Birding with Flowers: Emperors, Dukes & Mere Mortals

Friday, 19 May 2023

Emperors, Dukes & Mere Mortals

Emperor MothDuke of Burgundy

At the weekend I checked on my puddle. It wasn’t as busy as the last couple of years, but a Yellow Wagtail did have a bath. A young Hare was nearby at Cherry Cobb Sands.

Yellow Wagtail

Ditto

Skylark

Hare

Pied Wagtail

On Monday I tried the Rosedale Abbey area once more.

Female Golden Plover

Female Golden Plovers

Ditto

Male Golden Plover

Ditto

Lapwing Chick

Lapwing

Red Grouse Chick

Ditto

Curlew

Emperor Moth on Foldable Chair

Ditto

Underside

Emperor Moth

Male Antannae

Froghopper

Before Rosedale I checked out a renowned Butterfly location for Duke of Burgundy butterflies. There was hardly any around, but the Cowslips and orchids put on an impressive display.

Red-legged Partridge

Early Purple Orchid

On Tuesday we went much further than ever before for an “ordinary” class. We met at YWT Fen Bog, and were able to start before the allotted time of 10am. I arrived an hour prior to that time to scout out the wildlife. Almost all of these were still around when the class set out, but the Whinchat proved woefully difficult to find for the ‘students’. When I first checked the area they were originally along the railway line, but then they headed up to the Moor. We failed to see them at all once everyone had arrived.

Whinchat

Ditto

The class hadn’t even got through the gate when we spotted a confiding Yellowhammer, although he was quite difficult to see among the burgeoning Rowan leaves. Goldfinches and a pair of Lesser Redpolls later appeared in the same small tree species.

Yellowhammer

Goldfinch

Lesser Redpoll

Ditto

We gathered near a bench at the base of which someone had strewn a good supply of seed. We were promptly bombarded by a low-flying Chaffinch, which landed in a gorse bush for even better views. A Cuckoo called from the valley somewhere near the train track. We were hoping for a Tree Pipit which was singing when I checked out the area, but a birder completely lacking in field craft plonked his tripod and massive lens exactly where the bird had been performing, so it failed to show again. We crossed the railway line and enjoyed good views of Pied Wagtail, a male Stonechat, Meadow Pipit and a pair of Whitethroats.

Meadow Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Stonechat

Departing Female Cuckoo

Chaffinch

Red Grouse

We walked on to the bleak and forbidding Moor, which at first looked extremely unpromising. However, we eventually saw a bird we had previously never spotted on a birding session in 19 years - a Red Grouse. There were some interesting insects including Green Tiger Beetles, a Green Longhorn Moth and a Green Hairstreaks. Any colour is acceptable, as long as it’s green!

Tree Pipit Displaying

Ditto

Tree Pipit

Ditto

John’s Green Hairstreak - the Hairstreak has been bitten off

Margaret’s Green Longhorn Moth

Green Tiger Beetle

Common Heath Moth

Train No.1

Train No.2

After the session I drove to Pickering Woods following a tip from a Thursday morning client. I found the glade, but at first the sun was behind clouds, but when the sun did break through, there was a damaged Brimstone, a Shield Bug, but then the never-before-seen Duke of Burgundy butterfly.

Brimstone

Sloe Shield Bug

Duke of Burgundy

Ditto

On Wednesday we had our first full day at MSQ. A Cuckoo was heard from the car park, which was promising. Unfortunately, the sound wasn’t repeated later. We went to our usual first vantage point. There were three active Common Terns, but also a casualty. In the afternoon a Tern flew in with a relatively large fish, but the dead individual has mysteriously disappeared. We heard a few Garden Warblers on our walk, but these were notoriously difficult to obtain clear views among all the leaves.

Common Terns

During the walk we did see on open water some Tufted Ducks, a Pochard and a pair of dancing Great Crested Grebes. Duck Hide added Shelduck, plus a singing Reed Bunting and an explosive Cetti’s Warbler. A Jay disappeared across a marshy meadow, but it was only a glimpse. The coffee drinkers saw a Lizard on the bridge.

Tufted Ducks

Pochard

Great Crested Grebes

Shelduck

Mute Swan with Head of Greylag Goose!

