Golden Plovers

Saw my first flock (43) this year at Stone Creek late afternoon.

Feeding well

Tree Sparrow numbers increasing... word must have got round! Up to FOURTEEN now.

Not forgetting the humble House Sparrow (8) of course.

Added Long-tailed Tit (P.73, H.34) this morning when 12 made their way through the garden.

Loons

Had a walk down to Old Hive this morning to see if any Snow Buntings were still around. I couldn't find any but it was nice to see a decent number of Red-throated Divers offshore. Even better was a lone Black-throated Diver.

I now have two Coal Tits attending my feeders and my Tree Sparrow count has reached 8.

Patch 72
Holmpton 33

Near and further

It was a thankfully sunny day, if a bit nippy. It can be tough going finding decent birds at this time of year...especially new ones! The day turned out to be just that...quiet. Still I enjoyed the drive round and enjoyed a few of the local suspects. The dark Buzzard near Patrington remains faithful to its favourite area...

There had been an obvious cold weather influx of Lapwings with c300 on Snakey lane and at Weeton.

Late afternoon I ended up at Skeffling. The tide was in and the Humber was flat calm...a fine sight enhanced by the presence of 10 fine Pintail...

A Barn Owl was hunting by the Village as I left.

A final drive back along Snakey revealed another dark Buzzard looking for its supper...

4.26

...and going to the toilet...

Shot in the dark!

Constant activity at the feeding station. The Coal Tit is a regular...

The Niger seeds always bring in the wonderful Goldfinches...

Not forgetting the humble Chaffinch...

Brightens up a Winter's day...

Buz Birding

Work and play today!

I had the Easington round shift which covers the area between Withernsea, Patrington and of course Easington. It even includes Holmpton and Snakey lane.

My first run (7.30 - 8.30) produced 3 Barn Owls, two at Weeton and one at Skeffling. The next run had a gem/imm Hen Harrier heading for the Humber.

I added a couple of Buzzards at Patrington before lunch.

Late afternoon I had another sighting of a Weeton Barn Owl. Then at 4.45 I SAW a Tawny Owl gliding along the road in front of my bus at Skeffling. Nice!

Tomorrow will be total Birding...

Feeding Station active!

Fully stocked and the birds are...HERE!

Blue Tit 8
Great Tit 6
Coal Tit
Robin 3
Dunnock 3
Wren 2
Tree Sparrow 8
House Sparrow 6
Blackbird 4
Chaffinch 4
Goldfinch 6

A quick trip to Tesco just before dusk. Obviously done it hundreds of times before...never seen a male Hen Harrier by the Sewage though!!!

Duff

Firstly, a bit of news from late yesterday when I saw THREE Barn Owls in 30 minutes! Birds were present at Holmpton. Skeffling and Weeton. The Weeton bird, through the windscreen... I did pull over!!

This morning I set off for a sesh at Duff. On the way I stopped off at Skeffling and had a play with my latest second hand camera. You may recall I unfortunately dropped my last one. I managed to repair it but the heat of the UAE was too much for the tape applied! I'm still keeping it but I wanted to try the "new" one with Texas in mind. Yes, I like to think ahead...out of the gloom!

First impressions were favourable. Here's a couple of images...

Reed Bunting

Kestrel

I arrived at NDC around 9.45 and stayed till 1.The greylags were enjoying the much welcomed sunshine...

There's a limited amount of water on now (which will stay) and it helps to concentrate the birds down by Garganey Hide, which is where I spent the whole watch. Hopefully more will fill the reserve later in the Winter...not too much of course.

The Whooper herd usually spends the day across the road on the farmland but I was lucky again this morning (26 on my last visit) with a family party of four present on the Carrs...

We were joined for a while by a pleasant chap from Fulford. We swapped stories of times gone by...as Birders tend to do! We commented on how nice it was to see so many Lapwings...

I then noticed the Whooper family take off. They circled and then headed off for the farmland. I grabbed my camera and just managed a few shots not knowing what I may have captured. To say the birds passed the hide a good hundred yards away in overcast conditions, I'm very pleased with the new camera's performance...quite a relief as well...

I then realized one had remained...

By 12.30 the skies had darkened (surprise, surprise) so I headed for Mr C's chippy in Selby. I also managed to get a quick trim...bonus. I was going to return for the afternoon but a full car park and dark skies meant I headed home.

 

List

Mute Swan (Cynus olor)
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) 4

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)

Greater Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) 2

Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)

Gadwall (Anas strepera)

European Teal (Anas crecca)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) c 20

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) 4

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) imm female

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) c 300

Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)

Common Gull (Larus canus)

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus argentatus)

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) c 200

Stock Dove (Columba oenas)

Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)

Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

Blackbird (Turdus merula)

Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)

Great Tit (Parus major major)

Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica)

Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Rook (Corvus frugilegus)

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

A Bird Stroll...on the Patch

Woke up early on Wednesday, felt good, so decided to have a mooch around the Patch to kick start the Year's Birding. No planning...just "go for it"...at a leisurely pace of course!

