Welcome to my birding blog - first launched 12th March 2012...
Wednesday June 20th 2012
One fine day: from Wykeham to Blacktoft
The idea was - and, of course ideas often play tricks on us when we try to fulfil them - to start by seeing honey buzzard and/or goshawk at the raptor watchpoint at Wykeham Forest. I was there for 8am and I was the third person to get there. By 11am we had seen one common buzzard, 3 turtle doves, a fair number of crossbills, a willow warbler and a siskin. Conditions seemed perfect but no sightings were reported that day. I left at about 11am and set off south.
Driving along the back road from Brompton by Sawdon to the A64 at Sherburn I spotted 3 baby birds at the side of the road by Brompton Ings. No farm buildings nearby. What are they? They all had the same white marking.
Some kind of chicken? If anyone knows please tell!!
Having thought of going to North Cave to photograph dragonflies I changed my mind and called at North Cliffe Wood - a place I had often thought of exploring.
I set off little realising I was about to be bitten by lots of hungry little insects. My hands and arms, in particular for some reason my elbows, are now covered in large stinging lumps almost 24 hours later!
I enoyed the wood. For a while there was little to see and all was very quiet.
A number of speckled wood butterflies flitted in the sunlit glades.
Some of the foxgloves were taller then me - at least six feet tall.
Further into the wood where the trees seem larger and much older there are many bat boxes marked EYBG [East Yorkshire Bat Group I presume] and I came across a colony of honey [?] bees in a crack in an old tree.
It took me longerr than anticipated to complete my walk all the way round the reserve. As well as the wood there is an area of old heathland. I saw the following birds: blackcap, willow warbler, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit and I heard the more fluted tones of garden warbler too. I'm fairly sure of this but without seeing the bird I can never be absolutely sure. I stood still listening for a long time hoping for a glimpse. The best views were of the bird moving rapidly from one tree to another but not remaining in view when it landed.
And so I set off for my final destination to Blacktoft Sands. Hoping as ever for a view of bearded tit. A couple of possible sightings but nothing definite. A hobby flew rapidly past Singleton hide.
Down at Marshland recently fledged black-headed gulls were on flying practice. The kind of bird no-one pays attention to.
A marsh harrier was lurking nearby and the gulls were mobbing it cautiously.
On the walk back a whitethroat was singing. I suddenly felt I was being watched. I glanced right.
An army helicopter came over quite low. The photo shows how the camera can 'kill' the movement of a helicopter whilst the tiniest movements of a bird are much harder to freeze.
When I looked back at the reedbed the sedge warbler hadn't moved.
237 UK; 114 Yorkshire
Tuesday 19th June 2012
White-winged Black Tern at Fairburn Ings
It had been at St. Aidan's Lake the previous evening so I was hoping it would come up. It did, mid-morning at Lin Dike, Fairburn. Stopped gardening and set off. Saw the bird straightaway but it was right down the far end. Ok in scope, just.
A redshank took exception to the group of birders by the screen and came on a power line over our heads and proceeded to berate us noisily!
It found it quite difficult to maintain its balance. I've seen redshanks on a post but don't think I've ever seen one swinging around on a power line before!!
There were a number of common terns about and they were much keener to come down our end of the pool than was the WWBT. One hovered in front of me.
Meanwhile the main attraction kept away. Eventually it came somewhat nearer [it looked fabulous in the scope] and I tried for some record shots. They are better than my 'cuckoo category' images but they are not superb - although perhaps they catch some of the essence of this great bird. See for yourself.
Still need that 600mm lens!! A black-headed gull dislodged it from its perch.
Nice red legs!!
237 UK; 114 Yorkshire.
Monday 18th June 2012
Year list: Just ticking over again...
Another day out in search of the birds. Started with a visit to Fairburn Ings RSPB. Walked from the Village Bay car park down The Cut and then headed west along the Riverbank Trail. Destination was the Bob Dickens hide [about the furthest point in the reserve from either end]. A ruddy shelduck had been reported the previous evening. I only met one dog walker as it was very early: only 7am.
