A good day at Spurn...

For those lucky to be birding today, Spurn Point again appeared a good spot to be, at least in Yorkshire anyway. After the Isabelline Wheatear turned up on Friday (and stayed showing well all day on Saturday) today's star turn was a 1st year female Pied Wheatear that turned up at the point and apparently showed well for most of the day - per spurn website (which also see for several photos). Interestingly, the last Yorkshire record of Pied Wheatear also turned up on 8th November, in 2008 at Reighton Sands.


Pied Wheatear - Reighton Sands (2008)

There has been a fairly decent arrival of scarce/rare wheatears in Northern Europe over the last couple of weeks made up by Desert, Pied, Isabelline and Black-eared. Technically there is also a Desert Wheatear in Yorkshire today too. A Yorkshire Black-eared Wheatear would be better though! (at the weekend!).

Also at spurn today Garry Taylor found a 'Coues' Arctic Redpoll - see his blog for some photos and there was a Pallas' Warbler and Siberian Chiffchaff too. It will be interesting to see what the next few days bring. Hume's Warbler I guess, but Pine Bunting would be better!

For those not lucky enough to be at Spurn today my garden held a record count of (at least) 50 Goldfinch! It's costing me a fortune to feed them, already! I hope it's a mild winter!!! Although I'm hoping they bring something good in with them...