Chiffchaff

 

This was my view over the "Big Hole" at RSPB Fairburn Ings this morning. I had a meeting at 1pm so I arrived early and did some birdwatching. I started at the Pickup hide, from where I heard a green woodpecker calling. It sounded close so I  walked around looking for it and got as far as this. No luck in seeing the bird despite it calling frequently.

Back at the Pickup hide, dunnocks were displaying to each other, 2 males and 1 female.

lots of wing and tail feather flicking. A single goldfinch came to the feeders.

A party of long-tailed tits paid a visit,

Mrs Chaffinch just sat and watched

Lots of seeds were falling onto the floor and this short-tailed vole was eating some.

Time for my meeting. After the meeting I drove down to the Lin Dike end of the reserve and had just sat down in the hide when it started to rain very heavily. Black-headed gulls on the tern posts and a lesser black-backed gull.

A gret white egrewt flew in

a male goldeneye was fishing

The rain stopped and the sun began to shine.

I decided to walk back to my car before the heavy shower of rain arrived. On my way along the path I noticed some movement in the trees on my left.

2 chiffchaffs were flitting about in the trees catching insects, my first warblers of the year. I just got back to my car when it started to rain. As I was sorting myself out I noticed a bird on the nearby feeder.

A female great spotted woodpecker. A very pleasant way to end my day.