Ungripped (well mostly)

Pied Flycatcher

Got to Hawsker a bit early this morning, it was still dark. However, I intended to go seawatching first and it's a good 30 minutes stroll to Rain Dale and the seawatch spot. On the way, in the gloom, I still managed to find Pied Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Willow Warbler and just at the bottom of Rain Dale a Garden Warbler.

The sea was not impressive, so uncharacteristically I gave up after half an hour having logged not very many Common Scoter, Teal, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Cormorant, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern.

Rain Dale deserved some serious attention and eventually three Pied Flys sat in the same bush round and about were many Willow Warblers, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and Blackcap. Walking back along the railway line there was at least one migrant in every bush (pretty much).

Once back in mobile range I picked up a message from JB that he'd just found a Wryneck in the Saltwick Nab area so I made my way slowly back to the car and headed the mile or so up the coast.

The Wryneck was uncooperative but there were a few migrants about (a large reduction compared to the previous late afternoon though). In the end I settled for watching a patch of bushes that contained quite a few Sylvia warblers. I'd been watching for about 10 minutes or so when I got on to a Garden Warbler and a bird appeared next to it, Icterine Warbler. Reckon I deserved that. The Iccy showed really well for ten minutes and then disappeared. However, JB alerted returned to the spot and it showed well again in the sunshine for another ten or fifteen minutes.

Spotted Flycatcher

Family turned up for lunch and the afternoon was spent wandering around Hawsker. There were now few birds in the cliff top bushes and bar the occasional bird or two and 7 Whinchats in the top wheat field things were much quieter. I was a bit puffed out anyway, so headed home.

Hawsker totals today: Swallow - 12 (150 yesterday); House Martin - 2 (excluding breeders, 40 or so yesterday); Tree pipit - 2; Yellow Wagtail - 1; Redstart - 12; Whinchat - 8; Wheatear - 9, Sedge Warbler - 1; Blackcap - 3; Garden Warbler - 4; Whitethroat - 5; Willow Warbler - 37; Spotted Flycatcher - 1; Pied Flycatcher - 11.