No crowd,just 4 other birders,bird was about 20 foot away a one time at eye level.

Also went to fairburn today, had great views of the Lesser Pecker and Smew.
Quick visit to Blacktoft on the way home and was lucky enough to see 2 Bearded Tits

All parking full at Cut Road at 0900, so went to visitors centre, saw 2 Treecreepers in adjacent trees, first time I've seen 2 together, was told they bred there last year, Little Owl not in attendance, then down to Lin Dyke, just the usual, with 2 Stonechat and a few Curlew amongst them, rather quiet really .
Should have gone to Swilly to pay my dues, or Potteric for the Rail
pete

Hi to any Scarborough birders on this thread.

Was just curious to know if anyone regularly birds the tip at Seamer?! I was there over the Xmas period and enjoyed sifting through all the gulls...didn't have anything decent, but looks good for finding your own Caspian! Can't have been many records of those for the Scarborough area can there? Just surprised that there seems to be very little news from it during the winter months...

Also checked out Burton Riggs NR; nice little site, had myself a Scaup there...only to see when I got back home to Staffs that I'd been totally outdone by someone having B-t Diver there! Nice work! Has the site had any other decent records over the years?! I can imagine it turning up a decent aythya.

Cheers

Went to Scalby Lodge pond and finally nailed a White-fronted Goose. Unfortunately I stupidly managed to flush the Teal off the nearby pond while trying not to scare the Goose flock. I felt like a proper numpty! It's a better idea to approach the birds from the Scarborough side of the track so the hedge can act as a screen.

Had a walk up to Cromer Pond to dip the Water Pipit again. Wheatear still about, along with several Stonechat.

Called in at North Cave en route to exam, got a few year ticks in the form of Shelduck, Pochard, Pinkfeet and Great Crested Grebe. No sign of either Smew or Scaup that were reported yesterday. A few Siskin about. Gonna try for the Lesser Spot at Fairburn tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

You should be able to get the Pecker at Fairburn no problem, Spoke to someone in the visitor centre yesterday who said it has been seen everyday for around 6 weeks. I saw it yesterday within minutes of arriving. It's a cracking bird, Good luck James

[quote=Fair Isle is best;1103258]Hi to any Scarborough birders on this thread.

Was just curious to know if anyone regularly birds the tip at Seamer?! I was there over the Xmas period and enjoyed sifting through all the gulls...didn't have anything decent, but looks good for finding your own Caspian! Can't have been many records of those for the Scarborough area can there? Just surprised that there seems to be very little news from it during the winter months...

Also checked out Burton Riggs NR; nice little site, had myself a Scaup there...only to see when I got back home to Staffs that I'd been totally outdone by someone having B-t Diver there! Nice work! Has the site had any other decent records over the years?! I can imagine it turning up a decent aythya.


Hi Fair Isle is Best

Seamer Road Gravel Pits aka Burton Riggs - I've seen Hoopoe there in Sep 01 and WWBlack Tern back in 1996. I'm sure it's had more, but I'm far from local.....

_______________________
Cheers
Darren

I've looked at the roosting gulls from the Seamer Tip alongside the A64 a few times during December, and couldn't dig out Iceland or glaucous, though both are in the area.

The way the tip is working at the moment, best views of the gulls are on the north facing side, viewed from the access road, which isn't always that easy - it must be getting the white-winged gulls, as it seems to be dragging a lot of gulls away from other parts of Scarborough (eg: Scalby Mills). The second half of the winter tends to be better anyway for white-winged gulls.

I've never seen Caspian Gull, and I'm not sure if there are any local accepted records, but I wouldn't fancy trying to ID one over the range I view the birds at the tip - I'd be interested to know where others have viewed from, as it may help me.

Another problem is that the tip doesn't operate after Saturday lunchtime or Sunday, which is when most people can get out.

Burton Riggs is is close to a built up area, and suffers from disturbance from dogwalkers and kids - it is under watched, and must have potential being so close to the coast.

Yet another Scarborough Area information request if I may Dave?

I've seen a small number of bird reports from Star Carr over the last few years, e.g. SE Owl. I know roughly where the area is, but how do you work the area, park the car etc?

Cheers

Probably three ways onto it.

Head towards Staxton, and the first route is by turning off right into North Street at Flixton - follow the road to the end where there is a bridge, park up here, then head north on foot towards the tip or just set your scope and view as much of the area as you can (has been good for hen harrier in the past).

Second route is by taking the A64 towards Scarborough at Staxton roundabout, after 800 yards or so there is a lorry park/layby on your right - turn into this and follow the farm track into the fields - there is a gate on here which is sometimes open, sometimes closed. I'm not sure if this is a public right of way or private, so it would pay to be polite is anyone questioned why you were there.

The final route is via Crossgates near Morrisons - turn down Crab Lane, go over the level crossing at the end, and it eventually brings you out into the same area as the second option.

