Sunday 29 March 2015

15th March 2015 - Hessle Foreshore

A morning walk around Hessle Foreshore in good weather produced the expected birds. Great Spotted Woodpeckers were audible in the country park as were the Bullfinches which were back and forth at the feeding station. I took the chance to photograph some of the commoner but perhaps more under-rated residents.

The Greatest of the Tits?

The foreshore itself produced a pair of Shelduck as well as Redshank and Curlew which were particularly confiding at the inlet. The thick mud at the inlet was evident as covered any evidence of the red shanks and the Curlew sank into the mud.

Redshank - Hessle - 15th March 2015

Curlew - Hessle - 15th March 2015
The field between Hessle and North Ferriby which I have called the Buzzard field lived up to its name as two took to the air as we approached. This pair seem to be sharing territory with a pair of Carrion Crows which looked to be a fairly tempestuous relationship when we were there!

One of  a pair of Buzzards at the 'Buzzard field'

17th March 2015 - Chiffchaff on the Walkway

Scans of the bird services revealed Sand Martin, Wheatear and Chiffchaff were filtering into the country. Despite the presence of half a dozen birds at Barton on the south side of the river, I had not managed a Chiffchaff on 16th March. By the next day however a single bird had made it across to the Walkway, flitting in and out of the trees by the pond.

This is usually the first avian sentinel of Spring, and although I will have to wait for a calling bird it is a wonderful feeling watching that first Warbler arrive - it is a just a shame that the weather that followed its arrival was not so warming!

First sign of Spring!
The pond has been lively of late with Greylag settling in and Teal a regular feature. A Pochard on the 8th March was soon joined by another male and female, with all three present on the 17th.

Male Pochard on the pond at North Ferriby

7th March 2015 - Whooper Swans at North Ferriby

A walk at low tide at North Ferriby brought a nice surprise with a trio of Whooper Swans on the sandbar in the middle of the river. There has been a movement of both Whoopers and Pinkfeet on the coast, so I had hoped that perhaps one or the other might overfly the patch.

I had not expected to see them on the deck however. The timing of my walk was very fortunate as just half an hour later the rising tide had covered the sand bar and the Swans made their way up river.

Whooper Swans - North Ferriby - 07/03/2015

Whooper Swans - North Ferriby - 7th March 2015


Tuesday 3 March 2015

3rd March 2015 - North Ferriby Station

A Green Woodpecker this morning was very vocal in the trees behind the house. I listened to it heartily laughing until my train arrived. Well timed given the picture which went viral last night of a Weasel catching a lift on the back of a Green Woodpecker, a photo more reminiscent of Bagpuss than reality!

The accompanying photos dispel the suspicion surrounding the pictures which was certainly a once in a lifetime shot.

My bird this morning sounded far too happy to be in such a precarious situation - but was my second record of the year after one on the Walkway in January.

28th February 2015 - Welton Water

My last day off work, I went for an afternoon walk around Welton Water in awful conditions. The wind was blowing with a nasty northerly edge and at time the rain was slashing down. The water was even quieter than usual with the Tufted Duck, Goldeneye and Gadwall present as per previous visits, with numbers of the latter back up at 26.

There were plenty of Gulls on the river, but trying to get any view of the river was a challenge as the exposed bank was not the most clement place to be! The most activity was on the field at the back of the sailing club which if it remains in its current condition should be very productive over the year. At present it is plenty of turned mud and corn stalks with channels and lying water which is proving very popular with a number of different bird families. Perhaps the most obvious are the Greylag flock of 34 bird - which give themselves away with their squabbling. The presences of Bean Geese on the south bank raised my hopes, but the resident flock had no visitors on this occasion. Redwing and Fieldfare were present on the fields, the latter more visible than the former which were not easy to pick out until they moved. A couple of Meadow Pipits were a more delicate addition, and as the afternoon wore on Pied Wagtail numbers increased as more than 30 birds flew in to roost from Brough.

Curlews stalked amongst the mud picking off titbits and Carrion Crows and Jackdaws were present in small numbers. Perhaps least likely was a Little Egret which took off as I approached and was later roosting in the trees on the island.

The other bird on the field were two rather confiding Stock Doves, a bird that is not always the easiest to see. Woodpigeons to Stock Doves are what Herring Gulls are to Common Gulls, with the latter being the softer, better looking and more subtle cousin.

Stock Doves


Roe Deer are becoming a regular site in the countryside these days and the airfield and the fields behind Welton Water are pretty reliable as they make their way nervously across the open space.

Roe Deer show nerves as they cross the open space.



26th February 2015 - A63

Setting off on the journey south, a Merlin was a surprise sighting perched on a signpost for Goole on the M62. None all year and then two in as many days.

27th February 2015 - Langold Lake

On a trip to see family in North Notts, there was time for a walk around Langold Lake before the bad weather set in. A pleasant morning with some sunshine the wind had a cold northerly edge.

Main birds of note were the 7 pairs of Great Crested Grebes here. I am not sure why the lake holds so much appeal for do many of this species but it really does seem to be something of a GCG magnet.  They were beginning to display, one pair in particular rehearsing their moves with occasional brief demonstrations of the courtship rituals.

A Buzzard glided over the car park as we left, a bird which is getting more of a foothold in the area with each passing year.

Otherwise fairly quiet on the lake for variety, although the Canada's and Gulls made enough sounds to fill the void!

I used to do the Webs count at Langold Lake. A great site for Great Crested Grebe.

The garden feeders at my parents house were a hive of activity as usual. A bright Nuthatch was a visually appealing visitor whilst the Woodpigeons were clearly enjoying an ivy berry feast with a dozen of these portly diners clinging precariously to the branches with wings spread for balance. Frequently losing balance their already spread wings instantly countered their fall like clumsy avian base jumpers.

25th February - Brough Haven to Welton Water

After a good week off work, I had enjoyed a good number of walks around the patch without adding much of note for Patchwork Challenge. As opposed to the day before, which was blustery with choppy waters, the Humber was like a mirror as just a gentle breeze barely raised a ripple.

This kind of surface makes birding easier, with any bird on the surface standing out. Wigeon numbers were up with over 50 in the bay that can be viewed from the Haven car park. They outnumbered Teal for the first time since I have been watching the birds here.

The Shelduck are established now, with the male actively wooing the female on the exposed mud. A further pair were in the bay - but it is the this pair for which I have an affection as they were the first to return earlier in February.

I will watch this amorous couple over the summer to see if they are successful

Welton Water was quiet once again with nothing new to note. It was Brough Airfield that provided the best of the action when a Merlin came into view chasing a Snipe. A very even match, these two diminutive aerial acrobats were very evenly matched with the chase continuing right across the marsh and back before the chaser began to lose ground. Victory for the Snipe. So intriguing was the battle, that a Marsh Harrier flapping through the same view was given little regard.

Walking back to the car park, two Little Egrets flapped gently downriver. Approximately 2/3 of the way out, there was a short window of opportunity for a quick record short before they disappeared from view. I think they will be a regular sight through the year, particularly in late summer.

A distant record shot of a bird that I expect to be a regular over the coming year