Birding with Flowers: Raptors and Redpolls to the Rescue

Friday 3 February 2023

Raptors and Redpolls to the Rescue

Lesser Redpolls

Male Marsh Harrier

On Tuesday we went to Ness End as planned. The strong winds were forecast to arrive in the afternoon, but they were already in force when we crossed the Humber Bridge. We had a quick look from the Main Hide and managed to glimpse a drake Goldeneye and a group of Tufted Duck, but apart from a couple of Mute Swans and a kamikaze Cormorant, there was very little to see. We walked round the edge of the reserve and found Wigeon and a few other wildfowl, plus two Little Grebes on Decoy Lake.

Blue Tit

Robin

The floodbank to the river was largely devoid of birds because it was receiving the full brunt of the wind. However, 3 Redshanks were managing to eke out some food from the estuarine mud.

Chaffinch

ditto

Dunnock

We arrived at Reedy Hide to discover ourselves dazzled by the sun on the water. When the cloud covered the sun we were able to see the large flock of Tufted Duck.

Focus on a Great Tit's Tale

We carried on round the reserve until we reached a gate secured by a string. We noticed a few small birds in the area, so I put some seed on the gate spar, and we were soon joined by 3 Robins, a Dunnock, a couple of Great and Blue Tits, plus a very reluctant Chaffinch.

Female Blackbird

In the area of the screen there was our first Moorhen of the day, but none of the usual suspects. Finally, we crossed the road, which was also receiving the full effect of the wind. There were some Common Gulls on the water, but only Goldcrests in the brambles were new in this area.

Winter Heliotrope

Curlew from Stone Creek at the Weekend

On Wednesday we went to Tophill Low as planned. There was a lot of birdsong in the car park sunshine, but again the wind was punishing. In the afternoon we had some Siskins as we walked up to the visitor centre, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker as we walked down. From the visitor centre it was possible to see Shoveler, Pochard, Teal and Tufted Ducks against the reservoir wall despite the choppy water. As we walked down from the visitor centre in D Woods and the bramble patch several Redwings called before flying past us. We then headed south. We hadn’t walked far before we stumbled across a flock of small birds, which contained Blue Tits and a Marsh Tit. Nearby Anthony found a tail- dipping Chiffchaff, busy looking for food. It remained silent throughout.

Record Shot of Chiffchaff

Siskin

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Pied Wagtail

Song Thrush

We carried on to O Reservoir. The water was extremely turbulent, but we did manage to see a single drake Goldeneye, Tufted Ducks and Wigeon. As we walked towards SME a male Marsh Harrier was spotted seeming to struggle against the wind. Another raptor appeared - a female Peregrine - which then continued to harass the Harrier. This continued for several minutes and the encounter flushed around 50 Curlew and dozens of Teal and Wildfowl from the marsh. When we arrived at SME a few minutes later the Curlew had returned and half a dozen Shelduck were also present.

Skirmish Between Peregrine & Marsh Harrier

Ditto

Curlew

Ditto

Redshank

Shelduck

Ditto

Watton Borrow Pits was the best location for diverse species. A Great White Egret was apparent before we reached the hide. Eric was the first to spot the drake Smew, which spent a great proportion of its time underwater. Several yards to the right was a sleeping Pintail, which span around on the water without once lifting up its head. These were the highlights of the morning.

Great White Egret

Goldeneye

Pintail

Smew

Ditto

Wigeon

After lunch the three Marsh Harriers put on a noisy display, as two grounded females seemed intent on calling out to a more aerial male. A Friday interloper was the first to spot one of the females perched on the electrified fence.

Marsh Harrier

Ditto

Male Marsh Harrier

Ditto

Female 2

Ditto

Some of the morning group went on the North Marsh, where they saw a Water rail, and a distant Kingfisher.

Ditto

Snowdrops

And then on the way home from the class...

