Nosterfield

 I left home for a visit to Staveley reserve, but the car park was full, so I moved onto Nosterfield.I started at the quarry site. Not many birds on Lingham Lake so I walked to the other lake. 

There were a few greylag geese and mute swans on the water and this pair of great crested grebes.

a goldfinch was feeding on teasel

a dunnock was singing from the top of a bush

On the way back to the car park I managed to find a little owl. Its old home has been taken down.

just in case you cannot find it in the photo

I then drove to Nosterfield Reserve to find the car park full! I had to stop in the car viewing point, which meant that I could not get out of the car!

Lots of black headed gulls and a good mixture of geese and ducks.I saw a few redshanks but was unable to turn them into a lesser yellowlegs, I wonder what has happened to it. As my field of view was restricted I did not stay too long.

After tea I ventured out to Colton. The last time that I was there was during the day and it is a construction site. So I thought I would pay an evening visit to try and see some birds. I arrived at the little car park that is situated between the railway lines to find that it was full. Two mobile homes were parked up and had put table and chairs out, so no space for anyone else!

A walk down the lane was interesting. The usual pot holes had been filled in and the bridge over the little stream was new. 40 tonne lorries used the lane now.

Where the verge was once full of flowers was now full of rails

Last year whitethroats were singing from hawthorn bushes, which had been torn out to make way for this

This windmill has been here since 1820 and has seen some changes as the railway lines have been developed.

I did not manage to get 100 birds on my year list before the end of the month, but I am quite pleased with the progress I have made this week, especially the osprey over the house!

So I start April on 93. By the end of March last year  I had 127 species but only saw 12 species in April due to the lockdown, so this April should be better.

Early evening at North Duffield Carrs

 After an exciting afternoon at home with 4 buzzards and an osprey flying over I decided to go to NDC. I arrived about 5pm and joined 3 other birders in the hide. One left fairly soon after I arrived.

A pair of little ringed plovers were on the far edge of the scrape and then flew off. In the distance I could see a group of swans.

When I looked at them through my telescope I could see that they were whooper swans, 21 of them

I did not think that I would see them before they returned to Iceland, as during the lockdown there were lots of reports of birds flying north. So it was a pleasant surprise to see these birds and add them to my year list.

Curlews were busy flying about and lapwings were doing their acrobatic displays. Male pintails were looking smart in the late afternoon sunshine.

A hare was in a field to the left of the hide.

26 shelduck were flying about in the distance as a marsh harrier quartered part of the reserve.

A pleasant way to end a day.

Looking up!

 After yesterdays excellent birding, today was always going to be a low key affair. 

I had been doing a few odd jobs in the garden and then sat outside to eat my lunch. Looking up I noticed a buzzard high up, then another and other, then there was 4. Just circling high up in the sky. So my day list was looking a bit better. Blackbird, starling, house sparrow, wood pigeon, herring gull and my first peacock butterfly of the year. Plus I could hear the chiffchaffs on Hob Moor calling.

A while later I heard gulls calling and on my left saw gulls chasing a bird, but they all went out of view behind the houses. I was just about to get out of my chair when a large bird flew over our front garden, it was an osprey!!

Not bad for a quiet day at home birding.

Lower Derwent Valley and North Cave Wetlands.

 First day after lockdown and I decided to "stay local" and visit the Lower Derwent Valley.

It was 0730 as I walked out of the car park at Bank Island. In the hedgerow I heard then saw a greenfinch, a good start to the day with a tick. As I walked towards the lane that leads towards Wheldrake Ings I heard but did not see a yellowhammer, however I heard and saw a skylark, tick number two.

I walked over the bridge that spans the River Derwent and could hear the call of curlews and as I walked along the path by the side of the river I could hear chiffchaffs calling. There is now a voluntary charge for parking cars at Bank Island, and the proceeds go towards upkeep of the area. The footpath has been repaired and is in a better state than it was since my last visit.

The hides are closed so I walked past the Tower Hide and towards the refuge area. In the distance I could see a small flock of black tailed godwits flying around, There were several swans in the area, but I could not find a whooper swan. All last week there were reports of large numbers heading for Iceland. I was hoping that I might find an odd straggler. I continued to walk along the repaired boardwalk until I reached the last hide. Again a few mute swans and greylag geese and cormorants. I retraced my steps back to the car park and ended up with a 35 birds on my list.

West Cottingwith Ings was my next stop. No sign of any flood water here, but I was able to add another 4 birds, including buzzard and kestrel. to my list. North Duffield Carrs was my next stop. Only the top hide is open as repairs are under way on the lower one. 

The work that was done last year on the scrape seems to be paying dividends. A pair of oystercatchers were asleep on one part of the island.

two greylag geese were also exploring the area, while a curlew looked for food around the edge.

North Cave Wetlands was my next stop. As I sat in the seating area having lunch I had a couple of visitors. One was David Armitage and this was the other

After lunch I had a walk around the reserve. Some hides are closed. Roll on April 12th when they should be open and places such as Tophill Low will open again. I stopped at the screen by the maize field feeder and spent about 20 minutes for the male brambling that David had seen, not to appear.

From the turret hide the air was full of the noise of black headed gulls.

I did not manage to find a med gull, I need Chris with me, as he is very good at finding them. I then walked on to the next hide. Here I tried to take pictures of various birds.

