The now famous BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS had continued, intermittently, at Bempton all summer and I'd been hoping to find the opportunity to return and soak-up close flight views. Motivated in part by a rare plover at Blacktoft and a scattering of scarcities on the east coast, today was the day.
An early start had me at Bempton by 6am, with a cold north wind blowing. The bird had been seen briefly in flight but landed out of sight. So I headed straight to the Staple Newk platform, this being the area it tended to favour and show well in. After an hour or so there was still no sign, but the Gannets entertained. Peregrines appeared twice, with a male seen to gently pluck a pigeon from a flying flock and carry it off. The auks were all gone for the season, and just a handful if juvenile Kittiwakes and a few Fulmars added variety. Around 7.15 other birders had wandered further along and picked up the albatross sat on the cliff, albeit at a distance. Whilst nice to see it, these views were no better (worse) than my previous visit. It was sat very close to Staple Newk, but obscured from there. I returned to the platform and settled in with a couple of other birders in the cold wind. Then at around 9.20 the wonderful beast appeared right in front of us. For the next 50 minutes it showed, making repeated flights around the cliffs and offering up the sort of spectacular views I'd hoped for. A really wonderful experience. There's something mythical about albatrosses, and this bird lives up to expectations.
It was time for a welcome coffee at the RSPB café with old friend Judd Hutt. Tree Sparrows entertained whilst we chatted and Peregrines again appeared overhead, before setting off. I have a feeling I'll be back for more.
I left late morning and set-off south, arriving at another RSPB reserve around 12.45. The reserve was fairly busy due to the presence of a first-class rarity. The WHITE TAILED PLOVER (ok Lapwing) showed immediately from Marshland Hide, and very nice it was too. This is a lovely species and was once an ultimate rarity. There are only 6 accepted records, and there were none between 1984 and 2007, when a June bird at Caerlaverock in D&G had us all scrambling. Another in 2010 toured the UK, and I managed to see it at point-blank range at Seaforth Docks in Liverpool in May; that was a truly stunning individual in pristine condition. This current bird was, in truth, a little more worn and less impressive, as would be expected by late August. It's presumably the same birds recently present in Denmark. The views were, however, excellent despite the crammed hide.
Blacktoft is a lovely reserve, and there were birds aplenty; smart juvenile Ruffs, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwits, Green Sandpipers and Dunlin, plentiful wildfowl in eclipse plumage and a few Little Egrets. A fly-past Bittern was another bonus. As far as I can recall, my last visit here was for Britain's first Red-necked Stint in 1986!!
All in all a good day.
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