Desert Wheatear, Bempton, Yorkshire 27 November 2011

Had a great day out today with my good mate Mike Watson. He rung last night asking if I was up for a trip to Bempton, Yaarkshire for the Desert Wheatear thats been at the cliffs RSPB reserve. We set off at 0600 and had arrived by 0930.
The wind blowing in off the sea was abysmal and because of this it took nearly an hour for the wheatear to show. The sun came out (even though it was still wild), and the bird stared to feed on the insects that were obviously warming up under the weak sunshine.
I photographed a desert wheatear in December 2007 at Burniston just a bit further up the coast, which was unbelievably obliging, and this bird was no different. It regularly walked past the watching birders without a problem as it fed in the stubble field.
The one negative was the birder who blatently walked AT the bird without ant care for its welfare.
Sad to hear also on the way home that Gary Speed had died.