Sneaked out for a couple of hours checking the Top Fields, North Cliff, Filey Fields Farm and Tip area of coastal agricultural land here in Filey this morning, and clocked relatively large aggregations of seedeaters, particularly in areas of (sadly temporary) set-aside - counts included 235 Tree Sparrows, 94 Reed Buntings, 47 Skylarks and a locally exceptional 122 Yellowhammers.
Progress marches on unhindered of late, with hedgerows ripped out, housing developments spreading like diseases and the monocultural agri-ghettos leaving barely any space for wildlife locally, but at least those fields and hedges spared for short periods still attract wintering passerines. Enjoy them while you can....
No Short-eared Owls unfortunately, although dog-walkers did inform me that bird photographers had been harassing them constantly a few days ago - an irony that was far from lost on me.... at sea, a Bonxie joined 320 Gannets in a feeding flock and at least seven Harbour Porpoise were inshore.
