A Birding Walk at Cleethorpes and The Fitties.

 Another bright and sunny day. We decided on a change of scene today a parked at Buck Beck in Cleethorpes. It was a beautiful morning with plenty of birds about. We followed the usual route towards the yacht club and on to Tetney Marsh RSPB reserve. We stopped for our picnic overlooking the beach and the Haille Sand Fort with views across to Spurn. Today we had remebered the cheese and hula hoops. Our lunch had added excitement (for us) of watching two people being rescued by the coastguard. They had crossed the creek to the aid of their dog which had got stuck in the mud. One of the part had sung up to the top of his thighs in the mud. It must have been frightening. A salutory lesson to us all. We logged 32 bird species today and finished with a drink in the Rose and Crown on the way home.

A Frosty Walk in the Lincolnshire Wolds

 A cold and cloudless day greeted us this morning. After breakfast, later in the morning, we headed out into the Wolds to Tealby. Parked up by the village hall, we were soon walking along the Viking Way towards the settlement of Risby, passing first the now derelict Castle Farm. Immediatley after walking through the edge of Bedlam Plantation we stopped at our regular place: a bench looking out over the valley towards the Lincoln Cathedral. Here we had our lunch of Christmas cake and, for me, tomato soup. Annoyingly we forgot the cheese and hula hoops. While we were sitting up here enjoying our picnic a raven flew out of the wood kronking loudly and a tawny owl hooted sleeply form inside the wood. As we moved on the crisp cold air up here tingled the nostrils. At Risby we turned uphill to the east and walked out to the narrow lane that leads up from Tealby. We walked along the road for a while before crossing fields and then down to Tealby.

A short but excellent walk topped off by a drink in the warm, cosy bar of the King's Head.

Winter's Pit and East Halton Marsh

 New Year's Eve and what has become a traditional visit with Brian to Winter's Pit, East Halton Marsh and Skitter Beck. We picked Brian up at 9.30 and were parked up and scanning the pit by 10.00. We had seen a flock of greylag geese feeding on the fields on the way down the lane but scanning them didn't reveal any pinkfeet or white fronts, although there was a white domestic goose with them. There had been a red-necked grebe on the pit a week or so ago but no sign today just a solitary little grebe. There were plenty of tufted duck, mallard, coot and shoveler. Moving across to look out over the marsh revealed a large flock of wigeon with the occasional teal among them. There was a very good number of lapwing which kept flying up and wheeling around before settling to feed once more. Plenty of curlew were feeding out on the marsh and their bubbling calls periodically echoed across the marsh along with the whisting calls of the wigeon. A beautiful winter scene. Once up on the sea wall we could scan the marsh from above and found a small flock of barnacle geese, unusual and interesting because they mainly winter on the Solway Firth and further north in Scotland. There was not a lot to see as we walked along the sea wall to the Skitter Beck but here we found plenty of redshank, a single dunlin and heron along with some teal along the tideline. Back at the old brick works above the pit we found a flock of avocet that must have flown in in our absence. As far as species seen went, it was an average day with 32. This brought my monthly total up to 55 and my total for the year is 143. Although very gust and chilly it was a splendid morning and time for turkey soup and Christmas cake.

Over the new year period Heather and I have been keeping a record of plants in flower of the new year count by the Botanical Societyy of the British Isles. We have managed 8 species at three sites:

Irby Dales - dandelion, blackthorn, gorse and white dead-nettle.

Scartho Cemetery - hazel, alder, snowdrop, primrose 

East Halton Marsh - dandelion and white dead-nettle.

Barnacle Goose (archive image)

Tufted Duck

Tufted Duck

More Cemetery Wandering

 Over the Christmas period I enjoyed 3 more walks around the cemetery and woodland burial ground on the 19th, 21st and 27th. The 27th was especially exciting as I got to try out my new binoculars. My old one are nearly 40 years old and showing their age. I had a mixture of weather from 4C and clear skies to gusty winds and finally to cold and misty and only 3C. Things were quiet on the birding front with only 20 species in total. I had nice views of a charm of goldfinches feeding acrobatically on the alder cones. Buzzard and curlew are always most welcome. Tree surveyors were busy a couple of months ago checking trees for disease. Work has now begun on them, either remedial or complete removal. A pity as old standing dead wood provides any number of nesting sites but, sadly tidyness is god. One of my favourites, a big old maple, lost a limb in Storm Darragh and it has been removed completely.

Three Cemetery Wanders

 Three walks around the cemetery and woodland burial ground. It always amazes me that neary as soon as I turn down the approach drive towards the cemetery gates the traffic noise from Scartho Road diminshes and once in the cemetery is gone completely. A few weeks ago I chatted to two people carrying out a tree survey and looking for and marking diseased trees. These are now being removed and on week days it is busy with the sound of chainsaws rather than traffic. It is a quiet time in the cemetery for birds and most other wildlife. There are a few fungi about, however, and next year's hazel catkins and flowers are already formed and growing.

Shaggy Scalycap

Shaggy Scalycap

Shaggy Scalycap

Shaggy Scalycap

Hazel catkins

The PreChristmas Trip. 3rd - 6th December

 Tuesday 3rd

Up early today and Mia delivered to the cattery while I loaded the car. We were away on time at 10.00am, the journey went well and we met up with Peter and Linda at Boggle Hole at 12.30. It felt cold at 5C but it was pleasant and sunny. We were down on the beach by 1.00 but even so the tide was well in necessitating a paddle (and a wet foot as my wellies appear to have perished!!! :(  ) It was pleasant to sit on the beach for lunch of tomato soup with fu;l oil slick and Christmas cake. (We have found yet another piece of last years!!). We managed to get to Bay Town just ahead of the tide enjoying a festive hot chocolate in the old chapel. We had enjoyed lovely views of foraging turnstones on the beach and on the way back along the cliff top were lucky enough to have superb close views of a pair of barn owls hunting in the gathering dusk.

It was a quick drive to Whitby and our appartment on the Crescent up on West Cliff. Peter and I have very happy memories of our first stay here with mum and day 65 years ago. It was, of course beer o'clock while we relived some of the memories.

Wednesday 4th

We woke to a cold and clear morning after overnight rain. Breakfast over, we drove to Sandsend where we parked t our usual spot at Wits End. While Heather and Linda walk along the beach to the village, Peter and I tried yet again to get along the beach and around the headland to a prime folssiling location, normally reached by a very steep path and precipitous steps from the old railway line. We were optimistic today as it was at the bottom of a very low tide. Yet again, however, we were thwarted. Later we were told that it isn't possible. We were pleased to see some rock pipits and a fulmar, however.

Returning to the car park we started out along the old railway, part of the Cleveland Way, to mee H&L. On the way we chatted to some fossil hunters who had been down the steps. Once regrouped and back at the cars we continued to Staithes. Both here and at Sandsend there were a lot of expert looking surfers who said that conditions were perfect. I was certailny impressed watching them. Back in Whitby we wandered down into the town and reconvened at the excellent Black Horse in the old town. An fine hostelry and a fitting end to an excellent day.

                                       

Thursday 5th December

A lazy start for H and myself today and we wandered down into the town at 11.00 all meeting up at Hammonds Jewellers at the bottom of the Abbey Steps for lunch. Sadly there were no crab sandwiches.

During the drive over the moors to Danby Lodge Moors centre we were impressed by the sight of large flocks of lapwings wheeling over the fields. The Moors Centre, as awlays was interesting and on the way back we were delighted to have incredibly close views of a hunting barn owl that didn't seem pahsed by the car at all. Where is the big lens when it's needed.

Tea this evening was fish and chips at the Magpie. A smashing end to a great few days.