Nev Cole Way, Stage 6

 Yesterday was yet another stage of this Long Distance Footpath that, on the surface, looked as if it would be urban, industrial and uninteresting, but one which turned out to be full of interest and avoided virtually all roads, even through Immingham.  It is amazing that it is possible to cross from one side of immingham to the other along a quiet greenway, which passes within 200 yards of where I used to live. The route took us from the outskirts of East Halton, through North and South Killingholme and Immingham, crossing the sad looking now closed Immingham Golf Club.  The weather again was kind to us being a day of sunny intervals; warm in the sun but with an autumnal chill when the sun disappeared behind cloud.

After an excellent walk we repaired to the excellent Marrowbone and Cleaver in nearby Kirmington.

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A First Visit to a New Reserve.

Leaving Heather and Yvonne to the fleshpots of Louth I drove the short distance to Many Washlands, somewhere I had been intending to visit for some time.  It is a very appealing spot with low grazing land surrounded by trees in the distance and, in front of the hide (locked!) the washes.  Unfortunately the birds were too far away for photography but plenty about nonetheless.  I was delighted to see two Little Stint feeding alongside to ringed plovers to give a size comparison.  There were a few snipe present along with 14 ruff.  As well as large numbers of gulls there was plentiful water fown, mostly still in eclipse plumage.  Although only 13C, it was warm in the sun out of the wind and it was good to see a pristing comma butterfly just as I was leaving.

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Ringed Plover

Comma

The First Skeins of Pink-Feet

 Sitting in the conservatory with coffee after breakfast, the sound was unmistakeable the 'pinking' of a skein of pink-feet flying over.  Jumping up I could see them against the blue sky; first one large skein which morphed into two 'Vs' and then back into 1 single large 'V' of about 100 birds.  These birds return to us from their breeding grounds on the arctic tundra and mountainsides in Greenland, Iceland and Svarlbard at this time of the year.  We are lucky here as they spend the winter with us and we get to see them on their daily migrations from coastal mudflats where they roost to inland fields to feed.  I often thing of their calls as a distant sound of belling hounds as described by Susan Cooper in her wonderful book 'The Dark is Rising' when the wild hunt rides led by mythical Herne the Hunter.

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Dipped out on Wryneck but found a Golden Plover

 As soon as I climbed up onto the reservoir wall at Covenham, the force of the northerly wind hit me.  The temperature had also plummeted and was only 14C.  My heart sank for the prospects of seeing the reported wryneck and my disappointment was confirmed on talking to other birders.  It had been present at 6.00 last night but had gone at 6.30 this morning,  The strong northerly was perfect for its onward migration.  I may have been disappointed but not as much as the chap who had come from Cambridge!!

I persevered along the north wall where it had been seen just in case and found a single confiding golden plover.  There were large numbers of swallows and house martins on the wing, presumably also preparing for migration.  Pied wagtails were plentiful as were great crested grebes and coots were present in large numbers.  Mallard and tufted duck were still in eclipse plumage.

Despite the disappointment it was good to be out.

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Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Pied Wagtail

Lake District, September, Day 6

Having finally woken to a perfect morning and enjoyed sitting outside the van in the sun for a while, we pulled up in the layby on the outskirts of Stavely and set off down the River Kent, one of our favourite walks. Once by the riverside, Heather sat down to draw and paint while I pottered along enjoying taking some long exposure images of some of the small sections of white water and birdwatching at the same time.  As soon as we reached the river we saw grey wagtails, possibly a family group as there were quite a few.  I also found others further down the river.  Herons were standing, statue-like in one or two spots, one being particularly confiding.  I found dipper on the stretch where they held territory both this spring and last year.  Perhaps I will make a more determined effort to photograph them next year.  Near my turn round point I came across a female goosander, unaware she was being observed, fishing; diving and also chasing fish at great speed across the suface.  She seemed almost too large for the river at this point.  Returning to Heather I sat watching a grey wagtail through the binoculars when not one, but two, kinfishers sped through the field of view.  Excellent.  The river at this point looks idyllic for swimming and paddling at this point were it not for the discharge from the local sewage plant just upstream.  It is to be hoped that the sewage is full treated!!

Having enjoyed our walk we retreated to Wilf's in Stavely for lunch and then returned to the caravan to relax for the remainder of the afternoon.  During the evening the sky became more and more clear and at 8.45 we set out to walk up onto the fellside to wait for moon rise.  It was full moon, the Harvest Moon.  We had to wait a short while for it to clear the bank of cloud on the horizon and as it came up it tinted the sky orange like a second sunset.  Finally slipping clear of the cloud, it rose into the sky a huge orange orb.  There was a little cloud around and this was also lit orange by the moonlight.  While the planet is suffering from the ravages of climate change, the universe continues, indifferent to the depredations of our species.  A magical moment.

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