11th-15th November 2017
When you wish upon a star...
Maybe something wonderful can still happen. In the improbable meantime I carry on birding. A trip to South Landing, Flamborough [November 11th] produced little more than a meadow pipit...
Meadow Pipit
...and tree sparrows at Bempton...
Tree Sparrow
...or perhaps my heart wasn't quite in it. However a determined drive back to St. Aidan's did get me brief and distant views of a dartford warbler. Rather good Yorkshire tick!
Not getting out so much lately - only because there's not a great deal tempting me - but on the 15th I went to Alkborough Flats hoping for bearded tits. Unusually, none seen. Place was full of chattering wrens. Seems like it is the season of the wren at the moment.
Wren
Wren
Spotted redshank outside the hide plus posing snipe.
Spotted Redshank
Snipe
Distant marsh harrier in dead tree.
Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier
Carried on to Blacktoft to see a green-winged teal. Not a year tick [saw one January 11th at North Cave] but hoped for some photos. Sadly it was on the far side of Marshland hide. Here's the best of the crop. Crop being the appropriate word!
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Shovelers
Shovelers
Walked down to Singleton for the harriers. Really good scope views of a perched merlin.
Lots of waders including blackwits [I'm really good at pressing the shutter just as they all bury their heads in the water!] and about a dozen ruff.
Black-tailed Godwits
Ruff
Nothing flew close so I'll end with a couple of harriers waiting for the roost.
Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier