Friday 2 December 2022

Measuring Up

Heron - Measuring Up 

It was very grey and still on Tuesday, so it would have been the perfect conditions for Stone Creek, but we were at North Cave Wetlands.  Dryham Lane was dripping with Redwings, but they can’t have been there too long as the hedges were still dripping with Hawthorn berries.  A male Bullfinch was also getting in the act as were Blackbirds and a single lethargic Woodpigeon.  When we arrived at Crosslands Hide something had spooked a flock of Lapwing, which were accompanied by 2 Golden Plovers.  We later found one of them again on one of the islands on Silt Pond.  A Little Egret, a Heron, and plenty of Lapwing were also in that area.
Redwing

ditto
ditto
Bullfinch
Robin
Lethargic Woodpigeon - Birdflu Victim?
Great Tit
Record Shot of Golden Plover

We had already seen Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall and Redshank around Crosslands, and in the new workings found some smart Shovelers and Tufted Ducks, and Margaret located a Little Grebe.  As we walked along the west walk a large flock of undulating tiny Siskins flew past us several times.  We then located them a few minutes later on some Alder trees.  They were the best Siskins we had found for many an age.   

Siskins
ditto
Dog Vomit Fungi
Kelsey Fungi
Velvet Shank?
The traffic was bad through Hull on Wednesday morning, so it was about 9.15 before I arrived at Ness End.  The car park was almost replete with cars, but devoid of personnel.  The others, who had already arrived, had all gone to Main Hide to wait for the Bittern, which failed to arrive.  They did see female Goldeneyes and Shovelers. In the afternoon there was a Heron and two Cormorants on the raft and 2 female Goldeneye.
Immature Heron

Heron & Cormorants (& Goldeneye)
Female Goldeneye (c) 2022 Peter Moizer
We walked along to Target Lake and saw Tufted Ducks, more Shovelers, Teal and Gadwall from there, plus a single Redshank.  The Humber bank evinced plenty of Wigeon and more scattered Redshank.  We saw a herd of Curlew heading west.  The soundtrack included the stuttering of an inexperienced Cetti’s Warbler.
Redshank
Wigeon
ditto
Little Grebe
ditto
Little Grebe (c) 2022 Peter Moizer
Drake Shoveler (c) 2022 Peter Moizer
Drake Tufted Duck (c) 2022 Peter Moizer
We stayed in Reedy Hide for a fairly lengthy period and were eventually able to observe 3 male and 4 female Bearded Tits.  They were busily feeding on some reed heads, and managed to take evasive action when a female Sparrowhawk attempted to snatch one of them.  It was a little less eventful in the afternoon, but there were a few sightings of Marsh Harriers.
Marsh Harrier
Bearded Tits
ditto
ditto
Sparrowhawk Fanning its Tail
ditto

There were a couple of loud splashes near the screen, which we hoped was caused by an Otter, but may have been more mundanely made by a large fish.  

Across the road were several Redwings, but the highlight was a Chiffchaff which left the reedbed for the large Willow trees.

Song Thrush
Some of the Wednesday am crowd went on to a rather poor Alkborough Flats, but one rather special bird was seen.
Record Shot of Ringtail Hen Harrier (c) 2022 Tony Robinson
The fourth consecutive grey day began with the long slog to RSPB Fairburn Ings.  2 Redpolls flew over the car park, a Great Spotted Woodpecker “pikked” from the top of a poplar & some Redwings flew through, plus a charm of Goldfinches alighted in another area of the car park.
Red Kite
Lesser Redpoll 
ditto
ditto
The walk to the screen resulted in more Redwings, whilst a flock of Long-tailed Tits checked out the empty bird feeders.  Nearby some tatty Alder trees held a couple of Lesser Redpolls, and there were more along the green-choked drain.  The Kingfisher was usurped by a female Goosander at the Kingfisher screen in the morning, whilst in the afternoon a Heron measured up against the depth of water gauge.
Measuring Up?
Green Woodpecker
ditto
Record Shot in Flight
Distant View of Liz's Goosanders
The walk up the hill was uneventful, as birds had been spooked by a working party.  The south side of the big heap was fairly quiet, but we turned to the west facing side and glimpsed a Green Woodpecker heading into the Birch woodland.  After lunch we had good views of a couple of static Woodpeckers perched high in a Silver Birch.  Elaine spotted a Great White Egret in the far distance, which was still visible later in the day.  Also distant were some Pintail, a Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Canada Geese and other wildfowl.  A female Kestrel was in the top of a leafless tree, and a few Fieldfare were seen disappearing into the bushes and trees.  We had almost completed the upper circuit when another Great White Egret flew past before being rejected by a Heron and it was forced to return the way it had come.  
Great White Egret
ditto
Toadstools on Owl Sculpture
Fungi
On Friday we made our final visit of 2022 to the wolds.  The village was rather quiet at first, but then we had singing Mistle Thrushes with plenty of Redwings flying in every direction, and a mobile flock of Siskins, but remaining at the level of the tree tops.  The absent Tawny Owl tree had a pair of Bullfinches and was surrounded by berry-plucking Blackbirds.  A Treecreeper was prominent near the Nunnery Walk gate, whilst in the afternoon the undulating lumps and bumps were populated by Redwings.  As we were leaving the village a pair of confiding Goldcrests delighted participants, plus a flock of Long-tailed Tits also performed well.
Record Shot of Siskin
Male Siskin (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
ditto
Female Siskin (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
Treecreeper
ditto
Wren
Goldcrest
ditto
Goldcrest (c) 2022 Dave Hill
Redwing (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
ditto
ditto
The walk up the hill brought more Redwings, but this week the Barn Owl failed to show properly - only 2 course members managed a quick view of it.  However, I suspect at least one class member went back for a second look, as a photo of the missing bird miraculously appeared!  On the plus side, we had the best views of Fallow Deer Stags we have enjoyed so far. 
Peek-a-Boo Barn Owl (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Record Shot of Part of a Brambling
On the brow of the hill a Woodcock flew up violently  from a hedge bottom, and then turned flew over a gate and disappeared in the base of another hedge.  The sun started to come out, and then George spotted the Bramblings.  Suddenly Red Kites and Buzzards took to the air.  When we returned to the village at least 12 Buzzards rose soaring above the trees in a couple of “Kettles” with at least 4 Red Kites also adorning the sky.  Returning to the cars we found 2 Grey Wagtails - one on the roof whilst the other flew over our heads in the direction of leaving the village.
Red Kite
Ken's Red Kite (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
Calling Red Kite (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
ditto
Red Kites 
Fieldfare
Fieldfare (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
Buzzard
Pale Morph Buzzard (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
Grey Wagtail (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Fallow Deer Stag
ditto
Fallow Deer Stags (c) 2022 Jane Robinson
Fallow Herd (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag
Two Friday participants went on to North Cave Wetlands to watch the Starlings muster....
Starlings Gathering at N.Cave (c) 2022 Angela-Murray-Nag 
ditto
ditto
Two Wednesday afternoon stalwarts missed a visit to their local patch last week, and travelled all the way to the Welsh side of the Dee Estuary at the Point of Ayr, which is where the following photos were taken. 
Drake Pintail (c) 2022 Peter Moizer
Female Pintail (c) 2022 Peter Moizer
Curlew (c) 2022 Peter Moizer
Stonechat (c) 2022 Peter Moizer

No comments: