12th March ff
Coltsfoot, skylark and petrosus v littoralis!
Thursday 12th March
A visit to Potteric Carr in search of bittern but I called at Broomhill Flash first to see a reported egyptian goose. When I arrived I was told it was still present but hiding in a dip on the far side of the flash. After about 20 minutes it appeared. Back to the bittern hunt at Potteric - which was not seen. In fact, not a lot was seen. I don't know why - perhaps it's me - but Potteric Carr always disappoints. A long walk for very little. But it was a pleasant afternoon. The coltsfoot [should it be coltsfeet?] were in bloom...
Coltsfoot
...the grebes were a-courting...
Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
...and that was about it.
Saturday 14th March
Saltholme to try to find my first wheatears of the year. As I drove past Saltholme I spotted the snow goose on the grass not far from the roadside! Scopes were up on the bank in the car park watching...
Snow Goose
Snow Goose
Interesting to note that it has now moved out on to the marshes and is with the pinkfeet...
North Gare had lapwings...
Lapwing
...and thousands of gulls. Much as I love my rare gulls, I haven't the larophilic patience to spend hours looking through fields of gulls. But a glaucous gull had been reported so I thought a quick look wouldn't do any harm...
Glaucous Gull
Always a pretty bird!
The wheatears were located in the car park area but were very nervous and quite distant. I sat in the car, put seed down near the top end of the car park and watched the skylarks.
Skylark
Skylark
Skylark
Skylark
Crest up!
Skylark
I called at Saltholme before heading home. I've photographed this old lady before - she has a bad limp but has survived the winter ok.
Fox
Fox
Setting off homeward bound I went to see if the newly refurbished transporter bridge was operating. It was, so this video is just for you, Barry! Note the new cradle design.
Transporter Bridge, Middlesbrough
Since then, on Sunday 15/3 I saw a great white egret near Saltmarshe Delph and then met up with Barry at North Cave where we saw our first sand martin and chiffchaff of the year.
Tuesday 17th March
A trip to Flamborough to see if I could find the scandinavian rock pipits among the ordinary ones. Apparently our resident birds are subspecies petrosus whilst the scandinavians are littoralis. These birds are more obviously coloured with greys, even almost pink flushes [allegedly] and an obvious supercilium...
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
This is an earlier photo of a local rock pipit:-
Rock Pipit
Here's some more scandinavians. I think the difference is clear enough.
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
Wednesday 18th March
Barry had the afternoon off so we went to Flamborough South Landing to look for a black redstart which we didn't see, alas, but which is still there this morning as I type this!
The scandinavian rock pipits were still present...along with lots of turnstones.
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
Here are a few more shots of the pipits.
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
Scandinavian Rock Pipit
The turnstones were quite flighty at times but after a quick sortie round the bay soon returned to a spot close by.
Turnstone
Turnstone
We moved on to the Lighthouse zone. The foghorn was deafening, blocking out the kittiwakes on the cliff.
Kittiwake
Barry commented on this plant in flower near the cliff top. ''Smyrnium, I think'' I hazarded. It is indeed smyrnium olusatrum or common name Alexanders - introduced by the Romans. Interestingly I read the other day that the flora and fauna of the British Isles are relatively poor and rely heavily on introductions by people, birds, the wind etc compared with those countries not ravaged by the last ice age.
Alexanders smyrnium olusatrum
Lots of groups of gannets headed north.
Gannets