Springtime in Collieston

Great run of Easterlies last few days brings more hope for the weekend. A few migs in so far, best of it being a female Red-Breasted Flycatcher in the roadside willows. My first Spring record of this in NES. Picked up from my front garden whilst eating dinner, which is always a great way to bird. Got some  shots of it at 5.30 the next morning, but it was surprisingly elusive. Also gave me a shock when it emerged first thing from a presumed bathe in the stream (or prehaps just a damp hedge) looking grey and cold in plumage tones... still shows pale lower mandible and dark brownish upper tail coverts however. Can always hope I suppose.
House Martin at Cransdale last weekend picking up mud, and the Pied Wagtail at Slains pools.
Drake Garganey at Slains as well today, just off patch limits.
Still to get the patch total sorted for the last few weeks, should be alright I think.
Reg

ton up

with a long overdue patch tick, a flyover osprey.

puts me on 77.82%

mid-table mediocrity

More Norwich City than Man City the season plods on.

Its been a while since my last post as there's been little of interest in the patch.  Mostly the usual summer migrants but still plenty of gap fillers to be had.

Highlights over the last month have been the two cranes which, according to Google Earth were about 2 km away when viewed from safely within the patch (A full fat patch tick).  Other notables include a fine collared dove in the garden (A full fat garden tick) and also a bean goose seen safely from the kitchen window and yet another fine garden tick.

The seawatching has been neglected over the last month, which is never a sensible thing to do as its always a good way to get the odd bonus bird or two.  This morning it was a great northern diver flying south and a pair of velvet scoter.  The velvet scoter are annual and easy enough but great northern diver is one of those species tagged with the "it should be annual' badge but often are not.

There's been a bit of wader passage with a few dunlin (a species I missed last year) and an early green sand,  occasional whimbrel flying over and a few golden plover dropping in.

All fine birds up 'til now, but as for this weekend.

Could be make or break time for the season as the winds drift east south east on Friday there's going to be some more birds to be had.

Total for the year stands at 111!

71.92%

Happy days

Bushveld

dross

An insect bonanza yesterday evening resulted in a stack of swift, house martin and a sand martin. No red rumpers though. Not as good as what Reg has managed recently, but they bring me to 93.33% (70)

It's no Atlas Fly...

Enough happening still round the patch in the last week or so.A new patch bird being 2 Cranes today was the greatest excitement. Plenty of Wheatears to look through, with a good variety of other commoner migs: Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler. Swifts arrived late at Meikle, with the first I saw being the beginning of this week. In the past I have had them the 1st or 2nd May. Best other mig is a male Pied Fly(or is it??), found on Wednesday, it is still present. This is actually a bit of a spring rarity in last few years in Collieston so made sure I got some photos. Happy to say I can rule out Atlas Flycatcher without the help of DNA!...maybe

ooo waders

Galley is pretty crap for waders. This is mainly cos it isn't an estuary, its a headland. So a flock of 16 bar-tailed godwits high-tailing it south over the house this eve was pretty good. Well worth getting wet socks for, certainly. Though why they were going south is anyone's guess - probly to do with large circles or something - or is that only off Flamborough?

reeling them in....

Hilarious.

A second hand gropper at the battery this morning, along with a first hand whinchat, and good numbers of common migs all over the place. It feels like spring at last.