Scarborough Birders do the Skerries! DAY 6

What a day!
Despite the ropey weather forecast we managed plenty of field time, and thoroughly made the most of that time.
Starting out early, and knowing the rain was due in at 11.00 we made our way over on to Housay to tackle the Iris beds.
A new in Goldcrest in the B&B garden was noted, as were 2 Blackcap with a Yellow-browed Warbler across the road.
The Iris beds produced a couple of Chiffchaff, a Yellow-browed Warbler and something rather more interesting and flighty!
It gave us all the run around for a while before eventually giving itself up it the roses at the west end, a Garden Warbler!
Still, it was another shred of evidence that new birds were in and it gave us all the encouragement we needed – not that I’m ever short of that!

Heading out across and on to North Hill, we began a flush and steadily made our way over to Storm Beach.
A couple of Jack Snipe were noted as well as a few Common. Reaching the Storm Beach area, we all split up a little before regrouping to walk further north up the hill.
Once at the top a Snipe flushed from between Nick and Steve, we watched it as it flew further north, eventually dipping out of sight.
Structurally it looked big to me, broad winged, heavy chested and flew low and straight! Immediately I looked over to Nick and Steve who were both looking at each other.
Little did we know at the time but that was Nick’s second view, a brief flight before (after being flushed by Dave, unfortunately not to Dave’s knowledge at the time!) had almost given him a Woodcock impression, something Steve came to the conclusion of independently!
Clearly we were on to a large, hefty Snipe...... - a Great!?

A few organised flushes later and we hadn’t managed to relocate the bird in question, a few Common Snipe and 2 more Jack Snipe were all we managed as well as a Lapland Bunting.

Heavy rain set in for a few hours so we chose to head back to Rocklea, shelter, take on some food before heading back out to restart the search.
We did just that, and by 13.30 we were walking in the direction of North Hill, noting a Tree Pipit on the way.
An organised flush began following the same route as before, towards Storm Beach and then cutting north.
Initially nothing came of it.
Once on North Hill the strong W-SW wind made standing a problem, so we each chose a sheltered valley to head down.
On the very north edge as I approached the cliffs up shot the ‘hefty Snipe’, only about 5 – 6 meters in front of me, when it did I was able to see large white tail sides naked eye, Bloody Hell! Through the bins I could see a dark panel on the wing with pale tipped greater and median coverts forming a border with the pale tips on the greater covers continuing along the primary covers, forming two thin white lines.
The mantle of the bird seemed rather subdued, fairly greyish brown with the pale braces less obvious that on Snipe and not so richly coloured.
I couldn’t really make out the flanks as I was slightly above the bird although I could see it appeared densely barred, looking dusky.
I never got views of the underwing due to angle.
Again it appeared stocky and probably more sluggish with broader wings. Flight was straight, with no zigzagging and it never gained any height (as before), it just remained low and flew back east - southeast towards the original area of Storm Beach.
I was quickly on the radio shouting GREAT SNIPE down it but typically the others couldn’t hear me. Still fitter than I thought (adrenaline carrying me) I was up the Hill rather quickly and managed to raise them on the radio, although the wind was really hampering communication.
I found Dave and explained where I thought it had gone to, so we began to head in that direction, whilst doing so the Short-toed Lark was flushed.

Again another few organised flushes were unsuccessful but looking at the lay of the land it could have easily dropped into the Geo, the ridge over which I lost it!
A little downer on the nice find was that one of the team missed out, ironically Dave who flushed the bird originally unbeknown to him! And so the bottle of bubble remains in the fridge with the cork firmly wedged in top!

Whilst searching for the Great Snipe news came in from Michael McKee, he had discovered a Brown Shrike in the eastern Geo on Bruray Hill!
Once over there we picked up the BROWN SHRIKE rather sharpish but views were less than ideal. Eventually though it did show and we all got decent views!

A great end to a fantastic day!
Bring on tomorrow…

My end of day migrant totals were as follows; 1 Goosander (only the 2nd Skerries record apparently!), 4 Jack Snipe, 10 Common Snipe, 1 Great Snipe, 1 Blackbird, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Short-toed Lark, 1 Whinchat, 10 Wheatear, 1 Tree Pipit, 3 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Brown Shrike and 1 Lapland Bunting.

Brown Shrike on Bruray

Which way did the Shrike go?......