Time for a Catch-up

Part One

I have been quite busy out birding but punctuated by days in the garden or when it was too hot to leave the house. Watering the vegetable garden and picking fruit, tomatoes and courgettes seemed a full-time job at times! Moreover I didn't enjoy the mega-heatwave.

June 20th: Airedale and Calder Navigation

Kingfishers regularly seen on this stretch of the River Aire but not the day I went. It was very warm. Little bird life seen.

Giant hogweed taking over the old oil storage depot near Astley Lake

June 28th: Seaton Carew & Saltholme

Seaton Carew beach is well fenced this year to protect the little terns who appear to be doing well.

I then went to Phil Stead hide at Saltholme. The scrape was awash with birds: wood sandpipers, green sandpipers, godwits, glossy ibises, great white egrets to name a few. You'll easily know which are which!

June 29th: Bempton

A Turkestan shrike got many birders heading to Bempton. I never got the wonderful close views people had later but I was well pleased to see the bird.

Nice to see the yellowhammers too. 

Couldn't miss out on a wander down to the cliffs at Bempton.

June 30th: North Cave

Report of a red-crested pochard at North Cave. I had a lot on that day so it was a quick call at the reserve.

Common centaury

A pale bird in eclipse

July 14th: Saltholme

From the main road I eventually managed distant views of one of two caspian terns. I managed a rather poor photo but it is a bird with a big orange carrot on its face! Honest! [centre of photo]

I called at Phil Stead hide. Just one birder eating his sandwiches. 'It's busy in here!' I joked. 

'Yes, everyone's dashed down to the fire station screen for the cattle egret.'

This was news to me so I set off down the path.

End of Catch-up Part One