Monday 11 June 2018

A Little More Colour

After a fortnight of misty coasts and overcast skies inland, I was a little unsure what to expect at Flamborough on Tuesday morning.  However, the skies began to break on the journey, and the sun had come out fully by the time we arrived.  Even more of a surprise were the strong winds, when only light winds had been forecast.  The designation was a bit of a jolt, as half the massive car park had been taken over by TV equipment banks and catering lorries from Leeds/Manchester.  It didn't help that the car parking machines refused everyone's new £1 coins.   
Male Linnet
All the usual suspects were in place, but a remarkable number were on the sea this time.  It turned out that the TV lorries belonged to ITV's Victoria.   Apparently, Flamborough Cliffs were standing in for the Isle of Wight!  On the return journey we were asked not to use our optics because there was an actor "in a state of undress" on the beach!
Puffins
 Puffin
 Male Kestrel
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Razorbills
 Shags with Razorbills
 Record shot of pair of Peregrines [female, top right]
 Herring Gulls 
 Thrift
 Wind blowing the Grassy cliff tops
 Putting Finishing Touches to the Bathing Hut
 Avocet Chicks at Kilnsea Wetlands
On Wednesday another grey day was forecast, so the morning group switched to Blacktoft Sands.  It was rather a quiet day, but there were some special highlights.  One was a Marsh harrier carrying a large food item, which may have been an Avocet.  then there was an aerial fight between 2 Marsh Harriers of a similar size.  One was clearly an adult male, so the other was probably an immature male.  We saw a female Whitethroat carrying a damselfly to its nestlings right next to the path.  
Marsh Harrier carrying Avocet Chick?
 Ditto 
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Heron
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Heron
A skirmish between two Marsh Harriers
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
Female Whitethroat carrying food items 
 Ditto
 Cetti's Warbler - coming in to land
 Ditto
In the afternoon although the weather hadn't improved at all we met at Oakhill and walked round there.  Unfortunately, most birds were heard, and not seen, and those we did see weren't always photographable.  However, Sally saved the day when she noticed the first of several butterflies "roosting" on grass stems behind some tiny "Dew" ponds
 Blackcap
Blue Tit
 To the nest
 A Surfeit of Coots
 Common Blue
 Meadow Brown
Drinker Moth Caterpillar 
Thursday was a repeat of Tuesday.  The views of Rock Pipits were new, but there was no trace of ITV's Victoria.  The Lesser Whitethroat posed in the open for a few seconds instead of flitting briefly between the bushes.
Male Linnet
 Meadow Pipit
 Ditto
Meadow Pipit (c) 2018 Margaret Richardson
Meadow Pipit (c) 2018 Margaret Richardson
Skylark
 Rock Pipit
 Ditto
 Kittiwake
 Ditto
 Fulmar
 Ditto
 Fulmar
 Gannet
 Ditto
 Shag
 Puffin
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
Linnet (c) 2018 Margaret Richardson
 Ditto
Herring Gull and Chicks (c) 2018 Margaret Richardson
Silver-Y Moth on Red Campion
 Ditto
 Wall Brown
 Cinnabar
 Ditto
 Ditto
It was very overcast on Friday, so our marginal reserve had to be abandoned, and we went to North cave Wetlands instead.  Both groups encountered more than 55 species in just over 2 hours.  This time there was a high proportion of young birds.  Throiugh the assistance of Gary Dayes the morning group saw a fairly distant Corn Bunting, which was a lifer for most.  A male Yellow Wagtail was seen leaving its nest site on a feeding foray, which was a first for this time.  Unfortunately, there are no photos of the latter.  
Mandarin
 Ditto
 Blackcap
 Record Shot of Corn Bunting 
Record Shot of Corn Bunting & Linnet (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Linnet
Linnet (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Great Crested Grebe (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Little Ringed Plover
LRP (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Avocet Chick
Avocet (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Ditto
 Ditto
Shoveler
Shelduck(c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
Lesser Black Backed Gulls
LBB Gulls (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Reed Bunting
 Ditto
 Mediterranean Gull
 Ditto
Med Gull (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Common Tern (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Common Tern [left] & Black-headed Gull
 Black Swan
Coot with Tongue (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Speckled Wood (c) 2018 Jane Robinson

 Starlings (c) 2018 Jane Robinson

Damselfly Species
 Blue-tailed Damselfly 
Bugloss
 Common Fiddleneck
 Orange Hawkweed (Fox 'n Cubs}


1 comment:

Deb Wingert said...

I am overcome with awe at this photo journal of your birding experience. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort that you did to share this with your admiring public.