Two days after Christmas...

Boxing Day 26.12.12

Well, Boxing Day was ok but no photos for the blog, I'm afraid. We went rather late to Ellerton Church to watch the birds on the ings - the actual river is hard to detect in the large expanse of flood water between Thorganby, Bubwith and Ellerton. The light was poor and it was cold, windy and rather bleak but we saw plenty of wildfowl including some smart pintail and mute and whooper swans. We  failed to spot the reported 19 Bewick's swans.

We went on to North Cave where it was milder and more sheltered. Highlights of the day were probably lesser redpoll and siskin in the alders at the far end of the reserve.

Wednesday 27.12.12

The weather woman [my wife] advised us to head south to avoid the rain. so we aimed for Far Ings and Alkborough Flats with a possible trip late on to Worlaby. That never came to pass as you will discover...

Far Ings was populated by a crack team of SAS men in rusty brown full body camouflage. They both spoke english with a gruff east european accent and when we met them again later they seemed shocked we had moved on so soon. I think they may have been fifth columnists and we caught them out planning their next piece of ornithological sabotage. We tramped past them with a fairly straight face... and never saw them again.

         Have you seen this man?

Barry and I tried to put them out of our minds and carried on. We paused a while in a small hide on the pool that looks towards Reeds Hotel. We had noted on recent trips that the great crested grebes seemed to be hiding from us. Well this one was quite close to the hide.

Great Crested Grebe Eventually s/he swam out of view into a channel between the reeds.

Great Crested Grebe I took Barry on a walk round the back of the hotel, up onto the bank overlooking the Humber and then into the hotel grounds and down the drive. As we walked we could hear geese approaching and soon saw a skein of pinkfeet heading south-west.

Pink-footed Geese We saw a few birds like robin, tits and a fieldfare. We came to a pool on the side of the entrance road where I knew the drake smew [which I had seen before] was regularly reported. Barry called out as a putative goldeneye flew over our heads to join the throng of goldeneye already on the pool. Once it had splashed down it was apparent it was no goldeneye but our target bird, the drake smew.

Smew Smew An attractive couple! It certainly seemed as though the smew wanted to associate with the goldeneyes.

Smew Smew Smew Well it is a monochrome bird, isn't it? Here's the same shot, differently edited, in colour.

Smew

Back to the car park, Barry went across the road to another pair of pools to see what was about. Knowing that was a muddy area I waited on the road ready to venture into the mud for anything really good. Next thing I knew something put up a large number of greylags and they came towards me, low over my head. Pity I've no sound effects!!

Greylag Goose And so we went on to Alkborough. We met a man and his son [Sam Viles, I suspect, but I'm not 100% sure - if so, nice buff-bellied pics, Sam!] and walked from the new car park to the main hide and then, as the tide was super-low, we went on and on and on...and on...

...we passed a couple of little egrets that I was just raising my lens toward when they panicked and flew off...

Little Egret Little Egret

... until we reached Trent Falls. I had always wondered what it was like. Now I know I don't think I'll be rushing back! I expected a hide near the water's edge with thousands of waders. I climbed the bank and took this photo...

Shetland Sheep There were few birds in sight. Some linnets and twite were knocking about. I spotted a redwing. A few greylag that had escaped from some suburban housewife's pride of place above her fireplace flew past...

Greylag Goose ...if you know what I mean! 2 juvs and an adult?

It began to rain. We headed back to Tiggy. We had had a good few days. I suspect New Year's Day will be our next outing. Let's hope for some kinder weather [or a lifer in I don't care what weather!!]