Griswold’s Vacations 2023 (2 Viewers)

[ClarkWGriswold]

Day 2 and Rob came down to the chalet. Managed to get going after I fussed an amazingly friendly Staffie. The owner was telling me he’d only had her a week from a rescue centre. She’d been kept in a small enclosure for the first 7 years of her life!!!!

Down at Spurn/ Kilnsea and it was nice to pick up some year ticks - Curlew Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper and Little Stint.

At the canal scrape a dog fox put in an appearance and a couple of Common Snipe were unsurprisingly difficult to pick out.

Back up to Flamborough we had a short sea watching session. I had to get back for the second half of the Welsh game - wish I hadn’t bothered😂

From the headland we had a few Red-throated Divers, Manxies, Sooty Shearwaters.

Rob stayed later and added Sabines which I wished I’d seen.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Day 3 and I headed back up to Flamborough. Birding had been relatively slow tbh all weekend with the winds from the West.

Rob cruelly suggested we head down the little path to halfway down the headland. I think it was this point he realised my fear of heights/ falling was not made up. A very unrelaxing seawatch for me though quite productive. Arctic Skuas, Bonxies, Fulmar, Sooties, Common Scoter, RTD’s and Manxies were all seen.

Next we dipped on a Yellow-Browed before Rob had to head off home. At this point, despite having another night booked, I decided to do the same. Birding was quiet and I fancied seeing the boys and the dog.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the M1 is my new least favourite road. Rammed and full of speed cameras. The journey home really was a bit of an ache. Had planned to stop off at Goldcliff for the Lesser Yellowlegs but somehow I managed to miss a motorway exit and started heading back North again!! And the weather then turned so I gave it a miss.

I think that’s pretty much it for the year. Will be heading to the Cairngorms for the New Year and have a week in America with friends in November. Not sure if I’ll get ang birding in there but I’ll give it a go perhaps early one morning.

Rich

 

[Original PaulE]

Day 3 and I headed back up to Flamborough. Birding had been relatively slow tbh all weekend with the winds from the West.

Rob cruelly suggested we head down the little path to halfway down the headland. I think it was this point he realised my fear of heights/ falling was not made up. A very unrelaxing seawatch for me though quite productive. Arctic Skuas, Bonxies, Fulmar, Sooties, Common Scoter, RTD’s and Manxies were all seen.

Next we dipped on a Yellow-Browed before Rob had to head off home. At this point, despite having another night booked, I decided to do the same. Birding was quiet and I fancied seeing the boys and the dog.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the M1 is my new least favourite road. Rammed and full of speed cameras. The journey home really was a bit of an ache. Had planned to stop off at Goldcliff for the Lesser Yellowlegs but somehow I managed to miss a motorway exit and started heading back North again!! And the weather then turned so I gave it a miss.

I think that’s pretty much it for the year. Will be heading to the Cairngorms for the New Year and have a week in America with friends in November. Not sure if I’ll get ang birding in there but I’ll give it a go perhaps early one morning.

Rich

Was the small path next to the Foghorn ? I had a Seawatch down there a few years ago, absolutely mental!!!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Was the small path next to the Foghorn ? I had a Seawatch down there a few years ago, absolutely mental!!!

I think so Paul. Not my favourite spot is has to be said. Tried to wedge myself in but continually felt like I was slipping.

Rich

 

[Original PaulE]

I think so Paul. Not my favourite spot is has to be said. Tried to wedge myself in but continually felt like I was slipping.

Rich

It was the path down freaked me out!!! Was alright when I got on the ledge!! Old boy showed me the way, had a deckchair, Scope, bag, practically ran down, I'm sliding down thinking I'm going off the end and am about to die!! Did see a Sooty Shearwater though, my first one, so was worth the near death experience!! Health & Safety gone mad!!!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Just on a break with friends to America. A little frustrating as I’m the only birder. So no slamming on the brakes to check out the Birds of Prey, or passerines on the wires. There’s also been times when I didn’t have my bins with me so loads has gone unidentified. For example, the warbler flitting around in the tree in Phoenix.

In Phoenix it was great to have close views of Grackles. Behaving the same as the Pembrokeshire bird. Many had the blueish tinge apparent as well. Plenty of Grackles at Lake Havasu as well. Also had Verdin, House Finch and Mourning Doves in Phoenix. Some have been identified using Merlin so apologies if way off.

Lake Havasu had plenty of American Coot
a Great Northern Diver, Pied-billed Grebes, Great Blue Heron, Ring-billed Gulls (cheers Andy) and either Clarks or Western Grebes. Couldn’t quite ID them without my bins on the ferry over to the casino. Also learnt that I’m getting too old for 12 sessions whilst at Lake Havasu😱Did have a great time in a biker bar though, and the C&W band were outstanding.

