Thursday 7 March 2024

A Bitter Day at Frampton but the Lesser Yellowlegs Remains.

 The weather had not improved any when Peter and I drew up into the car park at Frampton RSPB Reserve, just south of Boston. Retreating to the cafe with binoculars for hot chocolate we managed to tick off 30 or so species in the warm. Returning to the car, we put all of our winter gear on before setting out. The long staying Lesser Yellowlegs was still on the wet field adjacent to the car park, today being bullied by a solitary ruff. Again there were large numbers of whistling wigeon on the wet grassland as well as displaying flocks of lapwing. Teal and other wildfowl were also present and there was a constant background base note of thousands of brent geese. Periodically hosts of golden plover flew up into the sky to give wonderful displays with flocks of dunlin mixed in. There were whooper swans present along with good numbers of little egret and a couple of great white egret. Great crested grebes were back here as well. We visited all three hides before girding up our loins and climbing up onto the sea wall overlooking the Wash and distant Norfolk. Here we received a thorough blasting from the wind and it was pleasant to drop down into the relative shelter of the bank to return to the visitor centre for tea and bacon bun. Another good day with 42 species.

Avocet
A small section of a huge flock of brent geese
Dunlin
Dunlin
Lesser Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wigeon
Wigeon

Wednesday 6 March 2024

North Cave Wetlands and East Halton Marsh

 It was cold, overcast and drizzling when we parked up along Dryham Lane at North Cave Wetlands, a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve just over the river from us. My brother had come to stay for a couple of days birding and the weather was disappointing to say the least. We had picked Brian up at Keelby on the way and now our first port of call was coffee and cake at the excellent Little Butty Bus.

Undaunted by the weather, we set off around the reserve. We had not gone far before we came across our first brambling. The feeding stations on the reserve had been closed down but there were still a reasonable number of bramblings and siskins remaining. It was good to see great crested grebes back on the Village Lake; these handsome birds are starting to return to their breeding sites and we should soon be treated to some exotic and elaborate courtship displays. We were delighted to hear a green woodpecker yaffling too. We called in at the Turret Hide and were pleased to see a kingfisher zip by, a blur of red and brilliant turquoise. Like everywhere else the reserve was very wet and muddy and we were pleased to have wellies on. On the west path we had exceptionally close views of siskin and reed bunting and managed to take some photos.

Back at the car it was time for wild garlic soup and, from the Little Butty Bus, bacon buns. Next it was time to head on to our next destination: returning over the river to Winter's Pit and East Halton Marsh. We briefly came out of the murk but drove back into it when we turned off the A180 for Winter's. Although we were only here and at Skitter Ness for an hour we were delighted to see 36 species including the marsh harrier and goldeneye again as well as hearing the strident calls of a couple of cetti's warblers. It was good to see that the great crested grebes were back here too.

Male siskin, North Cave Wetlands
Reed Bunting, North Cave Wetlands
Male siskin, North Cave Wetlands
Male siskin, North Cave Wetlands

Sunday 25 February 2024

A Wolds Walk and Topping Up the Feeding Station

 It was a sunny morning as Heather and I set off on our walk around Cadeby in the Lincolnshire Wolds. It is only a short walk and one that we have done before but it was on the way to the feeding station wood so was convenient on two fronts. Although sunny, it was still only 9C and the brisk south-easterly wind made it feel chilly. It was feeling more spring-like, however, and we found our first celendines and violets in flower and hawthorn was beginning to come into leaf. As we approached our starting point we first heard and then saw a good sized flock of fieldfares; my first this year. These large, colourful winter thrushes will be leaving us soon to head to their breeding territories further north.

In the feeding station wood dog's mercury was in flower and the wild garlic or ramsons was coming into leaf. After topping up the feeding station we collected a bag of wild garlic to be made into wild garlic soup and pesto.

The Valley Wood
On the Cadeby Circuit
First violets
First Celendines
Fieldfare, Immingham
Fieldfare, Immingham

Friday 23 February 2024

A Cold and Blustery day on the Humber Bank.

 The sun was trying to break through on 23rd February as Brian and I parked up at Winter's Pit, adjacent to East Halton Marsh and tucked in under the Humber Bank. We deemed it too wet to walk along the track at the back of the marsh, in fact much of the marsh is totally flooded, to an extent that I had not seen before. It was a scene reminiscent of some of Peter Scott's wildlife paintings of bleak, flooded marsh with the sky full of wildfowl. Among many other species there were hundreds of wigeon, their whistling calls adding to the wildness of the day. Culews called as they flew back and forth and every so often a wheeling flock of lapwings would lift off, their strident peewit calls taking me back to my Lincolnshire childhood. 

As we walked alongside the pit we caught a glimpse of a marsh harrier before it dropped down behind the trees. The pair of goldeneye ducks on the lake was particularly pleasing. I love the courtship display of the male bird as it thows back its head and splashes with its feet. The male is a handsome black and white with a greenish gloss on the head. The white patch behind the bill is particularly noticeable as are the black stripes on the flank. The female is more muted with a chocolate brown head and buff back and flanks. Both sexes have the stunning gold eye. Although a few birds breed in Scotland most are migratory returning to Scandinavia and northern Russia to breed in holes in trees by lakes or rivers.

Walking up onto the sea wall we were immediately blasted by the cold south-eastery wind which seemed to catches in both directions. We persevered, however, and walked up to the Skitter Beck where I was pleased to see that the avocets were back. All in all a good morning with 36 species seen.

Female goldeneye, Far Ings      
Male goldeneye, Frampton

Monday 19 February 2024

Colour Ringed Black-tailed Godwit on the Humber Bank

 A rare dry day today and high tide (although a neap one) tempted me to a couple of hours at Novartis Ings and on the Humber Bank. 27 species were seen including a very loud cetti's warlbler and again a very large flock of golden plover; this time up by the dock wall. There were large numbers of waders about, mainly redshank, dunlin and black-tailed godwit. On examining the only (poor photograph) I took, I was surprised to see a colour ringed godwit in the top right of the image. Posting the photograph on X has provided the response that it is a bird first ringed on the Wash in 2010.



Saturday 17 February 2024

Winter Feeding Station Photography.

 Another overcast day with some drizzle today but as the feeders needed topping up I decided to stay and photograph. The light was not good but I was pleased I stayed as I had 3 visits from the woodpeckers: female twice and male once. The male was also drumming nearby. Annoyingly I was unprepared each time and missed the best shots. Plenty of other birds were visiting including at least two nuthatches.

The snowdrops and aconites are nearly over now but arum leaves and wild garlic are just coming through; it will soon be time for  wild garlic soup and pesto. Dog's Mercury is in flower now.

Blue tit
Blue tit
Blue tit
Chaffinch
Coal Tit
Coal Tit
Great Tit
Great Tit
Great Tit
Great Spotted Woodpecker, male
Nuthatch
Nuthatch
Nuthatch
Nuthatch
Snowdrops
Snowdrops
Grey Squirrel
Grey Squirrel

Monday 12 February 2024

A Walk Around the Local Patch

 A beautiful afternoon encouraged a walk around the local patch: the cemetery and woodland burial ground. Although sunny it felt cool at 7C in the chill wind. It was also wet with many of the paths flooded. Highlights were the female great spotted woodpecker, the large numbers of goldfinches that were about and a pair of bullfinches.

Entrance to the Woodland Burial Ground
Great spotted woodpecker
Great spotted woodpecker
Herring Gull
Herring Gull
Herring Gull
Bullfinch