Welcome to my birding blog - first launched 12th March 2012...
9th-10th May 2015
Two days in May
Saturday 9th May
Barry and I set off around lunchtime to try to catch up with dotterel on Danby Beacon. Our initial arrival looked disappointing but after cresting the brow of the hill and dropping down a little we espied a line of cars... Now any seasoned birder [twitcher, maybe] knows what that means! Target birds!
We drove on following a tortuous route towards Sutton Bank where I hoped to see the turtle doves again. The timing would be about right when we were likely to arrive. En route I spotted a whinchat and managed a snap from the car.
The doves were spotted whilst Barry was elsewhere so I hoped they'd still be there when he got back. Siskins were in the trees near the cafe feeders.
The doves waited.
We edged a little closer.
Two turtle doves. Not a pear tree or [grey!] partridge to be seen!
Face on you can't be quite sure...until you hear it purr.
Sunday 10th May
I was parked up at Barden Bridge before 7am. Garden warblers seen immediately in new plantation on far side of bridge. Grey wagtails near the aqueduct bridge. I'm often told the bridge is a folly and when I say it's an aqueduct people clearly don't believe me. This is from the Bolton abbey estate website:
The large turreted bridge which crosses the River Wharfe north of Strid Wood is the aqueduct. The splendid castellations hide the pipe that carries water from the reservoirs at the top of Nidderdale to the cities of West Yorkshire. The bridge provides the perfect place to cross the river if you wish to shorten the Strid Wood to Barden Bridge circular route.
A pair of dippers nest in the bridge.
A female goosander was walking on the rocks.
Into the woods then. Mandarin ducks were perching in the trees.
A pair of common sandpipers were on the 'beach' about 200m upstream of the Cavendish Restaurant.
At the shelter a nuthatch came close.
Pied flycatchers were plentiful and easier to photograph than the redstarts which I saw but failed to get onto. No sign of spotted flycatchers [a bit early?] or of wood warblers [population crash?]
On the way back, approaching Barden Bridge again after my 4.6 mile circular walk, sand martins were flying all around me. This one perched on the fence.
215 UK 2015
6th May ff
Flight was never easy!
Wednesday 6th May
Flight shots, I mean. Much as 'bifs' are probably my favourite way to record birds, birds such as hirundines are, well, pretty tricky. At East Park, Hull, today a red-rumped swallow was flying over the lake along with house, sand, barn and swift. Still I got him in poor light so I can't complain. At times I wasn't sure, looking through the camera, if I was even on the right bird!
Of passing interest: this was the 300th species of British bird that I have photographed. Quite a nice bird to take on this arduous role!!
Thursday 7th May: not just a general election...
A very busy day for me but I managed to get out in the afternoon to go to Saltholme to see if I could see the Temminck's stint. The plan was to then drop down late afternoon to Sutton Bank and see the turtle doves. Plans don't always work out as expected and I knew from the start that the turtles could be elusive...
A quick drive down the Zinc Works Road produced this stonechat who refused adamantly to look my way!
As I walked up to the visitor centre at Saltholme this whitethroat was busy collecting food.
The long walk to Haverton Gate was successful. Mr. Temminck was at home! But being very little, even at fairly close range he seemed a little distant...
...as was an LRP
Eventually I set off southbound for Sutton Bank. As the visitors left and the cycle shop packed up for the day my hopes rose. A young man from the National Park staff told me I needed to come very early morning. After checking out innumerable collared doves and wood pigeons in the surrounding trees I raised my bins once more to a rather bedraggled wood pigeon...
...or so I surmised...
The bird didn't mind me walking around its tree to get a better light. Much better! Or was it a different bird maybe?
Two turtle doves and not a [grey] partridge to be seen!
#212 UK 2015
4th May 2015
Un bel di
['One fine day' Madame Butterfly/Puccini]
And a very fine day it was. I drove towards Chisworth on the Greater Manchester/Derbyshire border. The satnav found Gun Road without trouble and I knew I was in the right place from the number of cars. I guess there were about 100 plus birders there at the peak time. The red-throated pipit was initially missing but was soon relocated quite close to my car! The camera was in the car as I had assumed like everyone else that it would need a scope to see this bird. By now Tiggy was surrounded by scopes and anxious birders as the bird walked among the juncus just in front of us!
