Nice to see John there yesterday. He was bringing me bad luck and things did improve once he'd departed! In the morning I too was chasing things round and seeing nothing. I'd vowed not to, but the report of a Serin (need for Yorkshire) had me dashing from the Crown & Anchor (where I'd just missed an Icky) to the point in hot pursuit of John's car. It turned out to be a Siskin, but by then I'd got the chasing round bug.
All I'd seen before John left was Spot. Fly. I went back to the Warren and this time found the male Red-backed Shrike sheltering from the wind - the weather was pretty horrid. I then drove up the peninsula and....chaos - a Bluethroat was showing on the road, with birders looking north and south at it, and no-one wanting to drive up and disturb it. Result - blocked road, and this is mid-week with no major rarity about. One day when a weekend biggy turns up, it will be gridlock. I was pleased with the Bluethroat, and feeling a bit more relaxed headed off down the sheep field. I found another Red-backed Shrike - a male again, that John had seen briefly.
I then followed instructions to stand on the bank and wait for an Oriole fly-pass. In less than half an hour it duly obliged - number 9 buses and all that! Quite a bright bird against the dull sky, but not a male.
I then kept missing Icky's - tried for about five in all and saw none. The best I got was by the green beacon, where it sang - lovely "squeaky toy" and had a couple of brief flight views (non-countable).
I rounded the day off with a couple of Grey-headed Wagtails, and managed to get a few shots of the well-marked, all but tailless bird.
I'd arrived at 11:00 and left at 18:00. As usual it had been tough (Spurn rarely isn't) but very enjoyable.
If I ever start to practice what I preech, the strategy for Spurn (unless it's a real rarity) must be not to chase, and to work a patch. The reality is even with all that list, you may be 2-3 hours just waiting for an Icky. I think you need to pick your birds, decide what you want to see and stay put. In my case it was Icky, (haven't seen one for a few years) and I should have staked a site out.
Golden rule of Spurn - "no plan survives contact with the enemy" - it always reads easier on the pager.
As Marcus says though at least we haven't missed a biggy......yet.
