Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[Hotspur]

Ive got 2 shots but they are awful - the better of the 2 is on my blog. If you want it your welcome just pm me.

 

[Lawts]

Does anyone have any shots of the wrynecks below the light house at Flamborough on Saturday that they wouldn't mind sharing? Mine are unuseable :-C

I'll send you one when I get them off the camera. Mine aren't too bad - same view as James'.

 

[Lawts]

You’re absolutely right Steve. I’m not even sure if the bird in flight was the Tips so it wouldn’t be sporting to tick it. I’m far more happy to tick the Great Snipe for the same reasons as you. At least I could see the Flambro bird was a large snipe, while the PGT was just a brown blob! Worse things happen at sea and it’s not as if PGT is a major Blocker or anything. Should be loads more this week

As for the Boolivaceous, thats just damn annoying!

Mike to add even further weight, this particular bird isn't well-marked and my brother said Gropper was also in the area. His view was those that were getting the 19:00pm views (DP excepted) wouldn't have much to write home about. He might just be trying to soften the blow of course.

Unlike Dave who can also boast seeing it in the field before it was trapped. He was with the two finders and a couple of other birders to start with, and saw it fly into the hedge it was flushed from - struck by its large size and hefty bill and head. The latest Birdguides in-hand shows the large bill very well.

Hey ho:smoke:

 

[liverpool_bob]

While everyone seems to have been going drift migrant and buzzard crazy on the coast I spent most of last week having a rather sedate, soggy but ultimately a relaxing time birding around my patch.

Most of the summer migrants seem to have cleared off but still plenty of hirundines and a few warblers (mostly Willow). Otherwise it was rather quiet for the common farm/woodland species, no really notable gatherings.

It was quiet for migrant passerines but I did manage to find my 2nd and 3rd Wheatear of the autumn, a party of 4 Lesser Redpoll (scarce locally), loads of Meadow Pipits down and flying over. Plus a late Swift - always a pleasure to see one long after the rest have gone.

I thought it was wet in August, but just how wet is the ground now? Unreal. As a consequence most fields are still stubble with almost no ploughing done yet, and so no really large gatherings of small gulls to sift through and very few Lapwing and not a single Golden Plover all week. There must be some really massive flocks building up somewhere - but where?

One of the local dykes (no, not that kind) near Foston-on-the-Wolds had become blocked and burst it's banks the previous weekend; attached are two piccues of the ensuing mess. That paddock looks perfect for marsh terns :t: I doubt the water will hang around all that long but I'll be checking it out next time, for sure!

A few waders still visiting flooded fields on their way south - a Greenshank, 7 Green Sandpiper, and a few Snipe. Totally unexpected was the party of 10 Ringed plover (second record!!) and a juv Black-tailed Godwit flying east (patch tick!!). Don't look at the pictures too closely, the floods were deserted.

A couple of Marsh Harriers were the best raptors and the only bird that looked like it was purposefully headed anywhere was a Common Buzzard heading SW. All the other 4-5 buzzards during the week were definitely Common and all hanging around regular spots so presumably local. And I left on Saturday afternoon so the Honeys were no doubt waiting just for me to leave anyway, the gits.

A friend found a ringed dead Barn Owl in June and we've since found out it was ringed as a nestling at Wansford almost 2 years prior to the day. It had moved about 4km - which I'm guessing is typical. The population around the top of the valley seems especially healthy at the moment and the provision of nest boxes over the last decade or so must have something to do with it.

Anyhoo, back to the grindstone - lots of weekend commitments coming up so prob won't be out to play again till late October now :-C

 

[Hotspur]

Hi bob is that the floods near lissett?

 

[liverpool_bob]

Hi bob is that the floods near lissett?

It's the same drainage system, but further inland toward Foston. It's flooded all the way through apparently. Lisset's a bit outside my usual range.

 

[markstenton]

I'll send you one when I get them off the camera. Mine aren't too bad - same view as James'.

Many thanks Steve ( and James) for your offers

 

[Lawts]

You’re absolutely right Steve. I’m not even sure if the bird in flight was the Tips so it wouldn’t be sporting to tick it. I’m far more happy to tick the Great Snipe for the same reasons as you. At least I could see the Flambro bird was a large snipe, while the PGT was just a brown blob! Worse things happen at sea and it’s not as if PGT is a major Blocker or anything. Should be loads more this week

As for the Boolivaceous, thats just damn annoying!

