Patch Grippage!

Many of you that know me are aware of how obsessed I am with my patch, Beddington Farmlands. Obsessed in terms of rinsing it and seeing good birds, but also regarding its restoration, its future and its legacy. Today there have been several members of the BFBG on site and they have absolutely gripped me off this morning! Two patch ticks!! I cannot remember the last time it was possible for me to get two patch ticks in a day! Firstly, a Cattle Egret on Phase 1 Wet Grassland and North Lake. Visible from public hides too, which is brilliant. It's the 4th site record - see records on the website HERE. Then, an hour and a half later, they twisted the dagger... adult Kittiwake west. Ouch! First record since 2019. Also a patch tick for Steve Thomas (Tank) so I am glad he got onto it. So despite me being at Spurn (I know where most people would pick if given the option between Beddington or Spurn), it still hurts when a patch tick gets found.

But I cannot complain. Spurn is just fantastic. Even on quiet days there's plenty of birds to look at - waders on the Humber, mass movements and roosts of Starlings in the evening, Whooper Swans, lots of Brent Geese etc. There was a strong westerly wind yesterday and although the point counts around The Triangle were fairly quiet there was still a small scattering on Chiffchaff and Goldcrest in the bushes. I also saw my first Wheatear of the year, a stunning male, on the rocks along Canal Footpath. The other highlight was a Crossbill that I picked up on call going south over Cliff Farm. Jacob got on it down at The Warren too and it just carried on going. It was also a good day for raptors. I saw Red Kite, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Kestrel, and Merlin. The others had a Peregrine at The Warren. My full eBird list for yesterday can be seen HERE.

Today the strong westerly continues and actually picks up even more in the afternoon. Point counts were even quieter this morning but it was just nice to be out and about, as always. Having said that, a few more birds would have been a welcomed distraction from the good birds I am missing back home!