Wednesday 16 September 2015

Black Stork and other East Yorkshire delights

I finally got the chance to go and see the long-staying Black Stork on Saturday 5th September, after a frustrating few weeks while I had other commitments.

Black Stork, Sunk Island, East Yorkshire - 5th September 2015

The bird, a juvenile (note the brown rather than black plumage), was first seen at Beacon Ponds, just north of Spurn Point, on 3rd August. As you can see from the photo above, it has a white Darvic (plastic) ring on its left leg, with the code F05R on it. This confirms it was ringed as a nestling in a forest near Bossus-lès-Rumigny, Ardennes, northern France on 3rd June 2015. Great proof of its wild origin, and that ringing can help it tracking bird movements.

Interestingly, the bird's sibling, carrying ring F05P, was found at Loch of Strathbeg in Aberdeenshire just a few days later on 6th August. F05R was last seen in the Spurn area on 10th August, but was relocated in the Sunk Island area on 17th.

When I arrived on the morning of 5th September the bird was preening in ploughed field by the Spragger drain, just north of Old Hall Road in Sunk Island (not really an island, not any more anyway). Before long it took flight and slowly circled over the the nearby houses (and birders) before settling down to feed in the drain south of the road.

The primaries on the right wing of the bird appear to be damaged. I'm not sure if this was noted when the bird was first seen.



Black Stork, Sunk Island, East Yorkshire - 5th September 2015

The Black Stork eventually wandered out of view, much to the disappointment of newly arrived birders; but it did fly back over and land in a field further to the north before I left. It was still being reported in the area as of 13th September.

I moved on to Kilnsea, which was awash with birders for the Spurn Migration Festival. It was great to see the place buzzing, with birders grilling every last square foot of hedgerow. I've never attended the Migfest officially, though I might next year. Regular readers will remember the time I got stuck in the Spurn lighthouse during the inaugural festival in 2013 ;-)

The winds were northerly - not generally conducive to good east coast birds in early September - but anything can turn up here during autumn. I had Arctic Skua, Manx Shearwaters and a couple of Sooty Shearwaters during a brief Seawatching from the Blue Bell.

There were a few good birds around the bushes. I dipped a Barred Warbler at Westmere Farm, but Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Flycatcher in the garden at Cliffe Farm, a Red-backed Shrike in Corner Field by Sunny Cliff Caravan Park, and hedges full of Lesser Whitethroats more than made up for it.

Pied Flycatcher, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - 5th September 2015

Spotted Flycatcher, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - 5th September 2015

Red-backed Shrike, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - 5th September 2015

Lesser Whitethroat, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - 5th September 2015

I also managed to fit in some filming around the Humber and Spurn for a video for my band Falconetti. Some epic landscapes and seascapes around here. On the way home I popped into a toy shop in Hull to buy my son's 7th birthday presents, and rounded off the day leading a bat walk for the Airedale Otters in Bingley West Yorkshire. A productive day in many ways.

The following week I was back at Kilnsea again. Easterlies from Thursday leading to the weekend suggested Saturday 12th September might be worth a punt.

The day started with heavy rain - practically unbirdable - but fortunately it cleared by mid-morning. I headed up Beacon Lane from the Blue Bell, working the hedges and fields. The migrant numbers were low, though a Willow Warbler and at least five Common Redstarts were a decent start. The scrub fields near the listening post had several Northern Wheatears and Meadow Pipits amongst the Starlings, plus the odd Whinchat. The highlight here though was the Short-eared Owl sitting on a fence, with a second hunting over towards Beacon Ponds.

Short-eared Owl, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire - 12th September 2015

Back in Kilnsea I tried the hedges, gardens, farms and the churchyard, but the butterflies were outperforming the birds, with a few Peacocks and over 50 Speckled Woods, and a Brimstone in Church Field. News came through of an elusive Yellow-browed Warbler in the trees between the churchyard and Kew Villa, but it wouldn't show for the 20 or so birders waiting. Eventually it did show, and well, in Church Field. The Spurn Warden seemed a little peeved so many birders were present, given only members of Friends of Spurn Bird Observatory are allowed access. Glad I renewed my membership recently ;-)

Sammy's Point, Easington, East Yorkshire - 12th September 2015

My time was nearly up so I aborted a trip around Sammy's Point (after finding very little to show for my efforts anyway), and headed to the end of Seaside Road, by Easington Beach Caravan Park. I wanted do do some more filming for this Falconetti music video, and the view of the off-shore wind farm in the sunshine is good from here. A enjoyed watching a confiding Sanderling as the camera rolled on the turbines out at sea.

