Mark Newsome

#Yorkshirebirding #RarebirdsUK

African Paradise Flycatcher

Black-crowned Tchagra

Spotted Thick-knee

Grey-headed Kingfisher

A few more images from my recent trip to Oman. Many influences from Africa with breeding species; African Paradise Flycatcher, Black-crowned Tchagra, Spotted Thick-knee and Grey-headed Kingfisher.

Sooty Falcon

Crab Plover - adult and juvenile

Arabian Partridge

Yemen Serin

A few more pics from my recent trip to Oman. A nice range of breeding species on offer, from Sooty Falcons on an offshore island near Muscat, Crab Plovers on the mudflats of Masirah Island, Arabian Partridge near Salalah, and one of the plainest yet most range restricted species, Yemen Serin.

Arabian Eagle Owl

Arabian Wheatear

Arabian Sunbird

Arabian Warbler

A few regional specialities from my recent trip to Oman; Arabian Eagle Owl, Wheatear, Sunbird and Warbler!

Saunder's Tern

White-cheeked Tern

Lesser Crested Tern

Great Crested Tern

Oman was a great country for terns. Saunder's and White-cheeked are regional specialities, whereas Lesser and Great Crested are more widespread (Great Crested the most abundant in Oman). #seabirds

No idea why news is put out - just look at eBird records, up to 34 in residence at Grange-over-Sands in last few years. Wandering feral birds regular across northern England. Why report these and not Black Swan, Monk Parakeet etc..? (And why use 'of unknown origin...'!)

Over 600 Masked Booby and 150 Socotra in under 3 hrs was our peak. Only a few small sample watches though, must be brilliant in right conditions.

Swinhoe's Storm-petrel (with Wilson's)

Masked Booby

Socotra Cormorant

Bridled Tern

Some of the scarcer #seabirds on our pelagics off Oman: Swinhoe's Storm-petrel, Masked Booby, Socotra Cormorant and Bridled Tern.

Juv. Caspian Gull hanging around fishing boat offshore from Whitburn late afternoon, also 13 Little Gulls & 5 Roseates. Skua numbers still low despite NE'ly wind, only 1 Bonxie and 1 Arctic this afternoon. Two Common Dolphins this morning the best sighting of the day (3rd site record). #NEbirding

Flesh-footed Shearwater

Flesh-footed Shearwater

Flesh-footed Shearwater - ad and juv

Flesh-footed Shearwater - fresh juvenile

Flesh-footed Shearwaters reached three figures from pelagics and land based seawatching in Oman. A mix of worn adults and fresh juvs, likely from breeding colonies on St Paul Island in Indian Ocean. #seabirds

Persian Shearwater

Persian Shearwater

Persian Shearwater

Persian Shearwater - aberrant

Another much wanted but common species off Mirbat, Oman was Persian #Shearwater. As well as small numbers passing close to shore, we had over 500 rafting on the last pelagic, including one aberrant white-headed bird. #seabirds

Wilson's Storm-Petrel

Wilson's Storm-Petrel

Wilson's Storm-Petrel - moulting adult

Wilson's Storm-petrel - typical views from land

One of the commoner offshore species in Oman was Wilson's Storm-Petrel. They regularly came within 100m of land, at times even feeding over channels in mudflats! Many were adults in heavy moult, but also plenty of pristine juvs. #seabirds

Jouanin's Petrel

Jouanin's Petrel

Jouanin's Petrel

Jouanin's Petrel (photo Nick Lessof)

Just back from a seabirding trip to Oman. Jouanin's #Petrel didn't disappoint, seeing three figure counts from land as well as close views on pelagics. (last image ©Nick Lessof) #seabirds

A solid collapsible option is the Walkstool. Not cheap but very well made and lightweight. Ideal for on boat decks as well as in rucksacks. I went for the 65cm size, just right for looking over boat railings!
www.walkstool.com/comfort

Large numbers of adult Herring Gulls also been moving south. From where and to where?! Not heard of any larger scale breeding failures, but next 4-6 weeks will be interesting.

The Med Gull influx continues at Whitburn with another 10 S this morning, June total now 70. It'll be interesting once juvs start arriving! Also nearly 600 Sandwich terns today, 1 Bonxie and 2 Arctic Skuas, but Manx down to 248. #NEbirding

The Med Gull influx continues to gather pace, a total of 17 flew south at Whitburn this morning. The flock of 13 on its own beat the previous county site record! The majority this week have been adults, presumably pushed from continent by hot weather. #NEbirding

#YorkshireBirding

Observation.org Observation.org wants to enable everyone to record and share observations, increasing the knowledge of nature.

observation.org is good site which covers a variety of taxa including marine mammals. You're able to search everyone's records, see photos, use a mobile app for recording in the field etc. Definitely worth a look.

They passed Whitburn about 05:35 too. There now seems to be an established late spring passage along east coast, possibly late departing Dutch birds?

We did the same itinerary with Carles a couple of years back. Brilliant trip, birds were fantastic and a great price for the tour.

Good numbers of Hairy #Dragonfly at Leven Canal, East Yorks. this week. One even headed straight for me and caught a newly emerged Banded Demoiselle that I'd disturbed from grass, then went to brambles to eat it. Voracious predators!

Quail singing at 7am between Burshill and Hempholme. maps.app.goo.gl/3oggwRegFP6H.... #Yorkshirebirding

Most regularly seeing them in the River Hull valley, northeast of Beverley. I suspect you'll have a chance anywhere which good for dragonflies in that area.

Hobbys are still a rare bird in the northeast, so it's a novelty to see them regularly during survey work in East Yorkshire. Stunning birds to watch as they take dragonflies, always on the look out for potential prey. #Yorkshirebirding

I saw a load off Japan last April, checking photos shows some differences in bill thickness. Attached is thinnest I found in mine. But seeing rest of photos of Delaware bird leaves no doubt! Quite amazing, wonder which route it took?!

Temminck's Stint, South Marsh East

Little Ringed Plover

Hairy Dragonfly, female

Four-spotted Chaser

Visit to @tophilllow.bsky.social in the sunshine on Tuesday produced lots of odonata, incl egg-laying Hairy Dragonfly and Four-spotted Chaser. The Temminck's Stint was nice, but the distraction display by the LRPs was more impressive to watch. #Yorkshirebirding

For those on Facebook, some really interesting photos and discussion on what looks like the first Streaked Shearwater for the North Atlantic, off Delaware Bay (Cape May to Lewes ferry). Yet another #seabird species now with potential to appear in UK waters. www.facebook.com/share/p/1Yb3...

Temminck's Stint still at Tophill Low, from south marsh east hide. #Yorkshirebirding

Common Crane currently circling over Bishop Burton college, drifting west. #Yorkshirebirding