Another holiday with
Abi and her dad at the marvellous Filey Country Park – Caravan
Site.
A real slog of a journey along the A64 - you would have thought it was Bank Holiday!
Monday 23rd August 2021 - just the
last hour birding today.
A lifer though in the
shape of an Arctic Skua off the Brigg giving the Sandwich Terns grief.
Some others:-
1 Common Scoter, c20
Oystercatcher with other Waders dropping out of sight behind the
distant rocks as I scanned from near dark, from high on the Brigg
above the 'birders hut'.
Filey Day 2 Tuesday
24th Aug 2021.
I did not get out birding again
until after 7pm and its dark at 8:15pm so I was not expecting to see a lot.
I walked to the end of
the Brigg where the sea was 'falling' but still well over most of the
rocks at the end.
Just a few Gulls to
start with, at the end of the rocks, included a Great Black-backed
Gull, and as the light failed a few Birds started to appear, making
the camera struggle to focus at distance.
2 Common Scoter on the
water with Sandwich Terns calling.
A bit later an Arctic
Skua being mobbed by Terns and landed on the water.
3 Turnstone landed to
bathe and 6 Fulmar and a few Gannet passed by and Sand Martin and
Swallow were seen also.
Filey Day 3 - 25/08/21
Red Throated Diver Day
Another cool-ish morning
with a couple of hours birding squeezed in.
The usual, enjoyable,
walk to the end of the Brigg was more interesting than of late with
the tide out as far as it was going to be today.
It was great to chat to
2 other really friendly birders here today.
Bird Included:
Red Throated Diver –
a lifer – pity about the photo.
Oystercatcher, Dunlin,
Turnstone.
A Purple Sandpiper was also present.. Only noticed when checking my photos at home.
Ringed Plover, Knot,
Razorbill (one only).
Great Black-backed
Gull, Common Scoter.
2 Seals on the rocks,
that I kept as far away from as Poss.
Evening:
A real squally evening
with drizzle blown along on a stiff breeze and , the usual, walk to the end of
the Brigg along the top path.
Looking from the top
path down to the rocks, photos are not going to be real great alas!
A nice reward was a
Avocet that dropped onto the rock at the very end of the Brigg.
A Ruff dropped in soon
after, another cracking bird.
Also 6 Teal and the
'usual' species.
No Divers or Skuas
tonight.
Filey Day 4 - Thursday
26/08/21
“Soil Hill” weather
arrived late evening and remained all day today, with winds of 30mph and
some heavy drizzle.
It was nice to
hear that its sunny at home.
A short morning stroll
along the beach to the Rocks at the end of the Brigg had only a few
people along the way.
3 Sanderling were
zipping about at the waters edge – smashing start.
Also c120 Ducks on the
sea at distance were Teal I believe.
6 Fulmar, 3 Turnstone
and 6 or so Dunlin.
A very dark Pipit that
called loudly before flying off took some re-finding, but it left
immediately I got the bins on it, was possibly a Rock Pipit.
A walk along the beach,
to Primrose Valley and back, with Abi and Sue this aft was a wild
squally affair.
Abi did not seem to
notice the cold ,taking off her trainers and constantly running in the
sea.
Just a large flock of
airborne Ducks, miles off, was about all that appeared with the
Herring Gulls and 3 Terns which I cannot ID but they don't resemble
Sandwich Tern.
Filey Day 5 - Friday 27/08/21
Another poor day
weather wise, wind and drizzle a.m. Improved with a bit of sun p.m.
I cycled to File Dams
mid morning.
Lots of Teal, Canada
Geese with a few Greylag Geese.
1 Common Snipe.
4 Ruff dropped in
building up to 11 birds before I left.
Large flock of Lapwing.
A few Garganey that are actually Eclipse Mallard oops.
And a few other common
species.
Filey Day 6 - Saturday 28/08/21.
Last morning before we return home and my usual walk along to the Brigg.
The sun came out this morning and it was warm and present.
Not much happening with the tide still mostly over the rocks.
Great to chat with Mark Pearson along the path.
Guillemot, Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Great Black-backed Gull.
A really nice surprise and a reminder of home in the shape of a Wheatear.
4 Dunlin were on the small pond.
The small ball of fluff (a Fulmar chick) that was on the cliff face on my last visit, is now a larger bird but still not fledged?
[ Plus loads of Gull photos that I'll post later on when I get chance to look at 'em]
A few of the hundreds of photos taken:-
Common Scoter:
Sandwich Tern:
Ruff:
Garganey:
NOT Eclipse Mallard oops
Knott:
Sanderling:
Teal:
Dunlin:/ Purple Sandpiper
Purple Sandpiper
Red Throated Diver:
Arctic Skua:
Common Snipe:
Today's (Saturday) birds:-