Eventually I got the camera and caught up with the bird which had flown a little further into the field.
Now what? Well the pied-billed grebe tempted me to head north for Leighton Moss. Quite a drive but I'm glad I went - not just for the grebe but for something else I'd never seen before.
Anyway, here's the distant grebe.
It refused to come nearer!
Meanwhile in front of the hide two great crested grebes were displaying...
It was a matter of watching 3 grebes! Where had the pied-billed got to? What were the great crested doing?
Wonderful moments! Unless you look carefully you might not notice there are two grebes together here.
7th April-26th April 2015
Cornucopia - a bit of everything!
Before I begin here's a little brain teaser. Name this butterfly! More of this and an explanation much later!
...and here's an oddity from home. This collared dove apparently fell asleep on one of our garden seats! Good job the cat was asleep too! [Photo by Sheila]
Tuesday 7th April: a day at Blacktoft and Old Moor
It all began rather quietly. A female pheasant walked down to Reception with me...
I sat in Marshland. The lagoons were pretty quiet. A pair of great-crested grebes were displaying half-heartedly.
Suddenly something put everything up down at Ousefleet. The waders began to head my way...
Can you spot the black-tailed godwit?
It's still in there!
Here come the godwits...
Avocets can be a bit like wallpaper or RSPB wrapping paper perhaps...
I moved on to Old Moor. This little grebe was very photogenic!
As was this pochard. Good light helps enormously. Not enough of it in the UK!
All in all a lovely day: the blackthorn was in blossom...
...and butterflies were on the wing.
Wednesday 8th April
Barry and I had a rather unproductive day at Spurn apart from a nice little firecrest. I snapped at a few geese.
A bit better than greylags were these brents.
This brassica was in flower - probably white mustard or charlock which are very similar.
Saturday 11th April
A trip to Flamborough to see a disreputable duck! Dismissed by all as an exotic escape, some locals said: "Even if it is right - and it's unringed - no-one will ever accept even a genuine bird, there's so many escapees!" So there. Pretty bird anyway.
It was blowing a gale. This kestrel on the clifftop was simply trying to get out of the wind.
I did see the alpine swift whilst I was there but didn't get a photo.
Monday 13th April
I went to Swillington Ings to see the black-necked grebe again. Here's what it looked like last winter -same place, probably same bird...
...and here it is now!
I called at Lin Dike and saw this slightly grumpy looking chiffchaff.
Tuesday 14th April
To Ousefleet at Blacktoft but saw little of note. Lapwings were careering about overhead...
...and shelduck were quite close to the hide.
Ended up at Skipwith Common looking for woodlark or anything else! I only came across the longhorns.
Saturday 18th April
Barry and I began our day at North Cave. A common sandpiper came close.
Wrens...
and willow warblers entertained us.
Barry found quite a few late bramblings which really surprised me.
A bit closer. Nice one!
Sunday 19th April
Barry and I got out again for a trip to Swillington. I hoped he could catch up with the black-necked grebes. We did. Later a wagtail got in my lens!
My next trip out was on
Wednesday 22nd April.
I drove up to Dorman's Pool area hoping for warblers such as whitethroat and grasshopper. No luck. Recently I seem to meet a lot of wrens!
Here's another one the next day at Fairburn, Lin Dike, perched really high up an ash tree.
While I was there I saw another duck of ill repute - a ruddy shelduck. But it's unringed and in the wild and aren't most ruddy shelducks of a somewhat shady origin? Female.
Saturday 25th April took me first back to Dorman's Pool for no good reason! A sedge warbler was scraping away...
...and yet another wren was in competition.
Then I headed south for better weather determined to explore Lowther Lake before the rain. I took the transporter bridge with its new cradle. Enjoy, Barry!
Here comes the answer to the question I posed earlier.
Follow the sequence...
Female orange-tip spotted by male orange-tip...
Cardamine pratensis is better known as Lady's Smock or Cuckoo flower or Milkmaids. They grow well at Lowther Lake and are a food plant of- you guessed- the orange-tip.
Sunday 26th April
I don't give up easily and so I went back to Skipwith Common for a third attempt to see the wood larks. This time I was bright and early. I got out of the car, photographed the bird and carried on to North Cave and later Blacktoft! It was that easy!
