SEOs on the Off-Chance

I went to check out the route to one of the little gems we'll be visiting next term. We haven’t been before, so I just wanted to double-check the time involved & the best way to get there.   There was still quite a lot of melting snow about, it was raining most of the time, but the site was fairly easy to find. We were heading back towards the Humber Bridge and the rain began to ease off, so I thought it may be worth checking on one of the most reliable Short-eared Owl wintering sites in the country. My nephew hadn't been before, and as it may be the last winter the birds may be seen there, I thought it was worth a slight detour.

Hunting Short-eared Owl 

 Drying-Off

When we arrived there was a Short-eared Owl sat at top of a Hawthorn bush trying to dry out its feathers. It allowed us to approach very closely. We drove down the lane and managed to pick out 6 birds in flight, plus a couple of Kestrels. We were able to approach several Owls either hunting along the grassy banks, on posts, or even perched on a bit of straw by the side of the drain. One one occasion an individual appeared to find a small rodent, which it appeared to bury in the drain bank. 

Ditto

 Lifting a Wing

 Having a Shake

 Staring us out

 Looking Ahead

 Checking Behind

 Sorting out the Tail

 Talons & Bill

 Picking the Talons Clean

 Damp Feathers Clearly Visible under the Tail

 Ditto

The best one was about half-way down the lane and allowed us to park right next to it while it shook itself, carefully preened all its feathers, and just sat while it tried to dry itself. We were parked there for about 30 mins before eventually another car approached us from behind. We moved off slowly and the bird remained on its post. However, I'm not sure it remained there for long, as when I checked my mirror the occupant of the car behind had jumped out, leaving his passenger door and boot doors wide open, so perhaps he disturbed it. 

 Appearing to Frown

 Similar Expression to a Little Owl?

 Sorting Out the Wing Feathers

 Eyes Closed as it Preens

 Caught in the Act Burying Food

 Over the Hunting Ground

We then went over the Humber Bridge and went to check out another venue Ben hadn't visited before. There, we were charged by a group of Mute Swans, maybe some pictures of that on another post

Better than Expected

On Thursday we shared cars over the Humber Bridge again, but this time we headed to a reserve 180 degrees from yesterday's. When we arrived we were greeted by one of the UK's top photographer's 4x4 in the car park - "birdmad" Dean Eades. If he was here there must have been something worth seeing, right?

All photos (c) 2013 Richard Whateley unless credited otherwise

We entered the forbiddingly narrow entrance (when you have 6 layers on) and walked around the initial circuit, but didn't see a great deal until Phil glimpsed a flock of Long-tailed Tits, and Richard spotted a single Siskin. We looked for the Great Spotted Woodpecker practice tree, but it must have crashed to the ground in the last 12 months. 

Siskin

 Goldeneye

We carried on over the bridge into the main part of the reserve. Again there were more Long-tailed Tits, and some elusive Bullfinches. On the site of an old hide we tracked down some Tufted Ducks. The habitual Goldeneyes could be heard displaying but were screened from our view by higher than normal reeds.  Of course the Ruddy Ducks we normally always saw here had been culled. 

Tufted Duck

 Ditto

 Great Black Backed Gull

We walked to the SE tip of the reserve & while we stopped for a repeat view of a Little Grebe, Phil's imitation of a Siskin call brought 3 down into the tree directly in front of us - unfortunately they were all females. Then a Mistle Thrush could be heard faintly in the gardens outside the reserve. It remained elusive, but there were Goldfinches and Collared Doves. 

Record Shot of a Bullfinch

 Long-tailed Tit (c) 2013 Phil Todd

 Robin (c) 2013 Phil Todd

We retraced our steps for a while and then cut across between 2 lakes, where at last we found the flighty Goldeneye. There were also Shoveler, Tufted ducks, and Pochard here. On to the estuary where we saw plenty of Redshank, a Common Gull some Black-headed Gulls, and a small flock of Dunlin. Then I spotted a familiar rotund shape among the dense Hawthorn bushes. On closer inspection we found 4 Bullfinches, and everyone managed to see these, whilst very few managed to see the earlier pair. Finally, we skirted the outlandish visitor centre when a pair of Mistle Thrushes landed on the top of a lamp post near us, whilst yet another serenaded us, & them, from gardens nearby.

 Mistle Thrush

I was expecting the afternoon to be quieter, but the increasing cloud cover sent the temperatures 'soaring' a little, and the small birds continued to be found. This time we located a flock of c60 Siskins with at least 4 Redpolls. Eric found a Bullfinch and a flying Kingfisher, and we heard 2 very clear but invisible Water Rails. The tide was very high, so there weren't so many estuary birds visible, but 12 Redshank were huddled on a large pipe disgorging effluent into the  Humber.

