Recent Highlight's.....Local Patch & Spurn Visit,24th & 26th September 2017.

A couple of excellent days out and about saw the following being seen:

East Halton Skitter - East Halton Pit,Sunday September 24th.

Today i decided to cover part of the old patch,parking at East Halton Skitter and walking up to Winter's Pond and back.Several nice sightings started with a hunting Barn Owl at the Skitter just as it got light properly and along the bank side up to Winter's Pond,150+ Meadow Pipits,1 Common Sandpiper,a Grey Wagtail over,east and 120 Curlew made for some nice sightings to add to the notebook.
 A flurry of mammal sightings included a very confiding Otter watched fishing on Winter's Pond(My first here)and was so close at times i could not see it over the tops of the reeds,2 Roe Deer on the fields as i walked back towards the Skitter and a lovely Fox watched hunting for mice at the Skitter itself.
 Other bird sightings included my 'First' Pink-footed Geese of the autumn/winter period as 25 birds flew west up river and at least 2 Bearded Tit in the bank side reed bed just west of the Skitter,followed by a good sized,mixed flock of waders feeding on a wet field,which included at least 200 Black-tailed Godwit,100 Curlew,7 Ruff,4 Ringed Plover and 10 Dunlin,making for a great spectacle.The final highlight of the visit went to a Merlin,which flew west,my first local one of the autumn/winter.

The Spurn Area,Tuesday 26th September.

An organised meet up with Tim today,in pretty decent conditions saw us covering most of the area between the Warren and Beacon Ponds and saw some pretty good birds being seen to be fair.
 Bird of the day went to an absolute cracker of a male Red-breasted Flycatcher watched around the bushes at the Warren and it showed brilliantly with us later seeing it being trapped and ringed,this being my first adult male ever.Later we also had the privilege of seeing a Grasshopper Warbler trapped and ringed and in the hand which was certainly an added bonus.
 Other niceties included Tim and my self's first Bittern at Spurn,with one being seen around Shooter's Pond at the southern end of Beacon Ponds,a really good sighting and a bird which has been present for about two weeks.At least 3 Yellow-browed Warbler(2 Crown & Anchor,1 at the south end of Beacon Lane),Pied Flycatcher(Kilnsea Churchyard),3 Whinchat & Stonechat(Triangle),my 'First' Redwing of the autumn/winter(Warren),28 Dark-bellied Brent,30 Little Egret,Greenshank,12 juv. Little Gulls,juv. Kittiwake,2 Med.Gulls & a Peregrine(All Beacon Ponds/Kilnsea Wetlands).
 A few non bird sightings included a confiding Roe Deer behind Rose Cottage,a scattering of Red Admirals and a few Roesel's-bush Crickets still around the rank grassy areas.

Dawn Over The Humber At East Halton Skitter.

One Of The Hull Bound Ferries.

Black-tailed Godwits Heading To North Killingholme Haven To Roost At High Tide.

Incoming Greylags.

Meadow Pipits Along The Humber Sea Wall.

West Bound Pink-footed Geese.

Patiently Watching.

Then The Pounce.

Winter's Pond,East Halton.

East Halton Skitter At High Tide.

Dawn Over The North Sea At Spurn.

Bittern In The Gloom Over Shooter's Pond.

Bittern In The Gloom Over Shooter's Pond.

First Views Of The Red-breasted Flycatcher At The Warren.

Red-breasted Flycatcher,The Warren.

Red-breasted Flycatcher,The Warren.

What A Stunning Bird!.

And In The Hand,Showing That Distinct Tail Pattern & Contrast In Mantle And Head Colour.

Grasshopper Warbler,At The Warren.

Grasshopper Warbler,Showing Streaking On Undertail Coverts.

A Confiding Roe Deer Behind Rose Cottage.