Garganey

We called in at Scarborough this morning to try and see the drake Garganey over by the outdoor theatre. It's a smashing bird and was easily seen too:

Dippers

I've been watching a pair of Dippers in a local clough* as they go about nest building over the past week and this morning they mated so hopefully there will be a family to watch in the coming weeks.

* A clough is a steep-sided, wooded, small valley carved out of the hillside by a stream which runs down into a larger valley.

Short-eared Owls at Hornsea

I watched a couple of Short-eared Owls hunting over the fields on Sunday evening and then they were joined by a Barn Owl. Nice to see three owls in the same field of view in the bins.

Linnets and Mipits are back with 9 Linnets and 4 Mipits counted on Monday morning. Reed Buntings are singing and together with singing Skylarks and Dunnocks the whole place is feeling more and more Spring-like.

New Birth

Spring is here - in feeling if not in man's measurement. Frogs are spawning, birds are nest building and singing and the weather is getting a little warmer.

I watched a pair of Dippers collecting nest material this morning and then take it to their nest location. Unfortunately I decided to go for my walk without the camera so I missed out on some great pictures. Bugger. I can almost guarantee that when I go out without my camera I come across something that would have made a great subject! However, I just felt that I'd go out unencumbered today (apart from the indispensible bins of course) so I knew something would crop up.

I went out again this afternoon with my camera to try and spot the birds again but of course they were taking a break from nest building, and although I saw them down stream from the nest site, they were too distant for pics.

A squirrel was half dozing in its drey though, so I got a shot of that this afternoon -

I'll be out tomorrow morning to see if I can get the Dippers with the camera.