Mike, check out the thread on the Great Snipe - one or two are querying the id on that bird now!

 

[Mike Richardson]

I know I’m not the best person to comment on such matters but I don’t see how the photos rule out Great Snipe (at least from the pics in Collins and several on the net). The bird was seen in good light by some very good birders before the fog rolled in and wasn’t initially identified from the two photos that have since appeared on the net. It’s very easy for people who did not see the bird on Saturday to cast doubt on the identification now.

 

[Hotspur]

Wilson's Phal in East Yorkshire! Where im not sure but it flew across the river from alkborough flats. So fingers crossed blacktoft or faxfleet have a nice surprise in the morning.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Is Wilsons Phal a good Yorks bird?
It's Keiths day off tomorrow - nothing ever turns up on Wednesdays...

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Thanks Marcus:t:, actually there will be some good birds in Yorkshire tomorrow, as I'm driving over to Preston to resupply Craig. Calling in at Brockholes Quarry for a shufti as well. Well, I can't go right past the entrance without going in can I ....it wouldn't be polite.

 

[Ingsbirder]

I know I’m not the best person to comment on such matters but I don’t see how the photos rule out Great Snipe (at least from the pics in Collins and several on the net). The bird was seen in good light by some very good birders before the fog rolled in and wasn’t initially identified from the two photos that have since appeared on the net. It’s very easy for people who did not see the bird on Saturday to cast doubt on the identification now.

To be fair it doesn't seem like people there on Saturday who saw the bird can cast much light on the ID either

Whilst photos of this record shot quality don't rule out Great Snipe they don't support it either. Where is the mid-wing pannel, where are the pale tips to the coverts framing the midwing panel, why is there a broad white trailing edge to the wing, why is the underwing pale, why does there appear to be a band on the underwing, why do the belly and underparts look pale? If the photos are all that people (who weren't there) have to go on then they are bound to ask such questions.

I'm sure if someone who was there (you?) can answer these questions then the folk who comment on the photos will be able to put these features down to being an artefact of the pics.

Perhaps the bird in the photos is not the bird that was originally found?

 

[James Thomas]

You've shown yourself a BF voyeur Darrell, thought I'd repay the compliment and quote you! Always have a laugh at your site!

though i think 'birdforum' is crap most of the time i liked this by 'lawts'

My words from last Sunday!! What a difference a week makes in birding. The views on the 14:00pm flush were very poor - brief and in thick fog. Nevertheless I'm having it based on its bulk, its silent rise, and its low straight flight. Also, a birder on site (and I still don't know how) managed a couple of record shots showing the bird to have a deep keel and long wings.

thats me that is!!!!!

Darrells pics are below and his blog here

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

If anyone fanices a lift to Waxham on Thursday let me know. I have a meeting in Essex and will be making the slight detour if the SC Flycatcher is still there.

 

[Lawts]

What with missing the PG Warbler, the Boolivaceous thingy, talk of taking my Great Snipe of me, not to mention talk of taking my Brown Fly off me, and this Semi-Collared, which I know will be if I don't and won't be if I do, and the Collared that should be because I didn't, I'll be glad when this week is over!!

 

[Hotspur]

Steve, im next to certain that the booliviceous was a Booted Warbler, not sykes, WW, GW or Eastern Olly.

 

[liverpool_bob]

Steve, im next to certain that the booliviceous was a Booted Warbler, not sykes, WW, GW or Eastern Olly.

The photos look like a booted, like that means owt coming from me (seen two)

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Wilson's Phal in East Yorkshire! Where im not sure but it flew across the river from alkborough flats. So fingers crossed blacktoft or faxfleet have a nice surprise in the morning.

Top prediction James

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Oh F-ing Testicles..... I wish I hadn't logged on! I'm just leaving for Preston now, and looked on birdguides to see if anything over that way and noticed the phal at Blacktoft. Told you yesterday Marcus... bound to be good birds about as I'm not in Yorkshire.:C