Well just when we though Autumn was fizzling out and we'd had our last tick, it suddenly went busy again. On Sunday 30th October, I made a solo trip to Cleveland where I saw my second British Eastern Black Redstart at the odd coastal village of Skinningrove. We'd passed through this place previously in 2014 or 2015 en route from Spurn to somewhere and was struck by this place then. You'll have to pop in and see for yourself. The EBR was showing quite well on the rocks. I was going to see the Co. Durham ISABELLINE SHRIKE as well but it was over an hour away so I headed for home.
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| Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland |
On the way home, I popped into Blithfield following a phone call to Richard "Dickie" Powell to confirm the Grey Phalarope was still present. Amazingly, this was my first Grey Phal in Staffs for eight years.
On Monday 31st October, CJW having worked all weekend headed off to Cleveland to repeated my trip. Unfortunately the PIED WHEATEAR had disappeared in the night, but he did see the EBR. As he was watching it, news came on of a BROWN SHRIKE at Spurn. CJW decided to make the short journey down the coast. After a journey of nearly six hours, stuck for the entire trip behind a cyclist who refused to let him overtake, CJW arrived at and managed to get another tick. He also saw little Tommy Ticker there - the ticker who goes for every giga that comes on but doesn't do any other birding at all. What a fantastic effort by Tommy! (we'll chat about the Woolston White-crowned Sparrow one day Tommy don't worry).
The first after work twitch since the clocks changed was to Tittesworth on 2nd November for the Purple Sandpiper there - a nice addition to my North Staffs list. Unfortunately i headed over to Blithfield when a Velvet Scoter was reported but it didn't stay long - exactly like the last one. I'm stuck on 199 species still for Blithfield!
