Wild goose chase!

 

Set off for the Lower Derwent Valley to try to connect with the Russian white fronted geese. Called in at Bank Island. Lots of work going on in preparation for the new building. The path to the hides is still under water and the lagoons looked frozen, with just a few gulls on the ice.

The photo above was taken from the viewing platform at Thorganby. Lots of frozen water but no birds.

Bubwith Bridge was my next stop. I parked just before the traffic lights and walked across the road to the 5 bar gate, and looked south. In the distance I could see a group of greylag geese. Unfortunately due to the angle of the sun, plus some of the geese were facing away from me, I could not identify any white fronted geese.

As you can see it was still a bit misty looking out across the reserve from the Geoff Smith hide.

The water on the reserve looked frozen and only a few carrion crows and black-headed gulls were on the ice. On the river banks and on the river were a collection of birds. Lots of teal were on the far bank of the river, asleep in the winter sunshine. Closer to the hide, but still on the other side of the river, several cormorants were perched on the top of fence posts. Wigeon were grazing on the far bank next to greylag and canada geese. I could see several male mallard and pintail.

Two buzzards were perched on the top rail of the osprey platform. One glided down to the top of the river bank only to be attacked by a female peregrine. A farm vehicle was been driven along the far riverbank and disturbed lots of birds that had been sheltering out sight. Lots of teal, wigeon and whooper swans flew around for a while before landing out of sight. 

In one of the stubble fields on the other side of the river I saw 4 red-legged partridges, my 3rd year tick of the day.  

Hartlepool Birding

 I usually visit this area very early in January in order to get my year list off to a good start. However this year I was in Wales on January 1st, and since then  the weather has not been suitable for me to travel.

Several years ago my friend Chris  (chrisdownesbirds.com) planned a route for our January 1st birding, and once again I followed his route. So stop number 1 was Ward Jackson Park.

Ring necked parakeets are one of the reasons I visit this park. They are often seen near the sewage works at Clifton, so I must try to find them and save myself a trip! I was hoping to see goosander on the lake, but none were present today. It was fairly quiet as   I walked around the park. Just as I reached one of the entrances I heard and then saw a nuthatch.

Hartlepool Headland was stop number 2. It was low tide so a few birds on the rocks. Ringed plover, turnstone, oystercatcher, redshank, purple sandpiper and curlew. 

As I walked further round I saw a few cormorants and shags, but a group of school children appeared which explained the lack of birds.

Not a bird to be seen from the Pilot Pier. I walked along the old town wall and managed to add eider and a  great black backed gull to my day and year list. A cormorant was on the shoreline and it was possible to see its feather pattern resembling its ancient ancestors.

I stopped briefly at Newburn Bridge, but as the tide was out, and lots of dog walkers on the beach, there were no waders and only 3 black headed gulls.

Greatham Creek was stop number 3. Shelduck, teal, wigeon, redshank and black tailed godwit. A walk along the river to Seal Sands hide was rewarded with views of a pair of red breasted mergansers.

Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park was stop number 4.

17 different birds including jay and coal tit for my year list. It was now 2pm and I wanted to visit RSPB Saltholme.

Not a bird to be seen from the Phil Stead hide as the water was frozen. Lots of moorhens at the Wildlife Watchpoint. On the walk down to the Saltholme Pools hide I saw several barnacle geese feeding in a field on my right, but no sign of a white fronted goose. Still lots of frozen water, so a few birds on the open water, including a year tick with goldeneye. Lots of teal and wigeon on the grass, with a few curlews around the exposed muddy parts. After a brief chat with Bert, I left for home.

 

North Cave Wetlands

  A sunny but cold day as I walked around the reserve.

Lots of teal around a small patch of open water near the reserve entrance.

no birds to be seen from the Turret hide.

Pheasant, blackbird, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch and female brambling at the feeders.

A buzzard flew across the reserve from the main road.

The dragonfly ponds are full of water and a robin was hopping about on the ice on this one.

Just 4 mute swans on reed bed lake. In a field to the right of the path were 2 Egyptian geese

From the corner where I  usually look for a tawny owl, I noticed that a tree had fallen down, and perched on one of the branches was a red kite.

 Siskins, long, blue and great tits were at the feeders along the path, and as I got a little further along I saw a green woodpecker on the ground looking for food.

Not a brilliant picture but this was as close as I got before the bird flew off. In front of the new hide there is a patch of open water and lots of birds were on it.

From the hide itself I could see mute swans, mallard, teal, wigeon, pochard, gadwall and tufted duck. Several little grebes were also swimming about while lots of coots were feeding on the grass. I could also see the red kite from a different angle.

I then walked to the new viewing screen, from where I could see shelduck, teal, wigeon and a single black tailed godwit. The lagoon in front of the East hide was frozen and no birds on it, a kingfisher flew past the hide.

48 birds on my day list, including 10 year ticks.

NDC again.

