[Dicky Ticker]

Got lucky with the Spurn Subalpine Warbler today as it showed well for a short while in small buckthorn bushes opposite the Warren

[liverpool_bob]

Originally Posted by Hotspur

If it's the same bird as Wednesday then some of the new scaps seemed too dark. Having said that there is the ghost of a window ( I didn't get a shot of the open wing) and this with the longer legs from weds suggests yl gull. Ah all too complicated...

In old money that's a deffo LBBG. God knows what it is in new-made-up-species money

[captaincarot]

Originally Posted by Keith Dickinson

Linda I'll have been and gone by 8.00 I'll text you if bird is on site when I arrive.

is it still there then?

[Martin Calvert]

Crane at Fairburn not been seen yet.

[captaincarot]

Originally Posted by Martin Calvert

Crane at Fairburn not been seen yet.

take it it has been seen now as it's just turned up on the rare birds map on here, or this this another case of the map einventing ghost reports from previous days

[schiffornis]

reported on birdguides (Fairburn) but eluisive walking behind spoil heaps I think I read earlier

[Keith Dickinson]

I saw the crane at Fairburn at 5.00pm. Very distant by the eastern end of Spoonbill Flash.

[The Rovin' Outlaw]

I saw a bird today but I never had my binoculars with me. It was on a cable but facing away from me and into the light. All I could see was a sillouette. It seemed smaller than a collared dove and it was purring like a Turtle Dove. Could it be anything else??? I really couldnt get a decent better angle to it or get any closer for barbed wire. Does anything else sound like a turtle dove??

[Trystan]

Originally Posted by Hotspur

If it's the same bird as Wednesday then some of the new scaps seemed too dark. Having said that there is the ghost of a window ( I didn't get a shot of the open wing) and this with the longer legs from weds suggests yl gull. Ah all too complicated...

I had a look in on this today and was way out of my depth, even if I did see it I won't be claiming it.

Further on at spurn, no sign of the subalpine warbler but some very useful year ticks, the best of which was a montagu's harrier.

Also several spotted flycatchers in.

[Keith Dickinson]

Rovin' Outlaw
there isn't really anything that sounds like a turtle. I'm out Boston Spa way tomorrow morning doing my BBS square, pm the location and I'll have a wander by there as well.

[Keith Dickinson]

Originally Posted by Trystan

I had a look in on this today and was way out of my depth, even if I did see it I won't be claiming it.

Further on at spurn, no sign of the subalpine warbler but some very useful year ticks, the best of which was a montagu's harrier.

Also several spotted flycatchers in.

Hell's bells, you must be racking up the miles in someone else's car....good man!

[Keith Dickinson]

Went over to Boston Spa at 5.00 am to do the BTO BBS survey,when I set off from Leeds the skies looked okay. Bit of cloud cover but nothing bad. I got half way round my square and the freakin' skies opened up, went from dry to sheeting it down in less than a couple of minutes. I got soaked to the skin as my waterproofs were in the car...not my pocket. Worst thing was by the time I got back to the car the recording sheet was paper mache so I've got to do the survey again.
Got a new mammal for the area though, had a stoat wander across the track in front of me. Didn't see any mink this year so hopefully the b****rs have moved on.

[John Bullfinch]

Thanks to everyone for the Crane info on Friday. Got there about 7:45pm and had what for me was a pretty decent, if distant view of the bird. Last sighting I had of one was a distant view of a bird in tall grass in sun haze!!
There was a small group of friendly birders on the path at Lyn Dyke (bird was not visible from the hide) so hello to you guys. Whilst there had views of a Cuckoo as well. Quite a few about there singing their name!! Also at least 2 Groppers reeling along Lyn Dyke path, however, didnt manage to pick one out in the fading light.

Not a bad couple of days in good old Yorkshire - Crane & Stone Curlew, magic!

[Duckwoman]

Had a great Yorkshire day out yesterday. We started the day at Fairburn. The crane wasn’t showing but we had brilliant views of cuckoo, lesser whitethroat and common terns and the place was buzzing with warbler song and bird activity. One of the best moments was watching a heron contemplating a raid on an occupied coot nest! Seeing the coot transform from being completely relaxed to becoming an inflated, menacing, black balloon and witnessing the tension of the moment was really something to remember.

