Yorkshire Birding (54 Viewers)

[Pete Mella]

Which days would be better for the birds next week?

Hi Himalaya, look we can't say go this day next week, or go that day, because undoubtedly the forecast will change a bit and you can't pin it down to that degree really at this distance. I'm sure you know what it's like when you're checking if a day trip's or holiday's going to be sunny or raining - you never know for absolute certainty this far in advance.

You've seen all the advice above in the last few pages, make a decision based on that and when you can do it. We only know what you know, i.e. what the current forecast says. Just keep your eyes on it.

As a working birder I feel your pain that you have to plan ahead and can't drop everything when conditions are right. I've ended up with many planned journeys where conditions haven't been quite as good as they seem on a long term forecast, and even spent entire days trudging Flamborough Head in September with just a couple of Wheatear to show for my efforts. But that's the nature of birding.

There will always be some good stuff to see at Spurn, even if it's common migrants or waders, and the atmosphere there's amazing, so just go and enjoy it. Weather next week looks hopeful*, but nothing's absolute so don't go with too big expectations so you set yourself up for disappointment, just go for a good day out and consider rare stuff a bonus. Good luck.

*EDIT - it's actually looking less and less hopeful the more time goes on, but that's the nature of long term forecasts for you.

 

[Himalaya]

Hi Pete,

Most day trips I take are local rarely over 60 miles away so I can be very flexible about that. I am tied to work Friday to Sunday and then Thursday. I can take one day off and juggle the rest around. I will make 2 trips to Spurn this year. One day in October, the last day the boat trip happens with the RSPB.

The sightings have really trickled down to a few. I have checked the wind direction and its now anything but Easterly but will keep an eye on it. I had no idea the wind direction forecast could change as well. It is the first time I am using wind direction to plan a day out

Hi Himalaya, look we can't say go this day next week, or go that day, because undoubtedly the forecast will change a bit and you can't pin it down to that degree really at this distance. I'm sure you know what it's like when you're checking if a day trip's or holiday's going to be sunny or raining - you never know for absolute certainty this far in advance.

You've seen all the advice above in the last few pages, make a decision based on that and when you can do it. We only know what you know, i.e. what the current forecast says. Just keep your eyes on it.

As a working birder I feel your pain that you have to plan ahead and can't drop everything when conditions are right. I've ended up with many planned journeys where conditions haven't been quite as good as they seem on a long term forecast, and even spent entire days trudging Flamborough Head in September with just a couple of Wheatear to show for my efforts. But that's the nature of birding.

There will always be some good stuff to see at Spurn, even if it's common migrants or waders, and the atmosphere there's amazing, so just go and enjoy it. Weather next week looks hopeful*, but nothing's absolute so don't go with too big expectations so you set yourself up for disappointment, just go for a good day out and consider rare stuff a bonus. Good luck.

*EDIT - it's actually looking less and less hopeful the more time goes on, but that's the nature of long term forecasts for you.

 

[super-silly-um]

Hi Pete,

It is the first time I am using wind direction to plan a day out

I recommend learning a little about migration and weather.

 

[James Thomas]

Tomorrows Skua cruise is off.

 

[Himalaya]

Now this sort of day I would like:-

5th September 2013 - Thursday

Migration/Sea-watches 06.00-10.00, 13.00-19.40. Foggy to start then a mixed day of sun and cloud with occasional sea fret, an almost still start with a light SE breeze picking up which moved to the N in the afternoon.
There was a good arrival of migrants including a new Wryneck caught and ringed at the Warren and later seen by Canal Scrape. Migrant totals today were 2 Cuckoo, 2 Tree Pipit, 40 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Redstart, 48 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, 2 Garden Warbler, 5 Lesser Whitethroat, 26 Whitethroat, 8 Willow Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Pied Flycatcher, the Red-backed Shrike still by Southfield Farm.
A few birds started to move after the fog lifted and included 13 Shelduck, 51 Wigeon, 44 Teal, 27 Common Scoter, 6 Red-throated Diver, 38 Fulmar, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Hobby, 5 Oystercatcher, 5 Sanderling, 7 Knot, 17 Dunlin, 5 Ruff, 11 Snipe, 10 Arctic Skua, 19 Little Gull, 3 Swift, 200 Swallow, 30 House Martin, 7 Meadow Pipit, 2 flava Wagtail.
Other birds seen included 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Ruff, 7 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Bonxie, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Kingfisher.


A bit lower in numbers than some of the days over a week ago but still good numbers of passerines.

 

[Duckwoman]

ID assistance

Hi folks - would appreciate a little help with this wader (seen at Blacktoft). It had bright yellow legs, some spots underneath the tail and a prominent pale circle around the eye. It was solitary but close to spotshanks and redshanks. It was about the size of a spotshank but, when all the birds were briefly flushed, it never flocked with any of the other shanks and landed on its own again. I've since looked at all my books really tried to make it into a spotshank but there aren't enough transition illustrations in most fieldguides

 

[Liquid Len]

Hi Linda,

You can't possibly try to make it into a Spotted Red when it isn't one! Its a Common Redshank, the overall pattern, bill/leg colour & pointed-tipped tertials suggesting 1st winter. Aside from plumage differences, bill & leg proportions wrong for Spotted Red & 'jizz' totally different. Did you not see the wing pattern when it was flushed??

