This day shall forthwith be known as P-fG Day

Lazing in bed at 7 a.m., not expecting a birding day a familiar sound came through the open Velux. "Pinkfeet!" I yelled and rushed specless and contactlensless to the next Velux where a blurry V confirmed my hearing, probably about 250 or so. Then I heard but did not see a skein. Louise on her run at 8 a.m. managed to hear but not see a skein but whilst in the bath called me off the computer as she could hear "wink-wink from her bath via the bathroom Velux; two skeins 136 and 41 (omitted from BirdGuides total), these at 10ish. I then engaged with the job of the day using the strimmer, this probably meant I missed a pile of geese as when I stopped for lunch there was a 270 and a 250 that joined up and then in fairly short succession a 250, 110, 50, 150, 7, 250, 42. At 1.20 p.m. there was a 225 followed by a 102. At 2:55 p.m. there was a 120 and at 3:30 p.m. a skein was heard but not seen. So eighteen skeins for a total of 2,253 seen plus an unknown number in the unseen skeins. Brilliant.

Cleared out

Early morning there were a few bits and bats in the Saltwick area, one Redstart, one Pied Plycatcher, one Pink-footed Goose went over low. JB had worked the ground the previous day and found little.

Best bird of Friday was a Yellow-browed Warbler near Robin Hood's Bay heard by JB.

However, this morning, Halifax Crew arrive, walk in to Hawsker Bottoms and in a few minutes have found a Red-breasted Flycatcher. Well done, Nick. JB slightly miffed as he'd spent a long time working the very spot the previous day.

I had to pack up early in the morning but late afternoon we worked west of Hawsker and managed to dig out a Garden Warbler. There was a smart Red-throated Diver in summer plumage on the sea. At dusk two skeins of Pink-footed Goose, a 90 and an 18.

Apparently one too many

Bumped in to one of the farmers today and immediately he was "There's too many hawks." "They blame farmers for all the song birds going but it's not us it's the hawks."

Songbird Survival et al are spreading their misinformation far and wide, it's time they were countered more effectively. They provide the agricultural community an excuse for their more damaging practices allowing them to say they don't impact on farmland bird populations and it encourages the shooting fraternity to pop at anything with hooked bill and claw.

If there are "too many hawks" and they are damaging song bird populations how is it that Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Siskin are doing so well? These are prime prey items. Of course Sparrowhawks have changed their diet, they no longer enjoy the coarse flavours of Greenfinch and will only accept Skylark grilled lightly garnished with rocket and basil.

Ungripped - again

Bit slow on the draw with the camera today so Whinchat was all I could manage

A meeting ending late afternoon across town provided the opportunity. It had been thick fog on the coast this morning and had drizzled a little. Arrived in the Saltwick area to an immediate score, Pied Flycatcher, Chiffchaff, Red-breasted Flycatcher number 1 and then Red-breasted Flycatcher number 2. This all in a few minutes. The second bird was slightly sullied by a leg iron and a bit of enquiry uncovered that "young" WN had been active earlier in the day netting this bird and a Yellow-browed Warbler. One of four or five Chiffies was also carrying metal. A Lesser Whitethroat was neat, a Willow Warbler, then what's this? Round tail, long bill, whoooo it's a Locustella. Fortunately the bird gave excellent views and proved to be a Grasshopper Warbler. A walk down the hill uncovered another Lesser Whitethroat. I then elected, perhaps unwisely to hike round to the lone Sallow. It's a bit of a walk but this was the spot where there were birds at the weekend. The Sun did not help so the crest that showed was unidentifiable. A Whinchat and a Stonechat showed, as did three Roe Deer and about 5 Speckled Wood. The walk back produced Wheatear and another Stonechat. The gully held Goldcrests and Robins, both of which had increased since the weekend. Then back to the R-bF place with more views. Yellow-browed Warbler called twice.I wandered off to look at gardens and looking back saw a Phyllosc that appeared to have wing bar and a heavy supercilium - various expletives. Galloped back to the spot and proceeded to get poor and inconclusive views. Heard the Y-b W again. In the end I think the wing bar may have just been a Chiffy but not sure. A last garden proved empty but the Sun was falling and birds were skulking.

