Rain hard, Reynard

Out here in the countryside, our foxes are far less trusting of humans (for good reason), and so any episode which involves getting close to them is a rare treat indeed. One such episode occurred early this morning, when - in a torrential downpour that soaked everything (including me) to the skin - I was drying out in the hide at the Dams, when I noticed I had company arriving from over the reserve. Expecting the new arrival to bolt when confronted with me, instead, the noise of the camera shutter proved too much of a curiosity. Beautiful.

Cliff Riches

A few from yesterday's weekly Kittiwake productivity plot - above, adult and below, just fledged juvenile, plus Fulmar and a smart, fresh, local juvenile Peregrine.

Too much to Swallow

A joy to spend time with here on Carr Naze, Filey this morning, several Swallow families were quality entertainment, especially when the parents fed the young (successfully or otherwise - note last shot).

Four-spotted Chasers & Black-tailed Skimmers

As avian action predictably ebbs, so Odonata flows - especially with the beautiful weather here on the North Yorkshire coast presently. Lots of dragonflies to enjoy here in Filey at the moment, and while I don't have a fancy macro lens or the like, it's good to be able to shoot the more co-operative types, which in this case are Four-spotted Chasers (above and below) and Black-tailed Skimmers (lower two).

Stormy nights

From the night before last: A killer sunset greeted us over the Rocket Pole Field as we descended the slope down to the Brigg, followed by another successful catch of six Stormies (including this bird) - it's going very well this year, with a tally of 26 over four attempts. Proceedings were rounded off by an unexpected and incredible light show out over the sea (see very poor and unrepresentative hand-held kit lens photo below) - the multi-coloured phenomena of noctilucent clouds. We got lucky, with a bright and kaliedoscopic performance to rival any aurora, shifting in shape and colour as we watched from the shore.

For more details on when the sessions take place and how to attend, please email me at mpearson[at]fbog.co.uk

Rare breeders

As in, local rare breeders.... Mistle Thrushes are increasingly hard to come by as a local breeding species, and so this juvenile (one of a family party) was a pleasure to bump into this week. Better still, a tip-off from a local (thanks Andy) put me on the trail of a pair of Little Owls; a little sniffing around resulted in one bird giving itself up in a hedgerow close to what looks like a perfect breeding location. They've become so rare locally that they're recorded less than annually in the Obs area, and this bird was in fact a new species for my Filey list (if I had one).

Midsummer miscellany

Roe Deer stag, Parish Wood

 

Grey Partridge, Rocket Pole Field

 

Seal pup on the beach

 

Painted Lady

 

Painted Lady

 

Ruff and Mallard ducklings, East Lea

 

Male Bullfinch, Top Scrub

 

Common Scoters from the Brigg (with Bempton Cliffs as a backdrop)

 

Gadwall and Teal off the Brigg

 

Bar-tailed Godwit

Returning Dunlins

Among an increasing trickle of returning shorebirds over recent days, a couple of adult Dunlins on the Brigg.

Swift action

A few from this morning while counting the southbound throngs of Swifts at my favoured vismig spot of Muston Sands. We (with Keith at Hunmanby Gap) managed a minimum of 1,400, with birds moving at all heights (from practically invisible to waist-heigh) and on a fairly broad front (a good mile inland to over the bay itself).