North Yorks Forest and East Coast

Me and Andy had a good couple of hours birding in the North Yorks Moors Forest on Sunday morning, it was pleasantly sunny with a bit of a breeze, ideal Raptor watching weather and we weren't disappointed, at least six and possibly up to ten Goshawks put on a spectacular show including a pair displaying plus several Buzzards, a Peregrine and several Kestrels and Sparrowhawks also got in on the action. Two pairs of Mandarin Duck were on the lake at Hackness as we made our way to a very busy Scarborough, we managed to find a parking space and headed for the Harbour and fortunately even though it was a very low tide yesterdays Red Necked Grebe was still there, it was accompanied by a female Goldeneye and both birds showed well, also of note was a pod of Harbour Porpoises that were pretty close in just off Marine Drive. We made a couple of quick visits to the Mere where the dodgy Red Crested Pochard from last year is still present and the Seamer Road Tip area but no sign of the Hooded Crow today, then headed off to Hornsea Mere to see if any of the recent White Winged Gulls were posing, they weren’t, we gave it an hour or so but it was fairly quiet so we set off for home calling off at Nunburnholme where a diminished roost saw only six Red Kites come in.

North Yorks Moors Forest

Roe Deer, becoming a common sight these days

Singing his heart out

Above, a couple of immatures

an adult

pair displaying

Peregrine

winter Red Necked Grebe in the Harbour

with a Shag

and a female Goldeneye

some Porpoises close in

a Red Throated Diver as well

it may be dodgy but it sure looks good

drake Goldeneye on Hornsea Mere