25th February ff
Le Petit Tour de Yorkshire
A day out with Barry in Tiggy2: 25/2 We headed for Wykeham and saw our first red-legged partridges of the year en route. A stop at the T-junction at the end of the road up from Wykeham produced a clutch of three crossbills. Here's two of them: a juvenile and a male.
I spotted another at the Raptor Watchpoint but I wasn't quite quick enough!! Dive bombing!
After enjoying views of a couple of goshawks we moved on to Forge Valley where we saw the expected usual suspects including nuthatch, treecreeper and marsh tit. Hackness delivered with a nice pair of mandarins. The photo turned out better than I expected.
Scarborough harbour was quiet.
Just this redshank to photograph...
...and a house sparrow on the lobster pots...
...and a load of friendly turnstones!
Nearly forgot: a brute of a great black-back patrolled the harbour.
Holbeck had a nice Mediterranean gull for Barry but we continued to Bempton. I couldn't locate a razorbill although the RSPB staff said there were some. Lots of gannets, guillemots and some kittiwakes on the sea.
And this charming couple!
February 27th Evening: the moon and Venus were very close. By the time they were clearly visible from our house they had drifted apart somewhat. The moon looked a little bit like a piece of nibbled cheese!
March 2nd - a couple of hours at Blacktoft.
Spring has come
The grass is ris!
I wonder where the daisies is?
They're here!
Goldeneye and snipe showing at Townend hide.
Mallards and greylags flying past.
Eventually a male marsh harrier gave me some stunning views. Made the visit memorable!
March 3rd: Lockwood Beck, Skinningrove and South Gare with Barry. We saw quite a few red grouse en route. Lockwood Beck had siskin and other common birds. Skinningrove turned up trumps with a black redstart [not photographed - it was too quick for us] and a pair of stonechats.
Rock pipit and dunnock amongst the boulders of the rock armour.
Here's the female stonechat.
South Gare provided a good year tick for me in the shape of a group of four twite...
...and a couple of spring flowers. Alexanders and a coltsfoot.
