Pallas's Warbler on the beach!
Another quick dive into this autumn's memory cards, this time to pull out a few shots from Spurn in late October and early November.
Male Bearded Tit at the Warren
We were there guiding for the third autumn running, and happy to say that once again our tours were a great success, with lots of lovely clients and amazing experiences. As is now our pattern, we're there for two five-day weeks - roughly speaking the third week of October and the first week of November - and I guide a small team of different guests every day, while Rich leads the residential group.
Male Black RedstartBarn Owl in the late afternoon sun at Kilnsea Wetlands
The scheduling of the tours is of course intended to coincide with the best of late autumn migration - personally my favourite time of the year for birding on the coast - and while it's impossible to predict the extent to which migration (visibly) prevails, it always does, without fail; and this time round, we hit it bang on the nail, just as famine turned to feast.
Sparrowhawk (above) and Common Buzzard (below)
Weeks of painfully stifling south-westerlies became bird-filled, fall-inducing easterlies (with rain!) as our first week hit its stride, and then another wave arrived just as week two commenced - we couldn't have planned it any better....
Redwing (above) and Goldcrest (below) - both stars of the show, both in their multitudes
Highlights included such treats as
Pallas's Warbler, Scaup, Long-eared and
Short-eared Owls, Hawfinches, masses of
Redwings and
Blackbirds, Ring Ouzels, hundreds of
Bramblings, Goldcrests and
Robins, Jack Snipe, Little Gulls, Great Egrets, Siberian Lesser Whitethroats, Yellow-browed Warblers....
Black Redstart outside my bedroom window at the Obs
...
Siberian Chiffchaffs, Firecrests, hundreds of
Siskins and
Twite, Snow Buntings, Tundra Bean Geese, Red-rumped Swallows (including our group found adult on 3rd Nov, below)
, Woodcocks, double figures of
Black Redstarts, Black Brant, Bearded Tits, Merlins...
Snow Bunting at the breach
... and that's before you mention the vast array of expected commoner species in their multitudes across the wetlands, mudflats, estuary and farmland. We're already excited about next year, and the places are now available on the website - why not join us in autumn '23?
CLICK HERE for details!
Spot the Hen Harrier over Sandy BeachesWhoopers - resting on the Humber (above).....
Thanks to the lovely locals, particularly the obs team, including Rob, Paul, Kate, Matt, Duerden, and the resident birders for making as feel more welcome than ever - see you on the other side!
... and incoming over the North Sea
Grey Plover in almost full breeding garb
because you can never have enough Barn Owls
Male Black Redstart
Sparrowhawk (above) and Common Buzzard (below)
Redwing (above) and Goldcrest (below) - both stars of the show, both in their multitudes
Spot the Hen Harrier over Sandy Beaches
... and incoming over the North Sea
Grey Plover in almost full breeding garb
because you can never have enough Barn Owls
