Champions of the Flyway!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Filey, 19th - 25th November 2012


Redwing

Overall a pretty quiet period, with a few notable exceptions. A wander to East Lea (a small wetland reserve owned and managed by the local group and full of potential) on the beautifully sunny morning of the 23rd was unremarkable, until around 30 Pink-feet came in from the north, kindly putting me on to a Hen Harrier heading in the same direction - which I'd have missed it if not for tracking the geese over the town. A welcome and overdue first for me locally.


Treecreeper, Church Ravine

Not quite so lucky the following morning, when a Grey Phalarope beat me by a few minutes off the Brigg; still, it got me down the slippery slope looking for it, and in the following couple of hours we'd added Black Guillemot (less than annual here), a Red-necked Grebe (drifting south on the current just off the Brigg), two Great Northern Divers, a (the) Long-tailed Duck, a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers and 60+ Red-throated Divers on the move. An excellent haul for a pleasant but unpromisingly calm day.


Otherwise it's pretty much as you were; no cold-weather movements or notable influxes as yet, and the bay is relatively quiet. That can all change very quickly, however.....


Kestrel finishing supper



The latter half (including legs and tail) of a ?, down the hatch