Huddsbirder

I thought I would start the new month with a Patch Trip out to Langsett Res to do a bit of camera work and on my travels over I wish I hadn’t, drizzle and fog on the tops. I carried on but the plan had now changed from camera to birds and on arrival in the Langsett Barns Car Park things seemed to be picking up a bit.

On the reservoir was a lone Cormorant and a feeding Common Sandpiper on the dam wall. I headed to the woods to find my quarry for the day, I heard Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff and Blackcaps but not the birds I was looking for. I camped out near some nest boxes and saw Great Tits and Blue Tits coming and going, after a while I gave up, I was getting cold by now, and headed back along the path I had come down, a flock of birds caught my attention high in the tress, great a family party of Siskins male,female and young birds. It was whilst I was watching these that I caught sight of another bird out of the corner of my eye, there it was a beautiful Male Pied Flycatcher, now I  could go home for a warm (no pics)

List in no order :-

Blackcap, Willow warbler, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Cormorant, Swift, Swallow, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Common Sandpiper, Pied Flycatcher, Siskin, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Bullfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Goldfinch

What a week I just don’t know where to start it’s been an exitciting week all in all with the week finishing on a high at Old Moor.

The start of the week saw me seeing 3 Common Buzzards, 1 being near where I live then another 2 at my place of work along with a Kingfisher at work and a pair of Grey Wagtails feeding young on the Brook. A Common Whitethroat near where I live was also another highlight.

Butterflies at work have been seen all week with Orange-tip and Small Coppers being seen most days along with Green-veined Whites, Comma, Peacocks and a Common Blue.

Thursday the 24th we were on a late night, very late, at Potteric Carrs Bat night we didn’t hear anything different to what we already know Common Pipistrelle, were the commonest of the night with Soprano Pipistrelles and a Noctule in support. The highlight of the night however was hearing the Bittern booming on several occasions

The Friday (25th) we finished the week at Old Moor RSPB with Damselflies everywhere despite the windy weather we saw Common Blue, Azure, and Large Red Damselflies, there was a report of a 4 Spotted Chaser which we didn’t see. Butterflies once again where still out with us seeing Dinky Skippers, Brimstone, Common Blue, Orange-tip and Holly Blue.

On the bird front at Old Moor at the moment there is Avocet along with chicks , Little Ringed Plover, Redshank and 2 Greenshank.

The excitement at the moment is the ID of a wasp, I am thinking along the lines of an Ancistrocerus wasp either nigricornis or gazella but one of the RSPB staff at Old Moor is thinking along different lines and maybe a Red Data Wasp, but this has to be confirmed, watch this space. Then to finish the day off I found a Large White Butterfly in my back garden
Small Copper

The Wasp in Question

More photos of the Day at My Flickr Site

Well what a difference a day can make Thursday was beautiful, sunny and warm everything it seemed had come alive, then Friday came, day out, the sun went in, it came cold, we were today going to Old Moor via Broadstones Reservoir area and found several Wheatear coming thru, my hunch was right. We arrived at Old Moor needless to say we didn’t stop long we had dressed apparently for Thursday not Friday Doh!,

The birds were good however and we added a few to the year list, Knot was seen from the wader scrape hide, also from here Avocet (4), Redshank, Lapwing, Dunlin (17), Swift, Swallow, Sand Martin, House Martin, Black-headed Gull. Back along Green Lane and a Lesser Whitethroat gave itself away with the familiar ‘rattle’ in its song, that was about it we were cold coffee called

Our weekend visit to Leighton Moss began on Friday the 4th of May we saw about 80 species of birds including Peregrine, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Glossy Ibis, Raven, Marsh Tit, other wildlife included Red Deer, Butterflies and a Common Lizard, for the full story, Photos and B&B details see the TRIPS tab > Leighton Moss

We seem to be a little bit stuck on the Old Moor and Potteric Carr theme at the moment but that’s not a bad thing the nature at both sites is excellent and Potteric Carr wasn’t to disappoint today. It wasn’t long after arrival, near the Decoy Hide, that our ears were blasted by a Cettis Warbler from the bush near the pathway and after a bit of patience we managed to get some good views of this secretive warbler. Black-headed Gulls in abundance and seen from anywhere to roamed.

Beeston Hide after our dinner in the vain hope of catching the sound of the Bittern which had been booming over the last few days, alas we were beaten, after half an hour we gave in seeing only Pochard, Greylag Geese, Reed Bunting with Reed Warbler calling from the Phragmites, staying well hidden as they tend to do, we moved next door to the Willow Pool hide thinking we should hear the booming Bittern there if it decides to wake up. There was a bit more action here with the comings and goings to the feeders with Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Willow Tit and Coal Tit making an appearance, we also enjoyed Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Wren, Dunnock, Reed Warbler, Magpie, Pheasants, Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Mallards and a male Great Spotted Woodpecker from our advantage point another grand day out.

Another trip down to Manvers to call into Old Moor RSPB  with hopefully a few warblers knocking about. On departing from the car on arrival we were greeted by a Common Whitethroat from the nearby bush, good start in then to the reserve itself stopping off at the feeders whilst we waited for the rest of the group to gather. From here we saw Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Robin, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Collard Dove, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Dunnock, Reed Bunting enough comings and goings whilst we waited.

When the group had formed we made our way to the family hide from here we saw Black-headed Gulls, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Coot, Moorhen, Great Crested Grebes, .