Mute Swan

Mute Swan with Cygnets

At Wader hide initially there were no waders, but just as we were leaving a pair of Avocets dropped in. The wildfowl was the same as we’d already seen with the addition of a Shoveler and a pair of Gadwall. In the morning during our walk we stumbled across two different families of Long-tailed Tits.

Immature Long-tailed Tit

ditto

We had a couple of deer sightings on the way back to the car park, but some of the expected bird species were absent. In the afternoon we had only been waiting for less than 5 minutes when a Hobby headed purposefully towards the reedbed. Later, looking back we were able to watch two Hobbies quartering above the reedbed and conifer plantation and plucking insects from the air, and eating them, on the wing.

Hobby

2 Hobbies

ditto

Roe Deer

Ditto

Spider with Large Red Damselfly

Ditto

Common Lizard

Ditto

Nursery Spider

Petty Whin

Royal Fern

Yellow-tailed Moth Caterpillar

Click Beetle

On the return journey we stumbled across a clump of Orchids, which looked a little like Early Purple Orchids, but they were a little shorter than you’d expect. Judy’s app showed that they were the rare Green-Winged Orchids. This is the first time I’ve seen them outside Worcestershire.

Green-Winged Orchid

Ditto

Azure Danselfly

Ditto

Brimstone

Dragonfly Exuvia

Speckled Wood

Miner’s Lettuce

Storksbill

Spider

On Thursday we went to Alkborough flats in an attempt to match the 52 species recorded a few weeks ago by the Weds am group. Immediately, there was the song of a Cuckoo, a Cetti’s Warbler and at least 4 Grey Wagtails in the car park. The latter must have fledged since last week. A male Marsh Harrier was also seen flying towards us just visible over the bank.

Grey Wagtail

ditto

Cetti's Warbler

ditto

Sedge Warbler with Nesting Material

Sedge Warbler

We crossed into the reserve where a Cetti’s began to play cat and mouse with us for the rest of the morning. We also had a Sedge Warbler carrying nesting material and singing Reed Warblers & Reed Buntings. Shortly afterwards we heard the first “pinging” Bearded Tit, and we saw this orange Reed Pheasant flying over the reeds with insects in its bill.

Bearded Tit

ditto

We continued to see a mixture of these species as we resumed our linear walk. As we walked we heard two different giants blowing over the tops of milk bottles - ie Bitterns booming. Looking towards a distant flooded field we were able to see Shelduck, various Geese, Little Egrets and an Avocet flew in. A Heron was in the flooded field after lunch, whilst an adult Spoonbill flew over us twice - the first time towards the Humber, the second time heading back inland. A farmer drove a quadbike around the perimeter of the sheep field. All the wildfowl and waders took to the air. This included three Black-tailed Godwits. It was only on checking the photos I noticed that one godwit was flying with 2 Drake Garganey. We reached the first substantial corner and through a gap in the hedge we were able to spot Gadwall, Shoveler, Mute Swans, and Elaine noticed a Wigeon. A Skylark sang over the largest meadow, and a possible Whimbrel flew past.

Adult Spoonbill

ditto

Record Shot of Weasel

Skylark

ditto

Black-tailed Godwit [Right] & Drake Garganey

ditto

The return journey was less eventful, but a walk down the southern path resulted in decent views of a Whitethroat in a large bramble patch, plus a Willow Warbler in an actual large Willow tree.

Whitethroat

ditto

On Friday the forecast was rather uncertain, so we switched to Ness End. Everything seemed quiet at first, but things improved as the morning progressed. When we were at Target Lake we heard a Cuckoo which flew over the hide and headed towards the trees west of Reedy Hide. We managed to see it later from the latter hide, but it was always distant.

House Sparrow

Canada Geese

ditto

Reed Bunting

Chiffchaff

Long-tailed Tits

ditto

Marsh Harrier

Mute Swans

Mute Swans with Cygnets

Cuckoo

ditto

Bittern

ditto

Wing-swinging

Bittern

Head Upside-down

Almost a Crest

Forehead

Great Crested Grebe calling

And Nest-building

ditto

Courtship Dance

ditto

With Spectator in Background

ditto

Conclusion

Great Crested Grebe

Red Eye

More Nest-Building

Hobby

Hobby Interaction

ditto

The most rewarding location was the screen. A Kingfisher was heard and glimpsed briefly from here, but then Jeny looked down the channel and spotted a Bittern on the edge of the water grasping reeds in its green feet. Then the Great Crested Grebes began to dance with the Bittern seeming to watch. We continued watching the Bittern for several minutes before it eventually turned round and disappeared into the reeds. In the afternoon we didn't see a Bittern near the screen, but one flew across the reception meadow, and flew right next to one of the houses. Quite a classy garden bird for that particular building!