All quiet on the eastern front

Tried the golf course on the way to work. The wind was blowing in from the north and the only migrant was a Sandwich Tern, wished I was at the Old Nab and had the day.

After work with news of Red-breasted Flycatchers around I tried Saltwick. I focused on a small area and especially in the spot where the last Iccy was. There were certainly birds but they were elusive. A Phyllosc was glimpsed, a couple of things flitted, a likely culprit came out of a bush and towered up in to the sky and went off west and finally repeated very brief views of a flycatcher like job were too brief, distant and inconclusive.

I did see 2 Ringed Plovers but that was about it.

Gripped off - again

I like Red-breasted Flycatchers but I've seen rather few of them and never found one for myself. So gripped by PN who found one today near Rain Dale. Nice one Paul.

I did go birding today, but I'd hardly got started in a rather barren and unpromising Pannett Park when the mobile went and I had to go into work as we had staff shortages that needed sorting.

I might get up early tomorrow and go for a quick look at the Saltwick area before work.

Stress escape - go birding

Offspring driving me especially nuts today ... a late afternoon visit (on my own) to the Saltwick area solved that problem.

Not much about, probably less than the Halifax crew turned up yesterday. One Whinchat, one Redstart but also one Ruff, one Red-throated Diver in smart summer plumage an in/off Grey Heron, one Common Tern, quite a few Sandwich Terns and various hundreds of gulls (none of which were of any special interest despite a good bit of scrutiny). There are still some Guillemot offspring contact calling (or is it squalling?). Harbour Porpoise, about 5; Roe Deer, 3 a leaping; Speckled Wood one. 145 Lapwing, but there was nothing lurking amongst them.

Insects and birds

Field Grasshopper

Field Grasshopper

Field Grasshoppers are currently enjoying basking on the boarding around our vegetable plot. Ellen has particularly enjoyed picking them up and watching them jump. This is the species that makes a single very short buzz repeated four or five times.

Small Coppers are here in record numbers, we counted 12 yesterday around this plant - anyone know the name of this horticultural species?

Grelyags flew over the garden heading south yesterday, it would be nice to think they were "real" ones especially as Pink-feet were moving south on the coast. There were another four tagging along with these. In the past we have got only low flying birds off the moor entering our air space.

Nuthatch nearly made it on to the "in the garden" list today missing by about 20m. I didn't see it fly in to the plantation so although it headed off west and probably came in from the east can't count it on the "in the garden (+airspace)" list; just the "seen from the garden" list where there was one previous record. Also today Blackcap again, continuing to be elusive in the brambles and elders.

Remote birding

Halifax crew over here today. Vehicle problems and lack of children's shoes meant I had little time. Hawsker and Saltwick had a few Redstarts,Pied Flys and Whinchats I am told. I saw Green Sand at Scaling. Over 100 Golden Plover over the garden this morning plus 28 Greylags and a Redpoll sp.

Bird crime

Informed today about the destruction of 2 Goshawks and one Tawny Owl within the NYM National Park. If it is a gamekeeper who destroyed these birds it is worth pointing out to them that these two species almost certainly help them more than hinder. Goshawk prefers to prey on Woodpigeon and corvids. Carrion Crow will be a significant predator of grouse chicks, Goshawk may very occasionally take an adult I would guess. Keepers are in net gain to leave Goshawk alone, the predation of Carrion Crow being a big bonus. Tawny Owl will kill ground predators, like rats which do serious damage to grouse nests when they find them. These crimes are about prejudice and ignorance of the biology of the species concerned.

Yesterday's other events

3 Small Copper and our first Speckled Wood in the garden, found by Mollie. The male Sparrowhawk is continuing his regular efforts, Marsh Tit was heard. On Friday there was a dead fox up the dale, hit by a vehicle methinks, a very uncommon creature here - or at least very shy compared to West Yorkshire where I saw them at least weekly.

Pre-work birding

Awoke early enough so nipped down to the golf course on the way to work (managed 39 under par). Plenty of alba wagtails and a Yellow Wagtail amongst them. A warbler sp flew straight at me, over my head and disappeared in a hedge. Spotted Flycatcher showed well, plus a maybe Lesser Whitethroat but it disappeared. Down by the sea there was a flurry of Kittiwakes off Denmark, an Eider just offshore, two Common Scoter went east, a steady trickle of Gannets both ways, a trickle of Sandwich Terns going east and a Great Northern Diver went west.

