Bempton bonanza

Over the last few days Bempton has had some excellent birds. It all started with the Eastern-Crowned Warbler on Tuesday the 4th October. I rushed down and managed to see it that evening. It was a fantastic little bird but I couldn't manage a picture. The next day I was in college, much to my annoyance, I checked my phone and noticed something I really didn't expect on birdguides, a Black-Browed Albatross at Bempton! The bird had previously been seen at Filey and was later seen off Thornwick and Flamborough, I'm annoyed that I missed that one! After this I didn't get to Bempton until Saturday the 8th meaning that I had missed a Greenish Warbler. However I did have a Bluethroat, 2 Yellow-Browed Warblers, a Red-Breasted Flycatcher and an Arctic Warbler. Later that day I bumped into Elliot, Ellis, Harry and Darragh. We managed to see the Bluethroat and Arctic Warbler (the latter being missed by Harry) but the Flycatcher stayed hidden.

Arctic Warbler

Sunday the 9th was a great day. It started off with fantastic views of the Red-Breasted Flycatcher and a Marsh Harrier flew high south. I then saw the two Yellow-Browed Warblers and great views of the Bluethroat. Over the RAF field a Short-Eared Owl stormed south whilst being mobbed by Crows, Jackdaws, Starling and Herring Gulls, whilst this was happening another Marsh Harrier went south. It then seemed to quieten down, between New Rollup and Staple Newk I found a Wheatear. This was when I heard that there was a Firecrest I didn't see the Firecrest but I did have a Ring Ouzel go north (another later flew north). This was a fantastic day because, as well as the rarer birds, there was a whole host of commoner migrants such as Brambling, Robins, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests. Throughout the day Jackdaws were also moving southwest with 237 logged.

Red-Breasted Flycatcher

Bluethroat

Short-Eared Owl 

Wheatear