The bird was still present, some way off on a small island with Canada Geese. I hadn't taken the camera and that mattered little. Anyway, here's a bird I photographed a couple of years ago to show you what it looked like.
So a success at last. I walked back; blackcaps and chiffchaffs were singing - one blackcap showed so well and so close I wished I had got the camera. I met a couple of birders near the car and reassured them the bird was still present.
Hornsea next to look for the red-crested pochard which I knew had been there some time. It took me forever scanning the mere, looking at groups of pochard all over the mere. I photographed a pair of black swans near Kirkholme Point to pass the time.
Down the far end I spotted a little gull in the scope. Their flight manner is very distinctive. Soon I had a group of five little gulls. Then I saw my target by Swan Island. The reason I had missed it perhaps was because it was already well into its eclipse phase. The red bill was a diagnostic though.
Captive eclipse red-crested pochard photographed 25.06.12 at WWT Llanelli
Next stop was to be at Bempton Cliff RSPB but not for birds. I had read on Bempton's recent sightings page that the northern marsh orchids were coming into flower. I asked where and was very pleasantly surprised by the trouble people went to. Not only did I see the northern marsh orchids, but also a very tall bee orchid, a couple of common spotted and lots and lots of northern marsh orchids. If you want to see you have to ask nicely...
Bee Orchid
Common Spotted Orchids
Northern Marsh Orchids
Finally I went to Wykeham Forest raptor watchpoint. We [there were upto 8 of us present] saw quite a few buzzards: most were common; one pair may have been honey buzzards but we were unsure and they didn't have the grace to wing clap for us. So I'll never know. May have to return there again in a few weeks' time - although I've just noticed someone has posted on RBA a female at Wykeham early afternoon yesterday when I must have been there.
A good day .
236 UK; 113 Yorkshire
Saturday 16th June 2012
Patience is the birder's virtue
I don't have bad days just frustrating experiences. Today began with one of the worst.
I set off bright and early for Nosterfield to see a buff-breasted sandpiper - or so I hoped. There was no sign after an hour and after trying both reserves. Decided to head south to Fairburn to get the bird seed we needed. Got that sorted. Just getting back in the car when the buff-breasted was reported at Nosterfield. Felt I had to go for it so scampered back up the A1 to Nosterfield. Getting out of the car. Pager: 'No sign today of buff-breasted sandpiper. Earlier report was erroneous.' Erroneous. Wrong in other words.
Now what? Saltholme or Blacktoft? Chose Blacktoft [wrong again - I missed out therefore on the roseate tern]. Once I finally arrived a roadrunner pheasant provided the day's first image.
I went into Xerox hide where the konik ponies were showing well. I had never got really nice pictures so was amazed when something quite remarkable began to happen. Two of them were getting very frisky leading to what I think are great images. So here goes...
Konik ponies
By frisky I mean almost quite violent and these images catch the moment well. I was unsure whether things might even turn nasty. I wonder if this happens often...
This final picture prompted my wife [who always says when she likes a photo] to say: 'You didn't take that!'
I think it was a compliment.
After that the black-headed gulls in Marshland seemed very tame.
So it was down to Singleton to see the harriers. They came reasonably close but I saw no food passes. So nice pictures - most of a male over the reedbeds.
Outside the hide we kept getting glimpses of little birds flying in and dropping down instantly out of the wind and out of sight. Dunnock, whitethroat, reed bunting? Probably all of those. Certainly blue tits were there as was this tree sparrow.
Finally I wandered down to Ousefleet to see the four spotted redshanks ['blackshanks' would suit them well] that were around. I knew they'd be too distant for a photo but I'm sure it's about time for one of what I call my cuckoo category pics. This one is particularly representative of that type.
If you look carefully at the upper of the two narrow bands of water you will see at both the right-hand and left-hand sides of the image a spotted redshank with his head underwater! They looked great in the scope!
And so the day closed and I went home. Sitting down to open the mail I glanced at the July edition of Bird Watching magazine.
I was thrilled to see another of my pictures published - appropriately the marsh warbler at Blacktoft on 31st May this year. Here's a reminder.