 Ian and I planned to go to Bank Island, but when Ian arrived there he found that the hides were inaccessible due to flooding, so we agreed to meet at North Duffield Carrs. Ian arrived before I did and was in the Garganey hide. As I got to the Geoff Smith hide, I popped in for a few minutes to say hello to Alan and Haydn.

I joined Ian and Peter in the Garganey hide, and I was pleased to find that the cold wind was not blowing in through the window, as it was yesterday.

 

The water level was slightly higher than yesterday, so it was not possible to see the top of the bund, so fewer birds close to the hide.

One of the many male pintails on the reserve.

From the other window of the hide wigeon and teal were standing on another part of exposed bund.

A large flock of pink footed geese circled over the reserve before flying off east.

A roe deer and its young appeared in the distance.

After a couple of hours we went to the Geoff Smith hide and joined Elaine and one of her "hearing dogs".

A pair of mute swans were feeding on the scrape and a pair of stonechats were on the reeds.

We left about 4:15 just as it was getting dark.

North Duffield Carrs

 

The view from the Geoff Smith hide this afternoon. it looked as if the water on the scrape was frozen.

At first I could not see any birds on Bubwith ings, but a couple walking their dog, flushed lots of wigeon, which were sheltering from the wind. I walked down to the garganey hide. one part of the path is wet as water drains off the field. Near the "flower" field I saw lots of linnets, chaffinches and yellowhammers.

Garganey hide is still open, but the handle has come off the door.

These are the views from the hide. The water to the left of the hide is still frozen and bird free.

This is the view looking towards the farm. The wind is coming from this direction and blows directly into the hide.

The top of the bund is just visible, and canada geese, pintail, wigeon and teal were standing on it. As I scanned along the bund I spotted 2 black-tailed godwits and 2 redshanks.

A pleasant but cold couple of hours.

RSPB Newport Wetlands.

 

Xmas presents should result in a more orderly year! Certainly more paperwork.

Started 2025 by driving down to Newport, Wales, to collect the eldest granddaughters possessions as she is moving back to York having gained her Bachelors degree in Cyber Technology. A fairly pleasant drive due to the lack of traffic. The journey home on January 2nd was different, as there was a lot more traffic.

First light on the 2nd saw me heading for Goldcliff Lagoons.

 

The new fencing has been erected and looks substantial enough to keep out predators. Not a lot of bird activity. I chose to arrive at first light in the hope of catching sight of an owl or two, but no such luck.

Greylag geese took to the air in their usual noisy fashion. 10 curlew were standing silently in the water while 2 avocets were busy feeding near the edge of the reedbed.

Sunrise over the Severn Estuary. It was high tide so no birds on the shore line.

Mute swans, lapwings, shovelers, wigeon and mallard were all starting to wake up. As I walked back to my car a male bullfinch flew across the path.

RSPB Newport Wetlands was my next destination.

The large reedbed reminds me of Blacktoft Sands. It is a shame that this is not a lookout point.

High tide has passed so birds were starting to use the exposed mud.

Lots of shelducks

Something was upsetting the waders, but I could not see a raptor. Lots of lapwings and dunlin.

No sign of oystercatchers or other waders apart from a single redshank. As I followed the Woodland trail I heard then saw great spotted woodpecker, siskin, chaffinch and goldfinch. Near the car park there are some bird feeders and here I saw blue and great tits and house sparrows. A pleasant couple of hours before my long drive home.

Saturday afternoon I went with my youngest granddaughter to Askham Bog. A lot of conservation work has taken place and the undergrowth and trees have been thinned out.

Why people have to throw  branches etc in the pond amazes me. Not many birds to be seen. Was it because of the time of day, the lack of cover or the notices now asking you not to feed the birds. The notice states that feeding birds can encourage species that could have a detrimental effect on the rare willow tit population, and as the site is a SSSI it is illegal to take bird food onto the reserve!

Will the forecast weather mean no going out tomorrow?

RSPB Blacktoft Sands and North Duffield Carrs

 

Sunday morning I arrived at the reserve about 8 am, just as it was getting light. This was the view from Ousefleet hide. Lots of teal and lapwings and 4 marsh harriers hunting over the reed bed.

A single male pintail on Reedling and one of the many snipe.

The marsh harriers were quite active during the day but not many seen coming into roost.

Tuesday morning I drove down to North Duffield Carrs to get a couple of hours bird watching before the forecast bad weather arrived.

 The water levels have gone down, so it is now possible to see the boundary of the scrape.

Garganey hide is now accessible. Still mud on the floor and the seats are still a bit damp.

Lots of birds, some quite close to the hide.

At least a 100 pintail, 20 plus redshanks, 18 ruff and 120 plus dunlin.

Some of the hundreds of wildfowl.

which often took to the wing as either buzzard, marsh harrier or peregrine flew over. A pair of mallard were sheltering from the wind

A barn owl was out hunting

I think that this marsh harrier was tagged in Norfolk.

A Happy New Yea to you all.