Saturday 23 March 2019

Ending the Winter Term on a High


The weather was much improved by Tuesday and Wednesday, so we were able to go to RSPB Bempton in safety.  Rather fortuitously there had been a massive influx of Puffins since last Friday.  Allegedly, 500 were supposed to be sprinkled on the limestone stacks.  We didn't;t see 500, but we enjoyed some good views.  
Female Peregrine carrying a pigeon
One for the kiddies
 Puffins
 Puffin
Yawning Puffin (c) 2019 Maggie Bruce
Puffin
Puffin (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
Puffin (c) 2019 Tony Robinson 
 ditto
 ditto
Razorbill
Ditto
 Ditto
Moulting Razorbill (c) 2019 Tony Robinson 
 Flying Razorbill (c) 2019 Tony Robinson 
Guillemots Keeping Eyes Closed (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart 
 Guillemots (incl. a bridled one)
 Gannet
 Sky Pointing 
Gannet (c) 2019 Tony Robinson
Carrying Nesting Material (c) 2019 Maggie Bruce
 Gannet (c) 2019 Tony Robinson
 ditto
 ditto
Collecting  Nesting Material (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
 Fencing (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
Arguing Fulmars
Fulmar (c) 2019 Maggie Bruce
Fulmar (c) 2019 Tony Robinson
The Tuesday group's tally was augmented by 8 new species at Bempton, so they encountered 95 species in the winter. 
On Wednesday morning screeching was heard out to sea and the Tiercel was seen carrying a pigeon.  The female came up from behind and took the prey for herself.  Again, she screeched as she carried her prize to the cliffs.  
Peregrine
 ditto
peregrine post-food pass (c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart 
Record shot of food pass [Tiercel (Male) left]
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 Female Peregrine bearing her prize

 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 Pied Wagtail
 Male Linnet
 Male Linnet
 Reed Bunting
 Rock Dove
(c) 2019 Aileen Urquhart
Great Black Backed Gull with Razorbill (c) 2019 Maggie Bruce
Shag
Kestrel (c) 2019 Tony Robinson
 ditto
Jackdaw
Jackdaws (c) 2019 Maggie Bruce
With the extra species seen at Bempton the Weds am group finished the term on 99 species with the pm group just one species behind.
Grey Seal (c) Tony Robinson
On Thursday we went to a site in the York area.  On arriving a nearby field was covered with Fieldfare, but also peppered with a few Mistle Thrush and a Song Thrush.  However, it was the finches that were most abundant in the wooded areas.
Fieldfare
 ditto
 Mistle Thrush
 Lesser Redpoll
 ditto
 Siskin
Lulu put on a beautiful vocal performance, which was the highlight of the morning session.  Unfortunately, she refused to put on an encore after lunch. 
Lulu
 ditto
 ditto
In the afternoon the highlight were female Crossbills, which were very confiding and gave very close views.  These were a life for two attendees, whilst they were the best views the others had ever enjoyed.  
Female Crossbill (c) 2019 Margaret Richardson
Female Crossbill
 Having a Stretch
Male Crossbill - from Monday pm
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
Female Crossbill (c) 2019 Margaret Richardson
 ditto
Another Monday Crossbill 
 Lesser Redpoll
 ditto
 Treecreeper 
 ditto
 ditto
 Mating Frogs - found by Phil G
 Caterpillar
 False Puffball Reticularia (Enteridium) lycoperdon
3 hours later 
False Puffball (c) 2019 Margaret Richardson
who identified the fungi
On Friday we made our final visit to RSPB Fairburn until the Autumn.  Large scale flooding had taken place, so we went first to the Lin Dyke area, where there was only space in the flooded car park for 2 vehicles.  This was a good move, as there was a more interesting variety of birds at this location.  
Great Crested Grebe
 pair dancing
 Great Crested Grebe (c) 2019 Jane Robinson
ditto 
 Pair dancing (c) 2019 Jane Robinson
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 ditto
 Male Right?
 Whooper Swan
 Whooper Swan (c) 2019 Jane Robinson
 Chiffchaff
 Chiffchaff (c) 2019 Jane Robinson
 ditto 
 Black-headed Gulls (c) 2019 Jane Robinson
When we returned to the centre before lunch the best bird was a drumming male Great Spotted Woodpecker. 
Great Spotted Woodpecker (c) 2019 Jane Robinson
 ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
A flock of 20 Sand Martins was spotted, and shortly afterwards a Peregrine falcon began to worry them. 
Record shot of Sand Martin
Peregrine
 Goosanders
After lunch one of the highlights was a perky male Bullfinch and a singing Willow Tit. 
Bullfinch
 Willow Tit
 ditto
2 Herons
 Ditto
 Ditto
Cobb Mute Swan (c) 2019 Mike Woods
 Male Pheasant (c) 2019 Mike Woods
 Male Reed Bunting (c) 2019 Mike Woods
 Dunnock (c) 2019 Mike Woods
Back at home the best photo opportunities were from the male Buzzard and a female Kestrel.
Buzzard
 ditto
 Kestrel
On Friday just before dusk Maggie was lucky enough to spot a Hen Harrier on the way to its roost.
Male Hen Harrier
 ditto
The Friday morning group ended the term on only 90 species, mainly because their trip to Bempton had to be cancelled for gale force winds.  Meanwhile the Friday afternoon group encountered 88, but that rises to 94 if the Ossett couple's Bempton trip is included.

So, the final tally is:
Weds am - 99
Weds pm - 98
Tues am - 95 
Fri am - 90
Fri pm - 88 or 94
Fri am - 90
Thurs pm - still being calculated
Thurs am - still being calculated

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