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

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

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.

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

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

Lesser Yellowlegs at Frampton

 Although the day began with fog over the Lincolnshire Wolds, as we approached Boston it cleared to give a mild and largely sunny day. As is so often the case here, the overriding memory is one of wheeling flocks of waders and geese and the echoing calls of birds over the marsh: the whistling of wigeon, peewit calls of lapwings, bubbling song of curlew and the more gutteral calling of brent geese. The first bird seen and photographed was a superb kestrel hovering over the car park.

The day began, as usual with coffee in the excellent cafe and an unsuccessful attempt at locating the, by now, famous lesser yellowlegs. Giving up on this American vagrant we made our way to the 360 Hide before returning at 12.30 to satisfy the grumbling in stomachs. The bacon bun was excellent and this time the yellowlegs turned up trumps giving plenty of close-up opportunities for photography. I am ambivalent about these odd rarities; the chances of this bird finding a made or its way back to America are neglible. For the moment, however, it appears to be fit and well. 

Following lunch we headed down to the sea wall where we made our way to the East Hide and returned to the visitor centre via the 360 Hide. During this walk we were able to feast our senses on the wealth of birds present. Arriving back at the centre we were ready for a cup of tea during which we were treated to the sudden arrival of a flock of whooper swans which landed just in front of us. The light had nearly gone now but there was just enough to secure a record shot.

Avocet

Avocet

Lapwing

Lapwing

Pintail

Teal

Teal

Whooper Swans

Wigeon

Wigeon

Wigeon

Wigeon

Wigeon

Wigeon