BIG Seabird Stateside!

See here

Peaceful Sundown

Had a hospital appointment this morning. Great fun with the pay and display system! I just love car parks! Eventually escaped around . I grabbed some lunch and headed back east.

First stop was the Sewage works to look for the Grey Wagtail. Plenty of Pied Wagtails but no luck.

Next a stroll along the cliff. No sign of any Snow Buntings but a big surprise in the form of a Ringed Plover (H.43) in the winter wheat!

There were a few Red-throated Divers fairly close in on the high tide...

Finished off with a very relaxing time down at Kilnsea Wetlands. On the way down I stopped off to have a look at the Swans...

There was no wind and a lovely sunset. Not a soul in sight.

I had a quick initial scan from the car park and thought I saw some Avocets disappearing behind a mudbank? I made my way to the hide. A pair of Little Egrets were obviously feeling amorous and provided great entertainment...

Chase me!

...and then there were Avocets! (P.86) 4 of them...

Firstly in the distance...

Constantly feeding, almost in unison, they started to circle the scrape, at one time coming out of the water...

Then I got lucky...

I'm very fortunate to have such class birds so close to home. I must never take them for granted. I'm old enough to remember when you had to travel many a mile to see these birds.

Also present were 57 Curlew, 6 Oystercatchers and 8 Redshank

Kilnsea Wetlands has a bright future.

Oh, and a Barn Owl on the way back to the car...

17.43

They're back!

Trudging down Bannister St to work this morning when I heard a distinctive call. I looked up and sure enough, there on the chimney pots, were some old friends...

Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Early?

DRAKE SMEW?

Being a "stubborn kinda fellow" it still rankled that I hadn't been able to connect with it. Louise was having a pamper day with her daughter...so there was nothing else for it. I set off early and arrived on site around 8.30. I tried the usual spots and gave the lad a good walk and swim but again there was no sign of it.

Never mind!

Plenty of Goldeneye and Goosander...both superb species, enhanced by the close views...

I gave it till around 11.30 then I headed for Asda for a bit of lunch.

OK, lets try again. Most of the information I'd received pointed to the bridge over the River Calder on the  A636 Denby Dale road as the best bet. So that's were I headed...again! I got out of the car and walked up to the bridge. Checked the west side. Same story. Plenty of Goldeneye and a few Goosanders. Lets try the other side for the last time. I eventually made it across the road and scanned the river...

BINGO!

I'd looked for this beauty for over 10 hours on three separate visits. Great to find the "White Nun" at last!

It's a Cracker!

A superb bird BUT very elusive and skittish. I managed to rattle a few off before a dog walker flushed it and it shot off down the river with a pair of Goldeneye...

I decided to be greedy and see if I could find it. So I went back to the car to get Bud and we set off down river. When we eventually reached the bend I lifted the bins and there it was again in the distance...

Enough was enough and I let it be...

Back in time

This isn't a birdy post...so you might want to move on! I'm fully aware that music and other personal interest are just that...personal. Maybe you can relate to the below in some way?

On Thursday night I took Louise to Hull City Hall for a surprise outing. I have to be honest, there was some self interest.

We went to see this...



I won't bore you with an act by act review (that's if your still reading!) but I just want to record a few thoughts generally about seeing class acts from the distant past.

I like all genres of music but my heart lies in 70's Soul. I was 13 in 1970 and I consider myself truly blessed to have spent the next ten years enjoying some true greats of Soul...

Earth, Wind and Fire
Barry White
Tavares
Stylistics
Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes
O'Jays
Al Green

The list is long...

I thought those days had gone. On Thursday night I found out I was wrong!

It was FANTASTIC!!!

THE Voice of "Papa was a Rolling Stone"....The Temptations Dennis Edwards (aged 71). The rest are above.

There wasn't one bad performance. They all performed brilliantly. I was amazed! The band were excellent and the sound created was just like listening to the records.

Gwen Dickey had been injured in a ladder fall but she was escorted on stage to a stool and sang like an Angel.

Sheila Ferguson was pure class in a sequined dress. "When will I see you again" was sang perfectly.

The thing is, it made me think...always dangerous. I'm 57 and I try (but usually, no always fail) to appreciate "modern" music...but I can't! I'm sure today's kids love "their" music...I don't! I KNOW that I grew up in THE best era for class Soul...but that's just my opinion. Thanks for reading and I hope you can still find and see some of your heroes.

