15.11.14 - Siberian Stonechat and Pallas's Warbler

After typically seeing bugger all at Hartlepool in the morning I got a lift up to Cleadon for the Siberian Stonechat that had been absent for a day. It had gone missing for 3 hours but news came through just as we arrived that it was still present. It didn't take long to find and it gave reasonable views in a large clump of brambles, only my 2nd Siberian Stonechat and a welcome Durham tick!

A bit further up the coast to Whitley Bay Cemetery brought the real highlight of the day. It had proven elusive before we got there and it had gone missing for over an hour but after a bit of searching it was found in some trees that run along the back of the houses adjacent to the cemetery, a cracking Pallas's Warbler! Although it was getting dark quite rapidly it showed very well almost constantly for about 20 minutes. Like the Stonechat this was only my second ever of this species and I have been hoping for one all month. A good way to finish what is probably the end of the Autumn...

Sightings

Hartlepool Headland
Redwing 1
Chiffchaff 3
Sparrowhawk 1
Purple Sandpiper 12

Cleadon
Siberian Stonechat 1
Common Stonechat 1

Whitley Bay Cemetery 
Pallas's Warbler

Siberian Stonechat and Isabelline Shrike

On the 16th October the plan was to wait for news of either the Arctic Redpoll at South Gare or the Siberian Stonechat at Scalby in North Yorkshire. I woke up quite late and news came out saying the stonechat was still their so I got the next bus to Scarborough and walked from their. I arrived at the site and was told the the stonechat might of flown across the vally so my hopes had dropped slightly but it wasn't long until it was relocated and it gave fantastic views fly catching over our heads. After missing the one in Cleveland by half an hour a few years back it was great to catch up with this recently split species. After that some Yorkshire birders gave me a lift to Flamborough with some fantastic med gulls at Holbeck on the way. The main bird was the Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike and we had reasonably good views of it in the back gardens near the light house. We dipped the two Olive-backed Pipits but that wasn't a problem...the problem was that a Pallid Swift had just been found at Hartlepool Headland and I wouldn't get their before dark. I got home at about 20:00 so long after light but the swift had gone to roost on the church and it was present the next day until 10:30 when it wasn't seen again so I missed this real rarity for the county... or did I?...

(Isabelline Shrike - Harry Murphy)

(Siberian Stonechat - Martin Garner)