Seawatch Festival at Flamborough Head

 Gerald and I attended the Seawatch Festival at Flamborough Head, which was organised by the good folk of Flamborough Bird Observatory.

Members of the Observatory were on hand to tell us when birds flew past. The wind was not helpful, as it was from a south westerly direction which was blowing the birds away from the shore. However we were able to witness a lot of terns flying south as well as the occasional shearwater and skua. The session ended at 11am, but Gerald and I stayed in the hide until noon.

We then went to Thornwick Pools where we added snipe, dunlin, ringed plover, grey heron, coot and mallard to our day list.

South Landin was our next stop where we added sanderling to our list. Lots of dunlin, ringed plover and oystercatchers were bust feeding om the seaweed. The people on the beach kept disturbing the waders, which took to flight, and one group was attacked by a peregrine.

Gerald went home and I returned to the hide to join the 4 till 7pm seawatching session. The light was much better than this morning, as we were no longer looking towards the sun. Close views of arctic skua and manx shearwaters plus black-tailed godwits and little gulls, A caspian gull was on the rocks with all the seals. An excellent day and 2 more year ticks.

Broomhill Flash & Old Moor

 A long time since I visited this area and I just arrived i the hide at Broomhill Flash before the rain started.

Lots of swifts, sand and house martins flying low as they hunted insects. On the island in front of the hide were lapwing, gadwall, shoveler and little egret.

A raven flew across the far end of the reserve and joined another one on a pylon. Year tick 184.

Just over an hour later I drove to RSPB Old Moor. A few changes since my last visit. Tree sparrow farm has changed a bit and the only birds to be seen were great tits and greenfinches. Lots of canada geese in front of the family hide. No waders on the wader scrape so I joined Gerald in the Wath Ings hide, and also some members of the York local group were also there.

Spoonbills, greenshanks, dunlin, ringed plover and common sandpipers busy feeding.

Gerald and I then walked to the Reedbed hide, and on the way we met the people from York again. From the hide  we saw a kingfisher fly across the scrape. A pleasant day.

North Cave Wetlands

 

My first visit since the new hide and viewing screen were open.

East hide was my first stop.

Lots of lapwings, mallards, a few gadwall and little grebes. From Turret hide I added green sandpiper, greenshank, lesser black backed gull and avocet. As I left the hide it started to rain, but the next hide was full, so I had to keep on walking. 

At the footpath end of carp lake I came across these two birds

They were quite happy sitting or feeding, and I saw them together again near the South hide.

The above photos show the view from the new hide. Plenty of birds and I added pochard and common sandpiper to my list.

a young tufted duck

This is the view from the new viewing screen

I added common gull to my list.

I have never seen as much vegetation on the island in front of Crossland hide. No new birds for my list.

South hide had a few duck and little grebes

31 birds on my day list.

On my way home I called in at North Duffield Carrs

As you walk along the path to the Geoff Smith hide, on your left you pass this new viewing screen,

Harvest time in the valley. No birds on the scrape and the reeds have nearly grown all the way across.

Bank Island was my last stop.

I had just arrived at the viewing platform when this kestrel sat on the wires.

I was hoping to see a few small birds, but I guess that the kestrel had made them seek cover.

A pleasant day, despite the rain showers.

Greatham Creek and Seaton Snook

 My original plan was to go away for a few days, but having seen a weather forecast for the week I decided to opt for days out. So on Monday I went north up to Greatham Creek. Whimbrel, curlew sandpiper and little stint have been reported in the area, and as I need them for my year list, that seemed a good place to start.

I arrived just before noon as the tide was starting to come in. Two other birders were already at the screen and one greeted me with " you are just in time". Brilliant, I thought, as often I arrive and birders say " you have just missed it". What is there? I asked. Nothing, was the reply, we are hoping that you can find something!

Redshank, dunlin, oystercatcher, curlew, swallow and little egret.

They left soon afterwards, which just left me and the seals.

Time to go to Seaton Snook to try to find terns and skuas.

Lots of seals and terns on the other side of the water, then a kestrel landed next to me.

Another birder walked past, telling me how quiet things are. At least there was a ship to watch

Then the rain started so I left. Reading reports on X, the terns were on South Gare and only 1 skua was seen.

An escort for a fox

 Saturday morning I was on duty at RSPB Blacktoft Sands. I arrived early in order to have enough time to visit each hide before the visitors arrived. As I stopped before the main gates and got out to unlock them, I could hear cranes calling. I quickly looked to my left and saw 8 birds flying, year tick number 183.

These deer were feeding on the vegetation on the dry Ousefleet lagoon. I counted the ducks and little grebes on the water in front of the viewing screen at Ousefleet, before walking to Marshland hide.

Snipe, lapwings, green sandpipers and a single spotted redshank were on the lagoon. Reedling had a similar mix of birds, plus greenshank and black-tailed godwits. 8 little egrets were resting in front of the 1st hide.

As I entered Townend hide I saw a bird on the mud on the left hand side, and decided to identify it after counting the teal. Just as I had finished counting the teal they flew off as a sparrowhawk arrived and landed on the island. I then realised that the bird on the mud was a sparrowhawk and it had been waiting for some young pied wagtails to land on the mud.

The bird was still sitting there when I left to go to Singleton hide. Here I got a nice surprise.

9 spoonbills feeding

Not brilliant picture as the sun shines from the left on a morning . A good start to the day.

Just before  the visitor centre closed, a young heron walked in front of the hide.

 Catherine and I walked down to Singleton hide after the visitor centre closed.. A juvenile spoonbill was still there.

4 spotted redshanks, 1 still in its black summer plumage, 40 plus black-tailed godwits, some like the spotted redshank in summer plumage, plus lots of ducks and little egrets. Then we noticed that the ducks and the egrets were heading towards one part of the reed bed, where they remained still, all looking the same way. After several minutes we understood what was happening, a young fox was coming out of the reed bed.

The ducks and egrets were lined up as if they were escorting the fox across the water.

The fox was finding walking through the water difficult as although it was not deep water its legs were covered in mud, so it was not able to pounce on anything.

The fox eventually reached the other reedbed and walked into it.

31 little egrets stood and watched as it disappeared from view.

Cattle egrets at RSPB Fairburn Ings

 On my way to St. Aiden's from Fairburn Ings and noticed that the highland cattle were near the roadside hedge. I parked in the Lin Dike car park and walked back along the road.

I joined another birder who had found a gap in the hedge and we watched the cattle slowly grazing and getting a bit closer to us. We were both hoping to see the cattle egrets. However the cattle were keeping close to the hedge, so although we could see the birds we did not have clear views.

The cattle then starting to move along the western edge of the water and the cattle egrets followed and we counted 8 of them.

Although our view was a bit clearer, the birds were slowly moving further away as they followed the cattle.

At last one bird flew and landed on the back of one of the cows.

The other cattle egrets were standing by the waters edge.