28 September 2008
After well over a month with nothing new to add to my year list, hopes were high today, despite the very early start, for some good birds during the Yorkshire Belle cruise from Bridlington. DAZ joined me from near Leicester before we picked up Steve Whiteley in Ilkeston to make the 0845 sailing.
Arriving in good time at Bridlington we searched along the harbour wall for Purple Sandpiper (Photo 1 – thanks to Jessops digging the sand from out of my camera for a tidy sum!), two birds being very accommodating in the early morning sun!
437.Purple Sandpiper----------------Bridlington-----------------------England
The boat was the fullest I had seen it in the three years I have been going on these cruises, as we sailed out into a very calm bay. The first new bird of the year seen from the boat, were several Red Throated Divers flying across the distant horizon.
438.Red Throated Diver-------------Bridlington-----------------------England
Otherwise the first hour was very quiet with a few gulls and several Gannet keeping us occupied. Then a shout went up that a Bonxi was “worrying” a few first year gulls. Sure enough a large powerful Great Skua (Photo 2) soon appeared. It was not as easy as previous years to move about the boat with so many other birders on-board. With this and the less than favourable light only distant shots were possible as the bird came into view.
439.Great Skua----------------------Bridlington-----------------------England
Another 45 minutes passed before one of our target birds appeared closing in fast towards the stern of the boat, a superb Sooty Shearwater (Photo 3). It circled us a couple of times before leaving as quickly as it arrived. Later a couple of birds settled on the sea.
440.Sooty Shearwater---------------Bridlington----------------------England
During the excitement my first UK Roseate Tern (Photo 4 – only the third time one had been seen on such a cruise) of the year passed over the boat, taking my UK year list to 215. The following couple of hours were very quiet with only a single dark phase Arctic Skua and four possible Velvet Scoter (we didn’t get a good enough view to accept the sighting called from the bridge), while a Sandwich Tern followed us back into the harbour.
Following refreshments we decided to make our way to Flamborough Head where there had been a few Yellow Browed Warblers (Photo 5) the previous day. As we made our way along the road near the golf course, heading towards the tree plantation, other birders told us that a couple of birds were being reported at Bempton. We decided however to stick to our plan.
The plantation, which reminded me of a scene out of the Lord of the Rings, with various species of mature trees shading a small pond, was full of small birds including Goldcrest, Spotted and Pied Flycatcher as well as the more common tit families. The three of us together with several other birders were systematically scrutinizing every bird, hoping for a Yellow Browed Warbler.
I was lucky enough to be the first one to spot our quarry, feeding at the top of a tree, and took great delight in putting out the call. Soon all of us were on it, Steve and I giving it a high-five like a couple of kids! This was my 216th UK bird of the season.
From here we took the coastal path back to the car park where I took every chance possible to wax lyrical about being the first to spot the Yellow Browed to Steve and DAZ. We then paid a visit to Bempton where a Barred Warbler and been reported on Birdguides! The bird had only been seen for a few seconds at 1400 hours and we, with a few others, dipped.
During the trip home I continued to eulogise about the warbler, so much so Steve said he couldn’t wait to read my update on BirdForum! Hope I didn’t disappoint you Steve, see you on Friday!?