As you can see from the picture the sun was shining towards me and the wind was so strong the water looks as if it could be waves on the sea! I tried to get some shots of black headed gulls battling against the wind.

On the other side of the lagoon where the sheep were grazing there were about 70 curlews, however they soon flew off when 3 ospreys flew over.

No other hides were open and the wind was too strong to be taking pictures etc outside.

By the end of my walk I had seen 32 different birds on the reserve and my day list was now 58.

I decided to call in at North Duffield Carrs again on my way home and managed to add 2 more birds to my day list. A snipe hiding in the vegetation

and a little ringed plover on the far side of the scrape.

A very pleasant day. A day total of 60 birds, 14 of which were ticks for my year list, taking the total to 90. Can I make 100 this month!!

Last tick in lockdown!

 Adjusted the clocks last night and decided that if I woke up early I would go to Askham Bog. I did wake up early so I was at the Bog by 0715.Pheasant flying were the first birds I saw and heard followed by blackbird and dunnock. I put some seed on the top of the fence posts as I walked along to the pond. Not a lot of activity. I heard the chiffchaff by the pond but could not locate it. A pair of mallard were on the pond.

I continued along the board walk. I could hear jays on my right but could not see them. I also heard a woodpecker on my left but again I was unable to find it. I startled a roe deer as I walked a bit further along the boardwalk.

Back at the start, and the seed was still on the fence posts, not even the wood pigeons were interested. Carrion crows were flying over as walked to the pond for the second time. Again the seed was still on the fence posts. A sparrowhawk was circling high over the pond and a male reed bunting was singing from its perch in a willow tree, The chiffchaff was still singing and this time I managed to see it.

As I walked further along the boardwalk I saw a great spotted woodpecker fly into the wood, another new bird for this year, and hopefully the last tick of a lockdown!!

Another chiffchaff was singing from trees on my left and as I got a bit further along the board walk I heard another chiffchaff above my head. I managed to find it but it was very mobile so no picture. I was now back at the start of the boardwalk and again the seed was still on the fence posts. Had the usual mix of birds moved on, or was the strong wind forcing them to hide.

A last lap. The chiffchaff at the pond was still singing but remained elusive, but the seed had gone from the fence posts, so I replaced it. No sign of jays or woodpecker as I walked along, but a grey heron flew overhead. Back at the start and the seed had gone. Had the woodpigeons eaten it?

I put more seed out and the birds quickly came to get it. Blackbirds, robins, dunnocks, blue, great and coal tits. They all moved very quickly so taking photos was not easy.

Just as I got back to my car I saw a pair of long tailed tits and noticed these flowers.

I have filled the car fuel tank, cleaned binoculars and telescope. Camera battery fully charged and sd card empty , all ready for tomorrow.

Question is, where do I go?

Cannot go to Wales to see the walrus. My last years holiday to Wales was transferred to next month, but will I be able to go?

It is a bit too far to go to Devon and back in a day to get a lifer by seeing the mockingbird, but I am sure that I will find somewhere to go and enjoy a days birdwatching.

First chiffchaff!

 Staying local I went to Askham Bog early this morning. The usual mixture of birds flew down to the fence posts. they are very confiding.

Not brilliant pictures as the light was very poor.

Near the pond I heard then saw my first chiffchaff of the year. One downside of the lockdown has been the way that people have behaved on reserves and open spaces. I don't think that it is exaggerating to say that there are very few parts of Hob Moor that have not been walked on. The whole 90 acres have been well used, there are paths everywhere. As I was walking back from the pond towards the main part of the boardwalk, I heard childrens voices. A mother had brought her two young kids to the reserve and they were riding around, despite notices saying no cycling. Then I saw a chap with his dog, The dog was running all over the place and not on a lead as per the notices. I returned home.

I was doing some jobs in the garden when I noticed this starling on the bird feeders.

 My photos don't do justice to the colours on the bird. I had only just put my camera down when I saw a red kite, just above the roof of the house opposite. It was been mobbed by a carrion crow and soon was out of sight. When I had done the jobs in the garden, I sat enjoying a cup of tea, when I heard a buzzard calling. At first I could not see the bird but eventually I saw it quite high up slowly drifting eastwards. 

More signs of Spring

 On my walks with my sons dog, I have been seeing signs that spring is slowly on its way.

Today, just 2 minutes walk from home I saw more.

Plants and flowers have had buds for a while, it took the sunshine to get them fully open today.

There is a ditch close to a path that I walk along with the dog and the frog spawn has slowly increased.

Today I saw these frogs.

I will be looking every day that I walk along the path to see how many frogs hatch.

York Minster Peregrines

    Decided to visit the Minster again this afternoon, to try and see the peregrines. A couple of photographers were occupying the first bench, and they had not seen the birds. I sat on the second bench and used my binoculars to scan their usual perches on the Minster. No sign of the birds. Lots of pigeons flying about, some were even landing on the same ledge that the peregrines are nesting on. The two photographers left.

After a while I heard a screeching noise and managed to find this peregrine high up on the Minster.

Another peregrine flew overhead, and then both birds disappeared.

It was a while before the birds returned. One went straight back to the ledge where the nesting tray is and disappeared from view. The other bird perched on top of one of grotesque for a while and then started screeching again.

 The bird would look up and eventually I spotted a third peregrine flying very high over the Minster.

I lost sight of both birds, so came home.

You can follow the peregrines on twitter.