Ringing at Filey

Today we were at Filey, which coincided with the Filey Brigg Ornithological Group's annual ringing week in the Country Park.  Before the session started I checked it was OK for us to watch, and Pete Dunn said we would be welcome to observe. 

Jay

 Filey's Temporary Ringing Station

 Pete Dunn explaining something to the am session, plus 2 extraneous members of the public!

Continental Jay

 When we arrived Coal Tits were already being processed.  Shortly afterwards 2 greenfinches were caught, so the wing feathers and tail feathers were spread to show how a bird may be sexed and aged.

Greenfinch

 Greenfinch

 Weighing a Greenfinch

After the ringing the morning session shared cars to Filey Dams.  Some of the ringers where here too, to repair the Barn Owl Box.  To do that they had to catch the 2 Barn owls in residence, and these were also shown to the morning group.  one was noticeably darker than the other, so was probably the female.

Checking the Barn Owl Box - through the mist

 The probable male Barn Owl

 The probable female Barn Owl

 The probable female Barn Owl

Because of the disturbance on the reserve most of the birds had been flushed, but we did see the Avocet, some Wigeon and an immature Heron.  There was no sign of the Black-tailed Godwit. 

Immature Heron

The afternoon session saw BlueTits, a Tree Sparrow, and a Goldcrest being ringed.  

 Blue Tit - taking a peck

 Tree Sparrow

 Goldcrest

 Goldcrest - checking its fat reserves

 The Tally at 2pm

After the ringing we went down to the beach were we saw Oystercatchers, Turnstones, a Redshank, a few Cormorants and an immature Gannet continually diving into Filey Bay, and usually returning to the surface with a mouthful of food.  Meanwhile a Herring Gull wrestled with a crab which was still alive, and which was seen to give the gull a nasty nip.  

Herring Gull - eating a crab

 Juvenile Gannet - getting ready to dive 1

 Juvenile Gannet - getting ready to dive 2

 Juvenile Gannet - getting ready to dive 3

 Gannet - after the dive

2 Lifers for the Majority

Temminck's Stint (c) 2012 Martin Standley

Taken at the same location a few years ago

 Wood Sandpiper - taken at Spurn a couple of years ago

Today was a rerun of the same location as 5th of May: http://www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/yesterday-was-another-day-struggling.html  

 Pied Wagtail

Standing on the bridge yielded House Martin, House Sparrow, Starlings and Goldfinches feeding young.  There were also Swifts, Carrion Crows and a Magpie.  Immediately we went through the gate was a Reed Warbler on Cow Parsley, which then began to sing in a beech tree in someone’s garden.   A Sparrowhawk went over the gate being chased by 2 Magpies.  A Pied Wagtail was singing on a post near a paddock, but the usual Mistle Thrush was absent.

Record shot of Reed Warbler

Swallow

Along the river bank there had been a big influx of Reed Warblers since the last visit, but there were few Sedge Warblers in full song – but we did obtain good views of both (not Sedge in the pm).  A Lesser-Black backed Gull flew overhead.  There were Swallows perched on some of the ‘jetties’, and the Reed Bunting chicks, proved something of a novelty.  Meadow Pipits and Skylarks seemed down in number but they may have been on chick-feeding duties.  We met a couple who’d been out birding much earlier & they had seen an Osprey directly overhead at 9am, flying north along the River Hull heading towards Pulfin Bog.  I’m sure the class gave a collective gasp or it could have been a groan at this point.  In the afternoon we saw a pair of Buzzards over a small copse being mobbed by crows.  

 Record shot of Meadow Pipit

 Growth on a Feral Goose

Reed Bunting Fledgling (above)

Waders seen included plenty of Lapwings, a few Oystercatchers, Redshank with at least 2 chicks, and then a strange bird was seen through Liz’s scope – a Wood Sandpiper.   There was a group of 8 Ringed Plovers at one point flying around, which came down to land, which the students thought just disappeared into the mud.  Another bird flying around was a single Snipe which performed its magnificent display, although we couldn't hear it from the distance we were from it. After a lot of searching in vain and head scratching Steve picked out a tiny bird by the side of a pool.  All the other sightings seemed to be of Pied Wagtails, but this one proved to be a nicely-marked Temminck’s Stint.  In the afternoon we just about managed to see (badly) the Wood Sandpiper through the bins, but the Temminck’s Stint was virtually impossible.  Luckily, a very patient West Yorkshire couple took their time with the whole group to ensure that everyone saw it.  The Wood Sandpiper was a lifer for all but one more experienced birder, while the Temminck's Stint was a lifer for all but the tutor.

