Dipped Song Sparrow so had a great day at Bempton Cliffs

Brian phoned late Tuesday morning. Do we want to head up to Thornwick for a lifer Song Sparrow? Jimmy and I are in two minds, and Brian is unsure, so we decided to wait until the next morning.  

We set out at 4am and arrive at Bempton around 8am There is no report of the Sparrow,  we 

Decided to visit the cliffs in the hope that the Song Sparrow would be refound, and we are only minutes away if that happens.

As soon as we are parked up, we spot many Tree sparrows, and as we walk down to the sea, a Barn Owl gives a good display.

Once we overlook the cliffs, hundreds of seabirds are flying around and nesting on the cliffs: Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, and the wonderful Gannets.

We spend a few hours watching the fantastic spectacle this place offers, all the time watching for news of the lifer up the road, sad to say, looks like the bird had flown over night, so a bad dip, and next time, drop everything if possible and go there and then. 

We leave Bempton around lunchtime and head back down the A1 and stop off at Welbeck.

A few birders were already there, and we spent 2 hours looking for a Honey Buzzard without any showing. One of the fellows had been here since 9am and was still there when we left at 4 PM without seeing one. While here we do get to tick a Quail in the field opposite.

A little detour to Rutland gets us Osprey at Manton Bay, 2 adults with 2 chicks in the nest.

                                                                     

                                                                        

                                                                  

Puffin

   

                                                                      

Razobill

                                                                       

                                                                           

Treesparrow

                                                                      

Fulmar

                                                                

Gannet

White winged black Tern. Fen Drayton.

We hear of a White winged black Tern at Fen Drayton in Cambridge, Brian is free, and I have a few hours before picking up two of my grandchildren, 

So we meet up and head up to Cambridge on the M11; it's an hour's drive, so not a long trip.

We park and meet up with a local birder, who walks with us to Drayton Lake, where the bird had been spotted. 

As we arrive, we are told the bird had flown to the other lake, so off we go to find it, but as we head over there, we get about halfway when we are told it had flown back to the first lake.

Back at the lake, we get to see the Tern within minutes. It flies up and down the lake, and we get great views, but it never comes close to the bank.

We spent some time watching the  Tern before heading off to look for the reported Turtle Dove

But it never showed, and I don't think it was found on the day. Only one tick for the day, but a nice little trip with the time we had.

                                                                  

                                                       

 The White winged Black Tern, as near as it got to us.