Birding with Flowers

Sunday, 18 March 2012

Early Birds Catch the Crossbills

Friday was our final visit of the year to a coniferous forest. We hadn’t come across Crossbills on a Friday before, so both groups were well satisfied with the views they saw. The morning group saw 4 Adders, and 3 were still ‘basking’ in the very overcast afternoon. Green Woodpeckers were out and about all day flying very close by like slightly off-kilter guided missiles. We went back a different way after lunch and saw a Willow Tit & a very colourful male Siskin. Both sessions had their first Chiffchaff of the year, which rather surprisingly was ahead of those arriving at the aquatic Tophill Low Reserve.

Crossbill

ditto

Chiffchaff

Record Shot of Green Woodpecker

ditto

Toad

Yellowhammer

Lark

When I arrived on the Thursday morning at 1^st I thought I was the first to arrive in the ample car park, but I eventually saw through the mist that 2 cars had already arrived. There is a large lake on the other side of the parking area, but it wasn’t even visible when we started. The bird of the morning was probably the Kingfisher which flew past our hide, which was surrounded by Reed Buntings. In the afternoon the mist cleared a lot, and we were able to observe a single Adder pointed out by an unintelligible local, and 3 Green Woodpeckers flew out of the trees, and all landed on a large mound.

Little Grebe

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

Grey is the New Yellow

There is no doubt that the bird of the morning was a singing Grey Wagtail. This is a thinly distributed bird in East Yorkshire, but does become more numerous in the Driffield area. This bird reacted to a rogue male in its territory by drooping its wings & then performing an unusual flight in which it looked more like a parachuting Meadow Pipit with a really long tail.

Despite searching diligently I was unable to relocate this bird for the afternoon group. The pm highlight was probably the 30 minutes trying to ensure everyone could see the Little Owl. The weather was very grey all day, so most of the birds sighted were observed in extremely grey conditions.

Other birds seen included: Marsh Tit, Treecreeper, Red Kite, Buzzard, Long-tailed Tit, Heron, Green Woodpecker & Great Spotted Woodpecker

Stacking Supermarket Shelves

Yesterday, we walked the full length of Flamborough Head and the supermarket shelves are just starting to fill up. There were no Puffins on their shelves & only single Guillemots & Razorbills. There were more impressive numbers of Gannets around and plenty of Fulmars, and occasional sightings of Shags flying low over the water.

The amazing aerial pyrotechnics of a raptor species gave the most memorable sightings of the day, as an angry male tried to rid the cliffs of a rogue female. He 'shouted' at her, then plunged vertically down hundreds of feet, before indulging in all sorts of other amazing activities.

The day remained stubbornly overcast, which was the least rewarding aspect of our visit./

Fulmars

Kittiwake

Yellowhammer

Jackdaw

Herring Gulls

Great Black Backed Gull

Friday, 9 March 2012

Adder Nuff Devastation

We managed to see 6 different Adders yesterday, and even though it was heavily overcast in the afternoon we still managed to find 3. Pam discovered a pair of Crossbills at the top of a bare tree, but after lunch we had to put up with several noisy flyovers. Both groups saw singing Siskins, and a nice selection of other finches. We had fleeting glimpses of Green Woodpeckers through the day, but only heard a distant lark during the afternoon.

The most annoying thing apart from the compulsory dog mess was that the 'authorities' waited 3 weeks after the return of their Schedlue 1 breeders, and a fortnight after the Adders started to emerge, before they unleashed mechanised devastation on large areas. They had the whole of a very dry winter to do the much-needed job of cutting back the out-of-control birch scrub, so it borders on the criminal to make a start on this job just when Schedule 1 breeders have returned. In this day-and-age their contempt for the species they should be conserving verges on the moronic!

Singing Siskin

ditto

Adder [female]

Adder [male]

"It was the footprint of a giant hound" - in an area where they aren't permitted

Thursday, 8 March 2012

Raving about a Female(!) Reed Bunting!!!?

On Wednesday the forecast wasn’t very encouraging, but we risked a trip into South Yorkshire. It rained most of the way, but the rain stopped before the morning session began. There were Little Grebe, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Tufted Duck, but nothing out of the ordinary. On the walk Reed Buntings were indulging in their faltering song. A stop off at a feeding station resulted in many more Reed Buntings, a pair of voluble Little Grebes & plenty of common birds. Water birds included Wigeon, Shoveler, Pochard and Mute Swans. However, the best sighting came when Anthony spotted a Kingfisher. It eventually flew past the hide, but after a minute or so, it moved off. The afternoon group enjoyed quite a few fly-pasts before it disappeared for good.

On the rest of the walk we had good views of a Treecreeper & a Green Woodpecker gave great views as it flew past. The strong winds definitely had a detrimental effect on the birds, so there were no Woodlarks, no Jays, and no Willow Tits. Hope the weather will be kinder to the Thursday class next week!

For some reason the morning group were raving about a particular female Reed Bunting, which apparently exhibited a more beautiful blend of colours than normal. So this is the result of staying in a hide a little longer until a shower passes over. One of the below pictures may be the bird they were discussing, but I couldn't see it myself...

