I decided to make the big commitment today and walk down to the point after parking in usual style next to the Bluebell and i sort of half expected it to be hard going after the early morning OBP had disappeared into the jungle that is the point.
The walk down wasn't all dull,with some nice weather conditions and a cracking Firecrest doing it's best to skulk in an area of Sea Buckthorn at the Old Narrows and a little further on just before Chalk Bank,the most skulking Yellow-browed Warbler i have ever seen,spent it's time hiding in a Elder with a Goldcrest for company,so not a bad start really.
The remainder of the search around this area revealed at least 6 Stonechat and only a couple of Chiffs and 25 Redwing at the point,a pretty poor return,although the Stonechats and Redwings are always great to see.
A bit of landscape photography on the long walk back broke up the boredom and after at least 9 miles walking i eventually made it back to the car.
I then decided to go and pay the Richard's Pipit a visit which had been reported on and off all day in a pasture field opposite Westmere Farm.
After arriving at the birds chosen field and after a little patient scanning,the bird showed every so often,popping it's head up as it searched for insects in the long grass.This is my first sighting of the species for a couple of Autumns.
On returning to the car,some nice views of a cracking male Black Redstart in an adjacent garden was a nice bonus bird and then like the week previously the short wave radio sparked into life with a Juvenile American-golden Plover being found close by at Kilnsea Wetlands.
Myself along with Steve Exley and others yomped to Long Bank quickly to see the bird showing at relative long range to begin with.The face pattern was really distinctive on this bird,reminding me of a Dotterel.Then suddenly all the birds got up as a Sparrowhawk flushed all the gathering waders and the American Goldie was heard to call several times as it flew over.It eventually flew back in and settled down and then to everyone's amazement a second bird flew in and joined it,2 American Goldies together,amazing!.
There was some discussion over the second birds identification,but it was clearly a similar size to the first bird,with the same bill structure,but was a much duller individual,with not such a striking head pattern.I stood along with Wayne and Claire who had originally found the birds earlier in the day and enjoyed this duo and it brought back memories of my last encounter with the species,also a double at West Butterwick,near Scunthorpe back in September 2007,on that occasion involving 2 adults.
So again,as always,this amazing area delivered more quality birds and birding,where else is there on the mainland which consistently delivers scarce and rare birds on a regular basis,nowhere!.
So i made the steady drive back to North Linc's again very happy at my visit to this amazing area again.
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| Wigeon pair,Canal Scrape. |
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| Male Stonechat,Wire Dump. |
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| Male Stonechat,Wire Dump. |
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| Record shot of the American-golden Plovers,Kilnsea Wetlands. |
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