Oooh mike ive just noticed that Velvet Scoter means im still one up on you for Yorks - if only you hadnt seen it in the waves!! ;)

The Firecrests at Old Moor are reported as "on Green Lane" On the map the only Green Lane I can find is miles from the reserve, http://tinyurl.com/2vq6aq, and I thought they were on the reserve itself a couple of weeks ago? Any ideas - might get to call in on my way south with work tomorrow.

Thanks,
Graham

Green Lane is the track that runs to the hides on the reserve. I don't know why they don't just put that.

Also the desert wheatear is still present at Long Nab.

Thanks, Marcus. Sadly, Scarborough cannot be considered en route to Milton Keynes by any stretch of the journey log!

Well good luck with the crests. I managed to miss them twice...

I was lucky enough to get great views of the Desert Wheatear north of Scarborough this afternoon. By the time I arrived the majority of people had left resulting in the bird getting very close to the path.
Rather stupidly I parked my car at Scalby Mills and walked for approx. 40 mins along the cliffs until I found the site. Much nearer parking was available if I had taken the time to look at a map before setting off!
As darkness was fast approaching I had no time to look for the reported Firecrest in the same area but I did see loads of Curlew, a Goldeneye, Grey Heron in off the sea and large numbers of Wigeon.
Hope the bird stays around long enough for the rest of you to see it.

Mike I am going for the Wheatear in the morning, where is the best place to Park??

If the Wheatear is in the same place tomorrow I would suggest driving to Burniston and taking the small lane out of the village towards the sea (see map). There seems to be room to park a number of cars at the end of the lane and the bird is a short walk south along the Cleveland Way. From the lane end you should easily be able to see any other birders all ready on the bird.

As mentioned above, I parked at Scalby Mills (Sea Life Centre) and walked 35-40 minutes north along the cliff top until I came across the site. If I hadn't had been in such a rush to see the bird before dusk I would have enjoyed the walk much more.

Good luck!

#
Hi David- In Burniston, take Rock's Lane just after the Jolly Sailors public house, down app. 1/2 to farm and bear right, enough parking for 6 or 7 cars.

GL

_________________________
Darren

Much more helpfull directions (which I could have used today!)

I managed to get across for the Desert Wheatear today. Mike I'd left before you arrived I would imagine. Got some terrible shots of it. I've just seen a sequence taken today by Terry Hobson. Not sure when Terry got these, but for me the weather was foggy for most of the day. Also, one shot looks to be down on the beach. I got it feeding in the field with the crop starting to grow, and with the distant pond. If you carry on another hundred yards, I know first thing this morning it was in the set-a-side with the nearer pond, (just in case no-one is on it).

The Firecrest had just been found when I was leaving, and is in the gully near where you park. I didn't stop as I wanted the Black-throated Diver. I got him, but he too wasn't playing, and stayed out of the harbour about 200 yards out most of the time I was there.

Good luck to anyone going tomorrow. The bird can disappear over the cliffs but comes back. A couple of Stonechats present as well.

John

Do you have any more info on Worlaby, directions? where to park? any access issues or is it common land?

Thanks Martin

Hi Martin,
I have to be honest I use a sat nav to get there, It is on Carr Lane, Worlaby if you put that in a sat nav or route planner website, There is a parking area on the left hand side just past a small bridge, Just stand on the bridge and scan the fields, on saturday they appeared at 3.45pm. I saw the Hen Harrier in the field on the other side of the car park.
Hope that helps and good luck

Connected with the Water Pipit this morning at Catterton. It managed to avoid a very active Sparrowhawk in the area. Also present here were Redwings and Fieldfares. If you're driving from the A64, it is the flooded field on the right just after the left-hand bend next to the Ebor Way footpath. There's a big flash on the left about 100 hundred yards further on. It isn't that more obvious one.

A smart bird in classic winter plumage. More rubbish photos though!

Spent the day in North Yorkshire. Was probably the "greyest" day that I have seen this year. But thanks to all for the directions to the Desert Wheatear, cracking bird!! Then of to Scarbourgh for "fish and chips" and 1 Black Troated Diver. Following Lunch, popped up to Holbeck car park to see the Med Gulls, 2 matures and 4 immatures, DARK by 3.30pm, winter is pants, rollon the long summer days!

Nice photos Dave. Did you see the Firecrest?

Sounds good to me - suggestions on the "Next Yorkshire Meet, Ideas?" thread?

Mike searched for the firecrests, but the light was so poor I would have tripped over them and missed them.

Good pix Dave. Worked the pnd today and a GCGrebe was new in. Found some barn owl pellets so looking forward to looking through those. 7 snipe and 400 fieldfare. 6-10 redpoll around but coldn't get any on the deck or close in so could not ID. One appeared to be very white and bulky...

Marcus did you pick up the fast host link?

