White-winged Scoter at Musselburgh

Decided to make the long journey north on a less than ideal day weather wise with heavy rain and strong winds during the drive up but it was the best day on a very poor forecast over Easter.

The forecast was for a dry spell in the morning with rain and stronger winds in the afternoon but at 8.00am it was still barely daylight with frequent heavy showers moving through.  On top of this the tide was out and there was a heavy sea swell so it made it near impossible to pick out the W.W Scoter amongst the distant Velvet Scoters.  Fortunately there was a little window of brightness mid morning and group of about 10 Scoters were close in on the incoming tide.  After a little scanning I picked an obviously different bird with a different head structure, a good broad white tear mark behind the eye and a pinkish rather than orange bill.

Yellowhammers and Barn Owl

Went out birding locally looking for some early spring migrants but due to the persistent cold weather none had arrived but as compensation did have splendid views of this pair of Yellowhammers and a hunting Barn Owl.

Icy blast birds!

Well we've had a week of cold weather nothing horrendous but definitely cold and one added benefit to us humans if not the birds is the amount of new visitors to the garden showing just how vital it is to feed the birds in bad weather - birds we just don't normally get have visited daily including Reed Bunting, Brambling, Redwing, Fieldfare, Treecreeper, Pied Wagtail, Siskin and Hawfinch!  Here's a few mages including a Red-necked Grebe at Bagmoor this morning

Normanby's Deer Park

A smattering of snow over night made for a very beautiful deer park this morning - very quiet on the bird front no sign of the Hawfinch

Bearded Tits at Alkborough

These stunning images all taken at Alkborough without the need of a tape recorder! Taken by Neil proving patience pays off.

Rough-legged Buzzard

Taken by Neil Drinkall on Friday at Alkborough - image heavily cropped and taken at considerable distance flying away across the river

Parrot Crossbills at Howden Reservoir

A little cold but fabulous views of Common and Parrot Crossbills this morning - strong biting wind meant difficult conditions for digiscoping with the birds swaying in and out of the viewfinder ...

Desert Wheatear - Whitby Abbey

A new year and a new British tick for me - beautiful bird at a beautiful location

Hawfinches in N Lincs

Glorious time with the Hawfinches today, much easier to see now the leaves have fallen - we watched them feeding on Beech, Larch and Yew with seemingly no particular favourite food

Hawfinch Invasion

This autumn has seen an unprecedented influx of Hawfinches into the country and we have been lucky to find two in Normanby Park having seen them fly over our garden and today we found at least five at another local site - horrendously difficult to track down, we could hear them but not see them until they flew and then trying to relocate them before they disappeared into foliage was not an easy task!