Shearwater Cruise 2018

This morning I joined the last RSPB shearwater cruise of the year with the Yorkshire Belle. The tide was high on arrival, a few Kittiwakes and a flock of Redshank were roosting on the sea wall. Despite the early start, 9:00, I was surprised to find there were people queueing since 8:00. The trip was full and we set off prompt. Two Red-throated Divers were just off the harbour wall, with many more passing through offshore. A few Sandwich terns were also about early in the trip, the only terns seen. The highlight of the trip was a Basking shark, who swam and then dived just next to the boat. I didn't get any photos but managed to see its dark grey triangular dorsal fin. Several grey seals and harbour porpoises were also seen. I didn't managed any photos of the Sooty Shearwater and I missed the Manx Shearwater (who flew at the same time we saw the basking shark). But added Puffin to my year list, a young one.

Red throated Diver.

Guillemots.

Young Razorbill.

Hundreds of Gannets, with many young were off Bempton Cliffs, some times diving for the chum thrown from the rear of the boat.

Two Great Skuas by the boat. The count was 6 or 7. We could see three at the same time at one point.

Skua with Flamborough as a backdrop.

 In the middle of the trip the RNLI boat approached the Yorkshire Belle in a training mission. The boat came very close and paramedic jumped aboard and then back into the rescue boat.

 Another couple of photos of Great Skuas or Bonxies. We did have repeated close views of them.

Great black-backed gulls and a Great skua following the boat. My best skua shot would have been the top shot but a great black-backed gull photo bombed it!

Kittiwake,

Cormorants and shags on the buoy off Danes Dyke on the way back.

The Bridlington harbour light at the end of the North pier.

There were more Kittiwakes at Bridlington than off the cliffs.This one, sat on a nest.

One of five purple sandpipers, off the south harbour wall, in the company of Oystercatchers, Turnstones and Redshanks.

A Cormorant fishing in the harbour.

A Great Black-backed gull portrait.

Oystercatcher with mussel. Watch the clip to see how it dealt with opening the shell.

On the way to Flamborough I was sat facing east, sheltered from the wind, on the way back though the relentless wind had a strong chill factor, and I needed a hot drink before driving back. Altogether an unforgettable day!

A warm September day at Hornsea

There were wide open sunny skies with a cold NW wind, but actually warm in sheltered spots at Kirkholme Point, the Eastermost area in Hornsea Mere. On arrival a group of wagtails by the water included a Yellow Wagtail. Around the point there were the usual assortment of Coots, Tufted Ducks, Canada and Greylag geese and Mute Swans. Three Grey Herons were dotted about the lake's shore, but despite scanning the viewable areas, no evidence of Great White Egrets, which I had hoped to see - although a distant Little Egret gave me first hope and then disappointment. It was a typical Sparrowhawk display day, with several individuals seen both displaying or being mobbed around the area.
  After a first slow walk around Kirkholme, we relocated to the church and Hall Garth Park. There were several stands of mature ivy in bloom, with its accompanying retinue of common wasps, droneflies and at some point a Hornet. Ladybirds were represented by at least seven 7 spot ladybirds, and many adult and larval harlequins

Yellow Wagtail with three Pied Wagtails.

One of three Grey Herons. Appeared to remain in the same spot for several hours.

Caddis Fly with some sort of pupae.

Green carabids with several wolf spiders Trochosa ruricola (I think) under a rock on the beach. Here is a close up 

Close up of the green carabids.

A distant Little Egret.

View of the woods on the west side of the mere.

Rooks mobbing Sparrowhawk.

A slumbering male Mute Swan in the sun.

Dead common shrew.

Steatoda bipunctata male.

Three of the many 7 spot ladybirds in the church cemetery.

Hornet.

Butterflies
Two Small Coppers and a Red Admiral were on the wing at Kirkholme; with a Speckled Wood and a Large White at Hall Garth Park.

Fresh Small Copper.

The second, very tattered, Small Copper.

Dragonflies
Back on the mere in the afternoon, it was warmer and  invertebrates had become more evident. The highlight being odonates, with three species present, Common Blue Damselfly (2 males), Common Darter (1 male) and at least 5 Migrant Hawkers, which included watching a complete mating sequence.

Migrant hawker males sunbathing together.

Close up of migrant hawker.

Migrant hawker.

Mating pair.

Common Darter.

Two Common Blue Damselflies.

Chorthippus brunneus.

A distant Whooper swan.

The only ringed Black-headed Gull, I took several photos at different angles and reconstructed the ring: Museum Stockholm, 64053, reported to EUring.

Autumn migration at Kilnsea and Spurn

The day dawned dark, and it drizzled most of the drive to Kilnsea Wetlands. Once there, the rain gradually stopped, the clouds lifted and the warmth of the southerly wind and the sun made it feel like summer. On arrival a Short-eared Owl was quartering the grass around the wetlands. It spooked the gulls and terns as it flew around the water's edge. Once we were in the hide it flew again around the reserve and stopped for a couple of minutes on a fence post, giving great, if a bit distant views, my first of this species sitting down! A flock of Pinkfoot geese moved south overhead.
 Despite the high tide, there were few waders at Kilnsea, just four Dunlin, but there were plenty of ducks and gulls. The Sandwich terns were also still about, juveniles pestering parents for food. It was a great day for Mediterranean gulls, at least 3 adults and 2 juveniles about.

Ringed Plover juvenile.

Short-eared owl.

Short-eared owl.

Loafing gulls, ducks and Sandwich terns.

Common Tern and juvenile.

Juvenile Med gull with Black headed gulls and Common Gull.

Three Mediterranean Gulls and Black-headed gull (with bill in the water).

Sparrowhawk.

Dunlin

 We moved onto the Spurn Triangle. A couple of Gannets flew offshore. Two Little Grebes were in the borrow pond, as usual. There is a lot of sand at the end of the road and the strip of reeds looks very fresh by the beach.

Looking north towards Kilnsea.

Many more waders on the estuary edge: Redshank, Grey Plover, Curlew and a distant Greenshank. Twenty-six Turnstone flew south in two flocks.

Canal Scrape.

Two Snipe gave great views at Canal Scrape.

Common Darter near Canal Scrape. Migrant Hawkers were also about.

Eristalinus aeneus covered in Sea Aster pollen.

Sea aster in bloom. A single Colletes halophilus fed briefly on them, too quick for photos

We headed back to Kilnsea Wetlands. After some searching, I spotted a sleeping Pintail. After a while it woke up and had a little walk about.

Pintail.

Pintail.

Mute swan drying foot.