More spoonbills!

 Another spoonbill experience walk today. Due to accidents on various roads and roadworks in Fairburn Village getting to Fairburn and home again was a bit difficult.

Lots of spoonbill activity at the nest site plus 4 littel egrets were having a squabble.

We were able to see the breeding plumage variation on the birds. A brief visit to the Pickup hide was rewarded with these views.

Hopefuly the traffic will not be a problem tomorrow.

"Two Norths"

 A morning bird watching. First venue was North Cave Wetlands. I arrived just after 7am the same time as the butty bus! I walked to the East hide and then returned to my car for a coat as the strong wind was a touch on the cool side. Most birds were sheltering from the wind. Lots of black-headed gulls with their young. Nothing to see from the turret hide, so I did not stay. 

This rabbit was on the path and just moved over to let me pass!

Coots, gadwall and mute swans from the North hide. Lots of little egrets on Far Lake.

As I walked towards the Dennis Wood hide, I disturbed some insects.

Lots of activity on eother side of the hide. Avocets were chasing away black-headed gulls that close to their youngm while black-headed gulls chased away other gull chicks and in the middle of this common tern chcks were waiting to be fed. Time to go as I wanted to call in at North Duffield Carrs on the way home.

Very quiet here also. Alan Whitehead (duffbirder) arrived and we spent the time chatting before I had to leave.

Swallow tailed moth

 

This moth appeared in my garden overnight. Thanks to Daz for the identification.

Happy families at North Duffield Carrs

 

The above was my view from the Geoff Smith hide at 6am this morning. I could not see any birds on the visible water on the scrape. A water rail however was calling all the time I was there.

Plenty of insect life in front of the hide.

A male deer was enjoying his breakfast.

A female marsh harrier was hunting over the far end of the reserve and several snipe were doing their acrobatic air display. In front of the hide lots of activity as sedge warblers, whitethroats, blackcaps, dunnocks, robin and great tits were catching food for their young.

When I left at 8.30am I had a list of 26 birds.

Brown duck season

 Spent a couple of hours at Blacktoft today as I had to collect some equipmment for our stall at West Bank park on Sunday.

Lots of ducks on the reserve, and a lot of the males are starting to loose their breeding plumage, so identification gets a bit difficult.

Mrs Pochard and her young on an island in front of Marshland hide.

A sleepy curlew and lapwings

High tide

one of several ships going to Goole.

A very poor shot of the female marsh harrier feeding her 3 young.

I was not quick enough to capture a bittern flying past.

Spoonbill walk on Wednesday.

Spoonbills.

 Spoonbill walk season has started at RSPB Fairburn Ings. I had the pleasure of meeting a lady from Manchester today. We managed to see several spoonbills, some in the trees on their nests and others feeding under some trees. I hope that the next 14 are as pleasant.

Nightjar and woodcock

 Stainburn Forest at 10pm last night.

Woodcock were out roding first then nightjars started churring and then saw them in flight.

A pleasant evening despite the midges!