On a very grey Thursday it was due to be windy, so we switched to a valley to get out of the wind. The car park seemed to be deserted this time. Once down the lane there was little to see at first, possibly because it started to drizzle. However, as soon as we left the buildings behind we encountered a pair of Jays, which disappeared into trees covered with ivy and containing a pair of Stock Doves spotted by Elaine. As we carried along the straight road we noticed the silhouettes of Red Kites and Buzzards. After lunch we enjoyed a long view of a male Great Spotted Woodpecker. In the morning a Song Thrush was in this position on the opposite side of the road.

Song Thrush

Buzzard - Centre of Tail Missing

ditto

We followed the right-hand fork in the road. There was nothing near the railway bridge but when we came out into the open and had battled through a group of rude dog walkers we noticed lots of finches over a field of sunflowers. Most of these were Chaffinches and Goldfinches, but Linnets were also present.

Male Great Spotted Woodpecker

The weir was relatively quiet, but a walk up the steep hill added more Red Kites and Buzzards. A Hawk species flew in the same area as the Buzzards and Kite, but looked almost minuscule in comparison. At the gate we heard a Treecreeper and saw many finches flying over a specially planted field of wild bird seed along the top of the hill. A distant drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker was also obvious above all the other sounds. On the way back among the buildings we heard and then had a brief glimpse of a Marsh Tit. Finally, we were almost back at the cars when we noticed a distant Red Kite devouring some prey high in a tree.

Sparrowhawk

ditto

Red Kite

ditto

Winter Aconite

On Friday we negotiated the non-existent traffic holdups at Ferrybridge for another morning at Fairburn Ings. There was very little at first because of yet another windy morning. We heard a Jay near the Kingfisher Screen, but it refused to show. Ossett Mike found a flock of Siskins here feeding low on Alder cones just behind the screen, but they took fright at a group of birders trying to look at them.

ditto

Skylark

ditto

We walked up along the Roy Walker trail. The pools were relatively quiet, but we did see a pair of Goldeneye and a Great Crested Grebe. As we walked along the first lake we had a fantastically close view of a Skylark, which sang at us in flight before landing in the grass near where we were standing, and almost disappearing into the texture of the vegetation.

Goosanders

ditto

Heronry

After we rounded the headland we saw a Little Egret and two Great White Egrets. Despite the wind the Cormorants and Heron were attempting to keep atop of their various nesting colonies. A Lesser Redpoll passed quickly overhead, and at first it seemed to be a species that got away. We could see several species of wildfowl from our vantage point, but it did appear that numbers were down. Was this because of the weather or from individuals succumbing to bird flu?

Cormorant Colony

We heard Little Grebes, but failed to see them hiding in the reedbeds. The one species seemingly unaffected by the bird flu once again were the Coots, which seemed to be sprinkled liberally over every other watery surface. As we returned back at the end of the Roy Walker trail, we did catch site of a single green back with a yellow rump flying away from us - a Green Woodpecker!

Lesser Redpoll

However, the best sighting of the morning awaited us on the reedbed boardwalk leading back to the visitor centre. As we reached a corner two birds flew up and landed on the seed heads directly in front of us, and more landed in the Alder trees. There may have been around half a dozen in total. One had a pinkish tinge, but this one escaped my camera lens. These were the most confiding Lesser Redpolls we have seen on Friday mornings for quite some time. We spent at least 10 minutes in their delightful company.

Lesser Redpoll

ditto

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Spring Course Details

Bookings for the 10-week Spring term have started. At the time of writing there are most vacancies on Tuesday & Friday mornings with a couple of spaces on all other sessions. If you are interested in another session, please ask. For at least 2 hours a week encounter the natural world as a completely new sensual experience. You'll be amazed what you'll find just by listening, and not only by looking! In the Spring we'll be paying special attention to finding and identifying birds by their songs and calls. Summer visitors we are hoping to track down include: Turtle Doves, Redstarts, Cuckoos, Yellow Wagtails and Spotted Flycatchers. We will be visiting venues in East Yorkshire with a couple of ventures into North Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire. So, if you are interested in learning more about your local wildlife in beautiful and secluded venues for less than £12 a week, contact me for more details! We visit a different local hotspot each week and identify all the birds and as much other wildlife as we can. This also includes mammals, and fungi with butterflies, and dragonflies in the warmer months. The course runs twice daily Tuesday to Friday. Please note it is not appropriate to bring your dogs with you. If you are interested in more details of the course, or wish to be placed on a waiting list, please leave a comment next to one of my posts or email me on mflowers81@live.co.uk

