A walk around the cemetery today on a chill but sunny day produced 12 bird species and several grey squirrels. The highlight was a trio of bullfinches (male and two females) and a skein of pinfeet over flying north east.
To view large, please click on the image, one from April 2021 of a male bullfinch eating cherry blossom in the woodland burial ground.
I spent a very pleasant hour this morning on a grey and gloomy day carrying out the RSPB Garden Birdwatch. Results, however, were disappointing, although not untypical for this garden where we get few birds. Although the norm for our garden, bird numbers do seem to be down. There is definitely less activity at my winter feeding station than normal, although blue tit numbers seem to be up as do blackbirds, some of which may be continental birds.
My results were:
As Brian and I pulled into the car park at Buck Beck, overlooking Cleethorpes Dunes, the tide was just on the turn. At 6.45m it wasn't the biggest tide but it was enough to bring the birds close enough for good birding. Our route took us along the promenade and then onto Anthony's Bank with views out over the estuary across to Spurn Point and the sea forts. At this point the tide was still too far in for birds to be able to feed but as it receded it freed up beach and mud for feeding once more. We walked beyond the yacht club to check for birds on Tetney Marsh and on the lagoons where we were delighted to find the local black swan. As we turned to head the sun came out and we were treated to some glorious light. Apart from the black swan, it was good to catch up with some species not seen yet this year: bar-tailed godwit, sanderling and little egret.
To view large, please click on an image.
Today saw the last of the flat lands as we moved up into the Lincolnshire Wolds. The first part of our route took us along an old farm track, now metalled, across to the Laceby Manor Golf Club. An interesting new development is the new solar farm that has been built on the edge of Bradley Woods.
After the golf club we crossed the A18 (Barton Street) and began the climb up the scarp slope of the Lincolnshire Wolds, passing a wood, marked on the map as earth works. Research by Brian revealed that it was a civil war era fortified manor with a gun emplacement at each corner. The manor was held by royalists to defend Barton Street against parliamentarian raids.
Walking along fram tracks we climbed steadily until we were at the top of the scarp slope with expansive views across to the coast. We passed a field left fallow to go to seed. It was reminiscent of the maize field at North Cave Wetlands but here is probably cover for pheasants. Whatever, it certainly attracted large numbers of linnets which was good to see. We were soon dropping down into Beelsby and then settled into the Sautaion Inn at Nettleton for our evening meal.
To view large, please click on an image.
It was an overcast morning with drizzle in the air as I drove out to Scallows this morning to top up the feeders. It had been a week since I was here last so I was surprised to find that there were still some fat blocks left and plenty of activity.
Feeders topped up I moved onto to a short session of macro practising some focus stacking yellow brain fungus and coral spot fungus.
Snowdrops are beginning to emerge and flower but not as quickly as I had expected; presumably the recent freezing conditions had slowed them up. Aconites were just beginning to show though and I look forward to photographing both next week.
To view large, please click on an image. All photos are 20 image stacks.
As we approached the Humber Bridge all we could see were the towers poking out of the sea of fog below. We descended into it and then as the road curved up over the river we were clear but could look down on the sea of fog around us. What an amazing sight. Brian and I were venturing over the river into Yorkshire for a birding visit to the excellent Noth Cave Wetlands, a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve in a series of old and fairly new as well as working gravel pits. As each pit is worked out it is taken over by the Trust and developed into another section of the reserve. It was clear and sunny as we drew into the car park and at only -2C very cold, in fact most of the pits were frozen over. We began our visit with a drink from the Little Butty Van with welcome hot chocolate for me. Sitting in the covered eating area with our drinks overlooking the Village Lake allowed us to make a good start on our list with wildfowl, geese and waders being present as well as a plethora of small birds making use of the feeders.
Warmed by our drinks, it was time to begin our circuit of the reserve. I was delighted when only 100m from the start we found some superb siskins feeding on alder cones along with goldfinches. Blackbirds, redwings and a songthrush were all feeding among the leaf litter. A little further on we came to the feeding station over looking the Maize Field, a field allowed to go to seed in order to attract seed-eaters, a source of food rarely found now with modern methods of agriculture. The highlight here was the large numbers of tree sparrows in attendance.
Continuing on past the dragonfly pools we came across a superb pair of stonechats and a little further on enjoyed watching the tawny owl basking in the sun sitting on the edge of its hole. Surprisingly there was very little to see from Crosslands Hide, Dryham Ings being largely frozen over.
We soon found ourselves back the Little Butty Van and decided it was time for bacon and sausage buns - wonderful. Before leaving we headed back to the Maize Field feeders as we had heard reports of goldcrest and lesser redpoll. We dipped on the redpolls but the goldcrest perfomed magnificently for us. We also had wonderful views of 3 male greenfinches along the path sitting high in silver birch and spotlit by the sun.
As we wandered back to the car the fog was just beginning to roll in and I reflected on superb day. It was refreshing to leave the big lens behind and just bird watch for a change.
To view large, please click on an image.
Fog rolling in over Village Lake.
It was clear and sunny as I drove out to Scallows in the late morning for a first session in the hide. Late morning is always best for feeeeding station photography as the feeders catch the full sun at this time. It was very cold, though at 1C and there was still lying snow and frost in sheltered spots. It was very busy at the feeding station, the most populous species being blue tits. There must have been 10 blue tits for every other species. I found myself out of practice and very slow when it came to the photography but I later realised that I had the wrong tripod head on - doh!!! I managed to photograph all the visiting tit species as well as robin, chaffinch, pheasant and blackbird. There were plenty of others arough, thogh and, although I had a couple of nuthatch visits I was too slow. Disappointingly I have yet to see woodpecker at the feeding station, although I have seen a male elsewhere in the wood. I was delighted when a buzzard flew lazily away from in front of the hide when I arrived and flew around and settled high in another tree. Altogether I saw 5 separate buzzards during the day. A sparrowhawk was also exploring this part of the wood. Snowdrops were just coming into flower, although there was no sign, yet of aconites.
To view large, please click on an image.
