Bridlington Harbour and Bempton Cliffs

Despite the forecast of very cold easterlies and snow I headed to the coast this morning. I stopped at Bridlington Harbour and walked the north and south piers. I could see a single Purple Sandpiper, but there were plenty of Redshank and Dunlin on the exposed and sheltered mud of the harbour, and an immature Great Black-backed gull feeding on a large fish. The Barnacle Geese still present in the harbour. The waves crashed against the north pier and the tide was rising so I decided to move onto Bempton Cliffs.

Immature Great Black-backed gull with breakfast.

Purple Sandpiper.

Purple Sandpiper.

Herring Gull pair.

Dunlin.

Another pair Herring gull braving the wind on the north pier.

Snow flurries greeted me at Bempton. It was sheltered at some spots, and exposed at others. Gannets circling and on nests and Fulmars squabbling and displaying were plentiful at the cliffs. No Kittiwakes or auks at all to be seen. 

Just after getting to Jubilee Corner a pair of Peregrines appeared. What looked like the tiercel displayed by diving in front of the falcon and towards gannets or fulmars. They circled almost above me for a while before flying towards the fields. The photos today were poor as the wind and the dark conditions didn't help.

Gannets.

Gannet.

Feral Pigeons.

Circling Fulmars.

Fulmar on nest.

Pair of Peregrines.

Snow showers coming from the sea.

Staple Newk.

Shags.

Gannets.

Kestrel. One of ten I spot on the trip today.

Kestrels on the trip today.

Tophill Low with Hull Nats

I went to the Hull Nats February field meeting at Tophill Low with my 9 yr old daughter. A bright, but cold day with biting wind in exposed locations. Minutes after entering the new hide I spotted the Glaucous Gull sitting regally on the reservoir wall. It stayed there for a long time giving most of the group time to peer through Andrew's telescope (the top shot is phonescoped from his telescope). This is my second and best views of a Glaucous, and it was a lifer for some of us.
We moved onto the woods, and after a brief look onto D res from the next hide we went to north marsh and Robert called 'otter!'. A few of us got a good look at the trail of bubbles as it swam through a narrow canal towards the river bank, but that's it. A pity as it would have been my daughter's first otter.
 We had two children in the group today, and it was very noticeable, as they insisted was lunch time at about 11 o'clock. We moved back onto the new hide, warmed up by the stove and had a hot drink and an early lunch while watching the Glaucous gull at our leisure.
 The afternoon was spent walking to the southern end of the reserve. We started by using the new path though the woods. Some investigation under trunks revealed a group of young Leopard Slugs (Limax maximus) Things were mostly quiet in south marsh, but Watton was positively teeming with birds, with a large flock of Cormorants, Greylags moving in, Lapwing, a Black-tailed Godwit (2nd site tick for me) and 41 Curlew amongst various wildfowl.
A few minor quibbles from visiting the reserve with kids: they have trouble looking through most of the hide windows while sitting down, so some blocks of wood to serve as booster seats will keep them happy (and quiet/er!). Also, kids (and some adults) would love if there was hot chocolate as a hot drink option in the new hide. But these are minor quibbles, Being able to warm up with a hot drink and enjoying the great views to D res is fantastic
The work of volunteers around the reserve is quite noticeable. As a group we ticked 52 bird species and had a great day out. Looking forward to spring!

Glaucous Gull. Same view than the top shot, but this one with my camera.

Glaucous Gull

North Marsh.

Female Siskin.

Leopard Slugs.

Cormorants over O res.

Greylags coming into Watton.

Bird assortment on Watton.

Black-tailed Godwit.

Some of the 40 plus Curlew on Watton.

Yorkshire Arboretum

A cold, sunny day for my first visit to this large site, with the promise of some Hawfinches, which have been resident in the area since their irruption last October. The Hawfinches did not disappoint, about a dozen flew over before we left the visitor centre and they show a few more times about the place, mostly atop trees, but also one feeding on the ground, with a mixed flock of Greenfinches, Redwings, Brambling and Chaffinches. Finches are indeed plentiful in the site, particularly Greenfinches and Chaffinches, probably taking advantage of the abundance of tree seeds on the ground. Two Buzzards called, soaring above the trees.
The arboretum occupies 120 acres on the grounds of the Castle Howard Estate, and is now managed as a charity together with Kew Gardens and comprise over a large collection of trees from several regions of the world, many mature, which started growing since the late 1970s. The trees are well labelled, with a card attached to a branch in the tree. The grounds also have ancient trees, especially oaks. Some of them are now kitted with owl nests on the top. The landscape is undulating and with wooded areas and extensive meadows, allowing for expansive views. Some areas are quite wet and there are ponds and a lake recently restored. There are two marked walks on the map provided at the visitor centre.
The visitor centre has a small shop and a cafe and there is outdoor sitting space right next to well topped bird feeders. Something to take into account is that dogs are allowed on site, on leads nearer the visitor centre.
 I will definitely visit again, even if the Hawfiches leave.

Jackdaw. Many pairs investigating the holes in the old oaks.

Rook.

Winter Aconite.

This and the following two photos are the usual, distant treetop views of the retiring Hawfinches.

Goat willow buds.

Fungus.

Ancient oak with owl box.

A Hawfinch feeding on the ground.

Tame Chaffinch by the visitor centre.

Mash Tit.

Sunbathing Kestrel.

Another ancient oak.

A foggy spring tide and feeding frenzy at South Landing

A grey and wet day at Hull, I headed towards Flamborough, which was forecasted to be dryer. The drizzle and rain had all but stopped as I arrived on South Landing, but there was a thick fog. On arrival the tide was almost out and it was a spring tide exposing an expansive sandy and rocky beach where a dozen Oystercatchers few with a few Turnstones and a Curlew fed. The poor weather meant there were far fewer dog walkers than usual on the beach.
 I walked towards Danes Dyke and watched seven Fulmars doing their usual circling and noisy cackling around their future nest sites. A trio of Stock Doves were also guarding a couple of caves on the top of the cliff.
A different sound called my attention: gannets! I had never seen Gannets from South Landing, but peering through the thick fog I could make their shapes, diving in drifts into water that appeared to be bubbling. Rafts of Guillemots and Razorbills were also feeding with the Gannets. Some Herring gulls watched attentively. There appeared to be a large school of fish near the shore. It appeared to be moving quickly as the auks flew ahead to follow the fish. The fog lifted somewhat and I could take some very poor shots of the action.
 To top the visit, a pair of Red-throated Divers spent some time preening just offshore.

The creek that runs through south Landing

Oystercatcher.

Rock Pipit.

Cormorants and Great Black-backed gull.

Common Scoter.

This poor shot gives some idea of the action.

Five Great Crested Grebes.

Fulmars.

Fulmar pair calling.

Stock Doves.

Fog towards Danes Dyke.

Red Throated divers.

A Great Crested Grebe with fish.

A Great Black-backed gull got a large flat, a dab maybe?

Roe Deer in the woodland.