Goodies in the Gloom

On Wednesday we returned to last Tuesday's location. A more detailed description of that route may be read here

On Wednesday a Turtle Dove could be heard from the car park despite the very cold wind and overcast conditions. We hadn't got too far before we were able to hear a Cuckoo. At lunch time there were 2 Cuckoos on the Path of Brian being mobbed by Meadow Pipits. These were remarkably close, and I was distraught that I'd left my camera at the lunchtime pavilion while I nipped back to the car park. 

 Cuckoo at Spurn [pm] (c) 2013 Tony Robinson

 Record Shot of 2 Cuckoos

 Record Shot of Female(?) Cuckoo with food item

The afternoon session began well with a Kingfisher from our lunch tables, and it soon improved when we enjoyed prolonged views of a pair of Cuckoos. They were quite close to each other on fence posts, but soon the male flew off calling strongly from various locations while the other bird flew from post to post, looking down into the long grass. Was the 2nd bird (a female?) simply looking for food, or was it looking for nest sites of potential prey?

Along the old railway line we had great views of a purring Turtle Dove, which performed its display flights right next to us. We also had good views of Heron, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Bullfinch, Sedge Warbler, Swift, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel; and brief glimpses of Reed Warbler & Blackcap. In the morning we saw 41 species, with a couple more in the afternoon. It was a very satisfying day at a location which isn't even managed for wildlife, but which is a neglected area of the countryside. There used to be these neglected areas all over the UK before 1970. If only we could turn the clock back in wildlife terms. There would be millions of more individual birds for everyone to both hear & see. 

Turtle Dove

 Ditto

 Ditto

 Heron with Nesting Material

 Ditto

 Swift

 Record Shot of Lesser Whitethroat

 Another Big Bird!