We gave up on the crane at around 12 and traveled to North Cave. It started to rain and it rained all the way there. By the time we had arrived, it has stopped and the sun had come out again. At North Cave there were lots of avocets; both ringed and little ringed plover (both in the scope for comparison); corn bunting; more lesser whitethroats; Caspian? and little gull; all 3 species of wagtail and, as we were leaving, an osprey flew low overhead being mobbed by around 40 avocets. Priceless!

We went back to Fairburn on the way home to have another try at the crane - after about a half hour, it walked out from behind a bush on the stacks. Good talking to other birders both at Fairburn and North Cave - Hi if that was you.

[marc r]

Osprey over Livingstone Road Hessle this afternoon.

Marc

[Trystan]

Originally Posted by Keith Dickinson

Hell's bells, you must be racking up the miles in someone else's car....good man!

Absolutely!

Bolton abbey this morning before serving penance at the trafford centre this afternoon.

Very easy but rewarding morning, I'm sure all the birds were in exactly the same trees as last year.

Pied fly, wood warbler, blackcap, garden warbler and willow warbler very noisy and showy.

It was fantastic to see a goosander carrying ducklings on her back.
Also, never seen green woodpecker or kingfisher at bolton abbey before but good views of both today.

[Hotspur]

Went to Bewholme late doors. No sign of the Temminck's but Wood Sand, 4 Common Sand and 2 Greenshank were about and can imagine the temminck's were hiding rather than gone.

Also just got word of a Short-toed Lark at Flamborough near North Marsh which wasnt put out. Hmmm.

[andy hood]

Had my first ever Quail this evening in the golf course rough by the cliff top footpath (only ever heard them before)

[trappeddownsouth]

mind boggling weekend along Wharfedale... Otter, LEO hunting, two pairs of SEO, Raven, Peregrine, Red Kite, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, all the migrants (good to see so many wood warblers back), a hard fought Redstart, showy Garden Warbler, cracking pair of Mandarins... followed by some Sams Smiths.....

[woodhornbirder]

`Had my first ever Quail this evening `

gratz! often a bogey bird....worse than jack snipe even.

[OwenW]

The crane was still at Fairburn yesterday evening, showing very clearly from the Lin Dyke path until at least 8pm. The wood sandpiper was also about at the same time but flew out of sight from the perspective of the hide. Loads of warblers in evidence, a few very showy cuckoos and a few terns passing through, but we didn't manage to hear/see any groppers. All in all an extremely pleasant way to round out a weekend.

[Chris-Leeds]

Also had a few hours in Wharfedale today. Started at Barden Bridge, along the Strid, Valley of desolation to Barden Fell, onto Howgill and back to Barden.
As mentioned above there were better numbers of wood warblers than on my previous visits. Got the other target birds of both flycatchers, redstart, dipper, grouse and stonechat. Had cuckoo, garden warbler and common sandpipers. Altogether about 50 species seen with quite a few that I heard but didn't really try too hard to see.

[naturenorth]

Dipped the Fairburn Crane which was seen from Pickup Hide at 09h00 and from Lin Dyke Hide at 11h00 and not since. Had 3 Cuckoo today including pair tumbling/displaying down near the bridge at end of Lin Dyke. 2 Common Buzzard over spoil heap. Turtle Dove headed over towards Priory Cottage/Newton Farm and 3rd Cuckoo nearby when trying to relocate TD. 4 Hobby around lunchtime apparently before I arrived.

[andy hood]

Spoonbill still at hornsea mere this afternoon viewable from the end of kirkholm point on the small spit near swan island, 1 Temminck's Stint, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Ringed Plover, 4 Redshank, 2 Yellow Wags at Bewholme Hall pond,
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...oonbill002.jpg

[Keith Dickinson]

Did you put the turtle dove in the reserve sightings book? They are a very scarce bird at Fairburn nowadays, not having bred since 2005.

Originally Posted by naturenorth

Dipped the Fairburn Crane which was seen from Pickup Hide at 09h00 and from Lin Dyke Hide at 11h00 and not since. Had 3 Cuckoo today including pair tumbling/displaying down near the bridge at end of Lin Dyke. 2 Common Buzzard over spoil heap. Turtle Dove headed over towards Priory Cottage/Newton Farm and 3rd Cuckoo nearby when trying to relocate TD. 4 Hobby around lunchtime apparently before I arrived.