When the winds are good, birthdays should be cancelled

Louise's birthday, no birding. I was gracious. And I saw another Honey Buzzard. Ambled back to the car at the singing event we were attending at Goathland Village Hall. Carrion Crows call, a raptor approaches. Fortunately there were bins in the car. I'd honestly expected it to be Common Buzzard but no it was another Honey Buzzard. Views in to the sun but it was quite close and flapped and glided slowly past showing the classic profile.

... and the SE wind doth blow

Headed for Saltwick Nab area this morning, keen to see what was on the new wader place, 3 Ruff, 4 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Snipe, 1 Curlew were joined by non-waderish 45 or so Teal and 4 Wigeon. Also around 70 Lapwings and a single Golden Plover.


It was a morning that always seemed to have a pile of promise. A Swift was encouraging, and there were at least 4 more later. A peer into the bushes where last week's Iccy showed off produced 5 Blackcaps, 3 Garden Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, a Pied Fly, a Willow Warbler and at least one Chiffchaff. A Spotted Flycatcher and the same or another Pied Flycatcher were by the houses along with a Redstart and later a Wheatear. A brief flight view of what might have been a Barred Warbler is best forgotten and a very brief view of another warbler should also be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Up on the top fields were 5 more Wheatears and a huge pile of Meadow Pipits with a few Skylarks. Time spent scrutinising these produced no very stripy, high pitched calling pipit unfortunately. A massive gull flock hid but one intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Common Gull.

At this point the star of the morning arrived. Flying low towards me a large raptor with a pale head, aha methinks 'tis an Osprey, I went for the camera and not the bins and just clicked away as it flew closer and closer. It began to dawn on me that this did not look much like an Osprey even through the fuzz of the viewfinder. I went to bins and struggled, Buzzard? No it's flying all wrong. It had to be a Honey Buzzard on shape but I can't recall ever seeing such a pale one. I clicked away a bit more for evidence and noted a few features as it spiralled up and headed inland. Nice one.

What's that?

That's not an Osprey, doh

Nice view

.... and away inland

I checked the warbler places and the wader scrape again to no avail and decided to call it a morning, the greenhouse beckoned.

On the way a Common Buzzard gave excellent views, whilst another called nearby, a nice contrast to the earlier Honey.

Johnny Rooks Pt 1 - Ouch!

RIAA killed the Muxtape show

Looks like Muxtape is RIP. A short sighted move as it was a great way to find new music to buy .... However, there is an alternative out there methinks .....

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.

Gripped off!!

Ok, I don't know who you are but you've gripped me off.

1. I decide to go for passerines and not go seawatching.
2. I've abandoned Kettleness for pastures new (well, old actually but never mind).

So off I go to Hawsker and off you go to my new seawatching place at Old Nab. Now don't get me wrong, I had an excellent morning. It's brilliant when you suss the weather and get it right and there I was in the middle of a pretty decent fall. It took me an hour to walk 400m along the railway line path - Pied Flycatcher, Redstart, Willow Warbler sprang out hither and thither. I even met a Whitby birder, rarer than Barred Warbler at Whitestone Point (PN thanks for the info, the Hobby stuff is especially good). I tried hard, perhaps a bit too hard, no that's not caligata but a pale, greyish Willow Warbler. The most promising bird of the morning just flew off, way before I got near it and it never stopped. Other treats for me were Garden Warbler, a pile of Wheatears and Swift. Plus there was Greenshank and Ringed Plover over. Swallows were in abundance and House Martins were on the move. My brief glances at the sea found me two adult and a juvenile Arctic Tern.

Now I had to go home, the water situation was significant and ditch digging was required or a flood was in the offing.

I check BirdGuides, I wasn't bothered about the Leach's or the Poms really but 1,000s of Manx that's exceptional in the North Sea, I would have loved to have seen that. (Just how many thousands would be of interest, so if you read this please email me - if you didn't do some sample counts I'll be a bit disappointed.)

Then to rub some salt in the wound you nip along to Kettleness and find an Iccy.

Back at Hawsker JB was now in action as I'd alerted him to the fall. Numbers of common migrants quickly rose as more expert eyes searched the bushes. Then at Saltwick there were even more but the rare evaded us, maybe tomorrow.

