Friday 7 January 2022

First Duff Sit

It was a bit fresh but I enjoyed a nice 3 hour session in the Geoff Smith Hide this morning (10-1)...

The good news was water was now "on" the Carrs, the bad news was it was frozen! Luckily there was a small pool at the far Western end of the Reserve were a decent number of Wildfowl was present including 66 Pintail. A wonderful sight. A lone Whooper Swan was also present on the riverbank at the North end.

A Stonechat popped up out of the Reedbed...

Eventually it came around in front of the hide...

Later I saw two birds together. Next I picked up a small flock of distant Dunlin (7) on the grassland together with a lone Ruff. 3 Stock Doves flew over the Hide. Around midday a male Marsh Harrier flew West at some considerable distance before turning South and ending up flying across my view...

Thoughts were now drifting towards the traditional  Mr C's chip butty in Selby as it approached 1pm. A final scan produced the hoped for quality sighting in the form of a male Peregrine resting on the ground. As I was packing up  I heard a familiar sound...WHOOPING! The next 5 minutes were magical as 3 seperate groups of Whooper Swans (52) flew South down the River and over the road onto Derwent Valley Farm...




36 species seen. I love this place!

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