 Greenfinch

Foal 

 Cygnets

 Submarine

 At the bridge in the afternoon we had a singing Blackcap, and a Wren almost went between someone’s legs, whilst a Greenfinch wheezed at the top of a recently-opened Ash tree, whilst in the morning we were merely scolded by a pair of Blue Tits and a singing Chiffchaff.  On the am return journey we took the path along Barmston Drain and added Yellowhammer, Linnet, Whitethroat, & Shoveler.  As we were leaving the site before lunch a Grey Partridge called behind us just after a hedge screened our view.  The pm session was much quieter in this area.  Both groups gawped at the 'submarine', whilst the cygnets were spotted in the afternoon.

Algebra or Logarithms?

Bullfinch

Today was our first visit to a brand new venue.  Unfortunately, some participants found it quite a difficult location to find.  In the car park as soon as I arrived a Wren, Linnet, and Greenfinch were all perched in a bare young tree.  When the others arrived there were also House Martins & Swifts flying on the field around us.  In the afternoon most of these birds had gone, but a pair of House Sparrows had moved in instead – not sure if this was an adequate compensation! We set off trying to to avoid the frequent dumpings of dog mess – although it still wasn’t quite as bad as Allerthorpe Woods.  

Maureen correctly identified a Whitebeam, while it was Ellen who did the same in the afternoon.  As we climbed the incline Anthony discerned a distant Skylark singing over the fields. As we walked along the Poplar Avenue Miles spotted a pair of bullfinches. The male cleaned himself in the centre of a Willow bush long enough for everyone, even Maxine to observe him.  While we observed him a Great Spotted Woodpecker made its ‘pic, pic’ sounds, and a Chiffchaff sang nearby.  We couldn’t find the bullfinches in the afternoon, but there was a family of Long-tailed Tits here instead.  Behind us on the playing field there were plenty of corvids, including many Rooks, several Carrion Crows, a pair of Magpies and a single Jackdaw.  Unfortunately, we couldn’t spot a Jay and there was no sign of a Raven or Chough – otherwise every member of the Crow family was represented.  

Rook

 We approached an area which has been scraped for a pond and here we had a Whitethroat, and a Chiffchaff, whilst a small, almost black vole was running through the grass.  There were various Linnets flying over which became more numerous as we approached the area which had previously held greenhouses.  Our first Willow Warbler was in this area too.  A Sparrowhawk plunged through a row of trees, and later another was seen chasing a small passerine, which managed to escape.  We examined a map near the entrance to work out which route we had actually taken & what wildlife we were likely to see.  There were several Linnets and a Greenfinch on some wires.

Linnet

We left the reserve & watched the wildlife which could be seen from a bridge over Holderness Drain.  Here we saw Whitethroat, a Song Thrush and perched Goldfinches.  2 Mistle Thrushes flew into a single tree & then set off across a field towards the drain.  However, the best bird here was a Great Spotted Woodpecker which fluttered down towards the bottom of the drain bank.  It flew off a few minutes later with its beak stuffed with food.  In the afternoon there were fewer birds seen in this area, but Barbara spotted something swimming across the drain, which by colour & the way it swam seemed to be a Water Vole.  

 Song Thrush

 While walking along the drain a Sparrowhawk carrying prey flew towards us, and passed relatively near to where we were standing.  Only a few minutes later Anthony & Miles saw a bird leave the golf course.  It flew over the drain and into cover right in front of us, although it failed to utter a sound of any sort.  It was probably a female Cuckoo – this was a first for Maxine, but I think she’d have preferred it to have been a calling male.  All these birds were absent in the afternoon, but were replaced with a Chiffchaff and a panicky Coot on the drain.   On the return journey there were fewer Rooks on the playing field, but one allowed its picture to be taken. 

Sparrowhawk carrying Blackbird/Starling?

 Peacock

 Blackcap

 ditto

 Chiffchaff

 Whitethroat

 The afternoon was a lot quieter from the bird point of view, although the sunshine brought out the butterflies in profusion.  There were several Brimstones, a couple of Speckled Woods, a Small Tortoiseshell, and plenty of Orange-tips, Peacocks, & both Green-veined and Small Whites.  We had good views of a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, and the silhouette of a Willow Warbler, but I could sense a growing sense of unrest.  The unrest was dispelled by a pair of Stock Doves, which flew out of a Sycamore on Poplar Avenue.  The simmering mutiny was only finally vanquished in the dying moments when I managed to track down a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Male Bullfinch.

