15/01/2022 Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire

Grey Phalarope: Arriving with the hopes for finally adding Richard's pipit, a bird which has been in the area since early December and finally settled in the top field at Filey I thought this would be a sure thing. 

I shouldn't have been so naive, my years of twitching should have have made me more realistic....there is no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to twitching.  

 

When Damian Young and I arrived it was foggy, thick freezing fog at that!

Despite what the misleading weather apps said, we were promised blue skies. This is probably the reason the bird had moved further around or even became less active and wasn't seen the day we were there. 

Still, there is no better place for a dip then Filey. it's a great place and offered great views of two grey pahls feeding off the end of the Brigg, purple sandpipers and a great northern diver.

Purple Sandpiper: Filey brigg is famed for its purps where during late summer and autumn, purps from Scandinavia, Svalbard, Greenland and some Arctic islands migrate to the UK for the winter.

They can be found on rocky Brigg, especially the seaweed covered breakwaters. Look out for flocks of turnstones, searching for food amongst the seaweed and you will see these dumpy little birds alongside them.

Interesting colour ringed and flagged individuals feeding amongst the turnstones, with information from Will Scott that shows the birds were possibly by Poppy Rummery and the team at Filey Bird Obs at Filey Brigg itself?

So another Richard's pipit dip under my belt, looks like I will have to wait a little longer. 
 

18/01/2020 Rhos-on-sea, Conwy

Purple Sandpiper: It was great to finally catch up with conwy's famous purple sandpipers. I've been here several times but never managed to see the purps that so many birders and photographers talk about.

These winter visitors are widely distributed around the coast and are most abundant in the northern isles particularly Shetland, Hebrides and along the east coast of Scotland, north-eastern England and Devon and Cornwall and pretty much scarce elsewhere.

Rhos-on-sea is a prime location and one of the best in the north west to see these dumpy medium sized waders as they roost and forage on the sea defences close to shore.

Although their numbers have remained low over the years compared to other places such as New Brighton marina lake on the Wirral.







I've spent hours over many years on my annual visit to New Brighton's marina lake for purple sands, but never have I had such close and confiding views as I did here at Rhos-on-sea.

There were just two birds on the breakwater spending their time picking away at the rocks in search of food and came pretty close hopping over the large boulders and rocks.

Big thank you to Mel Hughes who kindly pointed in the right location of the birds, cheers mate, I owe you one.

17/02/2015 Filey, North Yorkshire

Purple Sandpiper: Another good bird missed, as Alan and I went up to Filey Brigg to try and see the Surf Scoter that had been knocking about up there for a couple of days.


However, and as it often is, the day I arrive the bird disappears!

Dip-a-dee-doo-darr!


We arrived around midday and waited a couple of hours while the tide came in and still there was no sign.








These purps were very entertaining as they skipped around on the rocks.

We left the Brigg around 3ish and headed over to Grindale for the resident Rough Legged buzzard.

Common Seal: It didn't take long to locate the bird as it flew low over a farm field opposite the Skydive centre.  I was about to settle in and wait for some better images when Birdguides buzzed and the Surf Scoter came through.

So we dashed back over to the Brigg and scrambled down the cliff only to be told the guy who posted the report yesterday did the same just now by mistake!

Nevermind, this brilliant Common Seal was a bonus as it bathed in the lemon light of the fading sun.

02/03/2013 New Brighton Marina Lake

Purple Sandpiper: Saturday at New Brighton is horrible, Morrisons car park was chocca the prom was the same!

But a purp can brighten any day up!







There was 22 Purple Sandpipers on the pontoon along with several Redshnak, Turnstone and one Dunlin.

A must see foe anyone passing New Brighton or shopping in Morrisons especially on the busy weekends just to cheer yourself up!

15/02/2012 New Brighton

Purple Sandpiper: New Brighton Marina Lake there where 22 Purple Sandpiper on pontoon.

Relatively far away as the gate was closed approaching the pontoon and it was very windy! So appologies for the shabby shot.







Here is a ragtag gang of waders sleeping out of the wind on the sheltered pontoon.

The small flock included Redshank, Turnstone, Purple Sandpipers and Sanderlings.