Monday 30th September 2019: Very strange to hear Chiff Chaff still singing at this time of year – one of the earliest summer visitors on my local patch where I live in Pickering North Yorkshire. Later on as I drove round the Carrs, a skein of 40 Pink Footed Geese were seen heading South East —- presumably to the Humber Estuary or even further. I wonder how far they had flown that day? Tuesday 1st October saw me at Filey Dams on a 3hr stakeout for Water Rail : did I see it NO!!! Ahh well, nice to get out, even though I missed the rail. Wednesday 2nd October 2019: the weather had changed somewhat, with some promising winds blowing from the North: Again headed to Filey with reports elsewhere along the East Coast of reports of Skuas being recorded !!! They would be a very welcome addition to my year list and the prospect of a Lifer: Long tailed Skua. The wind blew and it got stronger in the afternoon – but no Skuas. Highlights 0f a 5 hour watch were 3 Red Throated Diver and two parties of Common Scoter, lots of Gannets – the immature all brown birds making the heart skip a beat as they played hide and seek in the wave troughs!!!
Thursday 3rd October 2019: Had a walk round Sinnington today – very quiet . However, on the way back to the car there was a Dipper feeding in the shallows near the bridge – and it came in quite close, however still frustratingly difficult for a decent photograph!!! Then rain stopped play and there was an absolute downpour – the camera got very wet but the Dipper came in closer, so I had to quickly adjust the settings of the camera – eventually getting some reasonable shots. The new images will be downloaded to my UK Gallery.