Saved by a Bittern

On Wednesday we shared cars over the Humber Bridge & met at the new reserve car park. We'd obtained  permission to visit the site, but with the strict instructions that we didn't use the  old reserve car park. In order to comply with this restriction we shared full cars over a heavily potholed road to the river bank. It was very windswept as we walked along the river bank, but the Redshank were still searching for food. We hurried along before we plunged into the hawthorn bushes. We were now out of the wind, but it was very threatening behind us, and as we settled in the 1st hide a severe snow shower set in. 

Bittern - Eileen must have had a view like this

 Bittern in flight - similar to the view yesterday

 Bittern in flight - on a much warmer day

 Bittern - an actual record shot from yesterday (c) 2013 Aileen Urquhart

 There wasn't a lot to see in the snow storm, but it was possible to discern: a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorants, some Tufted Ducks and too many Coots.

A walk around the perimeter failed to add many extra species, but the deeper pool contained a pair of Goldeneye and some Tufted Ducks. When we reached the next hide there wasn't much to see apart from several Gadwall. The kingfisher failed to put in an appearance, but in the strong winds it wasn't really surprising. A hike to the biggest hide looked as though it was going to be disappointing too, but after a long wait a Bittern flew from just to the right of the hide under Eileen's nose before it landed in the reeds directly in front of the hide - never to be seen again!




The walk to the new hide failed to add any new species, but there was a distant flock of small waders (Dunlin?) flying around the mudflats. We shared cars back to the original car park and hurried across to the car park hide before an punishing sleet storm set in. We waited for it to clear, and marvelled as a bouncing flock of c 50 Siskins hesitated as they tried to land in some Alder trees. Then a small brownish bird of prey was seen. It was a male Marsh Harrier still a long way from its full adult plumage. It was a great way to end the session. 




The best bird of the afternoon was found by Les: a male Bullfinch

Propping up the Bottom of the Blog

A Repeat with Changes

If I thought the traffic was bad on Thursday, it was even worse yesterday.  It took over 45 mins to get through the whole of the traffic around Hull, so I needed to put a spurt on to get to Potteric Carr in time.  Maggie had the same problem, plus her fuel light came on, so she had to make a detour to fill up.  We waited for quite some time, but then had to set off.  

Apart from Long-tailed Tits with their accompanying acolytes there were few small birds about until we reached the feeding station.  The Willow Tits were much easier to see than they had been on Thursday.

Mother Drain was very cloudy so there was no sign of the Kingfisher, though it has returned for the pm class as they were on their way out.

We saw 4 Herons, and assorted duck species at Duchess hide, but we were thwarted from entering Piper Marsh by a gaggle of big lenses.  The same thing happened when we tried to enter Childers Marsh hide, but this time it was another group in there.  On the return journey we did locate some Siskins and Treecreepers, and Maggie was surprised to find that she'd photographed a Redpoll.

For the afternoon group Pat and June arrived early for lunch in the cafe.  On their walk they spotted a white creature flitting through the tangled undergrowth - it was a Stoat in ermine - the best sighting of the whole day.

All photographs (c) 2013 Maggie Bruce

Jay

 Jay

 Treecreeper

 Treecreeper

 Goldcrest

 Siskin [male]

 Lesser Redpoll

 Lesser Redpoll

 Great Tit

 Chaffinch

 Moorhen

 Reed Buntings & Chaffinches

 Pheasant

 Mute Swans

Another Bad Hair Day

On Thursday I braved the nightmare trek to Potteric Carr. It took 30 minutes trying to get out of Hull, and after that it was a high speed journey being buffeted by gale force winds, to try & make up for lost time. Confusing roadworks near the entrance made the last few minutes a bit hairy, but we all got through it safely.

Treecreeper (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

 Treecreeper (c) 2013 Phil Todd

The first few minutes were very quiet, but we did come across 2 separate flocks of Long-tailed Tits. As we neared the feeding station I heard a Treecreeper, which everyone managed to get decent views of, but the Willow Tit was a little trickier. The birds were all lined up waiting to be fed, but there was no food on the table. Birds seen here included: Reed Bunting, Coal, Blue and Great Tits, Chaffinch, a Jay, Dunnock, Blackbird, Pheasant, Canada Goose & Mute Swan. The Willow Tit appeared at least 3 times in the afternoon, but the Great Spotted Woodpecker and the Jay failed to put in an appearance. 

 Robin (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

 Great Tit (c) 2013 Phil Todd

Chaffinch (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

 Reed Bunting [male] (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

 Reed Bunting [female] (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

Not far from the hide some of the group caught a glimpse of a shadow flying just over the surface of the water - our only view of the obligatory Kingfisher. We made the big hike to the Bittern hide, but the wind had taken its toll, so we only saw Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Teal here, although a Heron flew through, badly buffeted by the wind.  

Teal (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

 Gadwall (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

 Mallard (c) 2013 Phil Todd

Heron (c) 2013 Richard Whateley

On the way back after we'd dropped off 10 people at the cafe we saw at least 3 Siskins (one male), the final treat were the 3 Bullfinches (1 male) on the final straight towards the reception. A late highlight in the afternoon was a male Kingfisher, which posed long enough for everyone to have a really good view.