Flamborough At Its Best!

Flamborough At Its Best!

Image from Flamborough Bird Observatory website

We arrived at Flamborough Head at 7:40am, and immediately started the one mile walk from the lighthouse car park to Northcliff Marsh for the mega rare Red-headed Bunting. Someone pointed out the Red-headed Bunting almost immediately after we stationed ourselves for the mega. Unfortunately, I only managed dull, brief views as it flew back into the field shortly after. There were many Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings in the bushes, as well as a very tame Robin which wandered around our feet. We waited in the cold rain for around an hour hoping for better views yet to no avail. News of the Two-barred Warbler then came out, so we decided to head off to go see it. 

As soon as we got to Motorway Hedge (where the warbler had been seen), all the birders started rushing over to a different section of the hedge, so I ran with them. Then, one birder pointed out a small, green, flighty bird in the hedge and low down in the vegetation. It was the Two-barred Warbler! I managed to get good, prolonged views and a record shot, before then heading over to look at the brambles below the lighthouse café in hopes of seeing a Dusky Warbler. Unfortunately, we didn't see the Dusky Warbler, so we headed over to Stone Creek in hopes of seeing the Rough-legged  Buzzard.

As soon as we arrived at Stone Creek, we spotted the Rough-legged Buzzard hovering straight away. I managed to get a record shot, and good views, when one of the birders heard a Spotted Redshank calling and pointed it out as it flew past. 

Suddenly a ringtail Hen Harrier came up close, in along the channel, before it flew along the field and then darted across the road to make way for another ringtail Hen Harrier. We also saw a family of nine Grey Partridge crossing the road, which was a good sign that this scarce countryside bird had bred. Along with the harriers and the Rough-legged Buzzard, we also managed to spot a Sparrowhawk, a Common Buzzard and a Kestrel, as well as someone else saying they drove past a Short-eared Owl on the way there.

After hearing about the Pallid Swift at Flamborough, we headed there in the hopes of seeing it. Once back at Flamborough, we ran over to the seawatching hide where the Pallid Swift had been seen and I asked two people if the bird was still about, when one of them said that it flew past around 30 seconds ago! Then, someone interrupted saying it was still visible at the top of the hill, however when I looked, it had gone below the hill. We waited for a bit, hoping it would come back around, but it didn't. We then checked on the hill, meeting Will Scott and his dad along the way, who said they'd let us know if it reappeared.

We then went to check for the Dusky Warbler again. Along the way, we saw a group of birders staring at some bushes behind the lighthouse. Amongst the crowd of birders, we met another young birder , named Toby, who said they were looking for a Pallas's Warbler. We decided to wait when the Pallas's Warbler flew out into the small tree, as well as a small, brown bird pop up out of the brambles. At first, I thought it was a wren, but then I noticed a bold supercilium and a warbler appearance. It was the Dusky Warbler! The fourth lifer of the trip. There were also many Goldcrests in the brambles.

As it was turning evening, we got a text from Trevor (Will Scott's friend) saying Will had the Pallid Swift at Old Falling. I sprinted towards Old Falling, trying not to slip on the mud, and when I got there, Will said he lost it gliding towards the lighthouse, so I sprinted back with the last of my energy, when Will's dad pointed the Pallid Swift out, far in front, hawking along the clifftop. I ran ahead and got amazingly close views of it, before it continued towards the lighthouse. Will's dad then talked about the ID features of it, how it wasn't a proper crescent shape like a Common Swift, and did full, strong wing flaps unlike a Common Swift, as well as its lighter, brown colour. We then got a second view of it hawking above the Grey Seals by The Drinking Dinosaur. 

Overall, a brilliant day trip with 5 lifers (Red-headed Bunting, Two-barred Warbler, Pallid Swift, Dusky Warbler & Rough-legged Buzzard)