly thrushes, finches and seabirds. Seeing so many Robin's, Blackbirds on the floor almost like ba carpet was quite humbling. They had done a sea crossing so needed to eat, rest. It makes me sad that these birds undertake a very risky strategy to survive and on arrival in some countries they are shot. There is little appreciation of how far they have flown sadly.
Lovely photos Ste. That Honey Buzzard is a very beautiful bird.
