10th-11th May 2014
A fine weekend - whatever the weather!
A hoopoe was reported near Beverley so on Saturday morning I set off to have a look. Well tucked away, I might never have found it without the postcode to help me. TomTom did me proud even though as I drove the last mile I wondered if we were on the wrong road! Many thanks to the owners of the house who accommodated all the birders so tolerantly. I hope they'll do the same if another rarity drops in!!
So, better have a look at the bird...
...I first went on Saturday morning, on my own...
Hoopoe
The light was very harsh and 'contrasty' at times.
Hoopoe
But I managed these pleasing shots!
Hoopoe
Hoopoe
A fly and a grub all at once! Clever stuff!
In the afternoon Sheila and I went back in the same direction to Arram station to walk part of the Minster Way looking for turtle doves. The whole afternoon turned rather turtle [!!] as we dipped on them and on woodsands at Swine Moor. Still, hoopoe made for a memorable day. We finished up at North Cave where Sheila spotted a common sandpiper...
Common Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
...and I photographed a pair of avocets as they swapped over duties on their clutch of eggs.
Avocets
Avocets
On Sunday Barry and I set off for Tophill Low. A fairly late start by our standards but I diverted about 7 miles to revisit the hoopoe who performed briliantly for us both.
Hoopoe
Hoopoe
Hoopoe
...and finally...
Hoopoe
Tophill Low greeted us with a downpour. As skies cleared we photographed a tawny owl in the car park!
Tawny Owl
Snatched views of a probable reed warbler at North Marsh, a pheasant on D reservoir wall...
Pheasant
...and definite views of little gull...
Little Gull
...lesser black-backed gulls...
Lesser Black-backed Gulls
...and common terns made the day complete.
Common Tern
The walk to Watton produced the first orchids of the year - early purple as far as I can tell. They weren't fully open. some paler, stunted ones were open and apparently such colour variation in early purple is common. So I'll end with a flower!
Correction
I now believe these were early flowering northern marsh orchids. See next posting for explanations.
Chris 18.05.14
Northern Marsh Orchid
200 UK 2014