Cor(y), Blimey! Or, 652 Not 'Owt!

BirdGuides today, if you lived in Cornwall or Cork, what a shearwater-fest!

1200+ Cory's past Galley Head, and 150 in THIRTY minutes; 652 past Porthgwarra. 

So in the event that one had a malfunctioning compass and had gone right at Land's End and not left, off to N-b-t-S for tea time.

Final score - nil nil.

Loads of Guillemots on the sea, and Gannets feeding close in.  Kittiwakes and Fulmars south, and one Puffin on his/her lonesome.

Not a sniff of a shearwater or a skua or anything remotely pulse-racing but at least the weather was fine!

Norf Yorks Better Than Nor folk

After dipping Honey Buzzard in Norfolk two weeks ago, daily reports of them from the Wykeham Raptor Watchpoint in North Yorkshire this week were too good to miss out on. 

With a planned trip with some of the Magnificent Seven later this month now not possible because of work, it was worth a punt.  And with a Monty's Harrier and Osprey also seen, it was too good to pass over.

A journey that appeared to take twice as long as it needed to (108 miles in over two hours) ended with arrival at 9:00 am and straight into a Goshawk.  Good start!

Also seen/heard were: Siskin, Garden Warbler, Turtle Dove, Jay, Chaffinch, Crossbill, Swift, Wood Pigeon and Buzzard.  Others noted Peregrine and numerous Corvids with the odd Gull.

The guy who had seen the Harrier and Osprey (within 45 minutes of each other) was amiable and explained that he had been there every day this week.  Whilst the weather was cool and grey, the visibility was good and there was a breeze too.  'Only rain puts them off', he whispered 'and 10:30 am is the key time.' 
He was wrong!

At 10:34 am, Honey Buzzard No. 1 approached from the right, low and pretty damn close.  Lifer 274 and a cracker!  By now, about ten birders were present.

In the next hour or so, two in one scope view, three in the sky together, and some breath-taking displays of wing-clapping.  They appeared to favour the far right, whilst the Goshawk views tended to be centre and left (I saw them three times).

When I left, there were 20 birders at the Point and others arriving as I got in the car. 

216 miles in total, £30 in diesel and four hours of driving - BUT DEFINITELY WORTH IT!

Visit to the Doctor's

After seeing this I was far from keen to travel to Hartlepool this evening, but I was glad I did.

Access to a warm, dry, bright and sunny Doctor's Garden was provided, with a few smiles too, and an orderly gathering of birders, numbering 25 or so, was on the left side looking across to the right in eager anticipation.

After five or so minutes........................