Here, There & Everywhere!

June 9th - 18th

[omitting June 15th at Bowesfield Marsh as already featured in last entry.]

June 9th I called at Saltholme for birdseed and popped into Phil Stead's. An egret was among the equisetum [or similar] and another was inspecting the pylons. Little Egret Little Egret Little Egret Little Egret June 11th took me to Billingham in the afternoon on the off-chance of a rose-coloured starling at number 45 Cayton Drive. It was photographed from number 37 - many thanks to all the hospitable folk at both addresses! A very unusual twitch! Here's the bird.

Rose-coloured Starling Rose-coloured Starling Rose-coloured Starling Rose-coloured Starling Rose-coloured Starling June 13th at Bempton for a turtle dove that failed to show. So you'll have to make do with this fine fellow... Rat Rat

...and a pair of collared doves! Collared Doves Collared Dove Tame jackdaw - I like jackdaws - must be those blue eyes! Jackdaw Jackdaw

June 14th at Blacktoft. First bittern of the year seen. Main purpose was to try to get good photos of marsh harriers. Didn't quite achieve the level of detail I should like but some of these are ok. Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Later at Marshland I watched the avocets. Avocet Avocet Avocet Avocet Avocet Avocet Avocet

A heron was catching tiddlers. Heron Konik pony.

Konik Pony First meadow brown of the year. Meadow Brown 16th June: Scaling Dam. I went for a very distant scope-only spotted sandpiper. Afterwards I went for a stroll down Boghouse Lane. I wonder what this is? Curlew Curlew Curlew A small trainer aircraft zoomed low overhead... Trainer aircraft ...whilst meadow pipits kept a watchful eye on me. Meadow Pipit Meadow Pipit

I called at Fen Bog on the way home. Common spotted. Common Spotted Orchid Train spotted. NYMR at Fen Bog BR Standard Class 4MT 2-6-0 number 76079. 60 years old this year. Now, where's my anorak?

Last lap: June 18th - Open Day at Tophill Low - and no admission charge. However that wasn't why I went...

There were orchids, common spotted and bee... Common Spotted Orchid Common Spotted Orchid - white form Bee Orchid Bee Orchid

...and a pair of distant first summer little gulls on South Marsh East... Little Gulls ...and a ragged common blue butterfly. Common Blue But there was another reason for going. Tawny Owl

Tawny Owl Tawny Owl Tawny Owl

236 UK 2017