Still 234!! When will it change?
Thursday June 14th 2012
Another good day - but 234 still at the end!
Subtitle: I hope you like common tern pictures...
Determined to get out and try to see something new, I was torn between Blacktoft and Cleveland. A tip I'd heard tempted me try to find a spot frequented by little owl near Tanton. I think I found the right spot but there was no sign of any owl. So I moved on to Saltholme. There was a lot of tern activity and with water levels lowered at Phil Stead hide pool a few waders were present, including ringed and little ringed plovers. They weren't quite near enough for my camera but the redshank and lapwing were..
A lesser black-backed gull was eating an egg and two crows were desperate to get the egg from him. He was too clever and kept it underwater when the crows came near. He looked very proud of himself.
A few terns flew overhead, coming no doubt from Paddy's Pool where there are a large number. Fishing in front of the hide produced my first few common tern pictures of the day.
Fish caught!
This tern is ringed - maybe one born here a couple of years ago.
Fish number two! This one he took to the exposed mud to eat it.
Back on his perch. Heron waiting in the background. I always feel they are waiting for something to happen.
More diving practice.
The heron decides to make his move too!
I decide to move on. Other people in the Phil Stead hide suggest we go to Paddy's Pool hide. The light should be good, they say. It's a fair walk with the camera, scope and bins hanging round my neck! Still it's usually worth it - and whichever of my things I don't take I often regret it.
The hide was pretty full. The air was full of the cries of black-headed gulls mixed with some tern noise. Soon a tern landed on the 'goalposts' in front of the hide.
Time for a bit of a preen.
When another tern arrives the first one checks it is a tern and not one of those pesky gulls!
Squabbles soon arise.
Later I notice some terns down left are having a bathe near the bank. They splash around vigorously in the water.
Almost completely submerging themselves at times...
Then they fly up onto the bank which is just a metre away, have a good shake and sit a while on the bank to dry off perhaps before going about their business again.
No more tern photos this posting, I promise. I set off again to visit the Saltholme Pools hide. Things were pretty quiet there. A few shelduck and avocets were pottering about. The Shetland lambs were doing well but seemed unwilling to look my way or pose for me!
The long-billed dowitcher came up on the pager so I left the hide for my walk back. Just outside a crowd of baby blue tits were scattering everywhere.
I drove the short distance to where I would see the pool where the LBD had been reported. A fair number of birders did the same. We never saw the bird although I had seen it twice before. Whilst scanning the area with my scope I spotted some dark red flowers down the gravel causeway. Orchids immediately sprang to mind. I put my bins and scope away, swapped lenses to the 100mm macro and set off.
As you will see, my hunch was right. I think they are northern marsh orchids. One birder passed me when I was lying on the ground in front of a paricularly attractive plant.
'What are they then?' he asked.
I told him.
'At least those buggers don't fly off,' he replied.
Goodbye Cleveland! I headed back south intending to go back to Cod Beck reservoir and see if I could get a photo of the whinchats.
I got more than I bargained for. A mistle thrush was particularly active as was a family of song thrushes.
I walked around knowing that whinchats were about. I had seen one soon after getting out of the car.
Nervous birds seemed unapproachable and I feared I wasn't helping. I decided to find a rock with a view over a good area.
I sat patiently for half an hour. The mistle thrush came close again. Another bird alighted on a rock.
I photographed it although it was quite distant. The bokeh* is particularly attractive. But what bird is it? Answers please as I am not absolutely certain.
Have a look.
Ok. The books say that meadow pipits have no supercilium. Zoomed in this bird definitely does. Or is it an eye-stripe?
Well, I think it's a tree pipit but better birders than I may know better. It might just be a meadow pipit after all.
Eventually my patience was rewarded. I spotted a female whinchat on the ground not too far in front of me. I took a couple of record shots. Fortunately she hopped up onto the tips of the bracken. I'll end now with this nice set...
*bokeh = pleasantly blurred background intended to help make the subject matter of a photograph stand out. From the japanese. Of course.
234 uk still!