Long live our sparrows!

It was a shame to hear of the plight of our house sparrows on Springwatch the other night.They have reduced dramatically in numbers around the country to now be on the red list.
Fortunately we have a fairly heathy population around our back way, we feed them all day long and the local flock has been boosted by what looks like a good brood of youngsters.
On recent sunny day I was fortunate enough to get these intimate shots, and in good light and breeding plumage these little characters are pretty special.
Long live our house sparrows!

Fantastic Day

Its been a bit slow in East Yorks just lately and as I had booked a week off I was hoping for something unusual to turn up.
Unfortunately it wasn't to be so I went out of county in search of some goodies.
First stop was Weeting Fen for some stone curlews.
None at first but then 3 showed together-very nice to see a lifer albeit distant and shrouded in heat haze.There was alos a spotted flycatcher here.
next stop was RSPB reserve at Lakenheath.It was the first time I had been to this reserve and what a cracking spot.
The temperature was hovering around 27 degrees and the golden orioles were at the far end.As I walked down there were plenty of common warblers plus at least 3 cuckoos.
The golden orioles had been reportd singing from the third plantation and as soon as I got there they were sining away.
One showed very briefly a couple of times, but was quite distant.There was alos a hobby hawking above and a bittern booming in the distance.
On the way back I saw a very attractive banded demoiselle.
Then on to Welney, first birds were a couple of whooper swans, then round for the bluethroat.
I thought there would be a bigger crowd but there was only a small handful of people there.It performed brilliantly well for most of the afternoon often coming to within 3m of where I was stood.There was also a male garganey and 2 turtle doves.
Overall it was a fantastic day, some great birds and a good supporting cast toped off by marvellous views of the bluethroat.















border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479397007344841938" />

Super Sanderlings

I was at a loss as to where to go yesterday-do I travel afar for one of the reported rarities in South Yorks/Derbys or to I keep the faith with my local area.
Well I elected to stay local a quick visit to pat haven produced nothing out of the ordinary.
Common waders on the lagoon and a few common warblers and wagtails on the road down.
Then on to Spurn a golden oriole had been trapped earlier in the morning but again nothing spectacular.
I headed for the point and saw a very shy female redstart, I also had a look for the greeen hairstreak butterflies and was very fortunate to find just one.
Thalikg with Andy-the warden- there had been no green hairstreaks reported last yera or this so hopefully the population is clinging on.
Then on to the point itself, it looked pretty barren to start off but then I could see quite a large group of waders on the shoreline in the distance.
I walked to within about 100 yards and laid on the sand- before I knew it some of them had marched at lightening speed and were feeding within about 5m of me unfortunately they were so fast I couldn't get a shot.
So I moved to the waters edge and the same happened, there was however more food there so they weren't as mobile they were very confiding sometimes coming as close as a couple of metres away.
There wer also 4 little terns on the outer bank but they were quite a way off.
It was back to Pat haven after that and there wer still the common waders, about 60 brent geese, 2 little egrets, a cukoo and a barn owl.