An early start with the sunrise at RSPB St Aidan’s and what a sunrise, it was gear together on arrival and it wasn’t long before we were hitting the trails on route to our target bird for the day. No Little Owl on the dragline today, well no for us, only Woodpigeon and Stock Dove.
Moving on then, target bird calling, it was quite easy to see whereabouts the bird would be by the little crowd of people, along way off mind, so a little bit of a walk was in front of us. Very little to see on route, a Red Kite soaring over the hillside, with a Sparrowhawk giving good views, sat up in a nearby tree. Canada Geese on the ridge and furrows field, along with Greylag Geese, Moorhen, Coot. It wasn’t long before we were at the area where the Glossy Ibis was showing, we were soon on to the bird, giving excellent views and so close. It moved around undisturbed, even with the nearby crowd, giving great opportunities for photos and video footage.
We then moved on to the Eastern Reedbed area looking for other birds, the usual were all seen, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swan and a few Goldeneye were present. On then to Lemonroyd Lake where there were few Gulls hanging about, scanning thru we picked up Black headed Gulls in good numbers, also about were Herring Gulls, Mute Swans, Goldeneye and Goosanders.
We them moved on, along the tracks to Astley Lake, here we had a sit down and were soon joined by Blue Tit and Lesser Redpolls (5), these were in the nearby Alder trees, out on the lake were more of the same species we had seen in other places.
Back towards the hill Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk again. Down on the ground among the shrubbery were Long tailed Tit and a single Male Stonechat. Back then at the centre with coffee and sandwiches in hand we watched a Kestrel hunting nearby. Out on the feeders Greenfinch, Great Tit, Woodpigeon and Chaffinch and one last look for the Little Owl, no reward on that one again.
On then to RSPB Blacktoft Sands and once again for the raptor roost, news on arrival was of a Ringtail Hen Harrier, which had just gone thru the reserve five minutes previous, fingers crossed then, but news of five Whooper Swans on Marshland hide had us moving that way first, and on arrival these were the only birds there, so we moved on, and moved off towards Singleton hide. We settled into Singleton, watching Marsh Harriers going to and fro, with no other raptors showing up, not even a Barn Owl, other birds here were Shelduck, Great White Egret, Little Egret and a Kingfisher.
A short video of a few birds from the day, press THIS
Bird List : Bearded Tit (Heard), Blackbird, Black headed Gull, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Coot, Cormorant, Gadwall, Glossy Ibis, Goldeneye, Goosander, Great Tit, Great White Egret, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Lesser Black backed Gull, Lesser Redpoll, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long tailed Tit. Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pink footed Goose, Pochard, Reed Bunting, Robin, Shelduck, Shoveler, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Stonechat, Tufted Duck, Wigeon, Whooper Swan, Woodpigeon
Huddsbirder 