I made it down to Welwick pre-dawn. No Harriers or SEO's but a Barn Owl quartering the Marsh was a nice start. Sparrowhawk was also added. I tried Skeffling but still no significant additions.

Next I had a drive down at Spurn passing the Whoopers and lone White-front on the way. I also saw my only Buzzard of the day. On the way out I had a quick look from the Crown and Anchor and got lucky with a couple of Turnstones.

Onto Withernsea...and Couplands! I enjoyed my lunch on the ramp by the flood gate. The hoped for LBB Gull wasn't seen BUT I did get lucky with Ringed Plover and Sanderling. I also had a couple of Gannets in a token sea watch. A quick visit to the Sewage added Pied Wagtail, a bonus Song Thrush and Skylark.

I then returned to Holmpton to check around the Cottage. My feeding station is bare at the moment (soon to be replenished) but I managed to add Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Tree Sparrow.

All site were visited on a whim with no particular strategy in force.

Down to Stone Creek but still no Harriers or SEO's. However, there in the middle of a large arable field was this...

Peregrine

I drove past the bird to the end of the straight and then retraced my course picking up my only Fieldfare of the day in a bush by the road. There was also a large flock of Lapwings present. The Peregrine was on the move as I passed it again...

I worked my way back through Sunk Island to Patrington Haven. I checked yet another ditch for Kingfisher to no avail, then had a last scan to the East. There just above the tree line for a few seconds...was a Marsh Harrier!

A quick pass on Snakey gave me my second Peregrine of the day, this time a young bird powering low North. No Partridges though.

Back to Spurn and more precisely Kilnsea Wetlands and Beacon Ponds (it was gone 3pm now). I didn't have time to grill the ducks but I did add Wigeon, Teal and Goldeneye.

Could I make it back to Welwick in time?

I arrived at 3.55 and made my way to the flood bank. The sun had set but there was still enough light to view...nothing! Then at 4.16...

4.21...

I had my Hen Harrier/s. I also saw 2 Short-eared Owls. A nice finish to proceedings... except for the Tawny Owl (heard) as I unpacked the car.

My List

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
European White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
European Teal (Anas crecca)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)
Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)
Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus)
Common Gull (Larus canus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus argentatus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Rock Dove (Columba livia)
Stock Dove (Columba oenas)
Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)
Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Skylark (Alauda arvensis)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba)
Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)
Great Tit (Parus major major)
Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica)
Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
Rook (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniculus)

67 Species

ABA Owls...through the years

Still fishing through some old pics on these dark nights. I've assembled a few that I thought I'd share on here. Brought back some great memories...

GREAT GREY OWL, Yosemite National Park, California, 2003

My finest hour!

This species is present in the park but VERY elusive. I'd failed on two previous visits to the park in previous years, so I wasn't confident of success. I got lucky with some information posted on a local Yahoo site. A birder had seen one at Wawona Meadow the previous day. I made my way up there and sure enough I found it and enjoyed an unforgettable couple of hours watching my favourite bird hunting the Meadow.

Snowy Owl, Barrow Alaska, 2007

We saw TWENTY ONE birds in an afternoon within 3 miles of the town!

Northern Hawk Owl, Anchorage, Alaska, 2007

It was the last day of trip and I'd scanned thousands of trees without any success. We pulled into a petrol station on our way to the airport...and there it was...in the car park!!!

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Bentson, Texas, 2002...

A resident bird was easily seen on the reserve. Alas, they are no longer present after severe flooding in 2008.

Northern Saw-whet Owl, San Bernadino Mnts, California, 2008...

A truly impressive find by Lance Benner who I'd contacted previously and was only to happy to help me. Again it was last-minute.com as we tried the last car park just before midnight. A few weekend revellers were about which didn't help but it didn't stop Lance picking out a faint noise. He shone his torch into the darkness...and there it was! Simply amazing.

Flammulated Owl, Colorado, 2011...

A nest site was visited in a private area, way off the beaten track. We had to wait a while but eventually it popped it's head out! I was in the company of Richard Crossley, a Brit who has produced ID guides.

Great memories...

RNG re-visited

When I first got interested in Birdwatching as a pastime one of the first sites I visited with my young sons was Ashbyville Pits opposite Scunny Steelworks. It had a fairly impressive track record of turning up decent birds, most of which I'd never heard of at the time! This site was also my first encounter with John Harriman.

One frosty Winter's day I was walking round the lake (which was mainly frozen) when I noticed an unusual bird with the Mallards in a small area of unfrozen water. I didn't have a clue what it was BUT it was intriguing. Eventually I figured I out, it was my first Red-necked Grebe.

