Les Sables de la Ferme Noire, 

Les Marais de la Grotte du Nord

et le Bois de l'Évêque!!

When I'm anywhere abroad I'm always struck by how picturesque or even romantic some of the place names sound. With that in mind I thought I'd translate some of my local reserve names into French... They are in order: Blacktoft Sands, North Cave Wetlands and Bishop Wood. I expect you worked them all out.

So, on July 29th I set off for North Cave hoping to see a wood sandpiper or two. I had barely left when the pager announced: "woodsand at Blacktoft". So I called there first but it had flown. Two appeared later after I'd left but by that time I didn't care. You'll see why shortly. All in all it was one of the best days for some time. 

Blacktoft first. Greenshanks, green sandpipers, a ruff, little egrets, ubiquitous spoonbills and, for me the highlight, a spotted redshank. Pictures please!

Eventually I made it to North Cave and headed for the Reedbed Lake as a few wood sandpipers had been reported there the previous evening. The Bus Stop hide [as I call it] was deserted although I immediately spotted a wood sandpiper out in front of the hide.

As you can see the light was challenging. Suddenly the light changed for the better.

A couple arrived and told me there were 'a few' wood sandpipers visible from the Turret Hide. On my way I met a co-operative painted lady.

Carl was there along with quite a few birders. More greenshanks and several wood sandpipers, a distant common sandpiper and even more distant [so not photographed] green sandpipers. 

The 'plan of the day' was working out nicely. I now would visit somewhere I'd never been to before to follow up info about silver-washed fritillaries at Bishop Wood near Selby.

The first 500 to 600 meters of the walk were not promising but as I approached more open rides with grass and areas of bramble scrub butterflies appeared and the sun shone. Commas and peacocks abounded.

Another painted lady.

Every time a comma appeared my hopes rose as I thought it might be a fritillary. My patience was rewarded and by the end of my walk I had seen at least six silver-washed beauties. Here's a few photos. Incidentally, they're all males as shown by the black lines on the forewing.

Walking back I stopped in my tracks as my brain shouted "orchid!!". Not only an orchid but my first ever broad-leaved helleborines. There were a good number of spikes of varying depth of colour and some were much more elegant and dainty.

Postscript!

This morning whilst putting together this blog I happened to look out of my study window at the road below. Perched on trellis beside the pavement was a bird. I grabbed my iphone before it flew off.

219 UK 2019 STILL!

It's always good to be out and about!

July 22nd Sheila and I went up to Saltholme just for an hour or so. We hoped to catch up with a photogenic spotted redshank at Phil Stead hide. Maybe a bit elusive [we thought it had gone when we arrived] and a bit further away than I might have wanted but very nice anyway. [Plus small supporting cast!]

July 24th: North Cave and Blacktoft. I was looking for dragonflies and butterflies when a buzzard flew over the far lake.

Shortly after that I spotted a family of great crested grebes out on the main lake. I got close to the water's edge and sat on a bench and waited. The light was a little strange but I quite like some of the results...

A few butterflies...brimstone being very co-operative: same butterfly at several locations. I just followed it around.

Back-lit

I moved on to Blacktoft, glad to have a spell of air-conditioned comfort with a drink to refresh me. Blackwits.

Spot all 4 species!

Eventually after being spooked a couple of times they left for Singleton. Four species! Did you spot the greenshank asleep on the mud, bottom right-hand corner of the photo?

Oh well, here's a comma butterfly at Blacktoft whilst, coincidentally, Sheila photographed the next one the same afternoon back home in the garden. I

think she got the better photograph!
 

Final shot from Blacktoft: a green sandpiper at Marshland.

Housebound today [26/7] as we have two grand-children with us. It's going to be a long day! However I took the opportunity to photograph our daylilies in the garden. They were planted quite a few years ago and have done amazingly well this summer. Just photos...

A bientôt!

Blacktoft delivers the goods!

Blacktoft is among my earliest birding memories. When I first got seriously interested in birding I would go with Sheila and sit in the hides and listen to other birders. I failed to understand a lot of the conversations; I didn't know the code words [like 'spotshank' or 'spotred'] and many waders I found difficult to identify with any confidence. Someone would look at his pager [never met one of them before either] and say: ''Woodsand's gone to Townend'' And then leave in a hurry. All very strange...

July 19th was a pretty good day at Blacktoft although I spent most of my time in Townend hide as that's where all the action was! I began at Marshland where there were few birds. I took a rather distant shot of a green sandpiper.

At Townend the spoonbills immediately grabbed all the visitors' attention. Here are shots taken at various times during the day.

I was hoping for some good photos of marsh harriers but I was never completely satisfied with the large batch that follows. I'd just scroll through them if I were you unless you find one you really like!

It rained quite a lot. This harrier is looking rather bedraggled! Female/juvenile

There were smart looking godwits too. Blackwits not barwits.

Snipe

A cormorant paid a brief visit

Finally, mute swan cygnets.

That's all folks!

319 UK 2019 [still]