Spurn trip

On Friday 20th October, Rob H had kindly set up a trip to Spurn with Paul & Sara, unfortunately our trip (journey wise) coincided with the onset of Storm Babet and strong easterly winds coupled with an absolute downpour, the A47 was closed just before Norwich due to flooding and we had a lengthy detour along Norfolk country roads. Coupled with several of the main arterial routes flooded included one at Sleaford so we had to divert along the A1 where even here standing water was situated both sides of the road. We enevntally reached Easington Coastguard Cottages safe and sound (the most important way to be) 8 hours later with some great driving from Rob, mamaging the reservoir of roads through Lincolnshire. sara had made a wonderful vegan Rissoto and then to bed for an early start on the Saturday. On Saturday 21st october, we drove down to Spurn, on the road down we saw a fabulous Hawfinch fly left across the road and dive into a bush, a great start! 2 Swans in the field, were Mute Swans. Overlooking the estuary and looking back over fields and the village of Easington, a CB radio message announced there was a Rough- legged Buzzard hovering and sure enough it was there hovering then soaring and showing the white based and black tip tail in flight. We walked down the Warren, and the ringers had trapped a Twite and showed us in the hand before it was realeased. It was clear migration was happening as flocks of Fieldfares ere flying over and small birds were seen in the bushes, mostly Goldcrests but as we walked down a road and by the junction a fine Firecrest was found by Paul, we all enjoyed seeing it. A lady standing next to us was most put out with Rob's pishing which was helping the bird pop out to inspect us from time to time. Later on we a were again in the right place when the call stated the ringers had caught a Red- flanked Bluetail and would show it to the crowd in 15 minutes time. The group gathered in a circle to see it. As I had my big lens I had to be at least 4.5 metres away and I politely asked the chap in front if he would move left a little, he refused angrily and I moved right and was able to get pics but then I was subjected to the most appalling verbal assault I have had from a fellow "birder" in my 40 years of birding, saying I have shoved him (I didn't touch him!) and if I did it again, he would "have ....... me" and calling me several names which are unrepeatable in a blog such as this and indeed in any form of civilised company. That really took the shine off seeing the bird, unfortunately and shook me up considerably, as you might expect. He then walked off with the "Firecrest lady' and all the others present sympathised with such a rude man. Time to walk the epic 3.5 miles to Spurn Point, past the Warren along the path to the beach along there and then onto a ridge which ran right, past the lighthouse to the Point itself. In the Marram grass pit we saw some Sky larks fly up and bird which superficially resembled a Richard's Pipit, which dropped down the right of an obvious bush, when the birds took to flight a little way later, we saw 1 Sky Lark had half a tail. On Sunday 22nd October, we parked at water car park and looked from the hide seeing lots of Teal, a single Oystercatcher and a fellow singleton Curlew plus a few Wigeon at the back. We walked along a long path and then along a beach to reach Beacon ponds, where at the back we saw the fine black/ white Slavonian Grebe and scanning the Wigeon on an island near the close edge I noticed the fine eclpise male American Wigeon with a flash of green just behind the eye. Going back to the Warren, migration was again in evidence with several redpolls on the move including a couple that dropped into a bush behind us. Walking up a road, a report of a Pallid Harrier saw us looking for it, Rob saw it very brioefly, I didn't. We did intrigingly hear the single trilling call of a Waxwing! Only problem we couldn't locate or hear it again. Finally, joining Rob & Sara at the Wetlands carpark, a fine Barn Owl was seen perched by a post and then flew left and to ontop a bush.TBC