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.
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