Spotshanks & Spoonbills!

-well-known birders' expression of utter amazement when finding a really rare bird...

This particular trip made little sense geographically as I drove over the Humber Bridge to Alkborough, then back east again to Far Ings, then back west to Blacktoft. The order of events being dictated by the birds not by sensible route planning.

So, I'll start at Alkborough Flats. No sign in the strong breeze of any bearded tits. Plenty of young reed buntings about. Reed Bunting

A drake common scoter was distantly in front of the hide. Scoter Some spotted redshanks were quite close. Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank Spoonbills too. With a bill like that you sometimes need a mate to help you preen the bits you can't reach! Spoonbill Spoonbill

A juvenile white-winged black tern was showing at Far Ings. On the Pursuit Pit. Persistently a long way away too. Still it was a challenge to get these images. White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern White-winged Black Tern Had enough? Yes - couldn't hold the camera steady any longer. Perhaps I should use a tripod...but don't really want to...

I headed west for Blacktoft Sands. I headed for Marshland hide for the waders. As I entered the hide I immediately spotted a group of roe deer off to the left. Quickly swinging into action I took some nice photos. Roe Deer Roe Deer Roe Deer Roe Deer Roe Deer Roe Deer Roe Deer

They soon galloped off and melted away into the reedbed. Roe Deer There were plenty of spotted redshanks here too. Alkborough and Blacktoft share the same species pretty much. Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank

Spotshanks and spoonbills here too! Spoonbill Spoonbill Spoonbill Spoonbill Spoonbill I've even designed my own spoonbill wallpaper... Spoonbill I sometimes wish the marsh harriers came closer at Blacktoft but, to be fair, they are even more distant at Alkborough. Here's a few Blacktoft views. All the images are the right way up - one bird did some aerobatics as you can see! Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier Twisting and turning. Marsh Harrier Marsh Harrier My favourite images from Blacktoft were, unusually, of ruff...  Ruff ...and in particular of this bird from Townend. Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff Ruff

I'll finish with a few other birds: black-tailed godwit. Black-tailed Godwits Black-tailed Godwit Heron. Heron

Something rather nice, I thought: little little grebes! Little Grebes Since then I've had a quick morning trip to Saltholme for egyptian geese. Four seen but scope only views.

247 UK 2017