Bittern

ditto

Common Tern

Wasp Beetle

Small White

Cardinal Beetle

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Autumn Course Details

Bookings for the 10-week Autumn term have started. At the time of writing there are most vacancies on Tuesday & Friday mornings with a couple of spaces on most 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 Autumn we'll be paying special attention to finding and identifying birds on migration. Autumn visitors we are hoping to track down include: Redstarts, Flycatchers, Warblers, Rough-legged Buzzards, Hen Harriers, Short-eared Owls & various wading birds. We will be visiting venues in East Yorkshire with a couple of ventures into North Lincolnshire and West 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

Terms and Conditions

Birding with Flowers

Terms and Conditions

1.0 General

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.

1.2 Birding with Flowers reserves the right to revise these Terms and Conditions at any time by updating these pages. It is your responsibility to review and understand the Terms and Conditions. If you are booking a course or event you will be asked to return a signed slip stating that you agree to these legally binding Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree to the Terms and Conditions please do not ask to participate in Birding with Flowers courses or events.

1.3 The Birding with Flowers blog HYPERLINK "http://www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.com" www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.com, the weekly East Yorkshire Birdwatching Walks and one-off special events are managed and operated by Birding with Flowers. The Terms and Conditions set out below constitute the agreement between you (the client) and us (Birding with Flowers or BWF).

1.4 Whilst we make every effort to provide you with up to date details for courses and events, it is ultimately your responsibility to check whether they have been cancelled or rescheduled by checking emails or, where applicable, text messages the evening before a session. We take all reasonable steps to ensure the information on the blog, in the course itineraries and for one-off events is accurate at the time of publishing and continues to be accurate. Liability for any loss or damage arising from inaccuracies, omissions or interpretation of contents is limited to the cost of the session. If you believe any content to be inaccurate please contact us on 07946 625677, or email us at mflowers81@live.co.uk and we will take all reasonable steps to correct it as soon as possible.

2.0 Payments and Bookings

2.1 For the complete 10-week course we require full payment in advance. If payment is not made before the date specified in the course particulars, your place may be given to another client.

2.2 One-off short (2-3 hours) walks may be paid for on the day in cash, but preference will always be made to those who pay in advance.

2.3 Except for payments for short walks (see 2.2 above), payments made by BACS are preferred by us as this is a safe, quick and easy method of payment. You will require the Birding with Flowers account number and bank sorting code. You will need to include your surname and the day you attend as a reference. If you require our bank details this will be sent in two separate emails, please do not reply to those emails for security reasons.

2.4 If you do not want to make a BACS payment you may still pay by cheque. Payment by cheque requires your contact details written on the reverse. If you pay by cheque, you should be aware that your cheque will take a few days to arrive in the post, and your payment will not be recognised as completed until the cheque has cleared, which will take several more working days. Please take this into consideration when sending your cheque. For details on how to pay by cheque please email us at mflowers81@live.co.uk

2.5 No cash payments should be sent to us in the post.

2.6 You are required to ensure, when booking a course or event, that there are sufficient funds to cover the cost of the service. Payment will be taken in advance for the services offered and if payment fails, bookings will not be made until an alternative payment has been made. If there are any changes to your details that may affect your booking it is your responsibility to inform Birding with Flowers by contacting us on 07946 625677, or email us at mflowers81@live.co.uk

2.7 It is important that you print the email of the confirmation of your booking for your own reference.

3.0 Data Protection

3.1 Birding with Flowers takes your contact details as part of the booking process. Your details will not be shared with any third party or organisation. If you request another member’s email or phone number for whatever purpose, your message will be forwarded to that client, but any reply will remain between yourself and that client.

4.0 Intellectual Property

4.1 As a member of the Birding with Flowers course you may be sent detailed itineraries, birdsong calendars, species location spreadsheets, bird identification flowcharts and other original items. Any items marked with copyright should not be shared with any third party, including previous members of the course. Once a person has left the course they are no longer entitled to receive further publications.

5.0 Changes and Cancellation: by Birding with Flowers

5.1 Birding with Flowers begins planning courses and events many months in advance. On occasions we have to make changes to details both before and after bookings have been confirmed. With outdoor classes and events, local weather, transport or a host of other uncontrollable factors can mean a change in the itinerary. Although we always take all reasonable steps to avoid changes, we must reserve the right to do so.

5.2 If we have to make a minor alteration to your itinerary or travel arrangements before departure, we will, if practicable, advise you before departure but we are not obliged to do so or to pay you compensation.

5.3 In the event of poor weather conditions which we consider will seriously affect the quality of a class or one-off event, we reserve the right to postpone or cancel the class or one-off event. In this case you will usually be offered alternative dates for the same or similar event from our programme of events.

5.4 If we have to cancel an individual class, or one-off event, completely due to unforeseen circumstances such as illness of the course leader, extreme weather events or major travel disruption, where possible we will offer an alternative date. If we have no alternative dates to offer, you will receive a full refund of all monies paid for that class or event.

5.5 If a major change is made (e.g. cancellation of all or more than 2 classes of your course or a one-off event e.g. because of the illness of the course leader), we will inform you as soon as possible. In this circumstance we will offer you the choice of the following options:

a) accepting an alternative course, part-course or one-off event arranged by Birding with Flowers and beginning on an arranged day; or

b) transferring your payment to a future course or one-off event run by Birding with Flowers of a similar standard to that originally booked, if available. We will endeavour to offer you at least one alternative course or one-off event of equivalent or higher standard.

In the event of no alternatives being available, or if you are unable to attend a future course or one-off event, a refund for the cancelled proportion of the course or for the one-off event will be offered.

5.6 The decision as to whether a change is minor or major lies with Birding with Flowers, who will act fairly in all circumstances.

5.7 No liability beyond offering the above-mentioned options can be accepted where we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. No compensation will be payable and the above options will not be available if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of our Terms and Conditions entitling us to cancel (e.g. not paying on time) or if the change made is a minor one.

5.8 In the event that a course or event is cancelled by Birding with Flowers because of insufficient numbers signing up for it, a full refund of monies paid by you will be made. However, no further liability will be accepted by Birding with Flowers. Usually an alternative course will be arranged.

6.0 Changes and cancellation by the client

6.1 You may cancel your booking for a course or one-off event at any stage; however, a full refund will not be issued if cancellation is notified to Birding with Flowers less than 7 days before the course commences or the event is due to take place. In the event of serious illness or a major change in your personal circumstance notified by you, any refund of some or all of the course fee or event fee would be at the discretion of Birding with Flowers.

6.2. You may request a change to a booking by contacting us by email or telephone. If possible, a request to change the day/and or time of a course or an individual class will be permitted, providing there is a vacancy for the replacement day and/or time.

6.3 Please note that failure to attend a course, a single class or one-off event without first informing Birding with Flowers cannot be regarded as a cancellation. Unless otherwise agreed, clients who fail to attend a class or event without prior notice will not receive a refund for the course, missed class or one-off event.

7.0 What is Included on BWF Courses or One-Off events

7.1 See the course itineraries or details of one-off events for what you can expect to be provided by Birding with Flowers.

8.0 What is Not Included on BWF Courses, or One-Off Events

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.

9.0 Insurance

9.1 Birding with Flowers has taken out full indemnity insurance for events held in the UK.

10.0 Special Requests

10.1 If you have any special requests, you should inform us of such requests at the time of booking. We will try our best to accommodate your requirements but we cannot guarantee that such requests will be met. Furthermore, we have no liability to you if such requests are not met.

10.2 Confirmation that a special request has been noted or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation or any other documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met.

10.3 If you have any medical problem or disability which may affect your course or one-off event, (e.g. heart condition, asthma, epilepsy, mobility problems, mental condition etc.) please tell us when making your booking so that we can advise as to the suitability of the chosen arrangements. In any event, you must give us full details in writing at the time of booking. If we reasonably feel unable to properly accommodate your particular needs, we must reserve the right to decline your reservation or, if full details are not given at the time of booking, cancel when we become aware of these details.

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.