Tophill Low

May 04, 2019

I didn’t join Tophill Low last year but I made the trip up there a few weeks ago and I was very glad I did.

It has changed considerably since I was last there and the access is much better controlled and the walk to the south marshes has been much improved.

The new photography hide on south marsh is brilliant, you can get right down to water level making for a great photographic opportunity. The birds I saw on my first few trips have been mostly common ones (except for the very smart channel wagtail near D reservoir) but the hide set up has allowed me to get some photos I have been very pleased with.

No doubt as the summer goes on this hide will come into its own as the water levels drop and wader passage picks up.

For now here are a few shots taken from my most recent visits.

Spring in the air

April 22, 2019

I had a very early morning start at Spurn yesterday.

I was in the hide at Kilnsea Wetlands for just after half past five. The mist was heavy and I could only just make out the avocets only a few metres away.

the air was full of birdsong, mostly skylarks but interspersed with any number of others all joining in on a fantastic dawn chorus.

As the sun rose the light improved and it made way for some interesting photo opportunities , the obliging avocets were also a help.

Soon after the sun rose it became quite harsh so I made my way out of the hide and headed for Sammy’s Point. There had been a few decent birds reported here recently so hopes were high.

There was still a fair amount of mist around and a small group of thrushes flew up as I took up my position.

It didnt take long for the thrushes to fly back down and there was a nice mix, blackbirds,redwing song thrush and a couple of smart ring ouzel.

I could hear the chakking of squabbling wheatears and then the call of the yellow wagtail one of my favourite birds. Firstly there was a single male then he was joined by a very smart looking female. The white supercillium was striking-it was the day before’s female blue-headed wagtail.

The early morning dew added to the scene ad it made for great photography.

A marsh Harrier headed south, curlews headed out east and whimbrel were calling over the humber.

As the sun rose further activity died down but a hunting short-eared owl was nice to see. The radion crackled with the news that 4 arctic skuas were heading out of the Humber and I managed to get distant views through the haze.

The last bird of the day was a cuckoo callling at the last paddock-a rather fitting end to the most Springlike of days at the UK’s premier wildlife watching hotspot.

Baltic at Bempton!

April 14, 2019

I hade a cracking morning with the camera today.

I started at Bempton and wanted to be there for sunrise. Anticipating it being a bit chilly I was dressed in full-on winter mode. As it turned out every layer was justified-it was freezing. I knew that the onshore wind would help with the photography as the birds like to ‘hang’ in the wind just off the edge of the cliff.

The first good bird was a barn owl hunting in the field outside the visitor centre.

As the sun was rising there was a little bit of cloud-this always helps as the effect creates a myriad of colours.

The gannets were very obliging as were the fulmars, There were also the usual suspects in the form of razorbill, gulliemot, kittiwake and a few distant puffins.

It was the gannets I’d really come to see and O always like to try and get something different-early morning sun is a great help.

After an hour or so I moved on to Filey Dams- I was really hoping for a garganey but the great white egret was a nice surprise. Fighting coots also made for a good photo opportunity.

Then on to Tophill Low-its the first time I’ve been for a while and I was very pleasantly surprised. They have creaated a single entrance into the reserve with a nice wlk through open wood;and to get to each end of the reserve.

Blackcaaps, willow warblers and chiff-chaffs were aplenty despite the chilly easterly wind.

O reservoir was full of hirundines-mainly sand martin but also accompanied by the odd swallow and house martin. A little gull was seen distantly patrolling along the far bank.

I then went to have a look at the new members hide-it was very impressive and no doubt will ne great in the summer when the migrating waders arrive.

All in all a super Sunday despite the distinctly wintery feeling.