Oystercatcher  (Haematopus ostralegus) these birds can be seen here in Staithes all year round though you do see more of them in the winter months.   They are very distinct birds with black and white plumage, long orange/red beaks and pink legs. Oystercatchers are very noisy, with a loud ‘pic… pic… pic…’ and a strident ‘kleep… kleep…’    When on the shore they can be seen to be running from one spot to another.   During the […]

For the last few days, on the cliff inside Staithes harbour you could have seen snowflakes cascading down.  These cascading snowflakes were in fact snow buntings, from a distance snow buntings appear to be almost pure white.  Snow buntings are regular winter visitors to our shores.  Although a few pairs of Snow Buntings can sometimes be found nesting in the Scottish Highlands. Snow bunting are found in flocks anything from a few hundred to a […]

The Redshank was traditionally called the bad weather bird, so fishermen never liked to see them here in the harbour at Staithes, they considered them a bad omen. The redshank is probable one of the noisiest waders we find in this country, with a plaintive tew-phew-phew.  More redshanks are to be found on the coast during the winter months as many are winter visitors from Iceland.  They breed in marshes and damp meadows in many […]