RSPB Frampton Marsh

 Today we were at RSPB Frampton Marsh. 3 year ticks to take me to 140.

RSPB Freiston Shore

 

After seeing the cranes at Willow Tree Fen, I drove to Freiston Shore to join the other members of RSPB York Local Group.

Brent geese, common terns and whimbrel were another 3 year ticks

Willow Tree Fen

 

Long weekend bird watching in Lincolnshire. My first stop was at Willow Tree Fen. An excellent facility organised by Lincolnshire Wildlife trust.

As I waited for the car park to open I saw 8 cranes flying over the area. Once I had parked inside and was able to stand at the viewing point I could see 2 cranes feeding on my left. They had 2 young, which I could just about see in the long grass.

Greenshanks at RSPB Blacktoft Sands

 

Easter Sunday at Blacktoft. I started at Ousefleet, where there is still a lot of water left over from the recent flood. Shelduck,avocet, teal, pochard, black-tailed godwit, greylag geese with young, little grebes and six Konic ponies.

Cetti's warbler shouting as I walked back along the path towards Marshland hide. Chiffchaffs were singing but are now difficult to see due to the amount of leaves on the trees. Sedge warblers are singing but are remaining towards the bottom of the reeds. One lady visitor managed to get an excellent photo of a sedge warbler perched at the top of the reeds.

Avocets, teal and godwits on Marshland.

Reedling lagoon has become a mute swan domain. A pair have made a nest just inside the reedbed and the male chases most birds away. Some of the ducks have taken to feeding in the ditch in front of reception hide and a little egret is often on the banks of the ditch.

A snipe was busily feeding in front of 1st hide.

A good mix of geese and ducks on Townend and Singleton lagoons, with bitterns providing the background music, while marsh harriers interacted with each other.

Time to open the reception hide and welcome Emma, this weeks residential volunteer. A steady stream of visitors came to see what the reserve has to offer, and they all left after having a good day. Catherine made her first visit for a while, it was good to see her, she soon had 50 different birds on her list.

Gerald, who volunteers at Old Moor rang to say that he had seen a white wagtail from Townend hide.

At 4 pm when the reception hide closed, Emma and I had a walk to some of the hides. On our way to Marshland hide we met 2 regular visitors from Leeds, who told us that they had seen 2 greenshanks at Ousefleet, so off we went.

The grrenshanks were on the far left of the lagoon, so not a good photo, but still year tick 133.

We then returned to Marshland hide. This grey heron was just to the right of the hide.

A single male wigeon

male shoveler

No sign of any godwits but we could just see the barn owl in its box. We then walked down to Townend lagoon in the hope of seeing the white wagtail that Gerald reported, and I managed a fleeting glance before it flew off. Time to lock up after another pleasant day on the reserve.
 

Easter Saturday at NDC

 

 Water levels are slowly going down, especially close to Garganey hide. This lapwing was the closest bird

At the far end of the reserve, near the sand martin wall were lots of greylag geese. Some had young with them. In the same area were 2 Egyptian geese, several sheldsucks and lots of teal.Cormorants were sitting on the top of fence posts, before flying to the River Derwent to fish.

On the open stretches of water, shoveler, mallard and gadwall were feeding along with 8 wigeon.

Lapwings were constantly chasing away carrion crows. After an hour in Garganey hide I strolled back to the Geoff Smith hide.

The flower meadow is slowly growing and has lots of colour in it, which was attracting linnets.

Chiffchaff, willow warbler and blackcaps were singing from the trees along the footpath.

I was surprised to see that the swan nest was empty. I presumed that the 2 birds on the water were the ones that built the nest. After feeding for a while they started courting.

Firstly they both made the same neck movements.

Then the male climbed on top of the female.

then they did a dance similar to great crested grebes.

Shortly afterwards they flew off.

A kestrel hovered just outside the hide before dropping into the grass. However it did not catch anything.Meanwhile a coot just sat on its nest.

Two swallows were busy flying about trying to catch insects, which I guess were not coming out into the cold wind.

White-tailed sea eagle

 

I was in Farndale this afternoon talking to the gardening club. After my talk I slowly drove along the roads over the moors looking for birds. I soon came across lots of meadow pipits.

and then red grouse.

I intended visiting Kildale where I have been before.However, I usually approach from the opposite direction and I missed the road turning. I drove on for a while before finding a safe place to turn round.

As I approached the road I wanted to take, I noticed a large bird in the air. The road I was driving along was fairly narrow so I could not stop. Eventually I reached a spot where I could park. I looked up and saw the bird high above me.

The wind was blowing hard, so I found it difficult to hold the camera still at the angle I needed to get a picture. The top picture shows a buzzard near the white tailed eagle.

 I drove further along the road and found a parking space. I spent a while looking for the bird but could not see it.

I decided to walk along one of the trails which run across the moors.

Lots of heather had been burnt, and there were lots of red grouse about. I also saw a single curlew, a small flock of golden plover, 2 lapwings, 1 wheatear and several meadow pipits. I assumed that the number of meadow pipits about accounted for the presence of a male Merlin which I saw a couple of times.

 

Boomers at Blacktoft

 

0730 on Sunday the 13th, this was my view from the hide at Ousefleet lagoon. Still plenty of water due to the recent high tidal flood. 16 Avocets were making a bit of a noise as they were feeding, while 56 teal were still sleeping. 6 Shelduck were standing on the far island and 26 Shovelers were resting, as were 23 Black-tailed godwits.

The Shovelers were still asleep on Marshland lagoon and as usual more males than females.

The 10 Avocets on the lagoon were mostly feeding, wading in fairly deep water, once again the result of the recent high tide.

 A Barn Owl was standing just inside its box. As I walked from Marshland hide to Reedling hide I heard and then saw my first sedge warbler of the year, They are still staying towards the bottom of the reeds. Little grebes were noisily bustling about on the lagoon while several Snipe were near the waters edge. This Grey Heron was near the edge of the reeds on 1st lagoon.

About 20 Sand Martins were busy hunting insects over the lagoon.

Gadwall were having an early morning preen in front of Townend hide.

From Singleton hide I could hear Bitterns booming. Greylag geese were making a lot of noise and then flying off, to return several minutes later.

A single Pink-footed goose was grazing in front of the hide.

A Little egret was preening its under wing feathers.

I returned to the Reception hide and helped Daz get set up for the day. Yvonne was also helping so I went for a walk while she and Daz sorted out some paperwork.

On my walk I saw this Chiffchaff in the reedbed.

2 Bitterns were flying high over the far reedbed.

A very distant shot, and as I zoomed in I noticed a swallow.

After we had closed reception, Yvonne and I walked down to Singleton hide. A Bittern was booming again and 2 Bitterns flew towards 1st hide. Marsh harriers were still active.

Snipe were feeding at the edge of the water. Just before I locked up I returned to Marshland hide and watched as Sand Martins and House Martins flew low over the water hunting insects.

A Moorhen and a Coot were on the small pool of water by the first gate, who was going to take control I wondered.