A special thank you must go to David Gest for having the persuasive skills to assemble such a cast.

I will be posting a few of my favourites (not too many I promise) over the coming days before the memories fade...

Avocets are back!

Two Avocets were seen in the Kilnsea Wetlands/ Beacon Ponds area yesterday. Nice!

A tale of two Smew...well, one at least!

I made my annual trip to the Wakefield area...yesterday...and today!

I failed last year, so I was determined to find it this time. Having tried previously I knew the spots to check. I enjoyed the all the spots yesterday, but I couldn't find it...again!

It's nice to go "off Patch" now and again, especially in Winter. This area is blessed with plenty of "Sawbills"...

At least 30 Goldeneye present...

Goosanders were also well represented with at least 20 seen...

Today I returned, determined to find it. On the way I stopped off at North Cave G.P. to hopefully see the female. It was a lot easier to find, although it kept it's distance...

I did eventually manage a couple of better efforts as it fortunately swam slightly closer...

BIG developments going on at this site...

So, back to Wakefield. I won't drag it out but I dipped again on the Smew!! I bumped into another birder who showed me some photos of it! I also met former Blogger Johnnybirder. Nice to meet you pal!

A pair of Bullfinches provided significant consolation...

I hadn't noticed the female!

What a cracker!

No White Nun again then. I'll try again next year...if it returns?

Misty morning

Two visits to Sunk Island. One yesterday, late afternoon till dusk. Whilst trawling the roads I racked up a young Marsh Harrier, Short-eared Owl, 3 Barn Owls, a Sparrowhawk and 8 Kestrels. Interestingly, a Hen Harrier was reported but I didn't see it.

5.05pm

This morning...nothing in 3 hours!!!

Finished off the morning with a visit to Long Bank, Kilnsea. Stopped briefly for a peep at "the swans"...

Whoopers

Followed up by a walk around Long Bank Marsh. Thick mist and bitter cold...but plenty of Brents present...

Sadly I came across a few Grass Snakes that had succumbed to the tidal surge...

I was thinking of re-visiting the Yellow-rumped Warbler tomorrow...but it looks like it's departed...

Barn Owl

I spent a pleasant hour near Patrington this afternoon in the company of a Barn Owl. It was hunting in a pasture with a small copse fringing the field. I positioned myself against a fence post and waited. The sun was kind and stayed out most of the time. It was elusive and stayed mostly in amongst the trees, which it used as a vantage point...

On a couple of occasions it surprised me by appearing from behind the hedge. I could actually hear it's wings! Of course I was too slow to react.

With patience however (one of my strong suites) I was able to get some decent shots as it hunted the area.

First along the far hedge...

Then a bit closer...

On the ground with kill...

Backlit...

Then a couple of flybys...

Love this species...and plenty of them around here...

Song Thrush

Do you see many?...I don't! Super bird. Use to be fairly common, now scarce at best...at least round here.

So, you can imagine my surprise...and delight...to hear one at first light this morning (P.85, H.42) as I walked down the lane with Bud. As I glanced to my right, there it was in the hedge not 15 feet away.

Of course, by the time I'd got my camera it had gone. Hope it's back tomorrow?

Garden MEGA!

Almost forgot! With all the dashing around I forgot to mention my BIG moment in the backyard. I invested in a few different types of feeders including a ground feeding tray. Lo and behold it paid off with my first ever garden Reed Bunting...

not bad through the double glazing!

Dentist and Duff!

Had to go over to York today to pay a long overdue (5+ years) trip to the Dentist. I decided to see if I could find the Drake Smew that had been reported from Fairburn Ings. The weather was atrocious! Heavy rain and cold. I asked at the visitors centre and they told me it hadn't been reported for a couple of days. Still, it might be around somewhere? I checked the moat area and then made my way down the flashes ending up in Lyndyke hide.

No Smew unfortunately but I enjoyed the short walk...in the rain!

The weather didn't dampen this couples ardour...

Just before I left a distant Great-crested Grebe drifted into view...

...and so to Duff...

I only had a good hour due to Dental visits but the sun came out and I managed to add a few species to my year list...

Gadwall (3)
Tufted Duck (c30)
Heron
Dunlin (c100)
Ruff (10)
Redshank (15)

Year list 41

Also impressive numbers of Golden Plover (c500) and Lapwing (c1500).