Kilnsea WWBT

Well I've finally managed to get around to posting some photos of the magnificent White Winged Black tern that was frequenting Kilnsea Wetlands for nearly a week.

It turned up in particularly bad weather north east wind and rain and unfortunately for me the sun was never out on the three occasions I went for it.

It was nearly always visible and active and only on the odd occasion did it rest on the marker post in the middle of the wetlands.

Considering it was so visible and on view for such a long time, it was a very difficult bird to photograph. I tried from the hide, the viewing screen and long bank and very rarely did it come close and even when it did it was for fleeting seconds and far to fast. It was also a struggle with autofocus more often locking on to the land behind it rather than the bird itself.

Having said all of that I am quite pleased with the images below, however I didn't get 'the' shot that I wanted and the next one in Yorkshire will get equally as much attention if it hangs around.

South Holderness

Well, I certainly didnt expect such a fantastic morning when I headed out earleir today.

I was up with the lark and out of the house before 5am and Patrington Haven was the target destination. A nice array of warblers on the walk down including Sedge, whitethroat, reed and a signing blackcap got off to a good start. Two grey herons flushed from the drain and a pair of cuckoos was also a nice bonus.

I got set up in my usual place and waited for the tide to come in. It took longer than I imagined but when it did the waders were spectacular. Not in great variety but the grey plovers were resplendent in their summer plumage. there were a good few birds of prey around including a hen harrier, marsh harrier, peregrine and sparrowhawk.

Once the tide came in the waders moved off and it was time for me to do the same.

I'd heard that there were some dotterels around on Sunk Island near East Bank Road so that was my next destination.

I was stopped somewhat in my tracks along the way by a ghost-like harrier quartering a field. At first my thoughts were that it was a male hen harrier but it didnt look right with too much black on the underside. A quick check on the collins app confirmed my thoughts- Montagu's and my third harrier species of the day!

After a while it moved off so I went to look for the dotterel. As I travelled along East Bank Road a barn owl was hunting along the roadside. The dotterel were in a pea field but quite distant and never looked as though they would come close.

I had another drive back to where I saw the monty's and it was there again giving great photo opportunities. It disappeared again so went back for the dotterels still distant so back again to check the field for the Monty and it was there again!

News that the grey-headed wagtail was at Spurn again had me heading out there for a fleeting visit. It was showing very well for nearly an hour at Southfirld Farm before flying off West.

I had one final look for the monty's on the way home but to no avail.

Another cracking morning out in the wilds of east Yorkshire!

Grey Plover

Grey Plover

Grey Plover

Hen Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Montagu's Harrier

Grey Headed Wagtail

Grey Headed Wagtail

Grey Headed Wagtail

Grey Headed Wagtail

Grey Headed Wagtail

Grey Headed Wagtail

Dotterel

Springtime at Spurn

Well I'm certainly javing a better Spring at Spurn tha I did last year and another cracking trip on Friday started very well with a brief glimpse of a hen harrier flying past the warren as soon as I arrived.

Then I watched a few Whimbrel feeding in clubleys field but a quick look on canal scrape yielded very little,

I moved up to sammy's Point and it immediately became apparrent that there were a few birds around. Yellow wagtails and wheatears in the first paddock were accompanied by a nice ring ouzel and the slightly surreal sound of a brambling calling along with a fieldfare and redwing.

The bushes held willow warbler, chiff-chaff whitethroat and lesser whitethroat as well as avery smart (but elusive pied flycatcher).

News that the previous day's wryneck was showing so I set off for Kilnsea and on the way a very nice cuckoo flew alongside the car for a short while.

More lesser whitethroats and another pied flycatcher at Kilnsea wetlands and then back up to Sammy's for another crack at the pied flycatcher. This time it showed very well allowing some nice photo's of a quite tricky bird at Spurn (Autumn juveniles are a different matter however),

Alli in all another very nice trip to Yorkshire's premier birding location, this Spring is shaping up quite nicely and the promise of easterly winds with rain later in the week is sure to bring more interesting birds.

Redwing

Ring Ouzel

Fieldfare

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Wheatear

Wryneck

Wryneck

Wryneck

Wryneck

Chaffinch with nesting material

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher