POCKLINGTON TOWN     V     BRIDLINGTON TOWN

TUESDAY, AUGUST 1ST

Competition: Tony Kempster Charity Match

Ticket price: £3

Programme: Included

Attendance: 110

Half time score: 0-2

Full time score: 0-3

Bird species: 50

Mileage: 302.5

Trip music: BBC Radio 6; Barbara, Barbara We Face A Shining Future -  Underworld; What Went Down - Foals; Euphoria: A Decade of Trance Anthems - Various

THE BIRDS

My final destination this evening is Pocklington, North Yorkshire, but I have considerable birdy business to see to before that! August 1st has been penned in my diary for quite a few weeks now. Pocklington Town announced a friendly to commemorate the life of one of non-league's finest ambassadors: Tony Kempster. It was doubly appealing because I knew I would be able to do a day's birding beforehand and so it proved to be the case. As the dates neared, a schedule emerged that involved a circuitous route to Yorkshire via Lincolnshire.

 

I drop off Perfect Wife at work and then I am soon heading north on the M1, cautiously eyeing the dark clouds gathering in the distance. When I arrive at Far Ings at 8.00am, however, it is bright and breezy. Mine is the only vehicle in the car park, which is a tad worrying: I have never visited here before and I don't really know where I am going.

First time visit to this Lincs Wildlife Trust reserve

 

I needn't have worried, though. Gen on the White-winged Black Tern was that it had been seen at dusk the night before on the pit closest to the visitor centre. Sure enough, a quick scan of the quite large lake reveals a dainty white dot drifting over the water, occasionally swooping down to the surface. Surely that must be the tern?

 

I latch onto the bird in my telescope and indeed it is the target species. This bird is a juvenile, sporting a dark brown saddle, making it a distinctive sight as it parades up and down the far side of the pool. I settle down to see if it might come closer to allow my bridge camera a sporting chance of a few images. Think again, oh impatient birder/photographer!   

 

 

Oh please come closer!

 

My best two shots of the distant White-Winged Black Tern!

 

 

 

White-winged Tern by Graham Catley (copyright). Plenty more superb images on peewit.blogspot.com

 

 

 

White-winged Tern by Graham Catley (copyright). Plenty more superb images on peewit.blogspot.com

 

  

 

White-winged Tern and Sand Martin by Graham Catley (copyright). Plenty more superb images on peewit.blogspot.com

 

 

After about half an hour, the tern disappears over the reedbed and I decide to explore the reserve a bit more. I would have liked a photo but it isn't to be. Instead, I climb the steps onto the Humber bank. To my right is the awesome Humber Bridge- recently granted Grade 1 Listed status - and ahead is the muddy, swirling waters of the River Humber itself. I must admit that I find this stretch of water rather frightening: I am no water baby at the best of times but the Humber seems an impenetrable, highly dangerous animal.

 

Pursuit Pit at Far Ings

 

 

The Humber Bridge and reedbed at Far Ings

  

I next drive round to another pit favoured by the White-winged Tern. As I arrive, the pesky bird drifts over, heading back towards the visitor centre! This smaller, reed-fringed pool produces a family of Great Crested Grebes with almost fully-grown chicks, a Reed Warbler sunbathing in the reeds, a Redshank that noisily flies out to the bank of the river as the tide flows out, Tufted Ducks and many Swallows, Swifts and Sand Martins feeding low over the lake. Despite the strong sun, there's a definite autumnal feel in the air.

 

 And then I'm off again. I drive over the Humber Bridge and into East Yorkshire. Jane SatNav takes me across country where I encounter numerous tractors and combine harvesters spreading mud all over the roads. Come the glorious day when I am running this bloody country, all tractors and horses will have to use a network of tracks in fields to get from A to B. Oh yes, my friends, birding and football will be much easier in my Utopian, Fantasy, World!

 

Anyway, after one particularly dawdling convoy, I arrive at Wykeham Forest, North Yorkshire, at 10.30am just as it starts to rain. I walk the short distance to the raptor watchpoint and am met with the comment "you've just missed a pair of Honey Buzzards displaying overhead!" I have a nasty feeling about these birds, not instilled with confidence following my visit two weeks ago.

 

I had been entrusted, nay commanded, by Tottenham Tim and Sam, the Quite Unbelievably Excitable Essex Lady (or SQUEEL for short) to show them lifer Honey Buzzards. I picked the perfect raptor-watching day - sunny, slightly breezy with clear conditions - at a site where up to three birds had been showing on and off for the last few days. Six hours later, we trudged away from Wykeham without a sniff of HBs and just three Common Buzzards to console us. Tottenham Tim proclaimed it to be his worst birdwatching day EVER!

 

Now I arrive to learn of a near miss and what little optimism I feel dissolves almost as rapidly as a Brexit politician's promise, even though one of the Wykeham regulars assures everyone that the Honey Buzzards will be back in a few minutes. I am less than convinced but begin to scan the extensive valley anyway.

 

 

The view from Wykeham Raptor Watchpoint

 

Note the shotgun pellets peppering the raptor ID sign!

 

 

A Common Buzzard drifts into view and I get an ominous sense of deja vu. Another raptor appears a couple of minutes later and I draw everyone's attention to it. After a few moments' deliberation, I am happy it's a Honey Buzzard: flat wings, protruding head and long tail. A voice behind confirms my thoughts: it's an old acquaintance, Graham Catley.

 

I then lose the bird as I try and get fellow raptor-watchers onto it. Thanks to directions from Graham, I finally locate it again, way up high in the ominously sooty-coloured clouds. It begins wing-clapping, flinging its wings behind its back in display. 

 

The HB drifts closer and higher. Just as it's about to get interesting and I think it is going to fly directly overhead, a young Goshawk appears out of nowhere and tries to see her off. A bit of 'handbags' ensues between the two raptors but then the Honey Buzzard gives up and exits stage right. I shouldn't be too churlish at seeing two impressive bird of prey species together but that Gos could have waited a few more minutes, surely?!

 

WOW! Surely one of the best Honey Buzzard photos taken in the UK! Courtesy of Dave Mansell

 

Upperwing view of the same bird by Dave Mansell (http://www.scarboroughbirding.co.uk/)

 

 

I spend the next three hours dodging showers and scanning the valley at Wykeham but the HB doesn't put in another appearance. I would have loved to have seen the pale male I hear so much about but it's not to be. The Goshawk shows up several more times, mainly to chase away the Common Buzzards. Common Crossbills fly over at regular intervals, giving their distinctive "chip-chip" calls and a delightful family of Spotted Flycatchers entertains the small band of hopeful HB spotters. Three old planes are a distraction for a while but then just become annoying as they parade up and down the valley. They can't be helping the raptor situation. 

 

 

Unidentified Annoying Planes (UAPs) scaring away the raptors.

 

 

As raptor activity dies down, my attention is drawn to the array of insects buzzing around the plants. I take this hoverfly shot for later identification and I also manage to find another Scorpionfly similar to the one I photographed here two weeks ago.

 

Eristalis horticola (thanks to Rebecca Nason and Mark Keighly for ID advice)

 

 

 

Female Scorpionfly (thanks to Marianne Taylor for the ID!)

 

The rain seems to be setting in, so I pack up and leave late arrivals to it. They have that glum look on their faces I recognise so well from a fortnight ago! I have a bit of time to spare before the game tonight, so I decide to nip to Filey where a Red-backed Shrike has been showing for about a week. It's a gamble, being as holiday traffic might be heavy; it's school holidays, after all. Before I leave, I ask Graham if I can use his White-winged Tern shots for this post and he kindly agrees (though he seems somewhat puzzled by the concept of a football/birding blog!).

 

The fifteen mile journey to the coast isn't too bad. Jane SatNav takes me through several nice Yorkshire villages including Muston where there's a scarecrow festival taking place. I nearly crash the car as I pass one that looks alarmingly like Jimmy Savile by the side of the road. Maybe it's a child scarer of some sort?

 

I arrive at Filey North Cliff Country Park and try to work out where the target bird has been seen. I join a local couple who lead me up the garden path: well, Long Lane to be more accurate. About half a mile up is 'Long Hedge' an extensive hedgerow of hawthorn bushes west from the footpath. We settle down to scan the thick bushes.

 

A few Tree Sparrows and a male Reed Bunting are the first birds to show but it isn't long before I see a promising-looking bird fly along the hedgerow and land in the open. Surely that must be the shrike? A quick look through the telescope confirms the presence of a rather cute-looking female Red-backed Shrike. This is rather an early record and is hopefully a harbinger of a productive autumn.

 

After watching her for about half an hour, I take a quick look on the sea off Filey. Filey Bay stretches to the south towards Flamborough and Filey Brigg juts out into the North Sea ahead of me. I love this place and I have many happy memories of excellent seawatches and autumn migrant twitching here in the past.

 

 It's fairly quiet out there now, though, with a few Kittiwakes and Gannets being the only birds. It seems all the auks have moved out to sea. Autumn is definitely coming...

 

 

Female Red-backed Shrike courtesy of Mark James Pearson (the finder). More images on his blog:http://northernrustic.blogspot.co.uk/   

 

Filey Brigg

 

Carrion Crow taking a drink

 

Talking of autumnal conditions, I glance behind me and find some very angry clouds amassing. I head back to the car, pausing to try for a few good shots of a Carrion Crow taking dropped food from around the cafe's tables. It's now time to put away the optics and switch into football mode.

 

 

THE FOOTBALL

 

Jane takes me back through Muston. Jimmy Savile is taking a right soaking in the rainstorm and I can hardly see where I'm going. I can't help but think that Jimmy could have done with a few buckets of cold water being thrown over him many years ago: it might have dampened his ardour a bit.

 

As the deluge continues, I begin to worry that this match might be called off. I have fallen victim to many-a game being cancelled in these conditions in the past. I needn't have worried, as by the time I arrive at the Pocklington Sports and Social Club, the sun is out and the nets are being put up. PHEW!

 

 

 

 

A helpful club official informs me there will be no hot food at the ground tonight, so I drive back into town and find what turns out to be a belter of a chippie! Not quite Amble standard but definitely an excellent seaside-type feast of haddock and chips.

 

Back at the ground, the programmes have arrived. They cost £3, including entry, with all proceeds going towards a range of charities. It doesn't take long to read but there is a touching tribute to Tony Kempster within its meagre pages.

 

 

 

Tony Kempster died of cancer in 2009. He is a hero of many-a non-league fan thanks to his unbelievably detailed website. This was his 'baby' and he spent many hours lovingly updating it with stats and fixtures. When I first became interested in the grass roots game, 'Kempster' was the site to head for when one needed to know anything about non-league football. The site still exists today, with a lively Groundhopping Forum being the focal point, as well as fixture updates, postponement announcements and lots more. It is a stunning legacy of a man I never knew but would have loved to have chatted with. http://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/forum/gforum.cgi

 

 

I enter the large clubhouse, having to climb some stairs to reach it: not good for my dodgy knee. It was opened in 1998 but still looks new. There's a bar, lots of old photos on the walls, a pool table and an elevated view of the pitch. It seems to be a valuable local resource and there are even plans afoot to expand the facility. Tony Kempster's family are here chatting with club officials and playing pool.

 

 

The clubhouse with viewing window onto the pitch

  

 

 

The function room

 

 

 

I head downstairs again in search of a cuppa. There's a helpful sign pointing the way and I am soon supping what I presume is Yorkshire Tea: well, it's in Yorkshire anyway. The players are warming up and the crowd is building. There's a local derby air about proceedings even though this is effectively a 'friendly' game. Tonight's visitors are Bridlington Town from the Northern Counties East League, Premier Division while the hosts play in the Humber Premier League. It should be a competitive game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a wander round the complex. There's a patch of waste ground on the far side, away from the clubhouse, covered with about 150 Common Gulls having a last feed before going to roost. This proves to be my final, and 50th, species of the day.

 

The pitch is railed off on two sides. The only cover is inside the clubhouse but it looks like the rain will hold off anyway. A kid's pitch is adjacent to the main playing area, well used by ten teams of all ages in the town.

 

A Fairy Ring on the 2nd pitch.

 

Someone had a good night?!

 

 

The players emerge from the clubhouse and exchange the customary 'respect' handshakes. This always seems a complete waste of time, as the norm is for everyone to kick seven shades of shite out of each other as soon as the whistle sounds to start the match!

 

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

 

Anyway,  it's a competitive start and Bridlington are ahead after just one minute. Jake Day beautifully controls a ball into the box and then turns and fires in from an angle with the keeper in no-man's land looking very confused as to how the striker had actually achieved the skilful feat.

 

The early goal doesn't rattle 'Pock' and they press for the equaliser. You can judge just how competitive an evening it is when I tell you that a home player has to go off injured after a 50/50 tackle. Remember, this is supposed to be a friendly but the players are giving it their all. Day adds his, and his side's, second after 27 minutes when he confidently rounds off a quick break when a Pocklington attack breaks down. Bridlington's attack looks strong: definitely a level or two above 'Pocks' defence.

 

There's only one more goal to enjoy; again, it comes from Brid and Jake Day is involved again. His shot is saved by the keeper but Joel Sutton deftly puts away the loose ball. The finish is greatly appreciated by the strong away following.

 

The second half of the second half suffers from the usual bout of substitutions typical of a friendly fixture. Brid even replace their two lively strikers with a couple of their original defenders (I am not a fan of these 'rolling substitutions' to say the least), which is novel. Not surprisingly, the visiting offence loses its momentum and the goal tally isn't added to.

 

It has been a highly enjoyable day out: good birds and a decent game plus some awesome fish and chips. The icing on the cake is a clear run from Yorkshire to Nottinghamshire and I am picking up Perfect Wife from her Mum's house by 11.00pm, blasting out Trance Anthems all the way. I think about a bit of Big-Fish-Little-Fish-Cardboard-Box action to go with the music but it's probably not a advisable when driving!  

 

During lulls in play, there are always some amazing cloud formations to admire. Every cloud, and all that...