Catchup

 On duty at Blacktoft on Sunday. I started off at Marshland hide where there were over 40 avocets.

Three pairs were observed mating later in the day. Will they be starting nesting again.

Lots of coot, mallard and gadwall families on the reserve, all trying to keep out of the way of the marsh harriers. About 10 active nests on site mean a lot of mouths to fill. One marsh harrier family are training their young on how to catch prey.

some of the young need more practice.

A cuckoo perched in the bush outside reception for a minute of two.

it is probably getting a bit crowded in the barn owl box.

This spoonbill was at Blacktoft on May 29th and I reported my sighting. Today I received an email with more information. It was ringed on July 9th and the first reported sighting was 8/10/21 at Alicante,1740km from where it was ringed on 17/5/22 it was reported at Portsmouth, on May 23rd it was seen at Cliff Pools, Kent. Three days later it was seen at Alkborough Flats, 395 km from where it was ringed. Will we see it again or has it returned to Holland?

A bird watching friend was on Mull the week before me and he was at Blacktoft on Sunday, The weather on his trip was better than I had, and he some brilliant pictures of white tailed eagles and otters. He had also been to Greece and more excellent photos of bee eaters, honey buzzard and masked shrike.

While on Mull he had been given some pellets from white tailed eagles.

They are much larger than owl pellets and you can see a foot in one of them.

Someone who was a member of the RSPB York Local Group and we last met about 18 years ago. His wife and daughter had brought him to the reserve for his fathers day treat.

Just before I left the reserve I watched a hobby and a sparrowhawk having a scrap.