A Day of 2 Halves

Yesterday's birding sessions took place with a difference - the majority of the classes took place from the security, comfort and warmth of our cars. We met on the banks of the Humber and shared cars into the depth of deepest, darkest Holderness. There were relatively few birds at first, although there were plenty of Blackbirds and Fieldfare. Eventually we saw more and more Curlews in stubble fields, probably looking for worms. We continued until we reached a very muddy area where we had a look around. There was no sign of the once guaranteed Kingfisher in its normal place, but Common Seals were basking on the mudflats. Also on the estuary were large numbers of Golden Plovers with smaller amounts of Grey Plovers, Shelduck, and Mallard. On the creek itself there were several Redshank, and a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits. 

Hen Harrier on a previous visit (a mile from where we saw it yesterday)  (c) 2012 Vince Cowell

 ditto

The hawthorn bushes were adorned with Fieldfare, but there was also a strange nasal twang coming from this area - which turned out to be a decent flock of Twites. They flew off with their bouncing, jinking flight, and our official counter, Miles, was able to confirm that there were exactly 45 of them when they landed on the telegraph wires. Looking across the salt marsh I was surprised and then thrilled to see a pearly-grey slowly flying raptor - a stonking male Hen Harrier. Luckily, it seemed to favour an area with a pale washed-up sofa, so it was relatively easy for everyone to latch on to the bird. In the afternoon there were Little Egrets in the same area, but not really an adequate compensation!

 Twite

 Golden Plovers

 Ditto

We then carried on our car sharing over a terrible potholed road, and the wildlife encounters immediately improved. First we came across 5 Roe Deer right by the side of the road, and a buck actually climbed the bank and ran in front of us before continuing in the field on the other side. We hadn't gone too far when a Magpie and a raptor were seen flying from the south across the bare fields. It wasn't exactly clear which bird was attacking the other, but they came to a stop in some small trees in front of us. Unfortunately, the birds were out of sight, but the female Merlin emerged from the vegetation and set off along back to where it had come from.







The strengthening winds ensured that even though the afternoon group continued in the area after 3pm, the expected Owls failed to appear, but neither did the Merlin or the Hen Harrier. It was a day of 2 halves. 

Twirling Moustachios

As we crossed the Humber Bridge the fog was so thick, I'm sure most people wondered if we were going to see anything.

One of the first birds we could discern was a very confiding Grey Wagtail, which was catching insects alongside the tiny creek leading to the hide.  Throughout the whole walk the air was punctuated by the croaks of flying Snipe.  Suddenly all the dabbling Teal took to the air and a long winged raptor could just be made out through the mist.  The wings looked too thin & narrow for a Marsh Harrier, so a Hen Harrier was the most probable answer.  There were plenty of Reed Buntings and Tree Sparrows in the bushes, whilst on the mud there were over a thousand Golden Plovers, plus Shelduck, a few Ruff, Curlew, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Herons, a single Spotted Redshank, and a Little Egret.

When we took the walk along the gravel path to the other hide it wasn't long before we heard some pinging and a pair of Bearded Tits showed very well, and these were lifers for about half the group.  On the return journey we came across 2 pairs together, and eventually Maggie was able to get a picture of a pair side-by-side.  Unfortunately, although they could be heard in the distance in the afternoon they refused to reappear.  The light was a lot better in the afternoon, and even though the Grey Wagtail was relocated the loss of the Bearded Tit was a large hole, which couldn't be filled.

Bearded Tits [male left] (c) 2012 Maggie Bruce

 Grey Wagtail

 Golden Plovers

 How Blots are Smuggled into the Landscape

2 Meds do not a Summer Make

We had a very wet start to the morning, and first settled down in Marshland Hide.  There were plenty of Avocets & Black-headed Gulls.  All last weeks’ nests & eggs on the right-hand island appeared to have disappeared, and many on the island on the left seemed to have gravitated to the centre of the island. So something has gone wrong since last week.  We saw the odd duck such as Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, and a Snipe was flushed from the far side of the reeds & came across for most people to catch a view. 

We waited for the rain to ease off a little before trying out Xerox Hide. This was full of gulls, but with the odd Avocet, but the best sighting here was a brief view of a Green Sandpiper – incorrectly reported as a Common Sandpiper at the visitor centre.  The rain meant that plenty of Swallows & a few Swifts were brought low over the water in front of the hides

A more prolonged dry spell saw us striking out to Singleton.  There were plenty of Marsh Harriers on view here: some perched in the open and as it got drier more took to the air.  However, the marsh harriers were eclipsed for some by a reeling Grasshopper Warbler just outside the hide.  Some participants got a brief glimpse of the bird outside, as it slipped away through the thick vegetation.  Unfortunately, neither camera was able to obtain an image, so the accompanying picture is one of last year’s birds taken elsewhere.

A massive group of birdwatchers from the Age of Aquarius arrived so the rest of the morning was taken up with evasive action.  We did see one Sedge Warbler indulging in bouts of its song flights, but there were fewer heard than normal for the time of year & Reed Warblers were noticeable for their absence.  

In the afternoon we started off at Singleton to try & avoid the massive group and we were very successful at evading them.  Although all the main suspects were present again the afternoon had a distinctive flavour all of its own.  For a start it was dry for almost the whole period!  We failed to hear & see the Grasshopper Warbler or Green Sandpiper again, but Eric’s sighting of a raptor being mobbed by a crow revealed itself to be a Short-eared Owl.  Later, a Harrier turned into a very late female Hen Harrier, which was seen well by all participants.  Finally at Xerox, we managed to find a beautiful summer-plumaged Little Gull among all the Black-headed Gulls, and a handsomely-plumed Little Egret quietly fishing.  I was checking the Gulls when I saw one with a more thickset bill, and a hood, which stretched much further down the back of its neck – a Mediterranean Gull. I’m not sure I would have been able to recognise this species if my memory hadn’t been refreshed only yesterday by Richard Hampshire at Tophill Low.

Grasshopper Warbler [Spurn - last year]

 Little Gull [left]

 Mediterranean Gull [left]

 Marsh Harrier

 Little Egret

 ditto

Record shot of Hen Harrier 

All remaining pictures (c) 2012 Richard Whateley 
Avocet

Marsh Harrier

 Shoveler