Bempton 26/6/11

I spent a few hours snapping the seabirds from the cliff-top at Bempton
this afternoon. The light was intense and not the best for white-plumaged
birds!

Herring Gull

Fulmar

Kittiwake chicks with Guillemot

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

Gannet

Kittiwake

Kestrel

Tree Sparrow

Common Crane

19th June 2011 Paythorne, just north of Gisburn, played host to a Common Crane
today.The bird could be viewed near the crossroads north of the village, just
on the boundary of Lancashire/Yorkshire although the bird was actually feeding on the
Yorkshire side! So i couldn't really tick it within the ELOC recording area.

briefly in flight

The Crane twitch!

Long-eared Owls

More visits to the leo site this weekend (18-19th June) from 19.40-21.30 on
both nights. Lot's of activity, with three young birds seen and heard!
It always seems to be cloudy at the weekends when i'm there, making it frustrating
from a photography point of view. I did manage a flight shot of the male carrying prey
but against the light.

juvenile with prey

male with prey

male

The young are getting bolder now. This bird venturing

out onto the edge of the nesting wood.

Honey Buzzards and Seabirds

12th June 2011 Wykeham Forest Raptor watchpoint.
Three Honey Buzzards were on show almost continually from our arrival at
10.30 through till 12.30. Although distant for most of the time, they did show close
enough for "record" shots and several bouts of display flight was a pleasure to witness.

Also seen were: Goshawk, Common Buzzard, Crossbill and Turtle Dove, all from
the watchpoint, where around sixty other birders stood, as is the popularity of
Honey Buzzards in Britain.

Honey Buzzards

worst Goshawk image ever!

After the morning Raptor watching, a visit to Bempton RSPB to photograph seabirds
before the weather worsened, was very enjoyable. A good number of Seabirds, particularly
Gannets and Kittiwakes pass close to the cliff-top, making flight shots, easy.

Gannet

Fulmar

Herring Gull

Kittiwake

Razorbill

Long-Eared Owls

Another evening visit on the 11th June and at least three young birds were seen
in the best showing to date by the Owls. The young are large now and can fly short
distances within the nesting wood.
I was fortunate enough to film a food pass to a chick, although a flight shot of an adult,
in good light, still evades me.

Also seen this evening were Peregrine and Little Owl.

Mink

11th June 20011 a quiet visit to Foulridge was livened with a Mink swimming the
full length of Upper Foulridge reservoir, all the while, mobbed by Gulls and Crows.

Long-eared Owl, food pass

White-Throated Robin

9th June 2011, I'm an 'occasional' twitcher and today was one of those occasions.
I joined Ian and Glen Hodgkinson to tick the mega rare, White-Throated Robin
at Hartlepool.
Arriving around 10.45, we didn't have to wait too long for the bird to appear and
it gave suprisingly close views, feeding by the bowling green to an audience of around
twenty five others.

White-Throated Robin

Glen's mega crisp packet

success!

A quick stop at Saltholme RSPB for Spoonbill was a nice bonus. Just as good, were

the numerous Yellow Wagtails on the reserve.

Spoonbills

Local Birding

A quiet couple of outings locally, with 5 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin at Upper Foulridge
on the last day of May. A Mandarin Duck showed well, wonder if they're breeding this year?
A singing Lesser Whitethroat on the Lower Reservoir on June 4th.

Mandarin Duck