Over to Vegas next and the hire vehicle has been dropped off. So really didn’t expect to see anything else. However we had booked horse riding. Again I didn’t have my bins as all my focus was on hanging on, but we had great views of Red-winged Blackbirds, Red-tailed Hawk and 4 or 5 Roadrunners. Absolutely chuffed about seeing these. A bucket list bird for me. And helped me forget about eating too many jalapeños and drinking too much beer the night before😂 A woodpecker on a distant pole I thought may have been a Flicker, and frustratingly some sparrows and Warblers got away. But this is very much a trip with mates and not a birding trip.

With the exception of one individual the people we have met have been really friendly and chatty. Can recommend the horse riding. The food has been delicious- shrimp tacos, salt and pepper squid, burgers etc. Beer has ranged from pretty good (mango beer in Lake Havasu) to bleeding awful - anything Lite. Have thoroughly enjoyed seeing (and hearing) vehicles we don’t really get in the UK - F150’s, GMC’s, Challengers etc. etc. And I think that’ll be pretty much it for the trip. Unless a Bald Eagle flies over us in Fremont Street later today. 😂

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Looking at Audobon’s distribution maps it appears the Grackles were Boat-tailed. Maybe wrong here though.

Anyone thinking of coming over the exchange rates are poor at the moment. And Vegas prices have been inflated by the Grand Prix. Beer has ranged from c£4 a bottle in the biker bar in Havasu, to £11-£12 in Vegas.

 

[Lisa W]

Happy you got a bucket list bird. I was introduced to birding years ago by someone who came to visit in AZ, one of her most wanted to see birds was the roadrunner. I think we saw 4 during her few days - she missed them all! 😂 A really good birder, so frustrating for her.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Looking at Audobon’s distribution maps it appears the Grackles were Boat-tailed. Maybe wrong here though.

I think the Grackles in Arizona should be Great-tailed.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

I think the Grackles in Arizona should be Great-tailed.

Thanks FT.

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Just had a real ache of a drive to Nethy Bridge. Had to swerve to avoid a couple of fallen trees and numerous fallen branches up through Wales. M6 closed for a couple of junctions in the North of England. A few accidents causing a diversion in Scotland. Diverted route closed due to a landslide. And a brief look at Strathclyde confirmed (by Dan and Rich) that I remain hopeless with big white jobs.

Time for a beer and some cheese. Hoping to look for some grouse in the morning before taking the pup for a walk somewhere along the moray firth. Photo below is of the diverted route the sat-nav took me on. The Mazda was superb to be fair.

Best birds were Dabchick and Goosander at Strathclyde. And a Kestrel on the diverted route.

 

[Frank van Drogen]

The Dark Island ale looks interesting... Hope it was good

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Can 100% recommend Frank 👍👍

 

[Farnboro John]

The Dark Island ale looks interesting... Hope it was good

Orkney Brewery know what they are about. Their Skull Splitter 8.5% ale is awesome!

John

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Orkney Brewery know what they are about. Their Skull Splitter 8.5% ale is awesome!

John

Now, that sounds ominous. Gotta try if I can find it.

 

[JTweedie]

Yeah that's a great beer. I'd recommend the Dark Island Reserve if you can find it, although I doubt you'd be able to buy it in a pub.

Great whisky from Orkney too if you like that kind of thing: Highland Park.

 

[Farnboro John]

Yeah that's a great beer. I'd recommend the Dark Island Reserve if you can find it, although I doubt you'd be able to buy it in a pub.

Great whisky from Orkney too if you like that kind of thing: Highland Park.

I very much do!!!

John

 

[Richard Prior]

I’m getting a headache just thinking about the above mentioned tipples - Nurse, time for my Ovaltine please !

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

The cottage is in a stunning location. The photos are from earlier in the day and then this evening. We’ve had a bit of snow 👍

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

First bird of the day was a Tawny Owl calling from the trees behind the cottage. Then me and the boy were off. Managed to get as far as shutting the second gate behind us before realising I’d left my binoculars on the kitchen table. Rang the OH and she refused to walk across the field in her Pyjamas, in the dark. She can be very unreasonable sometimes😂

Having gone back we set off. I totally misjudged the time. We parked up and had to wait for ages before it was light enough to see anything. Could hear several Red Grouse and Greylags around us but when we had just enough light we were able to pick out the target species - Black Grouse. Happy days. A very distant view but a bird I hadn’t seen for a while. Back to the cottage for Bagels, Shirgar Butter, cream cheese, and Scottish smoked salmon. Delicious.