January Round-Up

I’ve had a couple of trips out over January.

One up north to Scarborough and Bridlington and the other to Skeffling then North Cave.

A few photos from each below.

Great Northern Diver-Scarborough

Great Northern Diver-Scarborough

Red-Throated Diver-Scarborough

Red-Throated Diver-Scarborough

Red-Throated Diver-Scarborough

Red-Throated Diver-Scarborough

Red-Throated Diver-Scarborough

Great Northern Diver-Scarborough

Turnstone-Bridlington

Purple Sandpiper-Bridlington

Purple Sandpiper-Bridlington

Purple Sandpiper-Bridlington

Great Black-Backed Gull-Bridlington

Great Black-Backed Gull-Bridlington

Purple Sandpiper-Bridlington

Lapwing-Skeffling

Shellduck-Skeffling

Shellduck-Skeffling

Dunlin-Skeffling

Curlew-Skeffling

Dunlin-Skeffling

Peregrine & Prey- Skeffling

Pintail-Skeffling

Yellowhammer-Welwick

Long-Tailed Tit-North Cave Wetlands

Brambling-North Cave Wetlands

Brambling-North Cave Wetlands

Siskin-North Cave Wetlands

Siskin-North Cave Wetlands

Siskin-North Cave Wetlands

SongThrush-North Cave Wetlands

Twite and Short Eared Owls

I had a bit of a dilema on Sunday. Do I go up to Scarborough for a smart red-breasted merganser in the harbour along with a great northern diver or do I put my faith in staying relatively local.

Well relatively local won and soon I was heading out to Skeffling. I’d heard that a flock of twite had been seen near the pumping station. Twite are a red listed species in the UK and unfortunately their decline continues. Breeding in the uplands they spend winter at lower levels either on the coast or in the rough grassland around the estuary. They could be confused with linnet but they have a shorter tail, brown streaks on its lower sides. The rump on the males is a nice shade of pink. The feed in tight flocks and make a cheerful sound as they flit to different feeding spots, never staying still for long.

It didnt take long to find them and whilst it was impossible to get close for detailled shots I was content to stand on the bank and photograph the flock in flight for an hour or so.

I expected the tide to push some waders and wildfowl close to the bank but a combination of a very small tide and a north east wind pushing the Humber back, it stopped short about 400 yards from the saltmarsh.

I chose to head for Stone Creek for the last couple of hours of daylight.

The hen harriers werent as obliging as they had been and it looked like the owls had moved up to the next field along. On closer inspection (and as you might expect) the ground was flooded so I could only conclude that the vast numbers of voles must have moved to slightly higher ground.

there were at least 7 owls in flight at any one time-mainly short-eared owls but there was a single barn owl as well as 2 distant hen harriers, 2 marsh harriers, 4 kestrels a common buzzard and a sparrowhawk.

There was a distinct chill in the air which was amplified as the sun went down. It looks like we are in for a spell of cooler weather. Dare we hope for snow?

Raptor Fest On The Humber

As regular followers of this blog will be aware I have been fixated with photographing raptors on the Humber this winter.

Saturday was no exception and what a great day it turned out to be.

Arriving at day break I was pleased to see I was the only one there. I hurredly made my way to my preferred vantage point and settled down for a days viewing and photography.

A barn owl hunting distantly followed by a distsnt marsh harrier got things going. A buzzard flew purposefully directly overhead and veered off dramatically as it realised I was only a matter of metres below it.

Before long, the prize subject appeared- a hen harrier studiously viewing the ground below it for any signs of life. Distant at first It slowly came closer only to startle another raptor-a peregrine falcon. I cant work out what was most surprisded, me or the harrier. The peregrine made a bee-line for the Humber , not before passing close overhead in soft morning light.

The hen harrier was joined by a second and they both stayed tantalisingly distant.

Out of the corner of my eye a fox caught my attention, it was mostly obscured by undergrowth but was doing a few of its trademark pounces-no doubt in search of a vole for breakfast. The alarm call of the small birds alerted one of the hen harriers and it steamed accross out of nowhere. The fox however was not impressed with its efforts to mob it and casually strolled off into the field.

The next interesting bird was a merlin. One had flown inland and no doubt it was the same bird returning-I saw it quite late but still managed a few flight shots and always great to see this small and compact falcon.

As the day went on a couple of marsh harriers appeared in the distance but never came close.

Around mid-day a buzzard took to the skies hovering repeatedly but never seemed to catch anything whilst I was watching it.

There were a couple of interesting exchanges with one of the hen harriers, a shame they were a long way off but nice to see them sparring with each other with a show of sharp talons and bills, it was more like handbags at 12 paces with neither keen to inflict and real damage.

The afternoon was more of the same, sun was still shining, a couple of kestrels came close and a couple of close fly-bys from the hen harriers.

I wandered back to the car for around 3pm with the hope of having the last hour on the short eared owls but only one showed and it remained distant sat on a fence post.

The day ended with a magnificent sun set and one of the hen harriers sat on the roadside.

Well there you have it, 7 species of raptor, 2 species of owl and flocks of waders and pink-footed geese, making the most perfect winter spectacle. One of those natural experiences you just cant get tired of.