A pleasant afternoon at Blacktoft Sands

No targets, just looking for some nice photo opportunities of waders and anything else that might be around. I started at Marshland. A few ruff were quite close. I spotted a greenshank sleeping on the mud. Eventually it flew a few dozen yards to join another greenshank out on the lagoon.

As well as ruff there were spotted redshank to be seen. This dusky maiden was further out than I might have liked!

A spoonbill over on the far side.

I spotted a few bearded tits around the lagoon. There's two in this shot plus a wagtail juvenile if you can pick them out. This one's a bit clearer. They are never very close at Blacktoft. Alkborough Flats can be very good - if your luck's in! I moved on. Green sandpipers at Townend hide. Spot the dragonfly...

...perflection: a common snipe...

...and marsh harrier resting in a bush. Finally: a couple of butterflies from the walk back. Red admiral and comma.

Since then Sheila and I had an afternoon at Hartlepool Headland hoping for the reported roseate terns. They didn't return but we watched the common and sandwich terns instead. Conditions were very pleasant with little wind. Speaking personally I'm ready for something a bit different weather-wise. I just hope I don't live to regret those words!!

219 UK 2018

There's more to come!

[I hope!]

Spurn on Sunday 15th July, hoping the greater sand plover would still be around. On arrival things looked grim: lost somewhere north of the Narrows. I decided to go to Kilnsea Wetlands' tiny hide [Get a bigger one, please!] and see what was afoot.

A grass snake made an impressive appearance.

Little gull adult and curlew sandpiper on far side of the main spit. Very distant hazy photos.

Something sent all the sandwich terns off towards the estuary.

Set off home as nothing was showing. Got to Patrington when I looked at the phone. I wish I still had a functioning pager! 

However, 'GSP on Easington Beach' came up on the phone. I turned back. After all, it would be a lifer!!!!!

The bird was on the beach still. I'm a little amazed how the other beachgoers continued to walk about on the sand in front of a line of 60-odd scopes and cameras on tripods as if they weren't there!

First view.

I had fabulous views of this "new for me bird" in the scope. After a while staring out to sea the bird flew over us and higher up the beach so I was looking into the sun to photograph it.  Then it flew south down the beach, but not too far. I left it whilst the other toggers scampered after it. As they do.

Great day. 

219 UK 2018   436 UK Life list

And then the Balloon went up!

Something from a few weeks ago: on a very hot day our bird bath, much frequented by our house sparrows, was occupied comprehensively by an overheated wood pigeon. Cock sparrow looks on in disgust! [photo by Sheila]

July 9th - Barry and I went to Flamborough area. We started at Thornwick Pool. Fairly quiet... an impressive stand of marsh orchids on the far side. A couple of little ringed plover were present and house martins were dropping in to collect mud. You had to be quick to catch them! Green-footed gallinule youngsters [translating the latin binomial: gallinula chloropus] also known as moorhens! Small skipper outside the hide plus a speckled wood butterfly which, unusually, held its wings closed on landing.

We had a coffee at Bempton RSPB. Jackdaws were very tame.

We headed down to the cliffs for the obligatory gannet fiesta. A linnet was showing where we had hoped to find a grasshopper warbler. There were still quite a few puffins around. Gannets!

Kittiwake chick - some of the youngsters were much closer to being ready to go than this one. Our search for the gropper proved fruitless. Juvenile swallow on a gate.

We spotted swallows gathering mud from a pool by the overflow car park. One of those special moments. My favorite shot

July 10th - visit with Sheila to see the ''teaspoons'' at Fairburn Ings. Great views of the family in a scope but too distant really even for 700mm equivalent of lens magnification. Still, you get the idea.

Parent incoming.

Four youngsters buried in the foliage!

July 11th - southern hawker dragonfly popped into the house. He left unharmed. July 12th - trip to Saltholme to see a grasshopper warbler but we failed even though it was seen by others when we were in the wrong place! Made do with a confiding sedge warbler in the car park. It didn't mind how close you came. It was his bush and he wasn't to be dislodged! Finally this morning [July 13th] much excitement down our road before breakfast. A hot-air balloon was perilously low over the adjoining street.

It drifted over the A59 gaining a little height and missed Manor School - just!

Finally finding the right kind of current the balloon did really go up!

217 UK 2018 - still!