randombirder

A decent spread of Pyramidal Orchid on survey in North Kent including a rare white form.

This part of East Yorkshire is absolutely spectacular.  The rugged cliff faces that stretch out from Flambrough Head up to Bempton and beyond provide the stage for a dramatic and breath-taking seabird spectacle. The viewpoints overlooking the cliffs give the public grandstand views across the cliff-face, the home to thousands of seabirds. Incredible numbers of  Kittwake ,  Razorbill ,  Guillemot  and  Gannet  swirling around this epic landscape. The trip started at midday Saturday, a spontaneous decision to head away and by five, we arrived at the Lighthouse car park at Flamborough.  I made tracks immediately to connect with the male Black-headed Bunting that sat out in the open on a gloomy afternoon, preening, roosting, before making a dash to the top of the hedge-line where it paused briefly before disappearing into the adjacent field. I then disappeared as the weather was closing in.  Heading back to the car park where the fem...

A quiet day at Minsmere is when you rack up 87 species and also get to observe a variety of other interest things. East Scrape A long day but ultimately worth every mile endured along the arduous route to the reserve. The first stop was the Island Mere hide where a couple of Otter sightings on the far side of the water were typically brief. One of the Savi's Warbler made a couple of attempts to wind up a sustained reel but failed miserably.  Not very vocal and therefore no chance of grabbing a chance sighting. Four flyby sightings of Bittern during the course of the day that were particularly active presumably now feeding young. Watching the aerial Marsh Harrier glide over the vast reedbed, a Hobby feeding over the woodland, Bearded Tit dashing low over the reeds, and listening to the cacophony of Black-headed Gull and Mediterranean Gull on the East Scrape are all part of the sensory experience. On both the East and South Scrapes, a number of Kit...