Tues 19 May 2015, North Cave Wetlands
A fine day at North Cave, including the must-do visit to The Wild Bird for some of Angie's bakewell tart.
Good birds around too with a
Temmink's Stint at Dryham together with a couple of
Wood Sandpipers.
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| Wood Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover |
Wed 20 May 2015, Hornsea Mere
A single
Cuckoo was calling in 2nd field and soon showed itself for a few photos.
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| Cuckoo at The Mere |
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Friday 22 May 2015, Whisby Nature Reserve Lincoln
A long planned visit today down to Lincolnshire in order to see and hear
Nightingale passed off smoothly with great views and a brilliantly close encounter with its song too. Well worth the travelling time of 3 hours there and back. A quiet day at the reserve other than the star birds.
Saturday 23 May 2015, Cowden
A brisk walk around the promising site down at Cowden really paid dividends this morning with 2
Turtle Doves singing at the south of the site. Warblers were singing here, there and everywhere with numerous
Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Grasshopper Warbler, Chiff Chaff and
Willow Warbler. 2
Cuckoos were calling from quite a long way off but were easily visible through the bins.
A nice surprise turned up in shape of 3 fox cubs, playing on the old tarmac road that runs north to south through the site. One by one they spotted me as I approached until there was just one left - but not for long.
Monday 25 May 2015, Hornsea Mere
Another dry and sunny day here on the East Coast of Yorkshire so the Mere beckoned and I answered by walking down to the fields, through to the hide at Wassand on Decoy Channel and south east to Goxhill before returning home on the disused railway line. Although there were no particularly special birds or wildlife it was a good, clear day with the usual suspects showing well.
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| One of just a few remaining Shovelers |
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| Gadwall | |
The resident pair of
Kestrels were hunting and carrying food to their nest. We should be seeing young ones soon.
Cetti's Warblers were still singing in the hedgerows - what a fabulous song it has.
Tuesday 26 May 2015, home
I went for a walk down to the Mere at 06:30 and got back about 10:30 and saw more House Martins around the house than before. It looks like there had been an influx of late arrivals so I hoped that the old nests on the gable end of the house would be populated. The Martins must have been hungry because they were landing on every nook and cranny on the house, even on the small ledges above the windows where the air vents are, probably eating flies in the spider's webs (and some spiders too).
Wednesday 27 May 2015, Bempton Cliffs
Puffins, Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots, Corn Buntings, Gannets, Linnets and Fulmars. Nothing new but great to see good numbers of all species.
Saturday 30 May 2015, Wheldrake Ings
My first visit over to Wheldrake Ings just 10 miles outside York was made on another dry and sunny day. I was hoping to see Grey Wagtail and Nuthatch as we don't get these species at Hornsea and surrounding area, but neither turned up. Never mind, there were plenty of other birds to see and hear.
Hobby was the best bird of the day, catching insects over the River Derwent. 2
Little Egrets did their stalking thing;
Curlews did their bubbling singing; a
Common Tern was doing nothing but lazing on a wooden platform;
Reed Buntings were flitting and chiming; a
Buzzard was soaring...I was enjoying myself and losing track of time and eventually I ran out of time so I had to dash to pick up my wife and daughter in York.
There were lots of damselflies near the river and this species was particularly numerous. It could be a demoiselle but I'm still trying to get a positive id.
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Beautiful Demoiselle?
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