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Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Some photographs and notes on the area, by Russell Slack.

The Whitby area is regularly watched by SBSG member and Yorkshire Vice-county recorder Russell Slack. Here, Russ has provided a brief note about the area.

The scenic North Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby is most famous for its Cistercian Abbey, and the inspiration the town provided for Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'. Formerly a whaling port, today it has a small fishing fleet and the area is better known for tourism. However, since the mid-1980s it has also been my ‘local’ patch. Grossly under-watched, and full of good habitat, it is covered by a very small cohort of dedicated birders, who watch the coastal strip between Runswick Bay in the north and Robin Hood’s Bay in the south.

Understandably, it is not as well watched as places like Filey, Flamborough Head and Spurn, thus it does not produce the volume of rarities that these well-watched sites do. Nevertheless it regularly attracts quality rarities. Recent delights over the last 10 years include: White-billed Diver, Black Kite, 3 Red-throated Pipits, 4 Olive-backed Pipits, Isabelline Wheatear, Hume’s Leaf Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Dusky Warbler and Rustic Bunting, as well as a number of scarce migrants. Not a bad collection of self-found rarities for several observers working their patch! Clearly much more is missed than we see.

Of course, it is not all about rarities, as the pictures below illustrate.

This adult Glaucous Gull is a regular feature in the harbour during the winter months and has been present since 1989! The photograph was taken in November 2001.

Adult winter Glaucous Gull, R.Slcak, Nov 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

Red-backed Shrikes are annual visitors, mostly during the autumn between September and October, but spring birds in late May and early June are not unusual. This juvenile [the next four photographs] was present at the end of September 2001, frequenting a hedgerow for several days. [Photographs 26th September].

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike, Whitby, September 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike, Whitby, September 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike, with prey, September 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

Other photographs of common migrants taken in the area.

This female Common Redstart was taken in autumn 2001
Common Redstart, Whitby, autumn 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

A first autumn Female [Northern] Wheatear, September 2001
Northern Wheatear, Whitby, autumn 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

The following two shots of the same Redwing were taken in autumn 2001
Redwing, Whitby, autumn 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

And in addition to the birds ..... a Red Admiral, September 2001
Red Admiral, Whitby, September 2001
Photograph Copyright © Russell S Slack

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