Thursday 29 November 2018

Hull Waxwings!

News came through yesterday that 8 Waxwings were in their old Aldi/Sainsbury's stomping ground.  This morning the weather was appalling, so there were no decent photos taken.  However, not long after 1pm the wind dropped sharply and the sun came out.  Here are a few photos taken in the bright sunshine.  The berries should last a few more days.  
Waxwing (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
 Waxwings (c) 2018 Hugh Wood
 Waxwing (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
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 Waxwings (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
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Monday 26 November 2018

SEO Back on Site

This afternoon I went to an old haunt of Long-eared Owls.  It was completely overgrown and there was no sign of any birds apart from Redwings and Blackbirds.  On a drive around Stone Creek a Short-eared Owl was flying along the  rough grass on the roadside.  A couple of years ago the same field was replete with at least 5 Short-eared Owls and 3 Hen Harriers.  This was because the field had being allowed to go fallow in preparation for it to be part of the next flood protection scheme.  There must have been some change to these plans because now the burgeoning scrub has been removed and now there is a new winter crop inn the field.  This means the Owls and raptors only have the field margins in which to hunt.  They certainly won't be as concentrated in one field as they were two years ago, but with patience they can be spotted somewhere in the Sunk Island area.  At one time today's bird  flew in front of a brilliant Rainbow.  Of course there was no possibility of snatching a photo with a rainbow in the same photo.  Shortly afterwards it landed on a pile of dead grass along the side of a dyke.  It stayed there several seconds before it carried on hunting.  
Short-eared Owl
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Some of the Owls and Harriers from 2 years ago may be seen here or here  
Jane and Pat from the Friday am group checked out the Stone Creek area.  They didn't see any Owls as the wind picked up this afternoon, but they were lucky enough to spot what looks like a second-winter male Hen Harrier.
Male Hen Harrier (c) 2018 Jane Robinson 
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Possible Golden Plover flock (c) 2018 Jane Robinson


Saturday 24 November 2018

Coping with Grey

To summarise the past few days it has been like a November day from the 1980s in Withernsea - very grey.  Despite the conditions it has been possible to take some photographs.  This wasn't; possible on Tuesday at Ness End.  The first half hour was fine with good views from Main Hide.  One of the birds seen was a Great Crested Grebe, which was absent the following day. In-between the Tuesday and Wednesday was a horrendous outpouring of heavy rain and extremely fierce easterly winds.  However, on Wednesday a female Marsh Harrier hunted quite close to the Main Hide providing excellent views even in the poor light.  
Marsh Harrier
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 Redwing  
 Female Goldeneye
 Redshank
Sitting in Reedy Hide for half-an-hour or so, we eventually heard a pinging side, but a solitary male Bearded Tit put in an appearance behind the seed tray.  it was visible for a few seconds before flying off.  The following day a Bearded Tit was photographed in the clutches of the talons of a Sparrowhawk.  it is to be hoped this wasn't the same individual. 
Bearded Tit
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Flying Off
A Water Rail showed well at Target Lake, but the light wasn't helpful for photography.
Water Rail   
From the same hide a Little Grebe was observed running on water  
Little Grebe
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On the river was a small flock of Wigeon, but only two of which are shown here.   
Pair of Wigeon
At the back of the new pools and woodland a field had quite a number of Curlew and Starlings.
A pair of Black-tailed Godwits flew past us heading east along the river.  
Black-tailed Godwit 
At the back of the new pools and woodland a field had quite a number of Curlew and Starlings. 
Curlews
Ear Fungus
Around half of the afternoon group decided to remain behind for the Starling murmuration.  Only mobile phones were taken, but even they were able to capture the scene.
Starlings (c) 2019 Brian Darvell 
"Smoke Flowing Backwards" Starlings (c) 2019 Brian Darvell
 Footprint (c) 2018 Hugh Wood
 A GIF of the murmuration (c) 2018 Hugh Wood
Stone Creek isn't overrun with either owls or harriers this year, but at last there are some birds of interest, which may be photographed using a vehicle as a hide.  
Golden Plovers
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Greenfinch
 Rooks
 Flying off
 Returning
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 Settling
 Ottringham
 Thorngumbald
On Thursday it was so grey on the Wolds that cameras were never removed from cars, so there are no photographs to show.  On Friday it was only a little brighter, so camera were used.  Unfortunately, later in the day drizzle set in, so there are fewer photographs than there may have been.  We went to the new location on the South Bank for the second time.  It was a shame it was so cloudy.  Both groups saw a flying Kingfisher, but it was to quick for a photograph to be obtained.
Lapwings 
Lapwing (c) 2018 Jane Robinson 
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Collared Dove in the parking area
 Adult Heron
Heron (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
Dunlin [left] and Turnstone [right]
 Black-tailed Godwit
A small flock of Black-tailed Godwits flying east
 Rock Pipit 
Rock Pipit (c) 2018 Jane Robinson
There were as many as thirty Reed Buntings confined in an area of reeds and hawthorns, but they were difficult to photograph in the poor light.  Apparently there are at least 3 collective nouns for these birds.  So, did we see a decoration, a mural or a sacrifice of Reed Buntings? If the sun had been shining perhaps they could have been described as a decoration, but in the circumstances I'll have to go with a sacrifice!
Male Reed Bunting
Hovering Kestrel
In the afternoon it was even darker, but most of the same birds were seen.
Lapwing (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Little Egret with one of the Kingfisher's food items! (c) 2018 Mike Woods
 Little Egret