Afternoon with the "chats".

 The weather forecast for Tuesday is not good so I decided to visit Staveley on Monday afternoon. I have tried to visit the reserve before this year but the car park was always full so I was pleased to find only 2 more cars in the car park.

The grass in the orchard has been cut

there were still the odd plant/flower about to add a  bit of colour.

the hide overlooking the East Lagoon was my first stop.

lots of ducks, geese and swans. Several birds were on the bank preening.

the male mallards are starting to look very colourful in their new plumage,

In the reeds to the left of the hide, small birds were active. Goldfinches were eating seeds on teasels and thistles while stonechats would fly from perch to perch.

they were joined by whinchats, which did not come as close. I had never had a chance to sit and watch these birds before. I usually just get a quick glimpse before the birds fly off, so it was nice to be able to watch them for a while.

I then walked on to the next hide.

lapwings were using the rafts that the terns use for nesting. A rain shower and then a rainbow.

canada gees, cormorants and various ducks were on the opposite side of the lagoon. I then walked on to the next hide. I was hoping to get a photo of a hobby that I had seen hunting dragonflies but no such luck. It was however nice to watch the bird hunting. My next stop was the hide overlooking the west lagoon.

a lot of geese, ducks and lapwings. I used my scope to slowly scan through the flock of birds and managed to find to pink feet amongst the greylags.

odd angle as I was using my scope to take the picture.

 I saw one greylag with a band around its neck.

P711 was the number on the band. I then walked back towards the car park, on the way I noticed that  I could see the white horse in the distance,

 and decided to stop at the first hide I visited and see if the "chats" were still about, and they were, so I spent another pleasant 45 minutes watching them.

 

A very pleasant afternoon and one I hope to repeat soon. My total for Staveley is now 62 and my year total is 172. Scarborough and the East coast tomorrow, can I add to my total?