Bullfinch

 Bullfinch (with something on its bill?)

 Speedwell

Open Day Plus One

Kingfisher - Bird of the Day (Old Photograph)

All other photos were taken today

Yesterday was unusual in being a working day, but what was even more unusual was that Sunday was a working day too.  Of course, there are many people who would argue that what I do can’t really be called working!  Yesterday was the occasion of the first official opening of Hull’s first nature reserve, and today I was involved in a Birdwatching Walk for Beginners round the Noddle Hill Nature Reserve. 

As I walked from one car park to the other I heard a grating squawk on the playing fields, and there were my first juvenile Starlings of the year.  The only other birds in this area were some grazing Greylag Geese.  Most of the rest of the participants were waiting in the Anglers Car Park where we were serenaded by a Chaffinch.  From here it was also possible to hear a Reed Warbler singing from the lake and someone spotted a Greenfinch wheezing from some bare twigs.  At least 12 people had booked, but plenty of children also attended.  Steve from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust made a short introduction and we began.  I tried to spot the birds at the front of the group, while Steve concentrated on keeping those at the back of the group informed of what we were seeing. 

Starlings

 Chaffinch

 Orange-Tip

 Willow Warbler (can't see its pink legs)

We squeezed into Red Admiral Alley where we immediately heard a Chiffchaff, soon followed by a Blackcap and a Robin.  We didn’t see a Red Admiral, but we did observe an Orange-tip nectaring on a dandelion, swiftly followed by a pair of fighting Speckled Wood butterflies.  Towards the end of the alley we were treated to the wonderful cascading song of a Willow Warbler, as it sang from of all things, a Willow tree.  This provided a welcome contrast to the previous bird, which had been the monotonous ‘song’ of a Collared Dove.  As we were about to emerge from the alley a few Swifts and House Martins flew about, but by the time we were back in the open they had all moved on.  

Carrion Crow

 Reverend Reed Bunting

We struck out into more open country and this is where we encountered the biggest problem of the day: the very strong winds.  Despite the wind we spotted more Greenfinches on the wires, a few Linnets, and a single Skylark flew over the crowd of cattle.  Shortly afterwards a Magpie quickly flew away when it saw us coming.  It was about this moment that we flushed a pair of Red-legged Partridge.  We traversed the full length of the site towards Foredyke Drain & on the way saw plenty of Linnets flying around, and several Whitethroats performing their ‘puppet on a string song flight’ before diving into thick bramble cover again.   Carrions Crows perched on the hawthorn bushes & a few were feeding in the flooded meadow, which in the late afternoon, evening and night is transformed into the hunting ground of the Short-eared Owl.  When the drain was in sight I could hear the simple repetitive song of a male Reed Bunting, so we were able to inch our way towards it until everyone in the group had seen it.  Once everyone had taken a look I crept a bit nearer to take a picture.

We followed Foredyke Drain towards the pumping station.  On the way we had some great views of singing Skylarks and I spotted some owl pellets on the ground in the middle of nowhere which can only have come from Short-eared Owls.  We reached the junction with Holderness Drain, but the strong winds meant that there were much fewer birds around than our previous visit: http://www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/new-reserve-gets-nod-of-approval.html

Everyone was able to catch up & we had a breather from the walk and the wind.  Unfortunately, even the Tree Sparrows didn’t appear to be hanging around their nest holes.  Steve and I were just having a short chat when I heard the tell-tale high-pitched squeak of a Kingfisher.  I was in time to let everyone know it was flying past & everyone swung round to gaze towards the drain.  Luckily, most people saw the bird, but the force of 15 faces swinging round to look at it, meant that the Kingfisher quickly let its DNA fall into the water before lifting into the air and flying over the lock.

Linnet

 Chiffchaff (black legs)

 Bottoms Up! (Greylag Goslings)

On the return journey we saw a Kestrel being mobbed by a crow, and the front section of the crowd had a brief glimpse of a Sedge Warbler, but it went to ground in a bramble bush and refused to come out.   On the way back a Linnet actually posed near enough to snatch a photograph.  As we walked round the lake I heard the mournful piping of a Bullfinch, which then flew over our heads & straight above the island without perching in the open for everyone to have a good look.  However, a Chiffchaff was more obliging as it sang much lower down than normal. Then we were back in the car park.  Despite the strong winds, I’m sure everyone learned something, and I hope they will return on a less windy day.

On the way back across the playing field to my car I saw a final new bird of the day: a Pied Wagtail.  This took the final tally of birds to exactly 40, which is quite respectable considering the lousy wind!