Last day in Yorkshire

Another early rise found us at Flamborough South Landing by 07.30: what a beautiful place! Lots of auks and Kittiwakes flying by, as well as several Shags, seven of which perched on a large buoy. Star bird here was a juvenile drake Eider quite close in.

After slogging back up the steep hill, we moved the short distance to Dane's Dyke, walking down the equally steep path to the chalky beach. From here the Shags were much closer, but there was nothing new available, so we  decided to visit the Lighthouse cliffs. After  a cup of tea we  walked to the seawatching hide: close by was a delightful Puffin and lots of seals. A walk right around gave us good views of some decent butterflies and dozens of orchids.

We drove the few miles to Thornwick Pools, where we relaxed and ate our lunch, before passing our old guest house on the way to Hoddy Cow Lane. A long walk in the Sun gave us fleeting views of Lesser Whitethroat Yellowhammer and Linnet, but no Corn Bunting, sadly..

Moorland and other great year ticks!

A second terrific day in the East Riding. starting at Bempton with a beautiful Barn Owl before moving inland to the River Derwent. With plenty of perseverence and some local help we eventually found both Grey Wagtail and Dipper and enjoyed lunch by the river. A long drive onto the moors near Rosedale gave us the hoped-for views of Red Grouse, Wheatear and Curlew, before we headed home via the raptor viewpoint in the Wykeham Forest. (Just Siskin and Willow Warbler here)

Bempton Cliffs

The Summer Wine Crew (minus Norman) headed North to Yorkshire for our annual tick hunt!
We arrived before midday, enjoying typically great views of the usual specialities: Tree Sparrow, Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin, Fulmar and, of course, Gannet. An amazing coincidnce: we bumped into old friend Andrew,  who I hadn't met since my Airshow days!

Our 'bijou' digs in Hunmanby turned out to be super and a trip to the moors is planned for tomorrow..

 

G.O.A.T

Greatest Of All Time!  Truly he is! Lewis had some good luck today - of course he did! But that's nothing to the bad luck he's had to accept since he joined Ferrari. But today we saw Lewis in his pomp: magnificent! And an all-Brit podium too!

Odds and ends at Hickling..

...but no Caspian Tern! Linda needed the car to attend a meeting at her group apiary at Lessingham, so offered to drop me off at Hickling for a bash at the reported Caspian Tern. Unfortunately it had flown off (to Hollesley as it turned out!) shortly before we arrived. In the hope it might return I stayed until 12.30, enjoying somewhat heat-hazey views of a Little Gull, a Bittern, several Great Egrets, three Spoonbills and lots of Hobbies.

Great Spotted visitor!

Our 'resident' Great Spotted Woodpecker has been in and out of the garden all day: unfortunately his chosen feeding station isn't easily visible: however, he does occasionally perch on the old Oak at the end of next-door's garden!

Brundall WI (And a wet Woodpecker!)

Last night I was invited to talk to the members of Brundall Women's Institute: despite a cool, drizzly evening, I was delighted to find an audience of over forty had turned out. The ladies were so attentive and - apparently - interested that I probably overstayed my welcome, talking for well over an hour. (I was booked for 30 - 45 minutes!)  A great evening which I enjoyed immensely, despite the continuing pain following a tooth extraction!

For the past few days a Great Spotted Woodpecker has been feeding on the bird table right in front of Linda's office window. Despite the frequency of these visits, they are not regular, so getting an in-focus shot through rainy glass has been problematical!

Crescent Moon

Just before dawn the waning crescent Moon was a beautiful sight above the eastern horizon: to the south Saturn was visible (but not worth an attempt at photography!)