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Birding with Flowers

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1.1. Birding with Flowers organises birdwatching and wildlife walks and events to enable participants to learn bird identification, to gain knowledge of habitats and wildlife in general to enhance their enjoyment and appreciation of the countryside. These terms and conditions must be agreed by anyone joining a 10-week birding course or a special one-off event.

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8.1 Birding with Flowers does not organise or pay for clients’ travel expenses to and from events, such as public transport or car hire. We do not pay for telephone calls, snacks or any items of a personal nature.

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11.0 Behaviour

11.1 When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by your negligence.

11.2 You are respectfully requested to switch off your mobile phone, or switch it to silent mode, for the duration of the birdwatching session. If you are expecting an urgent call during any particular session, please let the course leader know before the commencement of the class. Otherwise if your phone rings without arrangement during a session, do not be offended if you are asked to switch it off.

11.3 You are respectfully requested to wear muted colours for birdwatching sessions. Dark colours allow us to get a little closer to the birds and may prolong our observation of the wildlife. If you arrive wearing bright red, white, yellow or pink you must expect to be asked to cover up.

11.4 Birding with Flowers requests participants to observe the basics of fieldcraft. This means when we are approaching wildlife unnecessary noise should be kept to a minimum. If clients are talking loudly they may be asked to be quiet.

11.5 We expect all clients to have consideration for other people. The majority of Birding with Flowers clients are non-smokers. In order that they can enjoy their course or one-off event in comfort, we insist that smokers refrain from smoking or vaping in the proximity of all other group members, and while watching wildlife, at all times. Smoking indoors in any public space – e.g. bird hide – is illegal, while smoking in any confined space – e.g. at any other group gathering or in a vehicle – cannot be permitted. Additionally, Birding with Flowers implements a policy of eco-tourism and requests that smokers dispose of used cigarette ends, which contain non-biodegradable material, responsibly. In booking a course or one-off event you agree to accept these guidelines, and it is the right of our course leader to dismiss from a class, event or course any participant failing to respect them.

11.6 If, in the reasonable opinion of the course leader, you behave in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party (including the course leader) or damage to property or fauna (including the collecting of any specimen from the natural world, for example any plants or insects), we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate your attendance on the course or one-off event of the person(s) concerned. In this situation, you will be required to leave the course or event immediately. We will have no further responsibility toward you including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.

11.7 If, in the reasonable opinion of the tour leader you are asked to modify your behaviour in any way, that modification, once agreed, must be adhered to. Any failure to modify your behaviour as previously agreed will result in the immediate expulsion of that person(s) from the course. We will have no further responsibility toward such person(s) including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.

11.8 The course leader reserves the right to bar any person that he/she considers is behaving in any manner detrimental to the smooth running of the course from attendance on any future courses or one-off events. In the first instance this will involve the lack of a renewal information for a future course or one-off event to the individual(s) concerned. Renewal emails/renewals will only automatically be sent to those whose behaviour has caused no problems to either the course leader or to other members attending the course or one-off event.

11.9 If any course member has a problem with the behaviour of any other course member this must be brought to the attention of the course leader, preferably in writing. The person(s) concerned will be questioned and the opinion of other course members sought. If the case appears weak the individual will be informed of his/her alleged behaviour, and warned that any future recurrence will result in immediate explusion. If the case against the individual appears strong then that person(s) will be required to leave the course or event immediately. We will have no further responsibility toward such person(s) including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.

12.0 The course leader’s decision on any dispute is final.