A hot day at Blacktoft Sands.

 

I arrived just before 8am and walked to Marshland Hide, the above photo was my view.

Spoonbill

Is it one of the birds with a nest at Fairburn?

Green sandpiper

snipe

Others waders feeding on the scrape were Ruff. Spotted redshank, Redshank, Lapwing, Greenshank, Black-tailed godwit and Little ringed plover. I then joined Pete in Reedling hide. Marsh harriers were having a squable

Pete pointed out a young bittern in the opposite reed bed. it was just showing its head.

Reed warblers were singing from deep in the reedbed, while this Chiffchaff sat on top of a bush to sing.

Tree sparrows were also active.

Butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies were also on the wing, but they did not settle for long in the gentle breeze.

A couple of hours into my shift I noticed a female Bittern feeding a young on at the edge of Reedling lagoon. Not a brilliant photo due to the vegetation in the foreground.

Is it the same bird I saw earlier, or is it another young bird from the same nest?

Back to Spoonbills at Fairbirn tomorrow.