Isabelline Wheatear in Cleveland

Work took me to Yorkshire on Monday and what luck that was with an Isabelline Wheatear deciding to drop onto the beach at Seaton Snook on the Sunday. Thankfully the bird found food and hung around for me. Arriving on the beach to find around fifty other interested birders with the bird performing well along the tide line in front of them all. I sneaked further up the tide line to position the sun behind me as most of the guys were shooting directly into the sun. Sure enough after a short wait the bird made it's way along the tide line and gave me a solo show just a few feet in front of me and what a little super star it was.

Isabelline Wheatear Seaton Snook Cleveland

Isabelline Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear

Isabel

Isabelline Wheatear

Isabelline Wheatear at Seaton Snook

The Twitch for the Isabelline Wheatear

Teesmouth

I would usually have needed to let this little cracker pass with my "soft" two hour rule but once again a work do provided the route to bagging the lifer as it had earlier this year with the Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Whilst away I had the opportunity to do a little cley pigeon shooting and falconry being allowed to fly both Eagle Owl and a stunning Bateleur Eagle. The falconry centre also held Golden Eagle, Goshawk, Steppe Eagle, Peregrine, Harris Hawk etc. Although I obviously prefer my raptors flying free it was nice to get up close to some of these magnificent birds.

Bateleur Eagle

The bedroom at the Consiton

The view from my bedroom.

Life list now 351
year list now 265