Finally went for the Desert Wheatear today and it showed down to a couple of metres-flying toward me rather than away!. Cracking little bird, full of vim and vigour. Lovely subtle plumage as well, much better than in photos.

Yes thanks Dave.not had a chance to look yet...

Nice 1 James, you have a York's tick over me, the guy that found it, as a 'possible' has only been birding a year!! Great effort I think:t:

_______________________
Cheers
Darren

Timing is everything. Today I got lucky.

Stunning!

_______________________
Darren

So many good photos recently Marcus, its gotta be more than luck!! Ive just got in from watching the Water Pipit at Catterton. great little bird, really stood out from the 8 or 9 Mipits it was with. The white throat is the feature that stands out as i was watching it, really bright! Managed to get within a few yards from the road so magic views.

As James says this bird is good value, showing very well at times, though easy to lose in the longer grass. A well marked individual, crisp streaked underparts, good wing-bars and a large yellow base to the lower mandible. A nice local find, in somewhere that wouldn't normally merit a second glance - how many more Wapits must be out there in boggy fields? Hopefully it will stay and winter, weather permitting. It does appear to be a morning and early afternoon bird, later visits in the day have drawn a blank. There was also Little Owl, Common Buzzard, Grey Wagtail and Snipe there when I saw it, plus plenty of Fieldfares, so if the Wapit isn't on show there's plenty of other stuff to look at!

A day of what ifs and half glances today. For some reason I was not tempted for the wheatear, but decided to bird Barden?Simons Seat and the surrounding area. The light was gloomy so I also took some 'arty pictures' up the valley of desolation. Plenty of birds around too siskin, brambling and redpoll continuing the winter finch theme. Usual woodland birds and 40 crossbill in one of the newer plantations. Hen Harrier, buzzard, red kite and kestrel all knocking about. Lovely pair of Green woodies too.

So what were the what ifs? Well I had a hulking crossbill breifly in the canopy, and I am sure I heard a very harsh call in amongst the normal calls. The light was bad and the heavens opened and I could just not nail it. Then the flock flew off about 1/2 a mile.

Bit more confident that the accipter I had breifly about an hour later was a Gos, but I didn't get enough on it to call it. I need to get sharper clearly!!

A nice local find... more of a relief actually.

Was heading back to Filey from a meeting and, having had too many coffees, was busting! Turned off the A64 at the first opportunity and pulled in to the lay-by. In 'mid-flow' heard a call from over my shoulder and thought it suspiciously sounded like a Water Pipit. Ran back to the car and after five minutes managed to spot our furtive friend hiding in the long grass. Like I said a relief, but a productive one at that!!

Popped into North Cave on my way back from essay submission (Compare/contrast the hydrography of fjords and estuaries-yawn!). Great views of a male Green Woodie on Dryham lane, Pink-footed Goose, a definitely wild bar-headed goose and Siskin drinking from the main lake in front of the hide. Also as i came out of the hide a small party of Siskin carried a very big pale Redpoll but views only brief. Almost a 2 lifer day!

A most fortuitous pit-stop there Craig, if only finding decent birds was always so easy :))

Possible Pectoral?
 

Hello all. A flying visit to Ripon Racecourse's lake next to the canal threw up something interesting...

Two waders, seen from a distance through 8 mag.

Had very clear lines: white belly, dark brown/slate grey uppers with rusty orange breast with whiter head. Clear division between the white of the bellies and orangey-ness breast/neck. MOST interesting was the waders' Snipe-like lines down their backs, very clear from the hide. Bill size medium from what I could see of preening activity, and they ran close to the ground. One stationary had a long neck which it now and again stretched and withdrew.

They were stood on the water line on an islet amongst wildfowl and a lone redshank. To guesstimate, half-ish a redshank's size?, a quarter a mallards(!) the nearest thing to them.

Also two barnacle geese, three goosander males and ?five female.

Any thoughts anyone? I wouldn't half love to have seen some pectorals!

Nice. Not long til I'm back again for xmas. That bar-headed goose had been reported before, last weekend I saw it in the book. Are you sure you don't need one of these ';)' when you say definitely wild?

White Fronted Geese at North Cave Wetlands, sorry for the Crappy photos, they where a long way off and I had to use a TC.

Dave - Greenland White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons flavirostris) are rare visitors to Yorkshire, so nice birds to see, and photograph. One record every year or two would be about the norm for these lovely birds. This 'species' might be an armchair (Yorkshire) tick for you in years to come as the tundra breeding Greenland White-fronted Goose appears to merit specific status......it's got better credentials than many birds now regarded as full species anyway!!

Stuck a few on there.

Goose
 

Alright, I was at the park today and came across this odd looking goose.
It was with Canada Geese.
Can anyone explain what the crack is?
Cheers,
Michael.

Michael,
your goose is a Hybrid Greylag x Canada.

Cheers Nick,
I suspected it could be, bit weird tho. Theres bout 500+ Geese on this park lake, only one i seen like this.

Michael