At some point it is anticipated that this area will open up with better access and reedbeds to encourage Marsh Harriers, etc into the area - see the link for Starr Carr on the Scarborough Wildlife website (via the link on my blog).

I had the Short-eared Owls on Saturday in the rough area/field just to the west of the tip, with a couple of shots on the blog taken in poor light. If you want to have a look sometime, let me know, and assuming I'm free, I'll show you around.

Just had a look at the Scaborough Wildlife site - the link is for the Cayton & Flixton Wetland Project - http://www.caytonflixtoncarrs.org.uk.

May be of interest - Burton Riggs & Starr Carr are seperated by only a few hundred yards.

Many thanks again Dave. Love the SEO photos on your website, also great Stoat pics.

For those of us who "dabble" with cameras, check out this sight and turn your sound up. Most mortals can only aspire to this level http://birdphoto.fi

Regards
Dave

I worked it last year using Dave's first set of directions. It isn't easy to view the tip from this approach, but the low-lying habitat below the tip is superb. I can imagine winter owls and raptors in the habitiat. My reason for visiting was a Hooded Crow which I managed to get amongst the hundreds of corvids. Also Willow Tit, and brief probable Corn Bunting.

As for Burton Riggs, I had Glauc and Iceland together a few years back.

Loshpotts
 

First visit in ages; brief but reasonably productive:

6 Goosander (new for Losh) 4 drakes 2 females
C. 30 Teal (highest count)
Good numbers of Coot, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, and Greylags (didn't bother to count)
3 Little Grebe
Red Kite
2 Mute Swan

were main highlights.

Most of common ducks ticked there now but still missing Goldeneye.

Hawfinch
 

Hi Guys


I see Hawfinch every year, but not always in the county, anybody had any luck in the county this year? I had tried a couple of sites out of county, but not Derbyshire yet.

I had them last in the county (14 birds) at Studley (North York's) on 22nd Jan 2004. Anybody tried there in the last couple of years??

The most I had once there was over 25 in one tree, I didn't know which one to look at!! That was on a group coach trip mid '90s...


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Cheers
Darren

Darren, in the last five years I have had regular success at Hutton Village south of Guisborough. In fact I was going to take a look on Saturday if things had worked out differently with the Rough-legged.

However.....I haven't heard anything in the last couple of years, and they always used to come through early on in Jan. when people were year-listing.

They favour the Yews at the end of an approach road. I think this was the last regular site I knew of.

Hawfinches definitely at Studley Royal 2005 summer as my wifes then lodger kept telling me about em. As a newby at the time i didnt realise how tough they are in county. Went for the Lesser Pecker today and failed miserably. Was there from 11 until 3.45 and saw loads down cut lane but no LSW. No doubt the rain caused it to hole up this morning and this afternoons sun encouraged it up onto the feeders in the village. Rats. Other bits and pieces included the usual Willow Tits, the lovely drake Smew, Redpoll, Siskin, loads of Goldeneye, GSW, a pair of displaying Kingfishers which i saw all day and a Great Crested Grebe which hid in the Cut channel. Year list up to 103.

Steve - I guess this spot??

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...=newsearch.srf

This could be more useful, as I am planning to do the Cleveland area this weekend, RNParrots etc. I may give it a shot, I have never seen them at Duncombe Park, but only visited twice.

ATB
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Darren

Thanks for that eastayton!

I had good views of the Seamer tip gulls as they rested on the area of new development along the access road to the tip. I parked my car on the nearby industrial estate...can't remember the road name but there is a VW garage at the entrance to road, it's a dead end, but runs parallel to the tip access road, so if you drive to the end and park up it's only a few long strides to view the gulls from here!

Hope that helps.
Cheers

Hi Fair Isle is Best

Seamer Road Gravel Pits aka Burton Riggs - I've seen Hoopoe there in Sep 01 and WWBlack Tern back in 1996. I'm sure it's had more, but I'm far from local.....



Cool, thanks Darren.
The willowy scrub around the pits looks perfect for a Firecrest or Sibe Chiff even at this time of year...I'll have to see what I can dig out next time I'm up visiting my girlfriend's parents!

Cheers
Steve

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Cheers
Darren[/quote]

Seamer Tip & Burton Riggs
 

Attached a poor quality record shot for Steve of one of last winters Hooded Crows at Seamer Tip.

Hen Harrier used to winter on a reasonably regular basis on the carrs, but I don't think there's been one sighted this year.

Apparantly the best time for gulls at Burton Riggs is lunchtime during the week, when they flood in from the tip - I've had three Iceland Gulls and a single Glaucous Gull there on the same day in the past, so it's worth a look is you're ever passing.

....might be worth checking out for Nordic Jacdaw then perhaps?! ;)

Yes. As you follow the road through, you pass some sort of hall or large house. Continue on and you come to an isolated wooded area. Here a small driveway goes left just before this wood. I think it has a white fence running along it from memory. You can walk down it, and the Yews are at the bottom. They also get in the tall beech trees. If you pass the wood and start to climb a hill further into the village you've gone too far.