Rufous-tailed Robin, Radde's Warbler, Isabelline Wheatear and Red-tailed Shrike: a good day in East Yorkshire
It's so tempting to scroll through RBA or BirdGuides seeing rare bird after rare bird appear on your feed in places like Spurn and Flamborough, and imagine that birders are simply walking around the headland tripping over exotics like they're easy and obvious. The truth is that seeing rare birds is almost never like that. It makes sense if you think about it. It's why not every birder finds any rare birds: it takes a special skill set and requires a large amount of effort. Even after someone has found a rare bird, say, in the gully at Whale Bridge, South Landing, it's not always a given that you'll see it. This too requires a skill set and effort. You have to time it right, plan your trip and then focus on the habitat intently, not distracted by other people or your phone. You need to know what you're looking for and you'd do well to listen to more experienced birders in your orbit. You also need a slice of luck... the difference between a...