Black-browed Albatross

Hello

Apologies for no blog post yesterday - I took the risky decision to travel up to Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire in the afternoon with Neil Hasdell to try and see the returning Black-browed Albatross at the sea-bird city there. Sitting on the M1 in a two hour delay in Notts and we were beginning to regret our decision! Thankfully we managed to eventually pass through this bottleneck and arrived just after 6pm. In reality our timing was perfect as the albatross had been sitting on the sea drifting north and almost reached Filey Brigg before flying back towards Bempton and perching on the blowy and very dramatic cliffs just as we pitched up! This amazing beast spent time trying to sit alongside Gannets which weren't happy to see it - bill touching with some individuals - and it flew up and swirled around several times, each time perched back at a different place.

Some photographers had been there for much of the day and attached are some fantastic shots from Bethan Clyne who certainly enjoyed much better views than us!

In the county yesterday (Tuesday) an Osprey was seen in flight over Blatherwycke Lake and at nearby Deene Lake there was an impressive count of six Green Sandpipers. An Osprey was also seen at Daventry Country Park yesterday with one espied at Naseby Reservoir the day before.

Today (Wednesday) and a Black-tailed Godwit was noted at Summer Leys LNR and a Cattle Egret was reported from Stanwick Pits.

The second brood Starlings are on the wing now and our local male Sparrowhawk is taking them constantly and no doubt plucking them and taking them back to hungry youngsters of his own. Today he successfully caught and killed one of our female Yellowhammers which is one of about half a dozen still coming for seed on the back lawn - no doubt the Yellowhammer was feeding young too. It's tough but that's nature!

Regards

Neil M

Black-browed Albatross 
courtesy of Bethan Clyne.