Sunday 30 September 2018

First Full Week of Autumn

For the first full week of classes for the Autumn sessions the week fell into two neat halves.  The Tuesday and Wednesday classes went to RSPB Blacktoft, whilst Thursday and Friday students went to neighbouring Alkborough Flats.

Although Blcktoft had more water than a fortnight ago, the goodies were all cooped up outside Marshland Hide. These included: Ruff, Snipe, but all the wagtails had departed.  There were no Yellow Wagtails or Meadow Pipits at Ousefleet either, but these had been replaced by a very confiding female immature Kestrel.  
Immature Female Kestrel
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 Same bird (c) 2018 Tony Robinson
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 possibly same bird (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
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 Heron
 Marsh Harrier
 Pink-footed Geese
 Ruff, Lapwing & Shoveler
 Woodpigeon
 Heron

On Thursday the highlight was a Spoonbill, as this was a lifer for at least 2 attendees.  Also present were a few Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Shelduck, Shoveler, Wigeon.  The walk to Tower Hide added Greenshank, Jay,whilst the walk to the Trent permitted us to espy some distant Golden Plover on the mudflats towards Blacktoft.

Another star of the show were the small flocks of Bearded Tits.  These were in irruption mode, pinging in the reeds before ascending in small groups flying horizontally before plunging down into another area of reeds.  They weren't in the mood for posing in the open.  

Raptors seen included: Marsh Harrier, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk, whilst it is believed a Peregrine disturbed all the waders and wildfowl in front of the main hide before they eventually returned, but further off than they had been.

The Spoonbill departed on Thursday afternoon, luckily after everyone had a very good look at it.  Unfortunately, it hadn't returned for the Friday sessions.  


Other birds seen or heard include: Water Rail, Cetti's Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker. 
 Avocets
 Spoonbill
 Spoonbill in flight
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 Pink-footed Goose
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 Bearded Tits
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 Little Egret
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 Snipe
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Lapwing (c) 2018 Jane Robinson 
 Lapwing (c) 2018 Mike Woods 
 Avocet
 Ruff (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Pink-footed Geese (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Small Copper
 One a day later, more faded individual?
 Red Admiral
 Wall Brown on fox'n cubs (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Ditto
 Small White on Sea Aster
 Immature Heron
Same bird (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Jay 
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 Heron (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Black-tailed Godwit (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Kestrel (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Pink-footed Geese (c) 2018 Mike Woods
Stonechat (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Stonechat (c) 2018 Jane Robinson 
Male Stonechat (c) 2018 Mike Woods
Female Stonechat (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Whinchat [left] & record shot of Stonechat [right] (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Whinchat (c) 2018 Mike Woods
Roe Deer
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Roe Deer (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Goatsbeard
Meanwhile back at home.  I didn't manage to photograph the Ring-necked Parakeet flying over home as I was about to drive to Alkborough on Friday morning.  However, we have had a Long-tailed Tit having a bath, and the other week a colourful juvenile Willow Warbler stopped over to do the same.
Long-tailed Tit
 Immature Willow Warbler
 Ditto
Garden Warbler
Last week we had a very windy day at Tophill, where I photographed a beetle, and Tony Robinson managed some birds.
Beetle species at Tophill Low
 Cormorant (c) 2018 Tony Robinson
 Greylag Geese (c) 2018 Tony Robinson
And finally, some photographs taken during the summer break.  The first few at the Canal Zone at Kilnsea.
Red-backed Shrike
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 Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler
 Sedge Warbler
 Yellow Wagtail
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 A whole family of Yellow Wagtails
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 Another try for the Red-backed Shrike
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 Wall Brown
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 Attempted Hanky-Panky
 Willow Warbler
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Then to Paull Holme Strays
Black-tailed Godwit
 Golden Plovers - some with remnants of breeding plumage
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 Swift
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Kilnsea Wetlands 
Dunlin 
 Greenshank
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Spurn 
Smart Grey Plover
 Knot
 Knot (Kilnsea Wetlands)
 Knot
 Snipe
 Young Swallows
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 Incoming food
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 waiting
 Feeding
 Incoming Food
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 Wheatear
 Whinchat
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 Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff & Redshank
 Black-tailed Godwit
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 Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, Redshank & Ruff
 And finally my first Icterine warbler, shame it wasn't in a natural habitat!