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Birding Discovery Day: Rough Legged Buzzard Steals the Show!
Mon 4th Nov, 2024
Our Birding Discovery Day tours have been fantastically successful recently, with Pallas’s and Yellow-browed Warblers on the October tour. Arctic birds formed the theme of our 1st November tour, with great views of many species!
We began with an early visit to the now famous Rough-legged Buzzard site just west of Bridlington. Despite no sighting of the Buzzard we did see a Redpoll and a Short-eared Owl which were both unexpected. A short drive to Filey, and within minutes we were enjoying spectacular views of a wonderful selection of birds off the stormy Brigg. Grey Phalarope, Eider, Red-throated Diver, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Razorbill, Guillemot and Shags all put on a great show.
Grey Phalarope Filey © Mark Pearson
At South Landing, Flamborough, our next stop, a close flock of feeding Common Scoter were the highlight - until our lunch stop was cut short by news that the Rough-legged Buzzard party had started! Within a short time our group was being treated to possibly one of the best raptor shows this side of Jurassic Park! The stunning bird hovered fearlessly above the hedges and roadside verges, at one point plunging down onto a vole right in front of one lucky photographer! It’s no exaggeration to say that in more than 30 years’ birding I have never had such close views of a wild bird of prey.
Rough-legged Buzzard Grindale 1st November © Richard Baines
Rough-legged Buzzard Grindale 1st November © Richard Baines
Rough-legged Buzzard Grindale 1st November © Richard Baines
After a celebratory lunch it was off back to Flamborough where two very obliging Snow Buntings kept up the intimate theme of the day. Joined by a delicate Rock Pipit, they fed on wild flower seeds within 10 metres of our group inside the Fog Station compound, all set in a beautiful location above the spectacular chalk cliffs of Flamborough Headland.
Snow Bunting © Richard Baines
Thornwick Pools (part of Thornwick and Sea Farm Holiday Centre) was our final stop with a well-earned stake-out in the Flamborough Bird Observatory hide. Water Rail, Dunlin, Teal, Reed Bunting, Twite, Linnet, Snipe and Jack Snipe were all seen here, lifting our day total to an impressive 70 species!
Rock Pipit © Richard Baines
Our next Birding Discovery Day is the 20th November
For daily sightings from this part of the Yorkshire Coast go to Filey Bird Observatory and Group and Flamborough Bird Observatory web sites
Richard Baines
