Great birding - but not a lot to see!

By which I mean that unfortunately conditions were not right for photography or the birds were too far away. But there'll be something nice before I finish!

Wednesday 20th February

Rufford CP merits a few notes for anyone visiting at this time of year. Firstly, be there by 7.45-8.00am. Especially at February half-term or weekends. Important to beat the dog walkers to it! Enter the park by the Western Gate off the A614, south of Ollerton. Park in the first car park on the left among the trees. Walk north about 20 yards to the original entrance avenue leading from the still visible historic Western Gateway. Work the trees as you head east along the lime trees. I had hawfinch and lesser spotted fairly soon and both again down the eastern end towards the building. Look very high up in the trees. For the other birder present with me the rarely spotted woodpecker was a lifer. The first thing he did was ring his brother to let him know. What's more he rememebered me from a pallid harrier watch near Firsby Reservoir last year.Common Gull

Common Gull - Buck Beck car park, Cleethorpes

Next stop was Fiskerton Fen and a fairly long but very wet walk to the north east of what is the nominal reserve [which I explored first not knowing where to go until I saw a car parked by some flooded fields...] where I met two birders who told me how to locate the american wigeon. If it helps the bird was [quite distant] at TF088721.

Three major new birds for the year list! It was some years since I saw a lesser spotted so that was really special. On then to Frampton Marsh where I soon saw the group of white-fronted geese. Although there were no great rarities present there were thousands of birds - probably thousands of brent geese alone and golden plover, dunlin, lapwing in large numbers too. And a meadow pipit - sometimes I don't see one of those until further into spring.

Finally I headed north via Cleethorpes determined to try again for snow bunting and to find Buck Beck car park, well-known to birders but quite elusive! Find it near Meridian Park TA33170 06179, 0.77 miles north of Humberston Fitties car park.

As usual I failed to find any snow buntings. In fact there was not a lot of variety apart from  the lone common gull that posed obligingly by my car. I got the camera out slowly and quietly whilst he watched me.

Thursday 21st February

Barry and I headed north-east. See also Barry's blog: http://barryjohnbishop.blogspot.co.uk/

A very good day's birding with a couple of ticks each: fulmar at Skinningrove for Barry, crossbills for both of us at Tilery Wood, Wynyard. [I'll certainly go there again] Many thanks to the birder in Phil Stead hide, Saltholme who told us how to find it. Finally merlin for me on the trip home from Nosterfield - 69 birds in total counting the last minute addition of a red-legged partridge. [Barry had seen merlin in January at Alkborough Flats but I missed it]

Friday 22nd February

From red-legs to rough legs! Well, that was the plan but plans are lovely when they work out right and also lovely sometimes when they go wrong. Let me explain. Rough-legged buzzards haven't headed north this year and the trip to Haddiscoe Island, Norfolk is a long one so I decided to set out after lunch to follow up reports of a rough-legged buzzard near Long Riston, north of Skirlaugh, NNE of Hull. I saw neither bird nor birder. So I drove around a little just in case. I headed down a track called Carr Lane TA113423. I spotted a distant barn owl quartering the fields. Pulling Tiggy over onto the grass something told me to get the camera, get back in the car, wind my window down and wait....

Here he comes..

Barn Owl Barn Owl Barn Owl Barn Owl

Barn Owl Time for a rest.

Barn Owl Barn Owl At times he flew right over us, following the beck to and fro, diving into the grass but not catching anything whilst I watched.

Finally he came and perched next to the car to check me over. Birding really does contain a never-ending wealth of thrills!

Barn Owl Barn Owl Barn Owl Barn Owl Barn Owl UK 150. Can't wait for whatever's coming next!

It's quite a thrill too to report that my photos on Bird Guides have now received over 4,000 'thumbs-up' votes and that this website [not yet a year old] has now had over 4,000 hits too! I hope all visitors to the site have enjoyed my pictures as much as I have enjoyed the birding that led to their appearance.

Chris