Sanderling, Easington, East Yorkshire - 12th September 2015

Seaside Road, Easington, East Yorkshire - 12th September 2015

I had just enough time to pop into Easington Cemetery. I first visited here with artist Ray Scally, on 5th September 2010. On that occasion, I pointed out a bird (a Chiffchaff, if memory serves) in the trees above the gate, and Ray told me it was the first bird he'd ever seen in the cemetery after years of visits! I can't say I've much luck here myself, but this time I did see a female Great Spotted Woodpecker in one of the 30 sycamores that line the cemetery. So that's now two birds on the list!

Rainbow over Easington from the cemetery - 12th September 2015

Wednesday 2 September 2015

Scilly Pelagics - 7th-9th August 2015

I spent a few days on St Mary's in early August, specifically to go on Bob Flood and Ashley Fisher's Scilly Pelagics, on Joe Pender's MV Sapphire.


I was hoping for Wilson's Storm-petrel, plus good views of any Shearwaters, particularly Cory's Shearwater (which would have been a lifer for me) and Great Shearwater. Of course, there was always the hope of something really rare, like a Fea's Petrel.

As it was, the target birds didn't show, apart from up to five Great Shearwaters. Cory's Shearwaters were being seen regularly before I arrived and again the week after, but not on my three trips. The first Wilson's Petrel of the year was seen a week later too, the latest Scilly record. And of course, a very showy Fea's Petrel appeared seven days after my trip.

But, despite all that, I had a fabulous time. European Storm-petrels, Sooty Shearwaters, all four UK Skua species, Blue Sharks, Ocean Sunfish, etc. Plus the opportunity to improve my seabird knowledge, to make some new friends, and to enjoy the delights of the beautiful Isles of Scilly.

Friday 7th August

The seawatching started on the Scillonian III crossing from Penzance to St Mary's. Good numbers of Manx Shaerwaters, one each of Balearic Shearwater and Sooty Shearwater, one Bonxie, two Common Buzzards, and at least six European Storm-petrels were my best sightings. A distant, probable Cory's Shearwater was seen by others, but like most on board I didn't get on it.

It was a bit wet when I arrived on St Mary's, and only got worse with a very heavy mid-afternoon downpour. The rain wouldn't have been so bad if there was some wind to help bring in the pelagic birds, but this was just vertical.

Harbour, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly - Friday 7th August 2015

Porthcressa beach, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly - Friday 7th August 2015

The weather improved by time the MV Sapphire left the harbour for my first trip at 17:00. I had  high hopes of seeing a Cory's Shearwater on one of the three days, because two were seen the previous night's trio and several had been called off Corwall in the week. Two Peregrines on rocks off the island of Annet were a nice start.

There were scores of Manx Shearwaters within the islands' inshore waters, perhaps having sheltered there from the earlier bad weather. We had some great close views. Further out, heading southwest, we saw many more Manxies, one Sooty Shearwater, and around 30 European Storm-petrels. We had four Arctic Terns (I think), at least three Great Skuas, and lots of nice close up views of Fulmars.

European Storm-petrel, southwest of the Isles of Scilly - Friday 7th August 2015


Great Skua, southwest of the Isles of Scilly - Friday 7th August 2015

My favourite sight of the trip - and possibly the whole weekend - were the Common Dolphins riding the bow waves of our boat. There were an absolute joy to watch. Well before we spotted any dolphins, the skipper's dog, Bella, would rush out of the wheelhouse and stand on the prow, whining and mewling. Clearly she could hear the dolphins' high-pitched calls.

