Playing Catch-up!

Computer disaster led to reinstalling Windows and everything else. Fortunately all photos and precious stuff were safe elsewhere....

So, where was I? Oh yes, June 11th at Fen Bog hoping for a butterfly or two! A Class 37 diesel came by on the NYMR. Class 37 Fen BogClass 37 Fen Bog

Butterflies are running late this year. I did eventually find a small copper and a small heath. They posed in the cool wind.

Small CopperSmall Copper Small HeathSmall Heath

Next stop Blacktoft on June 14th with Barry. All quiet on the East Yorkshire front in terms of new birds but there was stuff happening. Like black-headed gull youngsters having a swim...

Black-headed Gull chickBlack-headed Gull chick

...or avocets showing that they really should be called exocets. They weren't just flying around you know...

AvocetAvocet

AvocetAvocet

...coming back after an anti-harrier sortie...

AvocetAvocet

...and then back up again. Attack!

Avocet with Marsh HarrierAvocet with Marsh Harrier

Later I took a lot of photos of a marsh harrier food pass but somehow never caught the actual pass.

Marsh HarriersMarsh Harriers Marsh HarriersMarsh Harriers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black on white - with a dash of pink!

Coot & Little EgretCoot & Little Egret

Back to Fen Bog on 15th June. Nothing to report. A lousewort was in flower - parasitic relative of broomrapes.

LousewortLousewort

I moved on to Ellerburn Bank. Orchids surprised me and lifted the day. If you don't know Ellerburn Bank, turn off just before the Dalby Forest Drive pay toll [west end] and park at the side of the timber yard. Some timber for you!

TimberTimber TimberTimber

Ellerburn Bank had fly orchid, marsh orchid and butterfly orchid - and in that order here they are!

Fly orchidFly orchid Marsh OrchidMarsh Orchid Butterfly OrchidButterfly Orchid Butterfly OrchidButterfly Orchid

Next trip was on the 16th to Blacktoft and then Crowle Moors. A ring-necked duck was at Blacktoft but its bill was constantly covered in mud. You can see the cinnamon neck ring - just! Ring-necked DuckRing-necked Duck

A sedge warbler posed nicely.

Sedge WarblerSedge Warbler

A Blacktoft spider's web.

Spider's webSpider's web

Crowle Moors proved to be Crowle Waste of time - it's called Crowle Waste on OS maps: good name. All I saw were some goats.

GoatGoat Siamese goats?

GoatsGoats

 

On Thursday 18th a squacco heron was reported at Saltholme. I went up straightaway which was a good idea as it had gone by morning.

Squacco HeronSquacco Heron Squacco HeronSquacco Heron Squacco HeronSquacco Heron

 

Nearly there! On Father's Day I enjoyed a seawatch where along with all the usual suspects I saw of 3 of the pomarine skuas that have been hanging around Flamborough Head plus a few manx shearwaters one of which came in quite close. A marsh orchid was snapped by my Nikon Coolix because I'd forgotten to charge the DSLR battery!

Marsh orchid, FlamboroughMarsh orchid, Flamborough