9th January -28th January 2023
I just love to be out birding...
January 9th: Bempton Cliffs were quiet apart from the fulmars that were already well-established on the cliffs.
A robin sang to me in the car park and linnets were flying around over the set-aside crop area.
Goldfinches on the wire at the set-aside.
January 11th: Lockwood Beck feeder station held the usual regular birds plus a few bramblings.
Siskin
January 18th: Cowpen Bewley and Saltholme
Treecreeper, tree sparrow
Yellowhammer
January 18th: Seaton Snook and Saltholme
Twite photos were not really any good but these are twite in flight. You may just about detect their yellowish bills...
...but I was quite pleased with the golden plover photos as it's not a bird I have ever found it easy to approach.
Lunch break. Starling in the car park at Newburn Bridge.
Fox on the ice at Saltholme
January 18th: The Zinc Works Road and Saltholme
Grey partridges. The partridge were really distant and the photos are extreme crops. I'm impressed you can tell they are grey partridges!
Stonechat
I called briefly at Cowpen Bewley.
A water vole showed nicely at Saltholme Wildlife Watchpoint.
January 20th: A largely uneventful afternoon visit to Blacksoft Sands.
January 22nd: Saltholme again! Mallard and water rail on the ice
January 24th: Bempton Cliffs
Fulmars, very distant gannets. I was grateful to the two RSPB guides who pointed out the shag swimming in the deep shade below the cliffs.
A bridled bird
January 27th: A brief afternoon visit to Swillington Ings, starting at the Methley end. The causeway was stilll flooded and I retreated. Grey wagtail and meadow pipit at Lemonroyd sewage station but no sign of water pipit.
A light engine provided the only photo of the day!
I drove round to Oddjob but there was little to see.
January 28th: Ingleby Barwick and The Rings. The waxwings were found relatively easily but getting decent pictures was difficult as the birds were perching in rather dense hawthorn and ash so I got lots of pictures like this one!
Quite happy with these!
107 UK 2023