Black-necked Grebe at The Fitties.

I had heard on the grapevine that there was a rarity, a black-necked grebe, on the lagoon behind the Humber Mouth Yacht Club on the Humberston Fitties.  Despite it being a misty and gloomy morning, which later turned to heavy rain, I decided to drive down to see if I could see it.  As soon as I arrived I spotted it and settled down using the car as a hide to try for photographs.  Black-necked Grebes are stunning birds; slightly smaller than the common little grebe, but darker, with chestnut underparts, black head, neck and chest, a fan of yellow feathers on the cheek and a startling red eye.  In this country they generally only breed in Scotland so this bird is presumably passing through.  Also present were several mute swans and grey lag gees, herring and black-headed gulls and mallard.  I was pleased to be able to get photographs, although not the best quality as it remained fairly distant and the light was very poor.  I intend to return early tomorrow morning when the forecast says it will be fine.  Fingers crossed.

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Black-necked Grebe

Black-necked Grebe

Grey Lag

A Morning with Green Hairstreaks.

It was a bright clear and warm sunny morning when Roger came to pick me up to go to Donna Nook on the Lincolnshire Coast.  As we pulled into the car park Mark was there waiting for us and we were soon organised and heading into the dunes hoping to photograph green hairstreak butterflies, one of our earliest species to emerge.  Roger and I had photographed this fabulous little butterfly before, so it wasn't long before we found the first.  They are tiny insects, no larger than a thumb nail and they only occur in a small area of the dunes at this location.  Once we found one, others soon appeared, though only half a dozen or so as it is still early for them.  We had an excellent couple of hours trying for the perfect shot.  They are very territorial and usually come back to the same spot so it is worth waiting rather than chasing after them.

Donna Nook is a site where the sea defences are to be breached as a flood defence measure.  A new sea wall has been constructed inland of the original one and flood waters will be allowed in to the new lagoon.  Already there are gravelly scrapes and at least six avocets were busily feeding here.  This is excellent news and hopefully, in time, they will breed.  We also saw redshank and shelduck here and in the dunes my first cuckoo and whitethroat of the year.

An excellent day.

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First Bluebells of the Year

Took Jet for a walk to Mausoleum Woods at Great Limber near to Grimsby today and was pleased to photograph the first bluebells of the year.  It was also good to hear both green and greater spotted woodpeckers and a chiffchaff.

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Pasque Flower in the Wolds, Preceded by a Bonby Visit.

It was still cold as I scraped the ice off the car this morning before heading off to Bonby but clear skies looked promising for a good day.  When I arrived on the carrs there was a good frost with mist hanging in the drain.  It was very quiet and peaceful first thing and I had the world to myself.  The only sounds to be heard were the exulting of skylarks, the peewit of displaying lapwings and, incongruously, a peacock calling in the distance.  Again, there was plenty of birdlife about but no wheatear today and,as yet, now yellow wagtails.  Birds I did see included yellowhammer, lapwing, rook, avocet, shelduck, teal, mallard, linnet, meadow pipit and corn bunting.

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Lincoln Red

Linnet

Linnet

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Later in the morning I drove down south of Caistor to a site in the Lincolnshire Wolds where I had been told there was a pasque flower growing.  My directions were excellent and I found it straight away and what a stunning flower it is.  The only one I have seen in the wild in this country.  Lots of cowslips about too.

What an excellent day, I even sat in warm sunshine for my lunch.

Cowslip

Cowslip

Pasque Flower

Pasque Flower

First Swallow.

Saw my first swallows of the year today on the way to Lincoln.

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Another day at Bonby

While the weather was so good I decided to go for another session at Bonby Carrs.  It was a bright day with cumulus clouds beginning to heap up.  The only sound to be heard was the wind and the peewit call of the displaying lapwings.  The same birds were present as a few days ago but today I was delighted to obtain good views and photographs of male wheatear.

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Shoveler

Wheatear

Wheatear

Wheatear

Bonby Carrs and Messingham Sand Quarry

The view from the scarp slope of the northern Lincolnshire Wolds over the Ancholme Valley lifted my spirits as I looked down on the flooded meadows of Bonby Carrs gleaming blue in the early sun.  It was a fabulous fresh Spring morning, with clear skies and a gentle breeze.  The yellow of oilseed rape fields added bright patches of colour to the view.  I couldn't wait to get down onto the Carrs to see what was about.

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Once down there, the only sounds were the rooks calling as they busied themselves on the flooded meadows and the peewit calls of the displayed lapwings.  Nearby I could hear the jangling key song of a corn bunting.  I was delighted to see large numbers of water birds on the flooded areas, although too far away for photography.  Among them were a dozen avocets, presumably from the breeding colony on nearby Reeds Island in the Humber and a pintail.  I enjoyed a wonderful few hours down here before moving on to Messingham Sand Quarry.

Bird List:-
meadow pipit, corn bunting, reed bunting, yellowhammer, mallard, buzzard, crow, rook, lapwing, avocet, shelduck, shoveler, magpie, skylark, pintail, greater spotter woodpecker (heard drumming), linnet, pheasant

Corn Bunting

Corn Bunting

Meadow Pipit

Male Reed Bunting

Male Reed Bunting

Male Reed Bunting

Female Reed Bunting

Skylark

It was still bright and sunny when I arrived at Messingham Sand Quarry.  This is a Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reserve comprising old flooded sand and gravel workings and lowland heath.  The footpath that takes the visitor around the reserve is an excellent way to spot what is about.  Yesterday, although there were good numbers of butterflies on the wing there were, as yet, no signs of dragon or damselflies.  The butterflies were largely settling on the ground as there are no food plants for them at the moment.  These early insects will quicly mate and lay eggs ready for the second generation later in the summer.  It was good to hear both chiffchaff and willow warber as I made my way around the reserve and marsh marigold and gorse were looking stunning; the gorse with its wonderful heady scent of coconut.  Cowslips were just starting to come into their prime.  Other birds that made themselves heard were the noisy and argumentative greylag geese and the harsh, strident calls from the black headed gull colony.  It was good to find a swan sitting on eggs, using the same nest site as last year and I enjoyed some macro photography of a very cooperative frog.  The large clump of royal fern by one of the ponds was just beginning to unfurl.

Notable birds:- Chiffchaff, willow warbler, dabchick, grey lag, black headed gull
Insects;-  Peacock, small tortoiseshell, brimstone, comma, speckled wood, small white.

Frog

Gorse

Gorse

Marsh Marigold

Marsh Marigold

Marsh Marigold

Swan

Peacock

Royal Fern detail

Royal fern unfurling