Cetti’s Warbler
On Tuesday we gathered at Ness End Farm on a beautiful sunny morning. We didn’t stay in the large green hide, as it was full of long lenses on the hope for a Bittern. 3 times we heard a yaffling Green Woodpecker, but the sound moved around, so it wasn’t possible to locate the bird. We made a circuit of the reserve by stopping at Target Lake hide, where there were Tufted Ducks, Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall.
Gadwall
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| Tufted Ducks |
Later, we traversed the riverbank, where some Pink-footed Geese headed south just over our heads. A little later a Great Crested Grebe lacking all sign of breeding colouration seemed to be struggling against the wind in the Humber.
Pink-footed Geese
Great Crested Grebe
Wigeon
We enjoyed the sunshine in Reedy Hide. We’d been in the hide for a while, when there were a series of strange sounds to our right. Looking out we saw a pair of Cetti’s Warblers flicking their wings at each other, but partially concealed by reeds. Later, one of them came out into the open and showed well, still busy displaying.
Cetti’s Warbler
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Displaying
Cetti’s Warbler
Displaying
On Wednesday we switched to RSPB Blacktoft Sands and drove through torrential rain to arrive at our destination. Luckily, the rain had stopped completely before the class commenced. Our first Reed Bunting of the year was singing, but remained concealed. We tried Marshland first, where were highlight was a hard-to-see Snipe, quite a few Shoveler, 3 Shelduck, plenty of Teal and a few Gadwall. Later, an adult Heron flew in disturbing the Teal. After lunch there were 2 Herons and a couple of Egrets had a slight difference of opinion. 5 Dunlin had also dropped in. We went on to Ousefleet, but this was quite disappointing - it was full of Teal and a couple of Shoveler.
Heron
Heron
Little Egret & Heron (c) 2025 Peter Moizer
Little Egrets
Blue Tit (c) 2025 Tony Robinson
Shoveler (c) 2025 Peter Moizer
We stopped off at Reedling Hide, which held too many Coots, a few more concealed Snipe, some Wigeon and a Little Grebe. In the afternoon an Oystercatcher had flown in.
Oystercatcher (c) 2025 Peter Moizer
Townend Hide was next, where Andy spotted a Kingfisher. A couple of Snipe eventually flew up in front of us. A cream-crowned Marsh Harrier flew past, but it was outclassed by an 8-second flight path of a Bittern. Singleton was full of grazing Wigeon.
Completely Out-of-Focus Bittern
Magpie
Snipe
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| Snipe (c) 2025 Peter Moizer |
Tree Sparrow
Marsh Harrier
Ditto
Ditto
Pygmy Shrew?
On Thursday we were at Tophill Low. The car park was bursting with birdsong including a Goldcrest. We headed south and stopped first at ‘O’ reservoir. Immediately, we saw a drake Smew among the Goldeneyes. There were only a small number of wildfowl compared with what is usual for late February. Have they already returned to northern climes, or have many of them perished from bird flu?
Smew with Goldeneyes
A pair of Marsh Harriers were extremely active in the SME area. The male was making offerings of nesting material, while both were making various high-pitched pathetic calls.
Silhouette of Male Marsh Harrier Carrying Nesting Material
Male Marsh Harrier
Meadow Pipit
Even Watton Borrow Pits was quieter than normal, but a Buzzard flew over, there were 2 Great White Egrets, an orange-billed Heron & a scattering of miscellaneous wildfowl.
Buzzard
Goldeneye
Cormorants
We stopped off at South Lagoon. It was very quiet, but there was one Water Rail in the reeds next to the hide, plus another one which swam towards the same reeds, before it started running on water.
Record Shot of Water Rail
Ditto
When we returned to the car park, a small olive bird in the conifers proved to be a silent, busily insect-collecting Chiffchaff.After lunch several Curlew had arrived on SME. Curlews, Teal & Redshank
On Friday we were on the 2 motorways to get to Fairburn Ings. It was misty at first, but luckily it didn’t last long. A surprise at the Kingfisher screen was a female Goosander & a Little Egret, although I think the original inhabitant would have been more welcome.
Female Goosander
Little Egret
We walked up the repurposed slag heaps and heard plenty to Green Woodpeckers, and one fairly good view clamped to a distant Silver Birch. We were also serenaded by a pair of low flying Skylarks. At the far corner a couple of distant Great Egrets and Little Egret could be glimpsed. There were still a small selection of ducks. A white shape in the heron colony eventually resolved itself into a hard-to-discern Spoonbill. One of the new mansions opposite had a total of 5 Cattle Egrets on its lawn. On the return journey Mike spotted the best Green Woodpecker we’ve seen in a long time. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite quick enough with the camera.
5 Cattle Egrets in a Garden!
Record Shot of Spoonbill
