28 September 2024 - Bempton, Flamborough, Stamford Bridge

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(Pale-legged Leaf Warbler), Yellow-browed Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Lesser Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Redstart, Hoopoe

Today was the somewhat ill-fated (for me at least) twitch to Bempton for the Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. We'd already planned a trip to the East Coast, and since the Leaf Warbler had been nailed on the day before it made perfect sense to head to Bempton first.  Unfortunately the crowds were very extensive and the warbler was skulking heavily, generally at floor level in the scrub and extremely difficult to see. To cut a long story short, I didn't get any decent views of the bird, although Simon and Andrew managed to latch onto it.  

There were other good birds about and after a few hours I decided that I'd had enough and wanted to see some birds, so we headed off around the trail at Bempton. We had excellent views of Yellow-browed Warbler and went in search of a Common Rosefinch that had been reported, though we didn't see it. En route however we saw Yellowhammer, Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk as well as the ubiquitous Tree Sparrows.

We then headed to Flamborough, Holmes Gut and walked the track past the little sewage treatment works.  There was an Icterine Warbler showing well in the bushes beyond the compound and we were able to watch it feeding in the sunshine, giving excellent views.  Back at the compound there had been at least one Red-breasted Flycatcher, and despite looking into the sun we managed to get several decent views of one, along with another Yellow-browed Warbler and the Icterine Warbler again.  At one point we had the Icterine and the Flycatcher in view at the same time. 

Flushed with the latter success, and conscious that we needed to be back home for 5:30, we headed back via Stamford Bridge to look for the Hoopoe that had been feeding on lawns in the little estate beyond the church.  As we arrived we met some birders who said they'd seen it but it had flown and they were searching for it again. We parked up and walked back to where it had been seen regularly (on the lawn of no. 52 I think) and sure enough, a small group of birders were gathered, watching the Hoopoe as it fed unconcerned on the small, neatly cut front lawn of one of the houses.  We watched it for some time, getting a few pictures and videos, and then a car came past and it flew off over the houses.  A nice way to end the day.

 

Icterine Warbler, 1/2500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1250

Icterine Warbler-, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 500

Lesser Whitethroat-, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1600

Lesser Whitethroat-, 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1600 (view full size image)

Yellowhammer, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 100

Tree Sparrows, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 160 (view full size image)

Hoopoe, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 1000 (view full size image)