Home today produced Chiffchaff, Marsh Tit, 100 or so Swallows and House Martins on the move. Altogether a good day.

Dave Davenport

I learnt today, via BB, of the death of Dave Davenport at the very young age (these days) of 61. Dave was a mighty influence during my birding days at Dungeness and encouraged my interest in seawatching. I was fascinated by his expeditions to Slyne Head and the Outer Hebrides to see unimaginable (for me, in those old days) passings of Pom and Long-tailed Skua. Dave was always patient and encouraging of us whippersnappers. A lasting memory is of him lying on the shingle, head propped up by bins case seawatching on a sunny Dungeness May day. Dave was generally not an early riser, his advice, never forgotten, was that "Poms like the Sun on their back." Fly by Dave, fly by.

More dipping

A Great White Egret probably flew over my head today, or at least within view but I wasn't birding .... aaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Small fall

No wind and bright sunshine do not ideal fall conditions make so I made a late start and headed for Scaling Dam. There had been a bit of a wader influx with Dunlin, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Golden Plover, Redshank x2, Common Sandpiper x4 and over 600 Lapwing and 2 Snipe. Then the gull from the other day was relocated, a bit closer but in poor light. I'm pretty sure this is a Yellow-legged Gull, at least I don't think it's a Herring Gull, but it isn't a typical example and it is just beyond decent photo range. Anyway, it flew with all the other gulls when two Lesser Black-backed Gulls had a serious disagreement, unfortunately I failed to locate it in flight.

Whilst I was out one of the cats caught an Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar. This was rescued none the worse for its experience and I returned it to the willowherb where I noticed two more hiding in the stems.

Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar

There are other caterpillars in the garden which are not so welcome.

Oi! get off my brocolli

In the afternoon I headed for Hawsker where information had been received about a bit of a drop. Pied Flycatchers were in evidence at two locations, JB had four I think and there was Lesser Whitethroat and a very skulking Chiffchaff.

Rain Dale

Some rain would possibly do the trick. Whinchat and half a dozen of Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Goldcrest with a couple of Chiffchaff for good measure. Tomorrow maybe.

Also on offer were Sooty Shearwater, 2 Arctic Skua and a strange happening in Teal world with two large flocks going north, 90 and 60 whilst a trickle came south. Assorted terns were trickling south.

Speckled Wood, 3 Roe Deer and a Grey Seal

Local birding

The Moor - a fine and beautiful place to go birding, photographing etc

It was still and sunny this morning and I haven't had a good trawl around locally for a little while, so that's what I did. Migrants included plenty of Swallows and House Martins still, 4 Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroats, 2 Spotted Flycatchers (in two different locations) - uncommon in the tetrad, only one previous record for me I think, and a Wheatear, also very uncommon in the tetrad despite the abundance of suitable habitat.

Northern Wheatear

Other birds of interest included Nuthatch, very uncommon in the tetrad although it breeds commonly in a neighbouring one, Bullfinch which is hard to find and Moorhen which although always present is often elusive. Marsh Tit was found again. A flock of 14 Golden Plover were a fine sight. Not seen but surely they are here somewhere, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Stock Dove and Skylark.

That other national park

Stills from Rocks/Water

Visited Yorkshire's other national park yesterday. Shooting my new minimalist masterpiece, stills above, link, I'm sure you are thrilled to learn, to follow shortly.

Same story, almost no birds of prey, I did see one Sparrowhawk, but locals report large raptors are generally present for one day only.

Have some loutish, towny picnickers left their detritus to spoil this lovely scene?

The venue for my movie is a lovely spot but some of the locals seem to have scant regard for its beauty .... Apparently the beck was littered with hundreds of bits of painted clay previously, most now washed away by the recent rains. It wasn't hard to find evidence of the clays though. Personally I find this sort of disregard for our countryside very objectionable.

Some of those who live and work in the park treat it with loving care ... not

Clay fragments in beck

On the birding front 6 or 7 Common Crossbills in one spot and 4 in another a mile or so distant.

Puzzling gull

A quick trip to Scaling Dam mid morning found the hide full of people with binoculars and telescopes. The Black-necked Grebe was showing nicely, if a little distantly but all the rest of yesterdays interesting birds had gone. So there was no Spotted Redshank, no Little Stint and woefully no Yellow-legged Gull.

