What a cracking week, bookended by a fantastic couple of days guiding at Flamborough for my
Yorkshire Coast Nature Migration Specials. Our timing couldn't have been better - that is the idea, of course, but you've got to love it when a plan comes together
this well! - and we enjoyed a host of classic species, from rare drift migrants to local specialities.
Of the former, we cashed in on the extraordinary influx of Red-backed Shrikes - star birds of both days, and we even watched a pair displaying! - as well as two Icterine Warblers, one of which was the tamest, most vocal Icky I've seen in the UK; add to that Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchat, Wheatears, an interesting, unidentified Acro and plenty more, and the migration force was strong....
... while for the latter, we couldn't not soak in the glory of the seabird colony, especially at Bempton, where we'd great views of Puffins, singing Corn Buntings, Barn Owl and more. A joy to be on the mighty Head - now to Spurn for a week's guiding down there. Shit life, eh? ;-)
*Of course, the camera played very much second fiddle to getting my teams onto everything over the two days, but these just-fledged Long-tailed Tits were too much to resist.....
