Puffin at Flamborough

Further up from the Wren came accross this little fellow fairly close too on the cliff face below the railings.


Probably my best pictures of Puffin todate. I usually find the Bempton birds a bit too distant. Perhaps I will get to Farne one day.

Flamborough Head

Wren at Flamborough Head today.
Most of the attention from the asembled throng was northwards
where the King Eider was very distant. It then made off towards North landing from whence we had come!
So the impatient birders in us made off along the coastal path southwards.
Imediately at the back of the lighthouse was a Wheatear, getting a record (blured) shot we also saw (blured record shot!) Black Redstart before this Wren on the wall of the Light House station.

Linnets & Meadow Pipit

There was a good number of Linnets present in the overflow car park field at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.

I sat down near tjhe small pool in the corner of the field for 20 minutes. The Linnets did land fairly near but still a bit too distant. The pictures do show a feamle with the male nicely out of focus in the back ground.

The male is in very beautiful plummage.

Whilst hoping the Linnets would land closer the Meadow Pipit did.

Goldcrest

This confiding bird was in the Willow on the board walk to the East Hide at Filey Dams this afternoon.


I could not believe it as the bird was not in the slightest bothered by people and was in the Willow both sides of the path just above head height and closer.


The light was very difficult and in getting more light into the picture I ended up on too slow a speed and ruining many efforts. The camera struggled to focus on the greenish bird in green willow sapplings at times.


I have to be well pleased though that I managed to capture shots of a bird that have always been very distant before. I usually hear Goldcrest a lot but seldom see them.


A chap said, 'it was probably an influx bird that had dropped in'. Don't know if this is true but this Goldcrest was unlike any I have come accross before.

North York Moors

Went to Newtondale Forest yesterday and saw a large flock of Crossbills and Siskin feeding in Elder trees.

As the weather was inclement we traveled onto the Pickering to Whitby Moor Road and found a number of Golden Plover in the large field where you access the Roman Road on Wheeldale Moor. The birds are in beautiful golden plumage at the moment. When a flock took to the air I counted at least 40.

Also present was Curlew and Woodcock making it's call. We then saw several Woodcock flying and dropping down into the grasses.

Meadow Pipits present and good numbers of Lapwings. Further up the road towards Whiby there was Red Grouse very near the roadside where I pictured the female and her mate. Love those feathery legs.

Reed Bunting & Tree Sparrow

Pictures of Reed Bunting and Tree Sparrow taken last Friday at Filey Dams through the viewing screens whilst watching the Garganey swim up and down.

Stuck in the middle _ _ _ _

Mandarin to the left of me _ _ _

Garganey to the right _ _ _ _

Another trip to Filey Dams fianlly paid off today with the male Garganey showing well all day.
At first it was dabbling round the weed to the right hand side side of the main pool before resting on the bank to the right.

The bonus was a male Mandarin which was in the other corner to the left side of the main pool and showed on the 'burr' briefly when I got the pictures of it.

I returned after an hour at the Country Park to find the drake Garganey swimming around with the Teal and other ducks.

The Garganey is a smashing bird, but it was great to see the Mandarin as well.

Feeders Tonight

Fulmar

Mention of the return of Kittiwakes and Fulmars to their nesting site on the cliff below the Castle at last nights Field Nats meetingtook me down in my lunch break and I managed a couple of shots of a Fulmar before the rain/hail started.


A Peregrine returned just as I had to leave for the rain. A number of Rock Pipits in the vicinity.


20 minutes and a sandwich on the move as a work break - priceless.

Oh dear _ _ _ back to the drawing board!

1.


2.


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4.

On the way to North Cave yesterday we watched the Red Kites between Warter and Nunsburnholme near Pocklington, at least two Kites present most likely more.

I don't know but the birds looked relatively 'big' in the view finder and seemed to be coming closer towards me sometimes but the pictures are all pretty distant.

A pair of Buzzard were also present and one sat on a distant telegraph pole, quite small even in the scope. This is the first time I have seen one sat on a telegraph pole in England, although I have seen them on the ground.

So my eagerness to download the pictures was quickly dampened with the results.

The pictures are more like id silouhettes, fairly obvious but answers below.


1. Buzzard 2. Kite 3. Kite 4. Buzzard