Ouch Rich. I drove down and back yesterday and everything was moving. One accident though can cause chaos on the M5.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Griswold’s Vacations 2022 (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter ClarkWGriswold
- Start date
occasional
Well-known member
Dont get too enthusiastic about travelling down LochLomondside at night. It is not unusual for the road to be closed.
I think we must have been lucky occasional. Been up a few times and it’s one of the few roads that hasn’t been closed - Heads of the Valley, A9 , M6 etc. I love a huge detour at 3 in the morning
So me and my 2 boys are heading up to RSPB Bempton tomorrow. Should get there at lunchtime so it’ll be food first before looking for the Shrike. Got a B&B booked on Sunk Island for the night.
Potentially might go somewhere else for a night if anything decent turns up👍
Potentially might go somewhere else for a night if anything decent turns up👍
Uneventful drive up this morning at 06:00. My 15 year old slept from the village through to Bempton car park. Not even swerving to avoid the Grey Squirrel or the BMW on the M1 woke him up!
At Bempton it was great to see the Tree Sparrows and all the Gannets. Fulmar was a year tick as well.
Just past Staple Neuk and inland along the footpath the Red-tailed/ Turkestan/ Llanellistan Shrike was showing incredibly well. The birder’s positioned themselves further away than the two toggers but the bird flew along the hedge right next to us. Simply a stunner. Well worth the drive.
Stopped at Sammy’s Point next but gave up on looking for the Sandpipers. The tide was out and everything was silhouetted. Also in the wrong area but given the conditions (and lack of skill) we knocked it on the head.
Staying in a lovely place. On Skunk Island. Very reasonable. Just walking off the pizza and we had Kestrel and Marsh Harrier. Will try and copy a link to it when I get home.
Rich
At Bempton it was great to see the Tree Sparrows and all the Gannets. Fulmar was a year tick as well.
Just past Staple Neuk and inland along the footpath the Red-tailed/ Turkestan/ Llanellistan Shrike was showing incredibly well. The birder’s positioned themselves further away than the two toggers but the bird flew along the hedge right next to us. Simply a stunner. Well worth the drive.
Stopped at Sammy’s Point next but gave up on looking for the Sandpipers. The tide was out and everything was silhouetted. Also in the wrong area but given the conditions (and lack of skill) we knocked it on the head.
Staying in a lovely place. On Skunk Island. Very reasonable. Just walking off the pizza and we had Kestrel and Marsh Harrier. Will try and copy a link to it when I get home.
Rich
Attachments
Have managed to convince the boys that Grafham Water is on our way home 👍
Just arrived back from a trip to the Far East. Traffic was pretty bad on the M42/ M5 but other than that pretty straightforward.
Leaving the accommodation we saw a few Stock Doves and a Hare.
Arriving at Grafham Water for c9:15 we parked in the car park. It takes cards and there were only a few other cars there at the time.
A short walk around the reservoir to the target bird. Nice to year tick YLG and Yellow Wagtail on the walk over. On arrival we quickly got onto the Gull. Initially it was on the railings but then flew down to feed on a dead fish a little nearer to the car park. Kelp/ Cape Gull safely on the life list for all three of us.
A more leisurely drive over to Eyebrook Reservoir gave our second lifer of the day - White-rumped Sandpiper. Too far away for a photo unfortunately.
Leaving the accommodation we saw a few Stock Doves and a Hare.
Arriving at Grafham Water for c9:15 we parked in the car park. It takes cards and there were only a few other cars there at the time.
A short walk around the reservoir to the target bird. Nice to year tick YLG and Yellow Wagtail on the walk over. On arrival we quickly got onto the Gull. Initially it was on the railings but then flew down to feed on a dead fish a little nearer to the car park. Kelp/ Cape Gull safely on the life list for all three of us.
A more leisurely drive over to Eyebrook Reservoir gave our second lifer of the day - White-rumped Sandpiper. Too far away for a photo unfortunately.
Attachments
The boys were superb Owen. The only thing I’d change is not leaving Os in charge of the food/ drinks. He sleeps too much so can’t pass anything to you 😂
edenwatcher
Well-known member
You were doing so well Rich, then you went for the gull! Good when a plan comes together though.
Rob
Rob
Lol. Cheers Rob. The Shrike was absolutely the highlight for me. Though I liked the gull more than I thought I would. I think where it was helped as well.
I’ve been to East Riding of Yorkshire before. It really is a great place to visit.
Rich
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
Racing your way to 400 there Rich.
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
Not tomorrow unfortunately, just thinking ahead to next Sunday when we have a planned trip to visit family in Suffolk. Would be rude not to drop in on the way past. Where to for you next?
Nothing for me for a while James. A weekend in Yorkshire at the end of September is our next trip. Rich
So correct me if I’m wrong. You went South from the Bempton area in Yorkshire to Graham in Bedfordshire, back up North West to Leicestershire/Rutland then down to South Wales?
Eyebrook Res in Leicestershire/Rutland was my old haunt in the 70’s until Rutland Water got going. Never saw a White-rumped though.
I did see not one but two Buff-breasted Sandpipers together at Grafham in the mid 70’s. Lovely birds.
The shrike is a stunning bird to see, but then I do love that family of birds in general.
The whole of Yorkshire is a great place, but then I am slightly biased
Glad you added the birds to your list.
Hi Mike. South to Grafham as you said and then a short hop to Eyebrook. This was in the general direction I needed to go to get home. So we picked up the M42 / M5 and then the Heads of the Valleys Road.
Rich
Hi Rich. Agree with you on Yorkshire. We passed through some stunning little villages. Looking forward to heading back up to Flamborough in September.The shrike is a stunning bird to see, but then I do love that family of birds in general.
The whole of Yorkshire is a great place, but then I am slightly biased
Glad you added the birds to your list.
Rich
I can’t find a link to where we stayed but the owners said they were on FB. We booked via Airbnb. It’s called the Old Schoolhouse in Sunk Island. Great place. About 20 minutes from Spurn and about £60 for the night. Very comfortable.
Rich
Rich
Similar threads
