Wednesday 30 November 2016

Tuesday 29 November 2016

Another day with very little change in the birds of our area. In the Harbour the Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver and Black-necked Grebe were all still present and were joined by a rather elusive Little Grebe.

The only report of Waxwings came from the Green Lane/Wreyfield Drive area where a maximum of 7 were seen perched high in the tree behind 64 Bracken Hill.

A group of 10 Shore Larks were reported today in the Long Nab/Crook Ness area.

I make no apologies for posting photos of Waxwings as I love 'em but I think you'll agree that this one is something special. Congratulations to Paul Tymon for such a great photo and thanks for letting me share it with you.



Waxwing - Green Lane - Paul Tymon



Monday 28 November 2016

Monday 28 November 2016

Waxwings were reported again, this time 6 were at 69 Green Lane at 11.00 this morning, but it was negative news on the Victoria Road/Albemarle Crescent flock.

The harbour area was still holding on to the Great Northern and Red-throated Divers, Black-necked Grebe, a Guillemot and on the East Pier there were 46 Purple Sandpipers.

At Long Nab there were at least 12 Shore Larks in the third field to the west of the Crook Ness car park, there were 5 Mediterranean Gulls at Holbeck and at Seamer Tip a Chiffchaff and 15 Redshanks.

Slightly further afield at Langdale Forest the 2 Great Grey Shrikes remained at May Moss and Maw Rigg, and at Stoney Knoll a flock of 110+ Lesser Redpolls, 21 Crossbills and a Jack Snipe.

Mediterranean Gull - Holbeck - Tony Clarke 
(back to Divers, Grebes and Waxwings tomorrow)

Sunday 27 November 2016

Sunday 27 November 2016

The status quo was maintained today with Divers, Grebe and Waxwings all still in situ.

Early on there was a drake Goldeneye in South Bay and a couple of extra Red-throated Divers in the South Bay/Harbour area. A male Stonechat was behind Marine Drive, from the shelter 3 Eiders went north and there were 3 Common Scoter on the sea and on the harbour wall (East Pier) there were 38 Purple Sandpipers.

At Long Nab going south were 52 Common Scoter (6 north), 8 Red-throated Diver (12 north), a Great Northern Diver went north, a late Sparrowhawk and a Great Skua. Also of note was a Guillemot in breeding plumage.

A solitary Waxwing was seen back on Wreyfield Drive at 11.00 am where there are plenty of berries, meanwhile this afternoon there were only 7 on Victoria Road where the berries are now exhausted.

Elsewhere there were 100 Fieldfares at Carr Fields Lane, Ayton.

unsettled Purple Sandpipers - Scarborough East Pier - Chris Bell
 
Red-throated Diver - Scarborough Harbour - Chris Bell

Saturday 26 November 2016

Saturday 26 November 2016

Waxwings were again the stars of the day with 36 in the Victoria Road/Albemarle Crescent area of town. There may be a little local movement occurring in this species today as a single bird was heard at 07.14 at Knipe Point Drive and 3 were seen briefly by the Enterprise Rent-a-Car on Filey Road in Wheatcroft. Finally there were 5 seen in Peasholm.

The harbour was a big attraction for both local and visiting birders today as both the Great Northern Diver and the Red-throated Diver were still in residence, as was the Black-necked Grebe. An addition in the harbour was an Aythya duck which after analysis of photos was identified as a female Tufted Duck, with a very ‘white face’.

Another newly reported species was a Black Redstart found behind the wall on Marine Drive and at Crook Ness there were 12 Golden Plover and 6 Snow Buntings in the field to the south.

Tufted Duck - Scarborough Harbour - Chris Bell