Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[BirdFlower]

Corn Bunting

Really? Bollox. there was a PhD looking at them just a few years ago, and found loads. Mind you, they've finally given up the ghost on my TTV in the lower Hull valley, so things may be changing fast.

There were 4 Corn Buntings on the way back from Spurn last Tuesday. One singing just outside Kilnsea, another near Welwick, and a pair on the wires at Sunk Island. The numbers have decreased, but they are still hanging on! I saw & heard them, and I wasn't even looking out for them in particular.

 

[carman]

Hi,
Going to settle, yorkshire in a few weeks with my family and wondered if there are any good sites for wildlife spotting/photography that are accesible by foot.
We are staying in SETTLE.
Thanks,
lUKE

Malham Cove Peregrines RSPB group here. Up on Attermire Scar above Settle. Loads of moorland towards Cracoe.

 

[James Thomas]

Just back from a week on Arran, a fantastic place. It was an adventure holiday so most time was taken up but obviously squeezed in a bit of birding.

Highlights; Golden Eagles daily, Black Guillemot and Hoodies (all lifers), RTD (fishing very close) and BTD, Ravens galore, Manxies and Balearic from the ferry, awesome views of many other species, a chance to get arty with the photos in fantastic scenery. Osprey flying overhead at tree top height on the way home.

Lowlights; Downpour on thursday meant getting inland on friday was impossible so didn't find hen harriers, an eagle sp. flying across the front of the car when I wasn't in it, questoining of the occupants makes it a probable White tailed Eagle grr!

Will give some more details in the holidays forum when I get me notebook out.

PS up for a seawatch

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Just back from a week on Arran, a fantastic place. It was an adventure holiday so most time was taken up but obviously squeezed in a bit of birding.

Highlights; Golden Eagles daily, Black Guillemot and Hoodies (all lifers), RTD (fishing very close) and BTD, Ravens galore, Manxies and Balearic from the ferry, awesome views of many other species, a chance to get arty with the photos in fantastic scenery. Osprey flying overhead at tree top height on the way home.

Lowlights; Downpour on thursday meant getting inland on friday was impossible so didn't find hen harriers, an eagle sp. flying across the front of the car when I wasn't in it, questoining of the occupants makes it a probable White tailed Eagle grr!

Will give some more details in the holidays forum when I get me notebook out.

PS up for a seawatch

That's lovely shot Jim, you should get it on dudeguides. They give POTW to anyone these days.
Am seriously jealous sounds like a great trip.

 

[bitterntwisted]

Blacktoft 1815 - 2115. Glorious evening sun turning the air yellow and then the sky purple.

Xerox: 1 Little Egret, 2 Greenshank, 2 Green Sand
Marshland: c.50 Dunlin, 1 Blackwit, 1 Barn Owl and after a good long wait 1 Little Stint dropped in and showed well and close before clearing off again. Huge gathering of Lapwing as the tide pushed them up.
Townend: 7 Spotshank, 5 Ruff, 4 Blackwit, 3 Green Sand, 2 juv Yellow Wagtail, 4+ Marsh Harriers. Picked up a Peregrine which absolutely screamed through flushing everything, then a Hobby skimmed in and perched up obligingly in the harriers' tree for a while. Also 15 Snipe, c. 50 Dunlin, c. 50 Redshank, lots of Lapwing and a couple of smallish flocks of Golden Plover and Curlew over. Bearded Tits pinging a lot but not erupting visibly. Enormous gathering of ?10,000+ Starlings on wires over at Faxfleet - if it keeps up it could be a mega-roost by November.

With a confiding Stoat, a close Barn Owl, Sedge, Reed and Chiffchaff between the hides I should have called it a great evening at that, but was tempted to take one last quick scan from First hide. Took all of thirty seconds to pick up a Bittern cruising around above the reeds in the dusk.

Graham

 

[ColonelBlimp]

Has anyone got any ideas where I might see Hobbies near to Skipton, or the area thereabouts? I know they go back soon and I'll be gutted if I don't see one this year.

Similarly, any ideas on Yellow Wagtail? I have not seen a single one this year at all!

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Nearest place I know where you have a chance of hobby would be in the fairburn, St Aidens area. I know they have been hunting around occaisonally a couple present, but they may be stragglers. Thorne Moors has good numbers though, but thats's a trek...

 

[KayD]

Hi Yorkshire birders, I'm visiting East Yorks for the first time in September, kicking off with a Flamborough RSPB Skua/Shearwater Cruise on the 13th. Another definate plan is to spend a day on Spurn. Probably spending about 4 days in the area.

Just trying to collect together some gen on the best birding sites to visit in the area, is there any websites covering the area? Also does anyone know if there is any wintering sites for Twite in the area, or would we be a bit early for them anyway?

Also where would be a good place for us to book accomodation (ie near a few pubs, amenities etc). Sorry for the tourist questions....really grateful for any pointers :t:

 

[birdieboy123]

Hi Yorkshire birders, I'm visiting East Yorks for the first time in September, kicking off with a Flamborough RSPB Skua/Shearwater Cruise on the 13th. Another definate plan is to spend a day on Spurn. Probably spending about 4 days in the area.

If your visiting Spurn, check out their website http://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk. There is a B&B and a pub in the village if you wanted to stay at Spurn

 

[James Thomas]

If travelling up from Birmingham and going m6/M62 then you'll be going through the southern most part of twite breeding range around Halifax, there's a couple of places you could try around there if you don't mind a short detour, you are certainly more likely to find them there than the coast, depends on how much of a target bird it is. Keep an eye on http://calderbirds.blogspot.com/ for regular reports on twite and other birds in the area.

http://www.fbog.co.uk/ is a good place to keep an eye on, I prefer Filey to anywhere else on the east coast with a couple of decent camp sites but the night life and eateries aren't up to much!!

