North-East England and Sussex (05-12 May)

Friday 05 May. I took Cookie to Knepp hoping to find Turtle Dove but we failed, although my first 2 Cuckoos of the year made the visit worthwhile. It was a rather cold morning, which probably didn't help, and little was singing although we heard 2 Nightingales. News of an Iberian Chiffchaff singing in Abbot's Wood meant a quick turn around when we returned home. I don't know Abbot's Wood that well but found my way to the general area and pulled off the road. Before I had time to wonder where I should go I heard the Iberian Chiffchaff singing in the wood opposite and, thanks to Brian Cox, was soon watching it. It was singing almost continuously for the couple of hours I was there but kept fairly high in the canopy and so wasn't that easy to see or photograph. After the 'Downslink' Chiffchaff 10 days earlier this bird's song was as one hoped for - typical and very consistent.  A few other happy Sussex birders were present.

Iberian Chiffchaff in Abbot's Wood

                             

Saturday 06 May 2023. Having been up to Fife with Matt Palmer for the Stejneger's and White-winged Scoter the previous Sunday the appearance of a Grey-headed Lapwing in Northumberland the following day was very unfortunate timing. I was keen to see it but had a few commitments and didn't think I couldn't face driving up there and back between them. After a Saturday matinée at the Connaught Theatre with Megan I had a few free days and, subject to the bird being there I hatched a plan. I would drive up on Saturday evening, hopefully with little traffic due to the Coronation, hopefully see the bird on Sunday morning and spend a couple of days in Redcar with Nick Preston. The lapwing was still present in Northumberland at 18:00 so I left home at 18:30 and drove up through the night.

Sunday 07 May 2023. After a toilet stop north of Newcastle I arrived at High Newton by the sea, 390 miles from Shoreham-by-Sea, at 01:30. I parked in the free car park and slept in the back of the car until 05:00. It was fairly foggy and I managed to look from the wrong bank, worriedly seeing nothing, before realising I hadn't gone quite far enough. Further on there were 4 other birders watching the Grey-headed Lapwing, much to my relief, although initially only its head and bright yellow bill were visible as it was otherwise hidden in a ditch. It soon came out of the ditch, stretched its wings a few times and started walking around. Although it was nice through my telescope visibility was a bit iffy and my camera didn't focus very well. After 30 minutes the fog rolled in until the lapwing was just a shape and then disappeared. Almost an hour later the fog thinned a bit and the bird became visible from another bank, although was no better photographically. It flew around a couple of times before returning to its original ditch with only its head showing. I'd had good views, if not decent photos, and it seemed a good time to leave. I walked along the coast to Low Newton by the sea on the off-chance something might be flying past but the fog was thicker along the coast and the tide was out making it hard to see the water. I returned to my car and drove south to Amble seeing 10 Eider along the river but again failing to see the sea so I continued to Redcar arriving at 14:20.. After a late lunch Nick took me to Coatham Marsh where we saw male Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl, Willow and Sedge Warblers and a Wheatear.

Grey-headed Lapwing at High Newton by the sea

digiscoping wasn't much more successful

Gadwall at High Newton by the sea

Monday 08 May 2023. Nick and I spent the morning at South Gare seeing 70 Oystercatchers, 2 Grey Plover, 130 Sanderling, 165 Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Terns, a likely 'northern' Willow and a reeling Grasshopper Warbler, a female Whinchat and 6 Wheatears. After an early lunch Nick took me on a tour of some inland sites starting at  Loftus where we saw a Dipper and 3 Grey Wagtails. Danby Beacon produced 6 Red Grouse, 6 Lapwings, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Curlew and an unexpected Ring Ouzel. At Scaling Dam we saw 2 Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Swallows, Sand and House Martins and a pair of Bullfinches. Nearby Lockwood Beck produced Coal Tit, Spotted Flycatcher and 3 Siskins and New Marske Woods 2 Coal Tits and a Nuthatch. We finished at Redcar seafront looking for any lingering duck and saw 35 Eider and 120 Common Scoter. In amongst the scoter were a drake Tufted Duck and rather more surprisingly a drake Garganey, the latter attracting some local interest.

Sanderling at South Gare

Little Tern at South Gare

South Gare fishing huts and steelworks remains

Grasshopper Warbler at South Gare

Teesworks, another scheme for cronies to profit from public money

Dipper at Loftus

Red Grouse at Danby Beacon

Little Ringed Plovers at Scaling Dam

Tuesday 09 May 2023. Nick and I spent the morning at South Gare seeing drake Eider, 12 Sanderling, 2 Little Terns, 4 Shags, 3 Grasshopper Warblers, 4 Stonechats, 8 Wheatears and a migrant Tree Sparrow. The Common Scoter flock was still off the seafront with 4 Eider and a Red-throated Diver nearby. It had been great seeing Nick, I rarely do between trips, and I left Redcar at 13:20 and, thanks to some delays on the A1(M), was home by 20:30. 

Grasshopper Warbler at South Gare

shady dealings in scrap metal, South Gare

Wednesday 10 May 2023. I took Cookie to West Mill where we saw 5 Reed Warblers and 2 Stonechats and heard 2 Nightingales. We called in at Beeding Brooks on the way home seeing 6 Swifts, 3 Hobbys and 3 Sedge Warblers with a Sparrowhawk over our road while taking Cookie for an afternoon walk.

Lapwing near West Mill

Asphodel in our garden, grown from tubers rescued from Corsican mountains

Thursday 11 May 2023. I undertook my South Downs Farmland Birds Survey seeing just 22 species. Highlights were 6 Grey Partridges, 2 Red Kites, Cuckoo, 8 Skylarks, 12 Whitethroats and a Corn Bunting. On the way back I called in at Pulborough Brooks and saw 4 Avocets, Green Woodpecker, 3 Hobbys, a singing Garden Warbler and a male Stonechat with 2 Nightingales heard.

looking west over TQ0310 South Downs Farmland survey site

Song Thrush at TQ0310

Wood Pigeon at TQ0310

Grey Partridges at TQ0310

                           

Red Kite at TQ0310

White-tailed Eagle at Pulborough

Friday 12 May 2023. Cookie and I went to a cold, dull Mill Hill where we saw a Swallow, 3 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, 2 Linnets and 9 Goldfinches.