Teesmouth Birding.

 

I decided to venture out for a day to try to add to my year list. Recent reports have indicated that a spot of sea watching from the headland at Hartlepool could be good, so at 0720 I was sat near the Heugh Battery Museum .

Another birder was already there, he had been there about an hour before I arrived and he had seen 4 species of tern and several Manx shearwaters. The sun shining on the sea was a bit of a problem as I could only look either left or right, but not straight ahead. However within minutes I had seen a dark phase Arctic skua chasing terns, tick number 1. Gannets were flying to and fro and swallows were swooping low in front of us. 13 Common Scoters flew north, tick number 2.

Lots of Sandwich terns were busy fishing and fulmars glided past. Guillemots were also on the sea in small groups. As the tide started to go out, the number of birds began to dwindle so I put my chair back in the car and walked towards the Pilot Pier.

Ringed plovers and Turnstones were looking for food at the waters edge.

Lots of Eiders just off the shore, probably waiting for the tide to expose the rocks again.

Starling, pipits and house sparrows were looking for food on the seaweed.

Newburn Bridge was stop number 2.

The only waders I could see were Oystercatchers.

I drove down Zinc Road and walked out towards Seaton Snook.

Reports of Roseate terns and skuas were the reason for my visit. Sadly lots of dogs about, and several of them were allowed to chase the birds. Hence the terns were on the other side of the river. Sandwich terns were fishing in the river and then returning to the river bank. There were lots of terns, but they were too far away to identify. Closer were dunlin, ringed plover and tick number 4 sanderling.

RSPB Saltholme was the last stop. This was my view from Phil Stead hide.

A buzzard was sat on a fence post for several minutes. A Little Egret was fishing closer to the hide.

There were at least 8 snipe also feeding but they were too far away and well camouflaged.

A very pleasant day, and one i will repeat when the autumn migration gets under way.

Spoonbill walks

 Not the best of weather this morning at RSPB Fairburn Ings at 8.30, a heavy rain shower. Luckily the rain stopped by 1030.

2 black-tailed godwits feeding in front of the Lin Dike hide along with a single dunlin.

A poor picture, but it was raining!

In the distance cattle egrets were with the highland cattle.

More spoonbill walks later this week.

Staveley and Nosterfield

 

I woke up early and so took the opportunity to go out birding at Staveley.

Lots of greylag geese flying on to the first lagoon was my noisy welcome.

As I reached the first part of the woodland I saw a family of blackcaps hunting for insects and then a short while later a family of spotted flycatchers, the first ones I had seen this year I had just sat down in the first hide when more greylag geese arrived which disturbed a grey heron which in turn disturbed this great white egret.

From the second hide I could see a pair of great crested grebes. One had young on its back, which the other adult was feeding.

Several warblers in the reeds in front of the hide.

I cannot make out what the object on top of the birds beak is, I was thinking it could be a beetle?

A pair of common terns have two young on one of the rafts on the lagoon. The adults went fishing and then returned to feed their young.

I like this sign on the outside of the far hide.

From this hide I could see lots of lapwings and a pair of avocets chasing other birds including a red kite away. I returned to my car and drove north to Nosterfield.

As you might be able to see from the photo the water level is quite low. Lots of greylags and lapwings on the exposed sand and lots of sand martins flying around searching for insects.

My last stop was at the other part of the nature reserve. I decided to stay in may car and listen to the test match while looking at the birds. Again the water levels are low but I managed to count 165 curlews on the other side of the lagoon.

A pleasant morning in this part of Nidderdale.

Bolton Percy Station

 

A visit to this YWT reserve to take part in the Big Butterfly Count. In previous years this little reserve was a haven for wildlife, but Network Rail destroyed most of it when making alterations to the track to shave a few seconds off journey times.

A pair of buzzards were calling as they circled overhead and house martins were chattering as they collected insects before returning to their nest on a nearby farmhouse.

The butterflies were not very obliging with their poses!

Water Rail at RSPB Fairburn Ings

 

I paid two visits to the Pickup Hide at RSPB Fairburn Ings today. My first visit was at 0830. I was hoping to see the kingfisher that is often seen here. As often happens to me when birding, I was told that by people who had been there since 6 am that the kingfisher had been frightened off by a sparrowhawk!

I staid at the hide until 0930 when it was time for me to report to the visitor centre and get ready to lead a spoonbill experience walk.

I did however have 26 birds on my day list including

 This water rail was walking along the edge of the water. In the trees near the bird feeders were lots of chaffinches, great tits, dunnocks, robins,

blue tits.

After the walk I returned to hide about 1230, just in time to see a kingfisher land on a branch and then fly off.

Birds in the trees near the feeders included

A pleasant morning, despite the rain.

Beardies and Bittern

 My day started at RSPB St. Aidan's where I was leading a walk looking for raptors. Little owl, buzzard, kestrel and red kite were seen, as well as watching a common tern diving for minnows.

Stuart and Catherine had also been for a walk and had seen black necked grebes. We sat outside to eat our lunch and had nearly finished it when the rain started. We retreated into the Little Owl Cafe and after lunch I headed for RSPB Blacktoft Sands. 

After a short chat with Craig in reception hide I walked to Marshland hide where Ian and Suzanne were.

At least 70 black tailed godwits were feeding on the lagoon.

several little egrets flew in to join the ones already fishing.

Bearded tits were busily feeding at various points at the edge of the reedbed, when suddenly at least 5 appeared to the right of the hide.

After everyone had left the hide a bittern suddenly appeared to the right of the hide where the beardies had been feeding.