The East Coast is Awesome!

So after a few days slumming it around the York Area I went to the East Coast to get my fix of birds. It was pretty good to be honest. As soon as I neared Easington it was apparent there was thrushes everywhere...

I spent the day at Sammy's Point and between there and Easington village. Just took it nice and slow and tried to avoid the crowds. The area was totally stacked out with thrushes and robins - a spectacular sight.

Highlights were:

Richard's Pipit - found in a long grassy field after I flushed a Short-eared Owl, which in turn put up a load of unseen Meadow Pipits and a single Richard's Pipit that called twice before dropping back into some long grass (record shot below).

Richard's Pipit in flight (record shot)

Little Bunting - I was glad this was still about, saw it at lunch time but didn't enjoy the crowd so soon left if. I returned very late afternoon when practically everyone had gone and had it to myself for a while which was better. Such smart little birds (record shots below - too distant for camera really).

Little Bunting (quite late in the afternoon)

Little Bunting (quite late in the afternoon)

Little Bunting (phone-scoped)

Little Bunting (phone-scoped)

Hawfinch - Had one fly over the Stables at Easington towards the car park at Sammy's, got nice scope views.

Great Grey Shrike - Difficult to say how many birds, at least 3 possibly 4. Hard to see the movements as I was often in the bushes!

Ring Ouzel - 20+ birds a range of ages/sexes in with the thousands of Redwing and hundreds of Fieldfare and Blackbirds. Also loads of Song Thrush and several Mistle Thrush.

Yellow-browed Warbler - One late on sallying above the Hawthorns for insects.

Reed Warbler - One showing well this evening (pics below). Acro's are always worth a good grilling at this time of year.

Reed Warbler

Reed Warbler

Reed Warbler

Short-eared Owl - Two birds flushed out of a field of grass.

Woodcock - Three birds, one flushed from bottom of a bush, two others presumably flushed by other people.

Jack Snipe - One flushed flew inland.

Lapland Bunting - One possible distant and briefly in flight only.

Woodlark - One flew east mid-morning.

Best of the rest: Robins (100s), Common Redstart (1), Wheatear (3), Chiffchaff (75+), Goldcrest (75+), Blackcap (4m, 3f), Garden Warbler (1), Pied Flycatcher (1 - Easington Church), Mealy Redpoll (3), Lesser Redpoll (10), Siskin (20), Linnet (80), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 nominate), Swallow (5), Skylark (15), Meadow Pipit (20) and Brambling (10+).

Finally, although Little Egrets are fairly common down on the Humber I noticed two that had Darvics on them - picture of A4 below, the other bird was A7. Any info appreciated!

Little Egret A4.

It's days like this when I wish the York Area was on the coast, but am grateful that I can get there in a hour or so from my house. I'd take one or two of six of those species for my local year list please...