Friday 2nd January

Had an early night on New Years Eve we had nothing planned so apart from being woken by fireworks at midnight I had a sound sleep. Joy and I were up at 6am and on the road not much later, we reached Bridlington at around 9.30 having seen no more than around a dozen cars. It really was that quiet. With Little Bustard such a rare bird I was expecting thousands and a bit of a struggle to get parked. On arrival there were only around a couple of hundred birders around. It was about a mile walk to where the bird was and it was showing quiet well although it was keeping its head down for the hour we were there.

There was a bit of a wind blowing and the site was a little exposed so when we got back to the car we headed back via the Blyth’s Pipit near Wakefield. That proved just as obliging and we were in the car and back home by 3pm. Not quiet what I was expecting for New Years Day, normally the Captain and I just bird locally.

Today I stayed local taking a walk around the Reservoir a couple of times. The Scaup, Red-crested Pochard and Common Sandpiper were still present along with 18 Goosander this evening. I searched for but was unsuccessful in relocated the Tree Sparrow but there were still a few Yellowhammer around.

Very poor shot of Little Bustard, Bridlington