Other tasks took me north of Spurn in the morning but sometime after 0900 hours I had the opportunity to do some seawatching. Several flocks of Teal went through and a quite large pack of Common Scoter along with a gentle procession of terns and Gannets. A single Whimbrel went through before the bully boy form of a Great Skua went south mid way offshore. After an unproductive interval a single Black Tern went through south quite close in , which lifted my spirits, but proved to be the end of passage for a while. By then time was creeping on so I headed off for some lunch back at my unit at the farm.
With tea and sandwiches made a report on the radio then threw things awry ! Icterine Warbler at the Warren heligoland trap area , so guess which won out ! In fact there proved to be two not one. One bird was noticeably more grey on its upperparts than the other, a more typical specimen with light lemon /yellow on the underparts and a distinct greenish appearance above. It was great to have the time to study them in detail and to get good views from time to time of one out in the open. Not a species that is always co-operative during the breeding season , if seen on the continent, where they can spend time in the tree canopy and be obscured.
Back for what was now a late lunch ! A freshly made mug of tea was then interrupted by a report of a Red-backed Shrike not very far from where I'd been !!!! So off again to gain what were quite good views of a bird present along the hedgerow line of the drainage ditch running east from the canal zone. The bird was quite mobile, but with a bit of patience it showed well, occasionally making forays out to adjacent areas to secure prey.
I hung about the area on the off chance something else might turn up (it didn't !! ), but I was rewarded nonetheless by entertaining views of a Barn Owl standing for quite a time in the circular entrance of the nest box which is on an elevated pole not far from the YWT Visitor Centre. Besides stretching periodically the bird seemed captivated by the Swallows which kept zooming past over the tops of the nearby bushes. By now it was after 1700 hours so time and hunger were creeping on !
Reports of some Pied Flycatchers in the tree cover adjacent to the Crown and Anchor pub couldn't be ignored. Sometimes totally lost to view, occasionally one individual of three perched out on a bare branch and provided excellent views.
And so, finally back for what now was moving into a late and formal teatime treat !! New cup of tea made, sandwiches devoured, I then confess I sort of "lost" an hour, but that's another story !!
A good day.
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