One interesting aspect of the trips was the satellite tagging of Blue Sharks. A couple of the guys of the boat were catching fish as we went along, and were using the catch as chum for the sea birds. After a while one angler changed to a different line, but I didn't expect him to catch a Blue Shark with it!

This Blue Shark came as a surprise to me!

Blue Sharks are epipelagic, found worldwide in deep temperate and tropical waters from the surface to about 350 meters. They prefer cooler waters, generally between 50° N and 20° S, but do spread further and can migrate long distances. Blue Sharks in the Atlantic live as far north as Norway and as far south as Chile.

Two sharks were caught on the Friday trip, and both were tagged.

Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) southwest of the Isles of Scilly - Friday 7th August 2015

Not a bad first trip. In fact, I'd already decided it wouldn't matter if we didn't see any of the target birds while I was there; the whole experience was fantastic all the same.

Fabulous sunset at the end of the trip - - Friday 7th August 2015

Saturday 8th August

The previous night's red sky promise a beautiful morning, and Saturday turned out to be a lovely day. Perhaps not great for sea birds (storms bring birds into more sheltered inshore waters, and wind helps carry the smell of the chum to attract tubenoses), but nice all the same.

Town beach, Hugh Town, St Mary's - Saturday 8th August 2015

MV Sapphire, St Mary's Harbour - Saturday 8th August 2015

It wasn't long before Bella was excitedly running around the boat, and sure sure enough we were soon joined by a pod of Short-beaked Common Dolphins. Not easy to photograph from a speeding, swaying boat...

Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Isles of Scilly - Saturday 8th August 2015

Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola), Isles of Scilly - Saturday 8th August 2015

We spent most of the day following the French trawler Azur, which had a large number of birds following it. Highlights were four Sooty Shearwaters, 100+ European Storm-petrels, all four Skua species (Great, Arctic, Pomerine and a showy 1st summer Long-tailed Skua), and a Great Shearwater (that I missed). Another mammal highlight was an encounter with a pod of Bottle-nosed Dolphins.

French trawler Azur - Saturday 8th August 2015

Great Skua, Isles of Scilly - Saturday 8th August 2015

Long-tailed Skua, Isles of Scilly - Saturday 8th August 2015

Fulmar, Isles of Scilly - Saturday 8th August 2015
 
Sooty Shearwater, Isles of Scilly - Saturday 8th August 2015

Sunday 9th August

Sunday 9th August was Hen Harrier Day, part of the campaign to stop grouse moor owners and gamekeepers in the UK illegally killing Hen Harriers. Beyond the killing of this protected species, the so-called "sport" of grouse shooting has many unsavory aspects, not least the massive damage it does to the environment. I am totally against grouse shooting, and have been all my life, mainly because the killing of wildlife for entertainment is simply wrong; but I couldn't be at the rallies on the mainland, so the least I could do was wear my Hen Harrier Day t-shirt and tweet my support.


Sunday started with some fog, but a decent breeze meant it would soon clear.

Setting off from St Mary's

Preparing the chum

This was definitely the best of the three trips for birds. The highlights were three separate Great Shearwaters, each coming quite close to the boat. There were loads of Manx Shearwaters close to the islands again, and one Sooty Shearwater tagged along with us for a while. We had another (the same?) 1st summer Long-tailed Skua, at least five Great Skuas, and 150+ European Storm-petrels feeding close in to the boat.

Great Shearwater, southwest of Isles of Scilly - Sunday 9th August 2015

European Storm-petrel, southwest of Isles of Scilly - Sunday 9th August 2015

Four Blue Sharks were caught on the Sunday too, including a particularly large female. It took an age to get it on board. You can see the red GPS tag in the sharks' dorsal fins in the images below.

Blue Shark, southwest of Isles of Scilly - Sunday 9th August 2015

Here's a video of the larger Blue Shark being tagged and measured, plus some footage of Common Dolphins riding the bow waves of the Sapphire, and slow-motion footage of feeding European Storm-petrels.

 

Later on Sunday, I caught the Scillonian III back to Penzance, seeing plenty more Manxies, Stormies, and the odd Bonxie. A great trip, well worth the effort. I'm already planning my next visit.