Rain and shine!

Covenham reservoir: early morning Sunday 13th October

We set off very early as I planned/hoped to squeeze in a trip into wettest Lincolshire together with a day at Spurn. It could all go horribly wrong so easily.

Arrived Covenham reservoir car park by just after 8am. Car park partially flooded, blowing a gale, pouring down. Never fair weather birders, we set off with the rain on our backs. Soon our backs and the backs of our legs were soaking. We carried on towards the south-west corner of the reservoir. I spotted a lone dunlin. Barry saw ringed plovers and wagtails and then he cleverly spotted the grey phalarope we had come to see bouncing along in the foam and waves barely a yard from the side of the reservoir, seeking some shelter [but finding little] from the storm.

Photo © Barry Bishop using water filled camera!!

We headed back without looking for the long-tailed duck that had also been reported. This time we had the rain in our faces and we soaked our fronts thoroughly. If we had swum back we wouldn't have been a lot wetter - or so it felt.

We drove north towards the Humber and bit by bit we began to dry out just a smidgin. The rain too slowly abated and as we approached Kilnsea the skies brightened and the rain cleared away and, remarkably, stayed away for the rest of the day.

Siskin were feeding in the alders at the Crown & Anchor car park.

Siskin

Siskin

Chiffchaffs and willow warblers were busily feeding in the bushes round Cliff Farm [plus the great spotted woodpeckers]. Here's a chiffchaff.

Chiffchaff

A dusky warbler near Cliff Farm proved elusive [birding for 'I can't find it'] but it was announced that another dusky would soon be released at Church Field. We paid our pounds and lined up in the field with the sun beating down on us: it was if we were the washing hung out to dry. And dry we did. We got warm. We saw roe deer, ring ouzel, brambling, redwing, great grey shrike and a dusky warbler up close.

I thought Barry might get an easy tick in the Canal Scrape hide. It was bursting at the seams! Scarcely had I sat down when one of many robins about popped up on the barbed wire beside me.

Robin

However there were upto five jacks present along with a dunlin unusually not on a beach or on mud but investigating the vegetation...spot the dunlin!

Dunlin Dunlin Dunlin

Eventually the jack snipes edged forwards to give clearer views. Bobbing away, of course.

Jack Snipe Jack Snipe

One began to come a little more out into the open. Not your typical cypto-snipe behviour!!

Jack Snipe Jack Snipe

In front of us!

Jack Snipe Jack Snipe

We also saw 2 hawfinch at Kew Villa and great views later on of a great grey shrike at Sammy's Point where we sought a little bunting but a dog had seen it off.

Earlier we strolled down to the narrows in search of a Pallas's warbler: no sign but we found a mealy redpoll.

3 ticks for the day. 263 UK

That's more like it!