Up & Down the Gorse Field and other stories

Sunday 6th May

Sunday was to be a Flamborough trip as I really wanted to see a spring wryneck. I arrived by 8am and joined a small group of birders. One chap had seen the bird '20 minutes ago along the south hedge, close in and on a post.' I spent 3 hours trying to see this bird. I fell down a bank [unhurt]; I put more cash in the meter. I even gave up and went to Thornwick Bay to look for Thornwick Pool. To look for a woodsand. A big chap in red told me how to find the 'pond.' No sandpiper but I now know for future reference. Then back to the gorse field. It had been seen, again up against the south hedge. A group of men were up on the bank looking. I walked closer. Clearly they could see the bird but the small section of bank that was accessible seemed pretty full. A man grabbed me under the armpit and hauled me up!!! There to my left about 6 or 8 feet away was a wryneck anting quite happily unfazed by a group of elderly nutcases. We watched for a good 5 minutes until he flew casually away west but not very far. Eureka!

I also saw whilst doing all my gorse watching a whitethroat, a lesser whitethroat and a song thrush which initially was mistaken for the wryneck. I feel sorry for the chap who shouted: 'There it is!!' There it wasn't.

I then went on to Tophill Low hoping I might escape the rain away from the coast. This proved correct. Lots of blackcap everywhere. Reed warbler seen at South Marsh. LRP at the Borrow Pit. Lots of house martin and swift too.

Monday 7th May

Barry and I made a leisurely start at 9am, heading for North Cave YWT whilst the fair weather held, planning to move on to Blacktoft Sands later. No sign of corn bunting but a few whitethroat were seen and some willow warblers were chasing in some small hawthorn bushes, giving good views.

Willow Warbler Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

The birdsong was dominated by chaffinch, willow warbler and blackcap. The birds were high up in the trees in the woodland area of North Cave so views were not the conventional pictures you might expect. Here are a chaffinch and a blackcap both singing their hearts out on a lovely morning:

Chaffinch

Blackcap

Eventually we headed off to Blacktoft whilst the weather held. As we passed the feeder station with its resident tree sparrows, a pheasant reared its head from the long grass to bark hello.

Pheasant He has a rather sardonic look on his face don't you think?!

Although I didn't add to my year list that day, we had a good day's birding and some of the photos , if not masterpieces, proved quite an interesting record...

...such as the harriers, marsh and ringtail hen harrier. One very smart male proved obliging.Hen Harrier Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier For once the konik ponies [not chronic ponies as I overheard - or perhaps it's my hearing!] were quite close.

Konik Pony They have an almost prehistoric look to them and they move as if of great age. But, back to the birds.

Swift Swallow

Swifts were overhead, swallows low over the water or resting on last year's dead reeds.

Swallows Geese were plentiful including this feral white goose:

Greylag Geese

There were avocets, of course. Aways belligerent but usually flying fairly low, one pair went on a high level mission to see off a crow who, they thought, was getting too close. Not so much avocet as black and white exocets, they attacked!

Avocet

Avocet/Rook Then they returned to base, like victorous fighter planes:

Avocets Shelduck did a fly past.

Shelducks

And before we left a collared dove cooed goodbye. Quite a nice image of a bird we are not especially fond of!

Collared Dove