Friday 15 November 2019

Breaking the 100 Species Barrier

Grey Wagtail

On Tuesday it rained all the way to our first Autumn visit to the Yorkshire Wolds.  I thought the session may have to be abandoned.  However, the rain stopped shortly before arrival, then the grey clouds dispersed and the sun came out.  On the drive to the meeting place a large bird flew up from the ground, and seemed a lot slower than a Pheasant, and it almost landed on my bonnet.  It was my closest encounter with a Buzzard. When the whole group returned it launched itself from a similar position - perhaps there was a kill by the roadside?  It was a beautiful morning in a really attractive location.  Towards the end ominous grey clouds started to congregate, and it looks as though we luckily escaped a return of the rain.  
Red Kite
We walked along the hilltop first and almost immediately encountered a Marsh Tit.  Not long afterwards a Treecreeper and a Nuthatch were also added to the species seen.  These were all new birds for this term.  although we didn't hear any nasal sounds we were soon aware that Bramblings were in the trees above our head. 
 Treecreeper
 ditto
 Fieldfare
 Red Kites
After we had completed our walk along the ridge top we walked down into the village.  The Tawny Owl was sunbathing in the usual place, and then David found some Siskins feeding in Alders among the Goldfinches.  The brook wasn't actually babbling, but was close to overtopping its banks. 
Tawny Owl
Overall, we identified at least 10 new species for the term, taking the cumulative figure to 103 species for the Autumn.  As far as I'm aware this is the highest figure for any Tuesday term in 15 years, and we still have a couple of weeks to bring the tally even higher
Yawning Red Kite?
On Wednesday we went to Tophill Low in very nice weather for a change.  We clashed with a local RSPB group, so we did a route march to Watton Borrow Pits.  We stopped off at O Reservoir, where we had a good view of a Great Crested Grebe.
Great Crested Grebe
 ditto
At South Scrub we saw a stunning male Bullfinch, and a flock of Greenfinches.
Bullfinch
 ditto
 ditto
 Greenfinches
There were a lot of wildfowl at Ness End including: Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler, a possible female Pintail only seen briefly and just one drake Goldeney moulting into his adult plumage.
Immature Drake Goldeneye
 Cormorants in Guano Tree
A Peregrine was perched on a pylon when we arrived, but it must have flown off in a westerly direction, as it didn't affect the birds on the water. 
Peregrine 
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
On the return journey a Water Rail was heard and eventually spotted on South Lagoon.  
Water Rail (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
Moorhen (c) 2019 Symon Fraser
Record shot of Kingfisher (c) 2019 Symon Fraser

Pied Wagtail (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
 Blue Tit in Sand Martin hole!
 Reed Bunting (c) 2019 Tony Robinson
In the afternoon we had great views of a confiding Grey Wagtail on South Marsh East.
Grey Wagtail
ditto  
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 Pied Wagtail
 ditto
 ditto
In the afternoon  a couple of Roe Deer passed directly in front of the hide.  
Roe Deer
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
Roe Deer (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
Roe Deer (c) 2019 Symon Fraser

Microlight (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
 Hume's Warbler (c) 2019 Tony Robinson
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 Record shot of Short-eared Owl (c) 2019 Tony Robinson
 ditto
On Thursday we "enjoyed" a very wet day at Ness End.  Apparently, on the beautiful sunny day before our visit 5 Bitterns could all be seen at the same, on Thursday we saw a big fat zero of them.  There may be at least 6 on site.   
Cormorant
 ditto - hopefully with pondweed
 3 female Goldeneyes
 Tufted Ducks
 Wren among Spindle
 ditto
 Spindle
On Friday we went to Tuesday's location and followed the same route.  Some of the birds were different. 
 Marsh Tit
 Coal Tit
 Coal Tit with Beech mast
 ditto
Female Brambling
Red Kite
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 Tawny Owl
 Tawny Owl (c) 2019 Jane Robinson
 Siskin
 Siskin (c) 2019 Jane Robinson

No comments: