Big Birds!

June 13th: Blacktoft Sands, hoping to see my first bittern of the year. Seconds after sitting down in Singleton hide a bittern did a long flight, right to left, in front of us. Followed shortly after by a high speed hobby fly-past! 

The hide was packed as a purple heron had been reported but was proving elusive. Definitely a birders' word 'elusive' - a bit like 'erroneous' and my favourite 'showing well'!

Here's a few snaps - not good quality but the views were brief. Perched marsh harrier [which spent nearly all the time with its back to me] and then later I just missed the food pass...

Purple heron disappearing fast into the reedbed. Best I could do!

June 14th: Cattle egret reported at Fairburn. Ridiculously far away on the moat in trees with spoonbills. Easy to positively identify in my Kowa scope but hopeless to photograph. Still, just for a laugh, here's a cattle egret!! [it's the bottom white blob; 2 spoonbills upper left and a gull in the air!

Went back again in the afternoon as the cattle egret had been reported by the road but it had flown off by the time I arrived.

Third time lucky at 8 am on Sunday 16/6 when I photographed it from the roadside. Whilst doing that a coot and youngster swam quietly in front of me. You don't often see affection from the belligerent coot gang! Oh, yes. Here's the cattle egret and you may also spot the spoonbill fly past if you look carefully!

June 21st: A long trip down to Northants to call at the wonderfully named Glapthorn Cow Pasture reserve, home of the pretty rare black hairstreak butterfly. This would be a lifer butterfly if I succeeded. I did try a few years ago but had no luck. Recent reports suggested they were doing very well this year...

A few miles short of my destination I saw a group of red lites overhead. I stopped, got the camera ready and took some shots. Straight over my head!

There's a buzzard in the mix too!

The black hairstreaks were by the path not far from the entrance. Smaller than I expected but quite obliging little fellows!

Large skipper there too. June 23rd: Wykeham raptor Watchpoint - distant goshawks and honey buzzards. The latter just as I was packing up to leave but everything was very distant. I photographed a tree pipit that was nesting just below us.

Perched

Singing

Bringing food for the bairns!

215 UK 2019

The Pastor, Wild Mignonette and a Black-headed surprise!

Sounds like a racy little tale, doesn't it?

June 2nd took me bright and early up to South Gare to see if I could spot the rose-coloured starling. By the time I arrived it had flown off with a group of starlings but it wasn't too long before they [and it] were relocated. On a wall and then by the Bomb Hole overlooking the River Tees. Here it is!

It liked to sit down in the grass and at times would disappear completely. The other starlings seemed to accept it as a starling: this juvenile is not about to land on it but is dropping down towards the pebble beach below.

I'll say good bye and leave the bird quietly looking out over the River Tees from the far side of the Bomb Hole.

Back at the car I noticed this fine stand of Wild Mignonette reseda lutea - it took me some time to correctly identify it.

Saturday 8th June I set off reasonably early for Flamborough as the black-headed bunting had been confirmed as still present. After arriving it took me less than a minute to see the bird! However that was pure luck as it would disappear for quite a while and reappear somewhere along a 70m hedge line. I photographed it from the roadside where most of the birders were standing. Also seen: whitethroat and lesser whitethroat. Here's my 437th lifer - and the first of 2019 and my 343rd British species I have photographed!

Later, down by the golf course willows fleeting views of subalpine warbler together with chiffchaff and another lesser whitethroat - the latter seen really well.

209 UK 2019

Not what I had in mind!

...but who cares?

Wednesday 29/5 I set off for Hornsea Mere mid-morning but diverted initially to Driffield to look for a rose-coloured starling. Met various birders: good to see the Spavins back in Yorkshire and David Armitage too. However none of that helped us find the starling.

Some of us continued to Hornsea. Baikal teal seen but not great views as it was on Swan Island in the darkened depths. But I saw it so I'll not complain. Would have been good to see on the water. Another day mayhap.

So, on to Tophill Low in case the cattle egret showed. It did but departed long before my arrival. And then things rather picked up. First surprise was a young tawny owl...

Some birders told us there were 6 kingfishers at South Lagoon so, obviously, we hurried off in that direction. They were buzzing about all over the place.

I like this shot! Also present: mallard with ducklings.

On next to South Marsh East. A few orchids coming into flower on my way there. [Common spotted]

Settled down to watch the birds hoping the cattle egret might return. It didn't but little egrets were about...dozing...

...feeding [different bird] Then, unnoticed initially, a pair of yellow wagtails dropped in just in front of the hide. Yellow wagtail extravaganza time!!

Time was approaching my time to leave for home. Walking back a birder I'd chatted to earlier called me over. He'd spotted one of the adult tawny owls a fair way off up a tree. Here's an iphone view. Can you spot it? Roughly left of centre image on the side of the darkest tree.

And here's what I managed with the big lens from the same spot.

Amazingly enough, when I got back to near where I'd seen the youngster earlier some birders were pointing cameras high up into one of the trees. The other adult had been spotted! 205 UK 2019