Blacktoft & North Cave

A fairly early start got me to Blacktoft Sands RSPB by 10am and I loaded myself up with camera, bins and scope on hide clamp only. A wood pigeon was not going to give up his perch on the picnic table very willingly. In fact he never did. They are quite handsome birds - imagine how we'd feel about them if they became very rare...

Wood Pigeon There were some very smart shovelers about and lots of avocets.

Shoveler Avocet

I wandered along the hides starting with Xerox. No sign of the little gull but I didn't mind. I thought I might see a sedge warbler and within minutes I saw three.

Sedge Warbler Sedge Warbler

At Marshland the avocets were put up by a sparrowhawk that someone else spotted. I was too busy trying to get a focus-lock on the birds as they whirled round!

Avocet The marsh harriers were pretty active too and some were coming in a little closer than usual. I was quite pleased with some of the images as the following examples will show.

Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier At Marshland two of the islands had clutches of eggs. In this photo the eggs are unattended. The script goes like this:

B-h gull1: They aren't mine!Avocet

B-h gull2: Well, whose are they then?

B-h gull3: They might be his [looking at the avocet].

Avocet: Hmm. I'm trying to remember.

Off to North Cave

I knew there was a pair of black-necked grebes there and hoped they might come a bit closer than the ones at Hatfield. They did.Black-necked Grebe Spring was carrying on regardless even if spring does seem a bit unwilling to get to full throttle. A mute swan kept a close eye on me from her nest. A pink-billed coot did likewise from her island retreat.

Coot

Mute Swan

There is a display board at North Cave showing arrival dates of migrants this year with last year's dates to the left. It's interesting to see that most birds are late although the swallow and common sandpiper came in quite early. See for yourself:

A female house sparrow perched on the gate I needed to open. They must be just about the least photographed British Bird. So let's rectify things a little. Can't imagine things changing much!

House Sparrow Finally for this post a pair of great crested grebes were clearly prospecting for a nest site. One of them was getting very cross as can be seen.

Great-crested Grebe 197. Yorkshire 92