skuas!!

I had my first Arctic skuas tonight - very distant but good to see. The kittiwake chicks are doing well, one was obviously worn out, the other looking ready to go and play....

there were a few puffins resting on the sea

and Sandwich Terns in reasonable numbers

The seals were having fun...

Skua and Shearwater cruises

just checking out some pics from birding gone by and thought I would remind anyone reading this about the RSPB skua/shearwater cruises from Bridlington - they start again at then end of August... check out

http://www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/shearwatercruise/index.asp

and here are some of the pics I was looking through...

nothing much...

Had an hour or so today chatting with some seawatching friends, not much going on other than hundreds of sandwich terns heading north, and a few (very) distant manx shearwaters.  A kestrel flew past....

and a whimbrel silhouetted against an ever greying sky

The garden was full of starlings - you forget how glorious they can be, a young blackbird waited (unsuccesfully) for some food and a chiff-willow flew fast and furious between bushes

sunbathing and seawatching

Now I know why I love the Headland, where else could you enjoy spectacular scenery, sunbathe and seawatch at the same time....  I was a tad worried avout 'my' kittiwake chick as one parent was alone, but the youngster was only out having a play and returned for a feed....

I also met some friends from a holiday last year -  unexpectedly!!    A lone puffin was present south of the fog station although there were quite a few on the sea...

I couldn't resist these shags  - makes a change from three ducks ....

walking round there were up to three kestrels hunting

and up Old Fall hedge a Yellowhammer was after 'a little bit of bread and cheese' but had to settle for a beetle...

Gannets on Bass rock

Clippers and gulls

spent time waiting for the clipper race to arrive watching the kittiwake chicks...

plus a juvenile black headed gull

and then the boats started to arrive...

RSPB Cruise 10 July 2010

Had a brilliant last 'puffin' cruise on Saturday - the puffins performed beautifully ......

a spectacular fly past by a peregrine....

and kittiwake, shag and razorbill chicks were suitably fluffy.....