Hope this is helpful?

LL

 

[Duckwoman]

Hi Linda,

You can't possibly try to make it into a Spotted Red when it isn't one! Its a Common Redshank, the overall pattern, bill/leg colour & pointed-tipped tertials suggesting 1st winter. Aside from plumage differences, bill & leg proportions wrong for Spotted Red & 'jizz' totally different. Did you not see the wing pattern when it was flushed??

Hope this is helpful?

LL

thanks for your help - I was standing at the back of the hide and couldn't watch it while it was flying. I've just checked another fieldguide (Mitchel Beasley - Hayman and Hume) and I've found a first winter bird that shows all the right characteristics. Neither Collins nor Keightly and Madge fieldguides show a redshank looking like that. I don't get a lot of time any more to study all the different wader plumages so glad you could put my mind at rest.

 

[northernloon]

Linda, certainly an odd looking beast. As Len suggests the proportions are 'off' for Spotshank. The eye-ring, the absence of a supercilium and no hint of a droopy bill tip all rule that option out.

 

[Duckwoman]

Linda, certainly an odd looking beast. As Len suggests the proportions are 'off' for Spotshank. The eye-ring, the absence of a supercilium and no hint of a droopy bill tip all rule that option out.

That's what I was thinking but none of my illustrations were suggesting a common redshank either - mystery solved. Hopefully I can sharpen up my wader ID when things get back to normal. Interesting lesson about which fieldguide I might want to take out with me in future though.

 

[northernloon]

I minded of a Greater Yellowlegs down in the Midlands (last year?) that was a Greenshank with yellow legs. Many birders had happily ticked it until one brave soul pointed out that when it raised it's wings there was a whacking great V up it's back.

 

[Duckwoman]

I minded of a Greater Yellowlegs down in the Midlands (last year?) that was a Greenshank with yellow legs. Many birders had happily ticked it until one brave soul pointed out that when it raised it's wings there was a whacking great V up it's back.

I did think of a lesser yellowlegs that I'd seen a few years ago but I found a photo of one on the phone so I could rule it out.

 

[Pete Mella]

Now this sort of day I would like:-

5th September 2013 - Thursday

Sounds like a good day there, but just remember the Spurn Obs day sightings is the accumulation of many observers' efforts over the entire day at a reasonably large site, and not a likely day list for an individual.

The skuas, gulls etc will be seen by a dedicated sea watch, and it's not possible to spend the time scouring brambles for passerines AND looking out to sea. But saying all that if you saw a good chunk of that lot you'd be having a great day - and shows you don't need perfect conditions for there to be plenty about. :t:

 

[Zarapito]

That's what I was thinking but none of my illustrations were suggesting a common redshank either - mystery solved. Hopefully I can sharpen up my wader ID when things get back to normal. Interesting lesson about which fieldguide I might want to take out with me in future though.

There is also a soft back edition published by "Bounty", for its size its a helpful field guide being reasonably comprehensive and with a good range of useful pictures for each entry. I have carried it with me for a number of years and it slips into the pocket a treat. Just a word of warning though there are no sizes shown just fairly unhelpful descriptors such as "small", "stocky" etc. which can leave you tearing out your hair in the field.

 

[halftwo]

The Two-barred crossbills were showing this morning. Two males sitting atop a bare tree. Plenty of Common crossbills too. Males coming into adult plumage.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

H2 do they show in the afternoon? Can't get down there am but quite up for an afternoon trip

 

[Pete Mella]

The Two-barred crossbills were showing this morning. Two males sitting atop a bare tree. Plenty of Common crossbills too. Males coming into adult plumage.

Two males, eh? Wonder if that's a 10th bird, or if the juvs are moulting.

 

[Himalaya]

Ha! Yes I know! I would not be expecting to see 50 plus Whinchat, Redstarts, Yellow Wagtails etc

According to the BBC and MetOffice there is a north-easterly this Saturday. Would it mean its better come on the Saturday or Sunday or even both? I am tempted to spend a night away but that might be difficult at this stage.

Sounds like a good day there, but just remember the Spurn Obs day sightings is the accumulation of many observers' efforts over the entire day at a reasonably large site, and not a likely day list for an individual.

The skuas, gulls etc will be seen by a dedicated sea watch, and it's not possible to spend the time scouring brambles for passerines AND looking out to sea. But saying all that if you saw a good chunk of that lot you'd be having a great day - and shows you don't need perfect conditions for there to be plenty about. :t:

 

[Keith Dickinson]

If the NE-lies are forecast to last over the weekend then getting to Spurn early doors on Sunday would be your best bet, that way nocturnal migrants would have landed and be still visible before they settle down to roost for the day, and any daytime migrants would have chance to arrive.

 

[Himalaya]

It just appears to be Saturday so far. I wont be able to get there before 9am Lets hope there is no switch!

If the NE-lies are forecast to last over the weekend then getting to Spurn early doors on Sunday would be your best bet, that way nocturnal migrants would have landed and be still visible before they settle down to roost for the day, and any daytime migrants would have chance to arrive.