It is with sad news that Ian (DIMW) Wallace passed away last week.
He has been a pivotal supporter of the observatory and the Flamborough birding scene for 50 years. His credits are legion. He will be missed by a great many, not least by his many friends here.
Picture of the Black Stork over
@Bempton_Cliffs
earlier today. This is the first record in the observatory recording area. Photo credit to James Davies
THE PLANNING APPLICATION HAS BEEN PASSED!!! The ERYC found in favour 10-2 so work will start on construction in the Autumn. Thank you all so so much for helping with this project and the support you’ve shown FBO we cannot thank you enough.
WE HAVE DONE IT!!! We have managed to secure all the funds to complete the Garner-Richards Seawatch Observatory. Huge thanks to all who have supported us through planning and financially to make the dream a reality.
What.A. Day !! Totals from around the headland include 5 Pallas’s Warblers, 11 Short-eared Owl, 2 Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest, Grey Shrike, 5 Mealy Redpoll oh and 33565 Redwing.
Today’s star bird wasn’t the Black-browed Albatross but the observatory’s first Black Stork that flew north west over Sixpenny wood then
@Bempton_Cliffs
. Here’s the link to today’s sightings
A day of one bird -Woodcock, 184 logged today round the headland also Bonxie, 3 Lapwing, 42 Redwing and 13 Fieldfare. Here’s the link to today’s sightings .
Can birders please stay to public and permissive paths on the headland and not enter/stand in fields, this jeopardises the observatory’s relationship with landowners
@BirdGuides
@RareBirdAlertUK
Birds everywhere!!! Totals from Flamborough and
@Bempton_Cliffs
Include Glossy Ibis, Cetti’s Warbler, Little Bunting, 10 Yellow-browed Warbler, Dotterel, 22 Ring Ouzel, Hawfinch, Hen Harrier plus 28000+ Redwing, 1150+ Goldcrest and 200+ Brambling
At RSPB Bempton this afternoon, a probable adult Turkestan Shrike popped upon a clifftop fence ahead of me. Good views before it flicked off into grasslands, periodically perching on hogweeds and docks before being lost to view. Bird likely arrived after very recent heavy rain.
Very pleased that the Flamborough headland including
@Bempton_Cliffs
(and Buckton should be included in this), has won site of the year in the
@BirdwatchExtra
birders choice awards 2021, many thanks for all who voted
Rarity of the Year Britain & Ireland 2021. Over 1,400 votes in the final and the much enjoyed Black-browed Albatross at Bempton wins. Thank you to every one and
@BirdGuides
for your votes, retweets and at times emotive comments! Let’s see what 2022 brings us and Happy Christmas.
A huge thanks to our 12 volunteer ringers who managed, despite less than conducive conditions, quality over quantity with Red-breasted Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Warbler, Grey Wagtails and over 300 people directly engaged during over 50 hours of ringing demonstrations
#MigWeek
Probable Great Spotted Cuckoo in off at
@Bempton_Cliffs
and appeared to go to ground in bushes east of car park at 15.30, view only from car park/road do not enter field. Please drive slowly on cliff lane
@BirdGuides
@RareBirdAlertUK
What a day !!! Not only the Red-headed Bunting but late news of a Two-barred Warbler along with Radde’s, Dusky and 2 Pallas’s Warblers, 6 Hawfinch, Firecrest, Osprey and thousands of Geese and thrushes.
Full details here-
Turkestan Shrike has been refound!! Along the track opposite the piggery on cliff lane (the approach road to
@Bempton_Cliffs
) park at RSPB Bempton and walk back to view. Do not park along cliff lane or along track where the bird is
@BirdGuides
@RareBirdAlertUK
The Garner-Richards Seawatch Observatory is open!! Arctic Skua and Sandwich Terns past already. Huge thanks to
@opticronuk
for providing the scopes and binoculars for public use
No better day than
#YorkshireDay
and the first Sooty Shearwater of the autumn, to announce that the Garner-Richards Seawatch Observatory is open to the birding community.
Please follow the link for the door lock code and health & safety info
Final figures from Flamborough- 33,565 Redwing plus 757 Blackbird, 735 Starling, 286 Fieldfare, 32 Brambling all west. This is an absolute minimum count as many birds were too high to see per
@vismigKC
@BirdGuides
@RareBirdAlertUK
A lovely comment from a resident of St David lane about yesterday’s bunting twitchers-
“We live on St David Lane ,
must have been fifty or more twitchers walking up and down. No cars
Thanks for the respect , and hope you all saw the rare bird”
Seeing as the birding is a little slow at the moment- On this day in 2016 the last Eastern Crowned Warbler to grace U.K. shores was found at
@Bempton_Cliffs
delighting many . Photo by
@dg_aitken
6600 Redwing made landfall today along with 3 Jack Snipe, Marsh Tit and 100’s of finches while 3 Barnacle Geese and 3 Short-eared Owl at
@Bempton_Cliffs
Well I may have missed the Albatross on four previous occasions but the hours finally paid off today. Watching it on the sea for hours before an eye watering eye level fly past, more than I could ever dream of
@Natures_Voice
@_BTO
@ChrisGPackham
FBO have submitted a. new application to build a seawatching hide on the outer head is live on the council website. Please follow the link to show your support in this venture just 10 minutes out of your day to help achieve this .
#SeawatchFestival
Sooty Shearwaters are passing the headland this morning along with Great and Arctic Skua so get down to our seawatching observatory to see em
Mad dash to
@Bempton_Cliffs
this afternoon and rewarded with crippling views of the Black-browed Albatross! After missing a few it was great to finally get one.
We are raising funds for the amazing work of
@jeanthorpeRR
at this years
@FileyBirdObs
and
@FlamboroughBird
Ringing and migration week
#migweek
. Come along enjoy the birds and the miracle of migration and help frontline conservation
Another bird saved by
@jeanthorpeRR
! 🦅👏
This female buzzard was found injured in the Yorkshire Wolds. It had been shot. Jean took it in, it was fixed up by vet Mark Naguib & released back into the wild.
One lucky bird.
#FridayThe13th
Details here:
#OnThisDay
in 2003 Flamborough legend Andrew Lassey found this Taiga Flycatcher. The bird was subsequently caught and released at South Landing. First record for the U.K..
Photo courtesy of
@GPCbirding
Full account here
Today has been dominated by one bird, the returning Black-browed Albatross seen off Bempton and Buckton most of the day. Also Arctic Skua, Bonxie and Bottlenose Dolphins off
@Bempton_Cliffs
. Here’s the link to today’s sightings.
A distinctly Siberian feel with the birds gracing the headland with Taiga Flycatcher, Red-flanked Bluetail, Siberian Chiffchaff and Siberian Lesser Whitethroat, DIMW would be pleased.
Birders enjoyed 2 Pallas’s Warblers, 2 Siberian Chiffchaff, Short-eared Owl, Velvet Scoter, Long-tailed Ducks also 6 Snow Bunting and Lapland Bunting with 4 of each at
@Bempton_Cliffs
.
The avian stars shone for the masses with Two-barred Warbler, Red-headed Bunting, Pallas’s Warbler and 2 Dusky Warblers, with a big vis mig total and 6970 Pink-footed Geese at
@Bempton_Cliffs