After a while in the family hide we slowly made or way on to the Wader Scrape hide where we did see a couple of waders, there were a number of Lapwings, an Oystercatcher and a few Redshank

From here we also added Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe and Great Crested Grebe, we added Teal from the Field Pool Hide and caught up with Swallow over the Dragonfly ponds as we made our way back to the cafe for dinner. Buzzard we saw on our travel back home when it came over the Motorway

The Day list in No particular order :-

Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch,Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Dunnock, Tree Sparrow, Reed Bunting, Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Black-headed Gull, Pheasant, Oystercatcher, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Wren, Buzzard, Blackbird, Starling, Crow, Jackdaw, Gadwall, Swallow

With a phone call from a friend on the 12th my mind was made up as to where I was going on the 13th….Cheesegate Nab why? Ring Ouzels had made a return to one of their stop off points whilst migrating. Ten  minutes after arriving and clocking site of Curlew, Linnet, Kestrel, Skylark, Green Woodpecker on my way I had found five male Ring Ouzels, they were distant and didn’t come further down the hillside whilst I was there, I did manage a distant photo.

I made a return journey along a road that is visited by Wheatears on migration alas I didn’t see any so they must be lagging behind somewhere. With an unexpected phone I had to cut my watching a bit short this week but not before catching a few photos of Pied Wagtails on my thru the Broadstones area

It was good also to hear the sound of Willow Warblers back on their local breeding grounds, not many bird species today but it was good to hear Willow Warblers again and see Ring Ouzels on migration…is summer making a return???

Family day out once again out to our favourite place near Doncaster the YWT flagship reserve in Potteric Carr.  On arrival we were greeted by a fine male Blackcap singing out his presence around the visitor centre area the Decoy hide gave us Black-headed Gulls, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose and a Cettis Warbler. We then moved off  to the cafe for dinner after which it was the turn of the Willow Pool hide where we saw usual Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Pheasant and Moorhen.

Hawthorn Bank Hide was our last port of call where we were soon put on to a splendid Male Garganey, he did spend most of his time hidden in and amongst the reed base but came out nw and again to say he was still there. Whilst here we picked up a few Sand Martins moving thru

List in no particular order 🙂

Gadwall, Mallard, Shelduck, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Black-headed Gull, Cettis Warbler, Mute Swan, Jackdaw, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Reed Bunting, Magpie, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Chiffchaff, Shoveler, Teal, Lapwing, Sand Martin, Garganey

Once again out to Old Moor for a couple of hours away from the rat race, this is a great place to relax and watch wildlife go by and meet interesting people. On arrival I planted myself again in the photography part of the first hide near the visitor centre and watched and took pictures of Reed Buntings, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Robin, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, and Blackbird. After a couple of hours I moved off onto the reserve and saw a couple of butterfly species Orange-tip and Comma were once again on the wing, from the wader scrape hide I saw Oystercatcher, Redshank, and plenty of Black-headed Gulls. I was once again out of time and still had seen no summer migrants 😦

Day List in no particular order 🙂

Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Coot, Moorhen, Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Jackdaw, Crow, Great Crested Grebe, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, hoveler, Gadwall, Pheasant, Comma, Orange Tip

The plan was to have a quiet day out at Potteric Carr and it was, the forecast was good, I think the word warm was in there somewhere but it wasn’t, plenty of Chiffchaff making their presence known now fresh in from sunny/warm Africa. We watched a family of Squirels near the visitor centre, three young ones playing chase, doing tumbles and acrobatics, fun to watch, they moved high into the trees then with Mum and Dad so we moved on resting in the Old Eaa Hide (Map Link), here we saw Gadwall, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Black-headed Gulls, Coot and Moorhens. Willow Pool hide was our next stop before dinner, this is the best place to see small birds has they come in to feed Reed Bunting, Willow Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin, there was also a Great-spotted Woodpecker today.

It was on our way home, we had to come back home a different route due to the M18 south being shut, that we decided on a detour to Blacktoft Sands for some raptors so we headed North seeing a Buzzard coast over the motorway just after leaving Potteric as we did so.

Blacktoft Sands RSPB is near Ousefleet, the other side of Goole and on the South side of the Humber not on the North bank like the village, first mistake back in 1986 and is one of my top 5 reserves. Tree Sparrows greet you now at Blacktoft has you park the car up and along with Greenfinch and Pheasants at the feeders we were soon made welcome has we made our way onto the reserve. We settled in to the Townend Hide (Map Link) watching out for raptors, it was now about 5:30pm and we had seen plenty of Marsh Harriers male and females coming and going with Avocets overhead, then we caught site of a different bird following a couple of female Marsh Harriers a different flight, long rounded wings, small body, a welcome sight of a Short Eared Owl, this turned out to be the highlight of the night as we saw no Hen Harriers or Merlins, we left at 6:15pm stopped off for tea in Ousefleet then headed home 🙂

The day list (in no particular order) :-

Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Willow Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Moorhen, Coot, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Blackbird, Robin, Reed Bunting, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Pheasant, Magpie, Crow, Black-headed Gull, Chiffchaff, Wren, Jackdaw, Shelduck, Shoveler, Buzzard, Tree Sparrow, Greenfinch, Marsh Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Avocet, Shelduck, Cormorant

Willow Tit

Female Marsh Harrier