However, gulls did appear as the morning went on and one likely suspect did stand out. Not the same gull as the previous day but a possible Yellow-legged Gull nonetheless.

White-headed gull to right of frame - opinions welcome

Tertials were dark brown with white/off white tips - inner tertials showed some white on lower edge of feathers, outer tertials showed cross bar pattern in last third, otherwise dark. This was a big gull, larger than surrounding juvenile Herring Gulls. Age was a problem. It could be a juvenile/first winter but more likely a 1st summer/2nd winter. Bill was all black with a pale tip, didn't appear quite as heavy as on some individuals. Seemed to show a distinct black tail band with sparsley marked upper tail, but this was not seen very clearly.

Garden birds

Changes are afoot. Siskin has gone from the most common and frequent bird in the garden, always present on a feeder to almost completely absent over the last week to ten days. A couple did fly over yesterday but none today and none on the feeders for some days now. However, in compensation Marsh Tit returned today after a long absence. Goldfinch are also very infrequent, following a similar pattern to the Siskin, again none today. Both woodpeckers present today, juvenile Great-spotted are a common sight on the peanuts at the moment. A new visitor to the Niger seed yesterday was Collared Dove, at sat picking at the seed for a minute or so before a gang of Greenfinches hustled it off.

Terns and more terns

Three of the four Little Egrets, Old Nab, Staithes (Photo JB - thanks)

Missed the Black-necked Grebe at Scaling, I was thinking of going down there that evening as well. Then more dipping as I turned up at Old Nab to find JB there and reporting four Little Egrets in the bay before the tide fell and all the people got on the beach.

The sea had been quiet and despite JB watching since about one little other than the egrets had been seen. However, I was on a mission as I reckoned with a south westerly wind there ought to be a few terns later on. About six or so the terns started coming west, heading, as I believed at that point, for the Tees. The trickle became a steadyish stream and they started coming in closer, this did not make for easy counting as some were further out as well. Totals in the end were 1159 Common Terns and 211 Arctic Terns, when in doubt they were attributed to Common (BirdTrack doesn't have a Commic Tern category so they have to be IDed or they don't exist). This probably results in under recording of Arctic Tern. The biggest problem was that almost 50% of these totals came through in one ten minute period just after 8pm so the figures are best taken as my best estimates.

Also seen 30 Sandwich Tern, 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Common Scoter, 60 Guillemot with plenty of very noisy young, 100 Kittiwake with only 3 juveniles, about 300 Gannet and 6 Manx Shearwater.

When I packed up at about 8:20 I had a bit of a scan around and found that very large numbers of terns were hanging around outside Staithes Harbour and they seemed to be roosting on the sea there. I had expected all my terns to be heading for the Tees so this was a bit of a surprise.

Montagu's Harrier

Family seaside visit, lots of digging in the sand and me staring rather hopefully out to sea. We'd decided to leave but were awaiting the completion of a further sand structure when the hopeful became hoped for. What's this? Dark, large falcon-like but lazy flier, low over the sea about a klick and a bit away. I watched the raptor slowly heading west, occasionally gliding (that's the bird not me), trying to figure it out (that's me). Peregrine was in my mind, as that's what you'd expect, but it was far too lackadaisical and indirect and the jizz was wrong for any falcon although the wings were pointed and narrow and the tail a comparable length. Then it soared up and for the first time I saw it head on, classic harrier shape. The penny dropped, it's a Monty. I watched the bird soar way up and gave Louise the bins for a look (no scope of course). It soared around for a while and then dropped down again, further out now and to the west, it kept going. Whilst up high it was with a couple of Herring Gulls briefly, it didn't like them, and was smaller and slighter. I was surprised how dark this bird looked but the distance, the sunshine and the fact that they are quite dark (juveniles especially apparently) would explain that I guess, I couldn't see any plumage detail and certainly I was not able to count the primaries. it would have been nice to have had the bird closer, or to have had the scope but so it goes.