Johns link above also provides details of how you could stop at the observatory at Spurn http://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/staying.html

 

[KnockerNorton]

Hi Yorkshire birders, I'm visiting East Yorks for the first time in September, kicking off with a Flamborough RSPB Skua/Shearwater Cruise on the 13th. Another definate plan is to spend a day on Spurn. Probably spending about 4 days in the area.

Just trying to collect together some gen on the best birding sites to visit in the area, is there any websites covering the area? Also does anyone know if there is any wintering sites for Twite in the area, or would we be a bit early for them anyway?

Also where would be a good place for us to book accomodation (ie near a few pubs, amenities etc). Sorry for the tourist questions....really grateful for any pointers :t:

check out http://www.hullvalleywildlifegroup.org.uk/ which covers the inland bit. Best birding sites for an ad hoc visit are Spurn/Beacon Ponds area, Hornsea Mere (just up the coast) a visit to Bempton will still give lots of seabirds at this time (and is a must, just up the road from Bridlington - incidently, good fish and chips on the harbour side at Brid). Tophill Low (inland reservors and scrapes) and Paul Holme Strays (on the Humber) are good for a look.

Accommodation-wise, Hull may be your best choice (for variety, and it's quite cheap too), as the coast will be booked up with holidaymakers. The Old Town in the city centre and around the Marina is pleasant, with some good pubs (Ye Olde White Harte is the best), good museums (The Deep, etc) and plenty of shops. Hull is about 45 mins from both Brid and Spurn, so is centrally located for all the sites mentioned here. Beverley is worth a look for the Minster and is a nice unspoilt town - make sure you go to the White Horse ('Nellies') pub. You can also get up to the North Yorkshire Moors in about an hour and a half from Hull, with Grouse and Merlins etc.

If coming up on the M62, a detour to Blacktoft Sands RSPB wouldn't be far out of your way.

If you want to stay on the coast, then Scarborough is nice, Bridlington is a bit rough, Withernsea is scary and Hornsea is ok. Otherwise you're lookin at Hull or Beverley.

 

[BirdFlower]

Accommodation

Also where would be a good place for us to book accomodation (ie near a few pubs, amenities etc). Sorry for the tourist questions....really grateful for any pointers :t:[/QUOTE]

In addition to what's already been said, there is a guesthouse at West Carlton which specialises in birders which is almost halfway between Flamboro & Spurn. I've heard good reports, but don't know about prices. Website: www.west-carlton.co.uk However, it stands alone, so no amenities nearby

A good place for Twites are the beaches and boulder clay cliffs between Barmston (just north of West carlton) & Fraisthorpe. They are there in October, but not sure about Sept. Also, good numbers of Snow Buntings some winters.

I run birdwatching classes in the area, so please PM me with any more specific queries. High tides are excellent at Spurn at the moment with very close views of Whimbrel, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover etc. New pics just added to blog. They won't be as colourful in Sept, but well worth checking the tide times & visiting the Chalk Bank hides while you are there.

Hope you have a great time

Cheers
Michael
www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.com

 

[KayD]

Hi all, many thanks Birdieboy, Jim, Knocker and Birdflower for the info/links...I'm going to check all these out now. I'm waiting to hear if we're booked on the Skua Cruise first before sorting out the accomodation.

Jim -thanks for the info on Twite...still need it for a lifer so happy to have a detour and put in extra effort. Keen to try out Filey too.

Cheers guys B :t:

 

[James Thomas]

Good luck, drop in on the thread before you go we may be able to update you. Regarding the twite there are a number of feed stations around Halifax specifically aimed at twite but you could get lucky, I flushed three just half a mile from M62 J22 when driving down into Halifax this morning - that would be a five minute detour!!

 

[KayD]

Good luck, drop in on the thread before you go we may be able to update you. Regarding the twite there are a number of feed stations around Halifax specifically aimed at twite but you could get lucky, I flushed three just half a mile from M62 J22 when driving down into Halifax this morning - that would be a five minute detour!!

I'll be keeping an eye on the thread from now on :t: Thanks for the further info.

 

[Lawts]

Does anyone know if the Red-crested Pochards are still at Fairburn?

 

[kempy83]

Barn Owl!

Was sick of been stuck in decorating so went for a walk, happy to see a Barn Owl going off hunting and returning with prey several times for its young who I could hear calling from the box! I kept my distance and managed a couple of handheld record shots until a couple of different groups off people started hanging around near the box. Until I explained the fact the birds wouldn't return until they had gone! Also while sat there something caught my eye only to turn and see 4 young Wrens sat 3 feet away from me!! haha

Kempy

www.chavtwitchers.blogspot.com

 

[kempy83]

Does anyone know if the Red-crested Pochards are still at Fairburn?

Ger in East Park! there well tick'able hahaha :t:

Regards

Kempy

www.chavtwitchers.blogspot.com

 

[Chris-Leeds]

I had a scout at Fairburn on Monday and tried to see if they were in the Village Bay area but the sun made seeing things a little trricky from where I was and saw mostly coots. Though if they were in eclipse I wouldn't have known.

 

[James Thomas]

Going to the coast tomorrow hoping to find a few birds lost in the storms and northerlies, two barred crossbill anyone?

Put a few words about Arran on the holidays forum if anyone is interested