When the rain did arrive, accompanied by a stiff south-easterly, birding was rendered impossible, so we hunkered down until lunch. After about 13.30 the weather showed signs of improving and so I gritted my teeth and headed for Hawsker Bottoms.
As I approached the little sewage works just above the Cleveland Way, a Ring Ouzel called from the surrounding bushes. Very promising. I saw it as it flew out, and then heard a second bird. Also piling out were four Song Thrushes, two Blackbirds, and two Blackcaps. Clearly migrants had arrived.
I then headed to the top of the cliff and sea-watched for 30 minutes. This only produced half a dozen Red-throated Divers and 40 Gannets. I was about to give up when I spotted flock of 55 geese heading south. They turned out to be Barnacle Geese.
I eventually headed back to the sewage works, and at last found a bird I had been hoping for, a Yellow-browed Warbler. It posed beautifully for several seconds and I really should have got a decent shot of it, but I was momentarily distracted by a second bird in the same elder bush, which turned out to be a Blue Tit, and as I returned to the Yellow-browed and pressed the shutter, it turned and exited. Drat. I did get a shot but it shows none of the diagnostic features and I'm too ashamed to show it.
I hung around for forty minutes, and eventually a tit-flock reappeared. With them was the Yellow-browed Warbler and several crests, one of which sounded like a Firecrest. Unfortunately I failed to see it to confirm my suspicions, while the Yellow-browed Warbler kept on evading my lens. Once they all returned to the Hawsker Bottoms jungle, I decided to head home.
I know I normally show even my worst photos, but I have to draw the line somewhere.
Oh, go on then!
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| Literally an arse-end view of a Yellow-browed Warbler |
Thanks for the humour on such a miserable wet day!
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