Ness Point / Hawsker

View from Ness Point, looking north

Linnet - lots of these especially around Rain Dale

Didn't get going until a bit later yesterday a.m. and there was very little wind so I headed for Ness Point. A Yellow Wag' was welcome, it flew over as I got out of the car. There were a few Willow Warblers and Whitethroats, Swallows were much in evidence and House Martins were still traversing their cliff nest site. Once the breeze got up I gave sea watching a go. Quite a productive two hours with 5 Sooty Shearwaters, 71 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Great Skua and a flurry of quacker activity including 3 Wigeon, 24 Common Scoter, 24 Teal (in five parties). 60 Kittiwakes went north but no juveniles and there were at least 74 Guillemots on the sea with at least a third of these being adult with young combinations. Mammals included 3 or 4 Harbour Porpoise and 2 Grey Seals. Small Copper and Wall butterflies were seen and an unidentified hawker dragonfly.

Up North

Trip Up North today required to resolve the transportation issue, fortunately successful, and for a bit of a look at old haunts and to take in some culture.

St Mary's Island and Black-headed Gull + rain, lots of it

St Mary's true to form managed to drench us and cause near rebellion amongst offspring, however, the excellent coffee and cakes served by the Rendevous Cafe, down the way at Whitley Bay, generally restored our spirits.

Herring Gull, juvenile at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art

Japanese art at the Baltic is outstanding - click here for info. And the opportunity for a further pic of a bird at an artistic location. Unfortunately spent most of the time at The (very wonderful) Angel of the North sorting out car insurance so failed to get any sort of picture of a bird there.

Birds today

The Old Nab was rather quiet this morning except for the previously mentioned whale.

Scaling Dam still had two LRPs, a Green Sandpiper and a couple of Common Sandpipers.

Scarborough Birders new website

Scarborough birders have a new website here.

Minke

A Minke Whale went east (south) past the Old Nab at 06:50 this morning, it was reasonably close inshore but was motoring on its way, not feeding. Also 1 Arctic Skua, also east.

Terns

The sun sets in to Teeside from Old Nab

A gentle August evening, just the job for another go from the Old Nab with terns the target species. I was not to be disappointed with small numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns evident inshore on my arrival just before 6 p.m. Careful scrutiny out towards Denmark indicated that there were some hundreds of feeding terns in the near North Sea. My thinking had been that although Kettleness was pretty good for terns the Old Nab should do better in the evenings as the birds headed back in to the Tees to roost. Initially the birds were frustratingly distant but as time wore on and they began to head for the Tees they generally came closer and I found the first of three Roseate Terns at 7:10 p.m. Arctic Terns were scattered amongst the predominant Commons and two more Roseates were found 20 minutes later. In all I reckoned 500 or so Common Terns and 30 Arctic but it was a bit of a guess as I'd forgotten my tally counter and decided to concentrate on separating out the more interesting species. Also for my delectation was a Red-necked Grebe, a second summer Little Gull and a Bonxie. A likely Sooty Shearwater managed to vaporise into a trough before it could be confirmed and was unrelocatable.

It was encouraging to see the feeding swarms of terns, clearly there are fish available and there seemed to be some numbers of juveniles of both Common and Sandwich Terns. Only 40 or so Guillemots were offshore, although there were a fair number of juveniles. Kittiwakes were counted at about 50 with only five juveniles. usually at this time of year I would expect to see many hundred Kittiwakes and many more auks so this was concerning.

Cormorant world was back to normal with just one heading east. There were several Harbour Porpoise feeding off the Nab.

Emerald Damselfly

A family outing to the moor pond early in the afternoon had found a few Emerald Damselfly, a Southern Hawker a sadly demised Great Diving Beetle and a single, very small, Common Frog.

Great Diving Beetle

Moth stuff +

Silver-Y pretending to be Gorse

Yesterday's sunshine brought a few more butterflies to the garden including 3, Wall; 2, Small Copper. Today there was a Silver-Y, uncommon this year and more Walls, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral.

Ling Pug?

I've tried a bit of mothing of late. I think this is Ling Pug, which might be an interesting record if it is one, it's rather worn so difficult. There continue to be huge numbers of Large Yellow Underwing which invade the house at any opportunity - especially when I position the lamp just outside the front door.

Marbled Beauty

On the dead things front this pipistrelle sp was found on the stairs, unfortunately a cat casualty I think.

Pipistrelle sp

Possibly crossbill over the garden this after' but little else of note about.