This morning I made the trip to Castle Howard to try for the RNG that had been found there yesterday morning by Tim Jones on a Bird Race reccy. I slipped up yesterday by not reacting quick enough ((I blame the flu!). I arrived at the Great Lake around 9.30 and headed for the car park. Unfortunately, it no longer exists, so I had to improvise!

It was a still morning if rather overcast as I made my way round the footpath. A few scans failed to reveal my quarry but the further I walked the better the light became. The bird had been reported first thing (which was a relief) but after 45 minutes I was beginning to worry? It's a deceptively large area of water and I guess a diving grebe can prove elusive...that's my excuse anyway! Then as if by magic it appeared...

Phew!!!

Got away with it then. My 205th species for the York Area. Only took me THIRTY TWO years!!!!!!

Ghostly Vision

Returning from Tesco I decided on the spur of the moment to have a run down Snakey and give Bud an extra stretch.

I'd only gone around 100yds when out of the gloom appeared a magnificent male Hen Harrier cruising across the road heading North.

Absolutely Brilliant!!! 

I love a nice surprise...

Something cheerful!

Finally feeling a bit more like it. So, to celebrate, I thought I WOULD post a few memories from 2018. I realize my year is already chronicled in my Blog, but hey...it's something to do on a cold dark Winter's evening.

 

Cyprus was better this time than I could have ever imagined. To see CASPIAN PLOVER, CREAM- COLOURED COURSER, BIMACULATED LARK, BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER, ROCK THRUSH, RUPPELL'S WARBLER, CITRINE WAGTAIL all to within 20 yards...was simply amazing!!! No apologies for posting again...

Especially remarkable was the fact that the CCC turned up in the same area of rough ground at Mandria, that the CP had done a few days earlier!! Simply amazing...and VERY lucky...for me. I also met some great people

At home the WHITE-RUMPED SWIFT was obviously a BIG surprise...and being just up the road was a trifle...fortunate...this time!

Followed shortly afterwards by the long awaited GREY CATBIRD that turned up at Land's End. A very special bird...

Other significant birds (that I can remember) include the LITTLE SWIFT at Hartlepool Headland which performed brilliantly.

I added Green-winged Teal, Squacco Heron, Greater Sand Plover, Baird's Sandpiper, Red-rumped Swallow to my Spurn list, which now stands at 305. GSP was also a Yorkshire tick as was the WRS...obviously!

Even more locally was my magic moment on the cliff top, when on November 2nd I spotted a WHITE-TAILED EAGLE flying North offshore. Simply magnificent in more ways than one...



Other Holmpton ticks came in the form of Whooper Swan, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Great White Egret, Black-tailed Godwit and Little Auk. The WS over Tesco car park then along Holmpton road at dusk were simply stunning. A truly evocative experience. The prolonged stay of the GWE was also very special...

This IS Holmpton! My total now stands at a modest 164.

My garden highlight was having this cracker bathing in my Bird bath...briefly. So pleased to have reacted quick enough to get this image through the back window.

Pied Flycatcher

I reckon the WTE and the Pied Fly will take some beating! I'll try though.

My beloved Duff gave up Iceland Gull (finally) and Rock Pipit to make my total 155.

The year concluded with my trip to Dubai, which let's face it, is still pretty fresh in the mind. It was different.

So, I managed a review after all!

A time for reflection

I've been here before...as with most things I've written!!

How long does Flu last? Too long! Being laid up at least gives me plenty of time to catch up on overdue Birdy tasks, many of which I'm always putting off until tomorrow. Having said that I've really enjoyed editing a few pics, updating my records etc etc.

I've also updated my trusty lists for the coming campaign. The LDV is filling up but Duff is always the last to succumb, so I don't intend making a visit until later in the month. Maybe the American Wigeon will pay us a visit?

Locally, the main focus will be on the Village, with timely visits to other areas when need be...some may be rather rapid! I'm taking part in the BTO EWBS and I've got a square down Snakey...which is handy! Maybe you'd like to give it a go?  My only trip planned this year (so far) is my Spring visit to my beloved Texas. We'll be based in Galveston for the whole 3 weeks (April 12th - May 5th). I haven't decided on my strategy for the trip yet but I am tempted to try a Galveston Island list...might be fun.

Hoping to feel more like it by the weekend...

A New Year

No charge around for me. I like to do a slow build in the Winter months. Let's face it, there's not THAT much to go at! Not overly keen on reviewing the Year either. My movements are well documented anyway.

I took Bud for a swim this morning... I encouraged him from the beach. A lovely moment arrived when a lone Sanderling appeared from nowhere and landed right in front of me. I managed a record shot with my phone. You'll have to look hard..

A quality bird to start the year off...