David versus Goliath

 I did not realise how much I missed sitting in a hide watching birds until the lockdown was imposed. I found it very annoying that people could fish as that was classed as exercise, whilst I could not stop on a walk to look at a bird through binoculars as that was classed as enjoyment. So now that I can sit in hides and leisurely watch birds, I have spent most of my time at reserves with hides, and just once a week a trip further afield.

Blacktoft Sands has always been a favourite place to visit as there are six hides and plenty of birds. Its location tends to attract more birds than visitors, I can have a relaxing time.

At the moment lots of birds are still feeding their first brood, some of whom are now able to fly. Blacktoft with its vast reed beds is an attractive place for sedge warblers. After their long journey from south of the Sahara Desert, Blacktoft is the ideal habitat.

In front of First Hide there is a large elderberry bush.

and perched on the tallest part was a cuckoo. It had been calling from various parts of the reserve before settling on this bush. It did not call while it sat there.

Then a sedge warbler arrived.

the sedge must have recognised it as a predator and started to fly towards it. The cuckoo did not like it and flew off. Sorry about the photos, the bush is just about at the limit of my lens.

As the words from the " Gotta travel on " song say "summers almost gone, winters rolling on". Birds that have been breeding in the arctic are now starting their long journey south. An opportunity for me to add a few birds to my year list.

Tufted ducks are one of the last birds to have young and I had a brief glimpse of a couple in the ditch in front of the hides. This young game bird wandered out onto the footpath.

a bittern is often seen as it goes to find food for its young. It flies high as it leaves its nest area but when it returns it flies just above the reed bed.

The number of little egrets is still increasing and spoonbills fly over on their journey from Fairburn to Alkborough.

Kildale

 A visit to the Kildale area on Thursday. First stop was at the church. The path to the church takes you over the railway line.

I had read several tweets about a spotted flycatcher in the churchyard, so went in the hope of seeing the bird. I joined a couple who were sat on a gravestone looking for the bird. A flycatcher did appear and perched on the top of a gravestone for a second. All other sightings of the birds were as it flitted from a mature tree and it was always in the shade.

Young greenfinches were mobbing an adult for food.

Greenfinches are not a bird I see on a regular basis and I cannot remember when I last saw a young bird. This family consisted of about 6 birds so they were doing well.

 A group of lady ramblers then came into the churchyard and started to look at several gravestones, so I left. As I did so 7 oystercatchers flew overhead.

In April 2014 Chris and I saw ring ouzels near here so I went to the the area in the hope of seeing the birds. I could not find a place to park as I drove up the hill so I continued to the top and parked. After lunch I went for a short walk..

There is a notice on the gate to the path asking for dogs to be kept on a lead to protect ground nesting birds. I saw lots of meadow pipits.

 red grouse and golden plover

I then drove back down the hill and was able to park The couple I had met in Kildale churchyard were there looking for birds. They had not seen any ring ouzels. I walked down the road and could hear and see a family of mistle thrushes and lots of lapwings. A wheatear was flying between posts and rocks.

The couple had told me of a good place to park to see lapwings, plovers and grouse, so I set off. However it started to rain so a walk was out of the question. It looked brighter towards the coast so I drove to South Gare.

As soon as I got out of my car I could see either porpoise or dolphins.

When they had gone out of sight I started looking for birds. A whitethroat was perched on some wires singing, a shag flew low out to sea. In the distance I could see a long line of black birds which I presumed were scoters. No terns were to be seen.

I then decided to drive home via the visitor centre at Sutton Bank, where I hoped to see turtle doves.

this is signed as the best view in England.

As I looked at one set of feeders I saw a dove.

it was a collared dove! I spent about 90 minutes around the centre and saw lots of birds but no turtle doves.

male and female siskins were on the feeders. Are they breeding in the area?

jays, chaffinches, tree sparrows were also using the feeders.

A walk along the paths and I came across this toad.

a willow tit had just landed in this tree.

male yellowhammers were on the ground picking up some of the seeds that had fallen out from the feeders.

 a robin was singing from a branch

A pied wagtail and a carrion crow were looking for food underneath picnic tables.

It was a pleasant evening walk in the sunshine listening to willow warblers singing.