Sunday 22 October 2017

The One that Got Away

Last week was a lot more varied than the previous one.  on Tuesday because of a bad forecast we avoided the coast and went to Tophill Low for the second time this term.
Hawfinch (c) 2017 Mike Woods
There weren't too many photo opportunities in the gale force conditions.  However, the early Kestrel was a highlight, which left a lamppost to specifically pick something out of a nearby tree and bring return with it to eat.  We think it may have been a dragonfly.
Kestrel
 Ditto
 Ditto
When we were walking round O reservoir, before we got to the Grass snake area I remember remarking "That's strange it almost sounds like a Firecrest."  It seemed such an impossibility that I never pursued it - ouch!  I was chagrined the next day to discover a Firecrest was actually on site - the one that got away!  Next time listen to your instinct, and search it out!
Pink-footed Geese
 Red Admiral 
 Ditto
 Larva
 Stinkhorn 
 Undeveloped Stinkhorn
What we heard, but failed to see - Firecrest
On Wednesday we made our first visit of the week to Filey to see observe a ringing demonstration.  After that we shared cars to Filey Dams, the reserve hidden away among a housing estate of bungalows.  A single Black-tailed Godwit was arguably the best bird present.
Black-tailed Godwits
 Teal
 Wren
Redpoll 
 Male Redpoll [left] & female 
 Ditto
 Goldcrest
Releasing the Goldcrest 
 Blue Tit
 Female Chaffinch
 Immature Goldfinch
 Robin
 Blackcap
 Ditto
 Tree Sparrow
 Ditto
Birds ringed by Wednesday 
 Total birds seen by Wednesday
 We followed the same routine on Thursday afternoon, but we had a go along Filey bring on Thursday morning, but the many dog walkers and geography students seemed to have alarmed the bird life.
Black-tailed Godwit
Ditto 
Shelduck 
Some of the Wednesday morning regulars stopped off at Bempton and saw a Radde's Warbler, a Pied Flycatcher and a Tawny Owl.  The latter was glimpsed by the Thursday pm crowd, in much worse weather conditions
Radio's Warbler (c) 2017 Tony Robinson
 Ditto
 Pied Flycatcher (c) 2017 Tony Robinson
 Tawny Owl (c) 2017 Tony Robinson
Snipe
We arrived on Thursday morning to hear that a star bird had recently been caught in a mist net.  I asked if it was a Firecrest, but was informed not quite a star bird as that - the mind boggled.  It turned out to be a Yellow-browed Warbler.  I believed we raised over £80 in total.
The star bird on Thursday morning - not a Firecrest
a Yellow-browed Warbler
 Teal
 Ditto
 Blackbird
 Redwing
 Song Thrush
 Ditto
 Pointing out detail
 Gossamer threads on the grass in the Country Park
 The sun on a section of the Sea
On Friday we went to Kilnsea the weather forecast was so bad in the morning we left our lenses in the car, but in the event we could have taken them with us, as the rain stopped immediately we started to walk from the car park.  An early highlight were 3 Eiders (2 drakes) leaving the river for the sea at speed.  In all, the morning group saw 48 species, whilst the afternoon added two stars - a Ring Ouzel and a Yellow-browed Warbler.  Unfortunately, although all participants managed to see the ring ouzel it was too far for a decent photo. The couple from Ossett stayed behind and were rewarded with good views of a Hawfinch in the Crown and Anchor car park.
A better view of a Ring Ouzel seen on a previous year, not too far from the same area
Hawfinch (c) 2017 Mike Woods
 Ditto
 Record shot of Grey Plover (c) 2017 Mike Woods
 Yellow-browed Warbler (c) 2017 Mike Woods
 Ditto
 The not so pleasant view out at sea (c) 2017 Mike Woods

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