Stir Crazy!!

Been advised to "get some exercise when I feel up to it". So...when I've felt OK had a few visits to key birds on offer at the moment. Ring-billed Gull has always been an enigma in Yorks so I popped over to a grim Mirfield to view a forlorn looking adult. Moved on to Pugneys and picked up the Ring-necked Duck plus Red-necked Grebe and 9 Whoopers Swans. No luck with the drake Smew however.
Took another brief trip over to Welton Waters to view a cracking Slavonian Grebe. Hopefully my fresh air is helping overcome my post-viral fatigue. I think I may have mentioned it before?!!!

Mini Twitch

Decided to have a ride over to Wakefield for a change of scene and some air, to try and see a few 'pager birds'. First stop Wintersett Res the targets being Red-necked Grebe and 2 redhead Smew (on Cold Hiendley Res). Met a very nice old gentleman and between us we located our targets. Moved on then to Pugneys C.P. to see the Ring-necked Duck that according to the pager was showing well on the nature reserve lake...oh no it wasn't!

Wildfowl mysteries

Pager report of 7 Bean Geese plus 85 Whooper Swans on Bubwith Ings. Took the hound down to have a peep but no sign. Be nice to see something that's reported now and again! Maybe I need to review my optics!!!

On the up?

Building up the walking now and hopefully on the road to recovery! Checked out some local spots the last few days with walks on Skipwith Common and Wheldrake Ings. Mostly standard fare, highlights being Whooper Swan, Green Woodpecker, Ruff. Also a good number of roaming White-fronted Geese (12 at Wheldrake this am), accompanied by some Barnacle Geese of dubious origin! Water levels receding now at Duff, with Whooper herd now reverting to their traditional routine of spending the day on the adjacent farmland. "Reported birds" being a female Brambling at Bank Island and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker around Wheldrake car park. I will continue with this Blog but post frequency will depend on health situation...as Jack Bauer would say!!
Good Birding