March 2011 - A Grand Tour

Saturday 19th: Another early start to a cold but sunny morning. By 7:25pm we were at Hatfield Moor (North) at Ten Acre Lake. We were there to see the Red-necked Grebe. Well, I needed to walk back to the car to get the tripod for the scope. While I was gone a flock of Whooper Swans flew over the jetty where Sandra was viewing the lake. I heard then but unfortunately couldn't see them! Having set-up the scope, the Red-necked Grebe was soon spotted, not one but two amongst the few Tufted Ducks and couple of Gadwell! We spent a good half hour there mainly watching the Grebes through the scope and the Gadwalls. A male Reed Bunting in summer plumage was seen by us through the scope and caused some consternation as at first were weren't sure what it was! There was another bird that we still can't identify. About the size of a Starling and all grey!

Driving away, I stopped the car st the side of the road to view the hundreds of birds in the stubble fields. A massive flock of Redwings, Fieldfares, Blackbirds, Corn Buntings, a couple of Lapwings and various other birds that we failed to identify, took to the air. Very impressive! Distracted we must've spent another 30 minutes here just photographing the obliging Fieldfare and Corn Bunting there were perched close to the car.

Soon we were at North Cave Wetlands, a short trip up the motorway. Here we were treated to Tree Sparrows and House Sparrows in the hedgerows. Seven Avocets were amongst the waterfowl. But good views of a couple of Snipe, which can be seen on the photo across the water from the two Avocets. Oystercatchers, Shelduck, Greylag Geese and a plethora of Gulls, mostly Black-headed and a pair of Shovelers. A pair of Great Crested Grebes were nest building and performing a wonderful mating ritual. After a quick bite to eat, it was a short drive back down the motorway to Blacktoft Sands.

Unfortunately my camera had discharged its batteries and the spares were also flat! So no images of our visit to RSPB Blacktoft Sands on this occasion! But we got some good showings as we walked around the Reserve. Tree Sparrows, Chaffinches and Goldfinches greeted the visitor to the NR. A Toad was our first encounter outside the Visitors Cabin. From inside, we saw the first Sand Martin of the year for Blacktoft. From a hide further along the Reserve we spent 30 minutes or so observing the Marsh Harriers as they flew low-level over the reeds. I counted 4, Sandra 5. From the same hide good views of 17 Black-tailed Godwits at close quarters together with two Ruff in winter plumage were had and 5 Snipe in the grassy tufts. From another hide we had superb views of a Hare through the scope. We we lucky that it stayed close to us in the grassy stubble near the waters edge. To round-off the day a Song Thrush was singing its heart out from the top of a tree in the car park as the Sun began to set.

April 2010 - North Cave YWT & Blacktoft Sands RSPB

Saturday 17th: A glorious sunny and warm day was too good to ignore, so I ventured up the M62 to make my first ever visit to North Cave Wetlands NR. Born from disused quarry pits, North Cave certainly attracts a variety of bird life. A gentle stroll around the site takes around 90 minutes and if you stop off at any of the three hides to view the birds then be sure to add on another hour or so.

As usual with most water-borne sites, Black-headed Gulls were in some abundance and their raucous calls dominated the area. The Reserve is surrounded by crop fields and at the time of my visit a tractor was ploughing a field which attracted a retinue of Black-headed Gulls and Rooks. Sand Martins were continuously zipping around the sky and skimming the lakes.

Great Crested Grebes were paired-up, I counted 4 pairs and saw one on a nest of two eggs (I was informed) at the edge of the reed-bed. There appeared to be a small grouping of about 12 1st-year Lesser Black-backed Gulls. I have heard that they tend to stay inland, in small groups while most of the adults leave and go back to the coast for the Summer.

The immatures who are fending for themselves now, will eventually depart and join their piers. Lapwings, Gadwalls and Mallards numbered amongst other waterfowl. A Mute Swan was seen at some distance on a rather large nest amongst the reeds. I did note two pairs of Great Tits seen at close quarters and not too bothered by my presence.

But it was getting late in the afternoon and I needed to get to Blacktoft Sands. Time for a quick sandwich and coffee before I departed. A pleasant place for birds, though not enough passerines for me. Maybe I need to get there in the morning! Definitely worth another visit and not too far away!

Soon I was on my way back down the motorway making the short trip to Blacktoft Sands, five miles east of Goole. The last time I was here at the beginning of the month, I saw a non-stop display by the recent influx of Marsh Harriers. Maybe because it was late in the afternoon; 5pm when I got there, but I only saw three displaying; an adult male and two immatures. Even so, they were very distinct through binoculars and not too far away.

Up at Ousfleet hide I saw my second group of Avocets of the day... I don't get to see any for over a year and in one day manage to bag at least 32. A fair few Pheasants were seen, particularly males, as the site emptied and became quiet, they all came out into the open, I counted 6 within an hour. Wigeon, Shoverlers, Shelduck, Gadwalls, Mallards and the ever-present Black-head Gulls were on the lagoons in reasonable numbers. One Little Grebe in breeding plumage was also seen. Also on the water and in the adjacent crop field were Greylag Geese. Walking back to the car, the Sun was starting to set and this was the signal for the passerines to start singing from their roosting places. Chaffinches and Goldfinches were very conspicuous in the budding-tree branches while some Reed Buntings and Tree Sparrows were helping themselves to a last snack before darkness fell.

April 2010 - Blacktoft Sands RSPB

Friday 2nd: Another day, another field trip to view birds. This time I'm at Blacktoft Sands RSPB, a small Reserve situated at the convergence of two rivers; the Ouse and the Trent at the mouth of the Humber. This site provides a necessary stopping-off point for a variety of waders to feed and nest. I was hoping to see some Avocets and maybe a Bearded Tit or two. Alas...none were forthcoming. But I was in for a day of remarkable displays by the Reserve's current influx of Marsh Harriers. For I had arrived at just the right time as the males vie for the breeding rights to the sitting females in the reeds.

Now I've only ever seen one Marsh Harrier before and that was a good few years ago! Here today, I would be witness to five individuals in the sky at the same time! And remarkably, no sooner had one descended into the reeds, another would take it's place in the air. In fact I must've spent 70% of my time there, just watching and videoing the Marsh Harriers. I lost count of the number of individual Harriers but I believe that there were easily in excess of 12! These raptors would slowly cruise the sky with lethargic wing-beats and glide into steep turns and swoops towards the reed-tops. The individual colours and markings could readily be seen with the unaided-eye and through binoculars or my scope, were truly amazing! The video below shows one such display by a lone male.

Other birds of note were a Kestrel, hunting on the edge of a field, 40-odd Black-tailed Godwits on an island resting amidst all the cacophony from the Black-headed Gulls and mild indifference from a pair of Oystercatchers and 3 Wigeon. A large group of Shelducks and Shovelers shared the pool seen from Ousefleet hide along with a pair of smartly-looking Pintails. Various passerines such as Willow Warbler, Chaffinches, Reed Buntings, Tree Sparrows and Pied Wagtails to name but a few.