I had been watching the easterly wind pattern developing as early as last week, on various internet weather sites and reserved Monday for a visit to Spurn. In fact, the arrival of migrants began on the Sunday afternoon with a good number of flycatchers and warblers coming in on a strong wind. Arriving at the Crown & Anchor area of Kilnsea, Pied Flycatchers were heard immediately in what seemed to be, most of the trees. A large tree in the churchyard had around 20 Pied Fly's together with a large number of Willow Warblers, one Garden Warbler, one Wood Warbler and 2 Spotted Flycatchers. There was a call that a Honey Buzzard had come out of church field and within a minute, it took me by surprise flying over the road. I was trying to wind my lens back in as it was so close and, trying to photograph at the same time! Dave Hursthouse and I were commenting on the pale variations in a lot of the Willow Warblers and I picked out such a specimen on the saltmarsh at the Canal. After seeing so many warblers and flycatchers, eyestrain was already setting in and it was only 8-00 a.m! A walk was needed and I was keen to see if perhaps a red-backed shrike was on the hedgerows of Beacon Lane. The lane was extraordinarily quiet compared to Kilnsea, with only 2 Pied Fly's however, further down I found a few Reed Warblers. Mick Turton was along there and he called to me saying the Barred Warbler was amongst the brambles. It appeared distantly after a while and I managed a shot, through the mist which was now creeping in from the sea. 2 Red-breasted Mergansers flew over towards the Humber, as I was waiting. News of a Wryneck at Sammy's Point and some smart looking Redstarts meant I was heading back to the Bluebell for my car. This would be my second Wryneck this year and I always find them a really intriguing bird. Sammy's had plenty of birds in the form of flycatchers and redstarts, as well as 2 Whinchats, 2 Wheatears and the usual Yellow Wagtails, Little Egrets and the odd Med Gull or two on the estuary. Then came the really good one! A juvenile Red-footed Falcon had been found at the Point and, as visibility was beginning to worsen, I thought I would go back towards the Warren in case it flew up the Point. Driving along the road in Kilnsea, I was aware of what looked like a hobby coming up off the ground, in the field to my left and perching on power lines. The bird was called out by others at about the same time. It wasn't until we got 'scopes out that it didn't look right for hobby at all. It was feeding off the ground all the time and I could clearly see it was a brown bird with a distinctly barred tail and very white facial marks. It was soon agreed that it was a second Red-footed Falcon and my second in the U.K. In now continuous rain and mist, I followed its movements towards Sammy's and managed to see it a little closer at one point. More on my ' Spurn Point ' pages.
Comments are closed.
|
|