The autumn that keeps giving. I was mooching around the seafront at Redcar this morning when we got news that the Pied Wheatear had been re-found. A quick jog along the beach road and the bird was showing superbly on a balcony on the cinema. It spent the morning flycatching from it's favoured perch with the occasional jaunt along the beach.
Pied Wheatear
From here it was down to Skinningrove where the Eastern Black Redstart gave a great show, flitting around on rocks just north of the breakwater. What a stunning bird. A bit dull for photos unfortunately.
Eastern Black Redstart
News that the Siberian Accentor was showing at Newbiggin got me up to Northumberland. A bit more skulky than the Orkney bird, but superb to see closer to home. A bit distant, but you can see what it is!
A pleasant late autumn seawatch from Whitburn this morning, with boat-loads of Pink-footed Geese heading south. Full results here.
From here to the Leas where the 'Daurian' Isabelline Shrike was performing well in much better light.
Isabelline Shrike
I headed up to Prestwick Carr for another crack at the Great Grey Shrike. In luck this time and the shrike was showing well, although distantly, to the east of the sentry box.
Great Grey Shrike
Called in at Shibdon on the way home where there was the first Green Sandpiper of the year and 7 Black-tailed Godwit.
Too late to get to Holy Island on Tuesday for the Siberian Accentor before dark, I was there, stumbling around in the dunes well before dawn on Wednesday morning. With the area littered with birders who had been marooned on Scilly, the Azores or even further afield I was full of hope. Unfortunately despite extensive searching there was no sign and by mid afternoon when Rich asked if I wanted to go to Orkney I could only say yes.
Arriving on Orkney after no sleep it became clear that the postcode we had for the bird was wrong. After some frantic phone calls we got some proper directions and hurtled over to the correct side of the island. A couple of birders had the bird pinned down on our arrival and we were relieved to see it immediately, crawling around some bare earth. For the next hour we had the bird to ourselves and to eventually flew to land and feed just 15 feet away, giving stunning views. Thanks to Rich for driving and getting me to a bird that I couldn't miss.
Siberian Accentor
Back home I was absolutely knackered through lack of sleep, but late news of an Isabelline Shrike at the Leas, South Shields dragged me out. Through some nightmare traffic, the light was fading as I got there, but the shrike performed superbly.
Back home after yesterday's marathon train journey. Up to Newton this morning, where I eventually picked up the Baird's Sandpiper. Unfortunately it favoured the small pools at the far side of the scrape, so no photos. Also here were 60+ Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Grey Plover. A good search of the scrub here and at the tin church failed to turn up anything other than a few migrant thrushes.
Down the coast at Druridge a Great White Egret was performing in front of the Budge Screen along with 2 Little Egret and a Greenshank.
An hour at Prestwick Carr on the way home failed to turn up the Great Grey Shrike.
Last day on Scilly, so headed up to Carreg Dhu in hope that the mystery warbler would show. No sign, but I did have 2 Firecrest and a Yellow-browed Warbler. Redwing, Fieldfare and Chaffinch were streaming over along with a single Brambling.
A hunt around the north of the island revealed little and I was almost back to Hugh Town for the boat when news of a Siberian Stonechat broke. Wearing several layers to fight the cold on the boat trip, it was a sweaty jog up to Maypole where the chat was showing well.
Siberian Stonechat
Back down to the boat where the final new bird of the trip, a Hen Harrier was seen distantly as it drifted over Holy Vale. A great end to a cracking month with 149 species and several other rare beasts.
With nothing happening this morning I shamelessly twitched a Mandarin on St Agnes. On view on arrival, it was looking good until it moved and flashed a plastic ring.
Mandarin-out on parole.
With little more than a Yellow-browed Warbler I was heading for the early boat when I bumped into a birder who'd just thought he'd had a Red-flanked Bluetail. A few minute wait and a bird popped up showing its orange flanks and as it flicked away a blue tail, bingo! Elusive for a while, it eventually gave itself up and showed well on a few occasions.
Red-flanked Bluetail
While the Bluetail was being found a warbler that had been found dead in the lighthouse garden was being identified- a Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler. Probably the rarest bird to be seen this autumn was now in Graham's fridge. How near...
Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler
Firecrest and Siberian Chiffchaff were seen on the walk back for the boat.
Still quiet on Scilly. Tuesday and Wednesday were spent pottering around on St Agnes and Tresco with little to show for it. Today it was back to strolling around St Mary's where the Woodlark, finally pinned down, was showing well at Watermill. A bit far for a photo, but I managed some phone-scoped video.
Woodlark
A lift from Spider got us down to Porthellick in time to see a Barred Warbler that had been trapped and ringed, presumably the bird seen a few days ago.
Barred Warbler
A lot of walking followed with little reward. A couple of Jack Snipe and a Black Redstart probably the best of the bunch.
