Orange flanked blue-tailed beauty !

Another great few days up in East Yorkshire, high pressure over Scandinavia extending right over the UK promoting good migration conditions, most birds over flying at great height but this little star dropped in to the gardens at Flamborough, into Ian Marshall's nets and on to many a Yorkshire list ! Released into Old Fall plantation and inhabiting the exact same trees that held the Brown Flycatcher only 20 days before and in company with a Yellow-browed Warbler, who needs Siberia !

Buckton was again good with two patch ticks a flyover Knot and Mediterranean Gull - later found by Dave Wardby (1st yr and ad winter) following the Buckton Hall plough near the main dell ! Other bits here included a ringtail Hen Harrier, Merlin, Lapland Bunting, a Yellow-legged Gull (DW only) and lots of Blackbirds (35 ringed).

Rain and leaves both fall

Leaves at the Lodge


Woke up this morning to find a scrape had formed in the field overnight and flooded out the bottom of the garden.


A goldfish !

Norman the new dog

On August 27th we suddenly lost Sam, Sam was our devoted collie and my complete birding and ringing companion, although words are pointless in trying to describe just how great Sam was its been several months of hell and for the sake of Higbee (and ourselves) we needed a new black and white bundle of joy. He has arrived !! We announce the landing of Norman ! (on the battle of Hastings anniversary 14th October).

Our lives have suddenly got very busy with a 4 month old around the place. It appears he likes football and sleeping !

Blyth's Reed Warbler, easy isnt it !

This super skulker was found by Richard Baines in his back garden on Flamborough whilst he was on the phone ! - completing a mega double for Richard after his success with Phil Cunningham in finding the UK's first twitchable Brown Flyctacher in Old Fall plantation.

Yellow brows and Wood Sand

Yellow-browed Warblers at Bempton and Flamborough, two of the 7-8 birds I saw during the week. Other species seen during the week on the head included Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike, Wood Warbler and Wood Sandpiper (the latter both patch ticks), oh .. and I almost forgot - Brown Flycatcher !

(Wood Sand courtesy of Paul Hackett)

Sabs on the beach !

This juvenile Sabines Gull was present for a couple of hours on the beach at South Landing at Flamborough on Saturday September 29th, it was approachable to within 15ft and gave fantasic views. The bird was heard calling several times - a very sharp high pitched call similar to that of Little Gull.

Shrikey !

On Saturday 29th September Richard Hearn and myself found this beast lurking in the main dell at Buckton, news was put out and over 1600 birders saw the bird during its 6 day stay, raising £651 for St Catherines Hospice, Scarborough. On Monday October 1st the shrike was caught and ringed during routine ringing on the site. It was found to be a 1st winter bird and plumage features indicated it was almost certainly of the race phoenicuroides known by some as Turkistan Shrike.