Despite the presence of 3 large cameras it's disappointing that we didn't manage to get one photo of either the Kingfisher or the Green Woodpecker

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Deja Vu

Red Kite

ditto

Kestrel

Record shot of Little Owl (c) Chris Cox

Tuesday was pretty much a rerun of Friday with a return to the north Wolds. The weather was an improvement with bright skies and virtually no wind. We had only just started when we first spotted one Grey Wagtail & then another – unfortunately, too far off for photography. It was very still so the large raptors were quick to show, but we did eventually have stunning views of Red Kites with more adequate views of Buzzard. The Marsh Tits remained very vocal with their sneezing, but were much harder to track down. One bonus was that the Little Owl was seen by all on the morning group as luckily someone brought their telescope. This was a milestone for Steve as Little Owl became the 200^th bird species he has seen in the UK – I don’t all of those have been seen during his attendance of the course. A Treecreeper was spotted after its thin piercing call was heard & this was seen by all but one member who went ahead of the group. He also missed Claude come up trumps when she remembered the name of the fungi, King Alfred’s Cakes.

Quite a lot of the afternoon was spent on speculation on how I was able to point out the Little Owl. It became easier to see as the afternoon wore on, as the changing light made the markings more obvious. We had some good views of most of the birds seen in the morning, but without the Roe Deer. We had longer views of the Treecreeper after lunch, whilst a Sparrowhawk was displaying in the same area as 2 Buzzards. The Marsh Tits were heard sneezing again, but they were still remarkably difficult to see. For once the light was fantastic, so most of the wildlife was seen in excellent conditions, and the cold start was replaced by a warm afternoon, although it had also become quite windy on the top of the hills.

Red Kite

Sunday, 4 March 2012

An On & Off Spring

On Friday we went to an area of the north Wolds. The morning started well in slightly misty conditions with fairly close views of a Red Kite, a female Kestrel and then a Buzzard. We also enjoyed several excellent close-ups of various Treecreepers. A Mistle Thrush serenaded us on and off throughtout the morning, and other passerines included Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tits. There were some frantic calls of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, but the birds themselves were only glimpsed briefly on the tree-tops before they flew off. A Sparrowhawk was soaring in upward spirals until it disappeared from view. One disappointment was the lack of Marsh Tits, which used to be guaranteed in this area. The group had to be satisfied with views of Coal Tits instead. A couple of dark blue Pheasants showed that a darker strain had been introduced since our previous visits. The raptors were slightly more difficult to observe on this occasion as the whole site was swirling with Black-head & Common Gulls, plus very noisy Jackdaws & Rooks. The afternoon was cloudier and cooler than the morning, and several Marsh Tits were heard and even sighted. At least 2 Red Kites and 2 Buzzards were seen. The afternoon participants were probably most impressed by a Little Owl, which I pointed out to them. It looked like a bump on a tree at first, but eventually they discerned its distinctive shape!

Coal Tit

Red Kite

Buzzard

Chaffinch

The Thursday session visited Blacktoft Sands, where there were plenty of duck species, but not a single wader – the legacy of the bad weather the other week. There were a few Marsh Harriers, which are always worth watching. Some ponies from Poland were the only things worth seeing near the Ousefleet hide, so it was a long walk for very little reward.

Snipe

Wigeon

Shelduck

Coots - doing what they do best - just wish more of these encounters were fatal

Immature Mute Swans

Darker Pheasant

Remains of the Hornets' Nest

The tutor wasn’t late on Wednesday, but he was still the last to arrive. The activity round the feeding area was frantic, with some great views of Marsh Tits, but the Rats were an unwelcome addition. The day was overcast, so there were no snake sightings, and the am session only had a brief glimpse of flying Crossbils, but the afternoon group had prolonged views of a pair of them at the top of the conifers.

The week didn’t start too well with the tutor getting lost, but then three others did too. The early arrivals checked the lake in the car park, and saw Oystercatcher, Teal, Lapwing. One of the lost rang to say she had arrived, and as I took the call I could hear a Woodlark. When then saw a couple one & off all morning. The pm session enjoyed the feeding station birds, which included Long-tailed Tit, and Reed Buntings as well as the commoner bird table visitors. Apparently a Redpoll had come down for a drink when the morning group passed that way. Both groups encountered Green Woodpeckers, and the Woodlark were seen very briefly performing their bat-like flights above the birch-tops.

Coltsfoot

The Ubiquitous Bird of the Day!

Autumn Term Details

Bookings for the 10-week Autumn term have started. At the time of writing there are most vacancies on Tuesday mornings, Wednesday afternoons & Thursday afternoons with a single space on Wednesday mornings. 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. In the Autumn we’ll be hoping to encounter Short-eared Owls, Hen Harriers, and plenty of waders on the coast & at our estuarine venues. We will be visiting venues in East Yorkshire with a couple of ventures into North Lincolnshire and possibly one just in West Yorkshire So, if you are interested in learning more about your local wildlife in beautiful and secluded venues for £13 a week, please 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. If you use iCloud your email will need to be sent to michaeljflowers@yahoo.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.