Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers Birdseeker Trip

21^st September 2008 - Report by Neil Glenn

My biggest task during the week before a Birdseeker trip is to keep tabs on what birds are turning up in different parts of the country. Although several goodies had been turning up around the UK this week, the final choice boiled down to Norfolk or Lincs & Yorkshire. No doubt the group anticipated another sojourn to Norfolk but I surprised them by announcing we would be on our way north!

Our first stop was at Alkborough Flats, a reserve near Scunthorpe that I had never heard of until a Wilson's Phalarope turned up there last week. When we arrived, a few birders were looking for the American wader, but all looking in different directions: not a good sign.

We settled down to scan the distant wader flocks, while Rae set about his usual task of extracting birding info from the locals. We found a couple of Curlew Sandpipers with some Ringed Plovers on the mud relatively close to us but they were soon spooked by a heron.

Scanning further away, we saw Dunlin and Ruff, a drake Pintail in eclipse plumage and a very distant Marsh Harrier. Rae phoned to say someone had seen the Phalarope this morning but had flown to a private part of the reserve.

We were just about to depart when Rae again phoned to say the target species was showing! We quickly joined the group watching the bird. It was playing hide and seek amongst the long grass on a muddy island but everyone managed to see this rarity through telescopes.

As we walked back to the bus, I was lagging behind and saw the phalarope land close to the path. By the time I could attract the other's attention, a Sparrowhawk had flown over and sent the wader back to its distant island hideaway!

We crossed the Humber Bridge and made our way along the tortuous roads to Spurn Point. We parked by the café so people could use the facilities. Some crossed their legs and headed straight for the Red-backed Shrike along the lane. It gave reasonable views in the ‘scope, though the sun was in the wrong position (at least it was out!).

We all made our way to the Crown and Anchor pub, not for refreshments but to scan the car park bushes for migrants. We were rewarded with Blackcap, a Garden Warbler and a few lucky souls glimpsed a Yellow-browed Warbler. On the shore a few yards away was a Spotted Redshank and a sick-looking Guillemot.

We walked along the canal bank and found a Redstart and a Wheatear or two. As we were looking for migrants, news came that a Wryneck was showing well at The Point. I went to fetch the van while the group walked towards the road. In this way, we met near the reserve entrance and were soon zooming along the three mile long collapsing-into-the-sea peninsular road (don't get in our way little cars, we are bigger than you are!).

It wasn't long before everyone was watching the Wryneck perched in full view on the cottage walls and lawns. It performed wonderfully well for allcomers, basking in the warm sun for all to see. One or two of the group were beginning to think this species didn't actually exist but that myth was being firmly laid to rest now!

We gradually drifted away from the Wryneck and some indulged in a celebratory ice cream. There wasn't time to linger, though, and we were soon off again. A five minute drive brought us to The Chalk Bank and a busy car park.

Just as we arrived, the Barred Warbler showed again but too briefly for everyone to see it. Some continued to stake out the bushes while others went into the hide.

In this way, we all eventually saw the Barred Warbler in flight and got ‘scope views of the Shore Lark on the shoreline, though the latter wasn't as easy as it sounded.

Unfortunately, it was time to head south again. I tried to persuade people to try for the Red-footed Falcon at Top Hill Low on the way home but it was decided to drop in at Hatfield Moor for two Pectoral Sandpipers instead.

It was a lovely evening as we walked to the old peat workings at this Yorkshire reserve. At first, we couldn't see any waders on the vast despoiled peat workings but a few were seen in flight in the distance.

The light was fading fast but we could pick out Dunlin and a Little Stint before we gave up the search. Just as we packed away, Greg K found a wader that was almost certainly a Pec (shape and feeding behaviour) but it was too far away and dark to be absolutely sure. And for a bird to be on the Nottinghamshire Birdwatchers' trip list, I have to be 100% sure we have seen it, so Pectoral Sandpiper still eludes us!

Skip ahead one month and news came through that the Red-footed Falcon that we had bypassed was, in fact, Britain's first Amur Falcon! This birdwatching lark can sometimes be a cruel and heart-breaking hobby!