Busmans holiday!

 

I could not make my mind up about the weather on Monday, was it going to be lots of rain?

If so a sea watch at Filey would not be a good idea, so I decided to go to Blacktoft where I could shelter in a hide should it rain. Ian was on duty in reception and after a chat with him and Daz I walked to Marshland and joined a lady who volunteers at Eastern Moors. The overnight rain had not done much to improve the water level in the lagoon but it had refreshed the mud.

Lots of waders, including a curlew sandpiper, but they were not very close to the hide.

people often comment about our plain black and white birds, have the looked at a lapwing and seen the different colours!

This marsh harrier was one reason that the waders were not close to the hide. It and a peregrine made several flyovers and put the waders to flight. Some of the 80 plus dunlin landed on the water in front of the screen at Ousefleet. A short flight for them but about a 10 minute walk for us if we wished to follow them.

At least 9 different waders on site and with some high tides due in the next few days who knows how many more could be on the reserve.