Scarboro, St.Aidans and Fairburn

 Wednesday I went to Scarboro. The eldest grand daughter is at Uni and needed a shopping trip. Afterwards I had  quick walk around the harbour.

A nice view on a pleasant September afternoon. However all is not well.

Lots of razorbills and guillemots inside the harbour searching for food. This bird was just on the slope of one of the boat launching sites. Reports from coastal places of lots of dead birds. Not a pleasant sight.

Thursday afternoon I went to Saint Aidans.

A much pleasanter experience than my last visit as there were hardly any people there.The weather could have been kinder, a stiff breeze and lots of cloud.

These magpies were taking turns at pecking this sheep. I presume that there must have been insets lodged in its wool.

still splashes of colour to be seen.

Cormorants were busy fishing

Male shovelers are starting to regain their splendid colours.

female teal were close to the path

grey herons were standing in the water, waiting for prey.

great crested grebes were also busy

a good selection of waders were present, black tailed godwits,

dunlin and ringed plovers

but no sign of the grey plover I was hoping to see.

Pink footed geese flew over

I called in at Fairburn Ings on my way home.

The hide at Lin Dike is still not open. It has been closed since the first lockdown, with no explanation as to why it is still closed. I don't think that I am on my own when I say that this is the best bit of the reserve. Lots of effort is put it near the visitor centre, it is time for some effort to be put in to restore this hide into use.

The viewing screen near the hide has been damaged. I don't know who designs these screens, but I don't know anyone who can comfortably use the viewing slots, so I guess someone has become frustrated at not been able to access the hide and has made the viewing slots more friendly. Someone has also cut part of the hedge to give a better view of the scrape. From the path I could see several spoonbills

this highland cow and calf were playing

two ruff were fairly close

I stopped near the moat and saw several geese, swans and these three pintails.

Today I visited the "Pool of Destiny" on my way to a garden centre.

This was the pool when it was home to curlew sands, little stint etc.

This is it today.