Long-tailed tits greeted me at North Cave.
A redshank paddled along in front of South Hide.
At Blacktoft the marsh harriers were coming quite close which led to some of my best ever shots of Blacktoft harriers.
Avocets flew past and some shelducks chased off a pochard for some reason...
We're after you!
More harrier action including an attack on a mallard.
A heron dropped in.
Got something!
Swallowing.
Bet you can't see me!!
It flew off.
A peacock was sunning itself as we walked from hide to hide. A butterfly, I mean!
Barry hoped these might be whimbrel but I think they are curlews. Males have shorter bills than females. Males perhaps!
I managed a long-distance photo-lock on a sedge warbler through the reeds. Worked out nicely!
I walked back to the car leaving Barry in the hide. A blackcap posed.
After I had left Barry saw a pair of Montagu's harriers. I went back on Tuesday 28th April bright and early. I was in the hide for 7.50am. The Montys obliged: distant but really good showing in the scope. A bit far for my 400mm lens but those readers who remember my so-called 'cuckoo photos' of very distant birds will realise this was the best I could manage! I think you get the feel of those narrow wings and longer tail. Battleship grey male too!
The female.
I headed next for North Cave but a pager report of dotterel at Todmorden by the roadside made me rethink my plans. After sorting out an incorrect road name I headed for Stone Lane up above Todmorden. I had a good trip. I mean a really good trip! Here it is x7!
On into May!
Saturday 2nd May
Barry and I made an early start for Spurn. We began at Beacon Ponds where we found our first target bird: 13+ little terns along with a couple of sandwich terns on a raft on the ponds. Whimbrel were also present in the fields. This egret was on the wetlands.
Swans flew over us.
Walking back to Tiggy I suddenly realised that I was staring at a wheatear atop a gatepost about 8 feet in front of me! The bird seemed puzzled by our presence and remained there for 3 or 4 minutes while we played with our cameras! Amazingly confiding bird.
A speed limit sign near the Crown & Anchor sported an alpine swift. What bird would you put on the signs near you?
Down among the bushes near Canal Scrape I spotted a whitethroat - a lesser in fact. Really pleasing and bird of the day for me!
And so I reach the end of this extravaganza. Must try to write shorter more frequent blogs - trouble is I keep going out birding!!
I saved a nice photo for the end simply because I really like it. Can't resist a black-necked grebe at any time of the year!
UK 2015 currently 206
..and counting!
30.03.15
To the Land of the Prince Bishops
Monday 30th March
I drove north to Cleasby to find Cleasby Gravel Pit. After walking off in entirely the wrong direction a villager put me on the right track. Gravel pit? It's huge, really huge. No sign of a garganey but it could have easily been out of view. I decided to get on with the main business of the day.
Heading for Stanhope and the general area where the white tailed eagle has been sighted. En route info came that it was near Bollihope. I had already planned to drive round the Bollihope circle and so I was particularly pleased to come across half a dozen Teesmouth birders I know well by sight. They were welcoming, explained that the bird had just disappeared over the ridge and then, within a minute of my arrival, I was looking through someone else's scope at the bird perched on the skyline.
I got the camera ready hoping it would fly a little nearer. It never came especially close but I managed a few flight shots - record shots but still a great spectacle.
Now what? I headed for Langdon Beck but called first at Ettersgill as I have twice met lone black grouse there. Not today, but fieldfares were gathering.
The redwings looked very pale in their spring finery but were a little too far away for a decent image.
I moved on to Langdon Beck where I soon spotted a few black grouse.
Lunch at Saltholme in Phil Stead hide. A few black-tailed godwits were in residence.
Wednesday 1st April
A late start brought me eventually to Tophill Low after meeting Barry at North Cave. We photographed grass snakes.
On the way home I stopped when I saw a barn owl ahead. It circled over the road...
...and landed in a field nearby...
.
..which brought a hare to my notice!
Friday 3rd April
A mixed bag kind of day. Garganey at Leventhorpe Pond. Lots of sand martins on the canal at Woodlesford Lock.
Saturday 4th April
Fairburn Ings, Lin Dike end. Cetti's warbler seen! Also: one swallow dropped in for a quick drink and continued east.
180 UK 2015