Distal rhynchokinesis in Purple Sandpipers

Out on the Brigg as high tide approached and with the ever-decreasing rocky outcrop and its waders to myself, a Purple Sandpiper was particularly accommodating (more of in the next post); so much so that it required my crawling backwards to reach the minimum focus distance on the camera before firing off a few shots.

One of which shows the bird displaying a peculiar phenomenon known as distal rhynchokinesis - the ability to manipulate or 'bend' the upper mandible, usually for feeding purposes (although in this case a yawn seemed to be the best explanation). More here, and if anyone has more to share on the subject, I'd be interested to hear.

Hedgehog Cam - Filey, 8th Aug 2012

Snuffling around in the grass a few hundred metres from our first encounter a few days ago, this palm-sized entertainer seemed fine with human company this morning, but was eventually shepherded away from too much disturbance just in case (after camping it up for the camera, that is).

Let sleeping hoglets lie

One of two encountered the other day in the rides within the Top Scrub here in Filey, and one of two specific wildlife requests from our visiting friends Meghan and Jonah (the other was seal pups). Job done.

At one point, a tiny Toad hopped onto its nose, gently batted away with the waft of a paw, eyes remaining closed. Ridiculous.

 

 

Filey, 15th - 31st July 2012

As mentioned in the last summary, the midsummer doldrums are at least punctuated by a little variety here on the coast, with the first rumblings of seabird and wader movements providing enough good reason to make the effort.

 

Dunlin and Purple Sandpiper

A handful of sea-watching sessions, as well as the last period of the bay monitoring surveys, have provided plenty of opportunity to enjoy passing seabirds over the last fortnight. While there's been a lack of scarcities thus far (it still being early in the season), the expected species have put in enjoyable performances.

Sanderlings

Highlights (aside from the local breeding birds) have included: plenty of Manx Shearwaters, a handful of Sooty Shearwaters, regular Arctic Skuas and Bonxies, good counts of Common Scoters (with a peak of 358 on 27th), a pair of Great Northern Divers heading north (21st), an adult Little Gull and a Velvet Scoter (19th), and impressive numbers of Sandwich, Common and particularly Arctic Terns.

Black-tailed Godwit

Wader passage has indeed become more interesting, without truly kicking in as yet; Whimbrels, Redshanks, Oystercatchers, Dunlins, Turnstones, Sanderlings, Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpipers and Curlews have all passed by and stopped off on the Brigg in variable but generally small numbers, while single summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit (at the Dams, 31st) and a Purple Sandpiper (on the Brigg, 16th) have added a little extra glamour.

With plenty of opportunity and possibility upcoming, this should hopefully be the last of the somewhat sedate fortnightly summaries of late - August is here, and there's everything to play for.....

Skuas and Seals

From the Brigg over the last couple of days - seal pups, Bonxie and Arctic Skua.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting For Godwit

July 31st: It's been a long time coming, but a couple of hours at the Dams this evening in dull conditions happily produced the desired result.

With water levels dropping encouragingly and waders on the move, the hope of a long-legged visitor came good in the shape of this moulting but mainly summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit; hopefully the harbinger of more activity at this small but perfectly-formed wetland over the coming weeks.

 

 

Orange-breasted Green Pigeons, India

It's not so often the words 'beautiful' and 'pigeon' sit comfortably together in the same sentence, but in India, things are always that bit more gaudy and stylish. These stunningly psychedelic Orange-breasted Green Pigeons were attracted to the fruiting trees just behind our guest house at Agonda Beach in Goa.

Six months have somehow passed since we were kicking back out there, but there are still a few entries worth of shots to edit and upload, so hopefully I'll be wrapping up the trip over the next week or two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Cave Wetlands, 20th July 2012

 

 male Greater Scaup

An afternoon jolly with the old man and Lenora to North Cave Wetlands, the latter being the operative word - the sunny-intervals-and-zero-chance-of-precipitation forecast seeing the Met Office sink still deeper into the realms of farce as we drove through blankets of rain and sat out heavy showers in the hides.

 

But, a pleasant first visit to this small but impressive-managed YWT reserve tucked away off a minor road in the East Yorkhire countryside, about 45 minutes south-west of Flamborough (more about the reserve here).

 

Yellow-legged Gull

The place was buzzing with birdlife despite the conditions, with the pools alive with much just-fledged and just-about-to-fledge activity (especially Black-headed Gulls and Shelducks).

Which would've done just fine, but two unexpected bonuses awaited at the last hide, both conveniently on show right in front of us - a Yellow-legged Gull and a Greater Scaup. Nice.

The sea provides

19th July: With a blustery north-westerly throughout, pretty much all day staring at the waves was a constant pleasure. First up, monitoring the bay from early on - a dark morph Arctic Skua heading south, a good trickle of Manx Shearwaters heading north (all skirting the Brigg) and, most impressively, a silver-and-chocolate Sooty Shearwater, direct from the southern oceans and the first of the year, all keeping interest up throughout the morning.

Velvet Scoter 

And then as luck would have it, my time was my own from mid-afternoon, and so out onto the Brigg for a few hours seawatching. A half hour walk from the front door, via the beach, the rocky southern flank of the Brigg and into the hide (I know, what a commute) just in time to beat the incoming tide, and birds were on the move from the start.

 

 Sandwich Tern

With the waves smashing dramatically against the disappearing rocky shelves of the outer Brigg and a swell that made dry land especially precious, movements were clearly underway and there were plenty of gems in amongst the throngs of commoner seabirds.

Fulmar

The highlights included two Sooty Shearwaters, close in and gliding into the wind, over seventy Manxies, a Velvet Scoter, an adult summer Little Gull in with a Kittiwake feeding frenzy, and an impressive northbound movement of 38 Arctic Terns.

female Eider

Back-up was provided by small numbers of Teal, Whimbrels, Common and Sandwich Terns, Common Scoters, and on the Brigg, a skittish Sanderling, four Turnstones and Common Sandpiper  in  amongst the seals, Shags and Oystercatchers.

Oystercatchers

Teal heading north

Highly entertaining, and doubtless a modest cast compared with upcoming sessions over the next few weeks. Happy days.

young male Eider - semi-resident on the Brigg