The greenhouse is now just about completed - end of bad-tempered phase.

Food and drink

Essential sustenance during the seawatch. This morning I opened my bag to find an incorrect biscuit, indeed a packet of the same. Ah, sending the wife shopping for seawatching supplies, what better could I have expected? The digestive is not a seawatcher's biscuit. It has many disadvantages (or at least a lot of one disadvantage) compared to the fig roll or the Jaffa cake. It is surpassed by many a modern confection and by that great seawatching delicacy and most practical of snacks, flapjack (when correctly prepared). So this morning I did espy a few seabirds 6 Arctic Skuas; 4 Great Skuas; 6 Manx Shearwaters; 75 Common Terns and 110 Sandwich Terns but was much distracted by the repeated need to upturn the binoculars to remove that dreaded hindrance, crumbs.

This was all brought back whilst enjoying a well considered Christmas present that has kept my attention for these many months, the box set of Still Game. IMHO a work of some considerable genius. The episode "Scran" reminded me of some thoughts I had had whilst considering the dismal numbers of Kittiwakes passing the Old Nab this very morn. The said digestives led me to consider how a New Tory might engage with the seawatching snack issue. Perhaps a pre-ordered hamper from Fortnum's woud be awaiting the liberalised toff as he unzipped his Cath Kidston patterned scope case. Or maybe in the spirit of roughing it for the paparazzi a simple healthy fruit breakfast would be sliced and prepared in situ and spooned into the eager orifice by a minimum waged assistant. Ah, but this is the beauty of a quiet watch, an opportunity to indulge ones mind in offbeat perambulation.

Offbeat were the Great Cormorants. Clearly some urgency to head east and south out of Tees Bay had struck the local population of this mega fish scoffer as 26 headed past me over the two and a bit hours. Several others loitered around the Nab and some additional carbo may have snuck past close inshore and under my line of vision, unacceptable behaviour in (or actually not) my view. Later at Scaling Dam a rare moment as a cormorant landed on the new bank in front of the hide. A-ha, I thought, an opportunity for a photo and then protractor to hand, at my leisure, some gular measurement fun a la "Bordering Birding", but it was a fantasy ...

Greenhouse foundations

No proper birding today, the weather didn't look too encouraging and the greenhouse is supposed to arrive tomorrow so I had to make the base for it to stand on - so a rather bad tempered day then, dropping a railway sleeper on my foot didn't help.

There was a Sylvia warbler tacking in the garden for a while this morning but I couldn't locate it, Blackcap probably. Siskins are still scoffing Niger, House Martins and Swallows paid a brief visit and that was about it.


Highlight of the day was Louise shrieking in alarm in the kitchen as she brushed a creature of her neck on to the kitchen floor, it turned out to be a Puss Moth caterpillar. It was replaced none the worse for its experience on a willow in the garden (food plant).


Other insects today included a Comma, Red Admiral, Meadow Browns (6) , Green-veined White and 10+ Large Whites.

Happy holidays

Mediterranean Gull, adult, (probably a female :-)

Sussex, Wiltshire, Dorset, Cornwall, the grand tour. Not that everything went entirely to plan but a good time has been had by all. We have returned minus one long standing member of the family - we are a car less as the cambelt decided that enough was enough somewhere near the Devon / Dorset border. (For the uninitiated when the cambelt breaks it wrecks the engine.) However, the Visa card and Europcar came to the rescue and after a pause holiday mode was reinstalled.

Birding highlights included finding a Ring-billed Gull at Helston (so all those hours at Scaling Dam grilling Common and Herring Gulls proved worthwhile - first know your argenteus from your argentatus. Twelve Mediterranean Gulls on the Helford River in one go were rather good and a Wood Sandpiper at Stithians was an appreciated find.

First Summer Ring-billed Gull, The Loe, Helston

In Wiltshire I tackled moths again with Rosy Footman and Large Wainscot (to be confirmed) highlights. Black Arches and an interesting Emerald were located in Cornwall (in a public toilet).

Herring Gull, The Tate, St Ives

The arts were fully appreciated as was our nation's heritage.

Jackdaws, just after dawn, Stonehenge

Do something new: body boarding is pretty wild if not a little knackering.

Many thanks to all who were wonderfully hospitable.