At Blacktoft Sands

With a forecast of sunny spells and showers, and relentless wind, I headed to Blacktoft Sands, the RSPB reserve at the confluence of the Ouse and the Trent at Humberhead Levels. The reserve has six hides, plus the visitor centre, with views towards wetlands by the river Ouse. Today, there were many waders and ducks about, and of course the ever-present Marsh Harriers, at some point four could be seen quartering the reserve. The harriers flushed the birds on the wetlands several times, sending flocks of Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit into the sky. Two Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Peregrine were also present. Amongst the waders, the Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwing were the most abundant, with some Redshank, Spotted Redshank and Ruff. Plenty of Teal and Wigeon, with some Shelduck, Gadwall and Shovelers completed the duck assortment. Fieldfares fed on the fields at the other side of the flood bank.

Marsh Harrier over the reedbed.

The view towards Alkborough.

There was a pair of Little Grebes on each of the pools. This pair thrilled several times. The individual on the left appears to be holding a stickleback, having trouble swallowing it.

Two discreetly stunning species, the Gadwall, a grey and brown duck that up close shows a beautifully scaly plumage, and the Black-tailed Godwit.

a pair of Marsh Harriers did a little bit of aerial courtship, coming together several times in the air, in preparation of the food passes that they'll do later in the year.

Four Spotted redshank roosting on the island in front of Xerox hide.

A Buzzard on a fence post.

At Ousefleet, I was very entertained by the Konik ponies, used at the reserve for conservation grazing of the saltmarsh and reedbeds. Two of them galloped towards the rest and they greeted each other.

 A call alerted these Black-tailed Godwits, which were sleeping a moment before, they raised their heads, watching attentively. A few Ruff were also present.

Black-tailed Godwit resting on one leg.

A walk around Burton Bushes and Beverley Westwood

Andrew Chadwick at Hull Nats told me he'd seen a Nuthatch at Burton Bushes last week. This species is a rarity in East Yorkshire and I had never seen one there and very rarely in the surroundings of Hull (I had one at Pearson Park on the 22/7/2013), so today, after lunch I drove to the Westwood to have a look. It was breezy but quite mild, and it had been raining all morning.
 I have blogged about Burton Bushes before, a small patch of ancient woodland, with large oaks, holly and birch. The mosses in the wood were at their best. Wood Anemone leaves and buds were out, and the leaves of Bluebells and Dog's Mercury.
 There were many Blue and Great Tits about, a single Coal Tit, Robins singing. I was very pleased to find the woodland empty of people, as the place is very popular with dog walkers. I guess the mud must be keeping them away. I'm glad I wore my wellies, as the wood was very wet and the paths muddy. With the place to myself, I walked slowly around the wood, listening to the birds, backtracking to check calls, taking everything in. As I got to the easternmost side, I heard a Nuthatch call and saw one right away, then another in a tree nearby. They fed on the trunk of the trees, and one moved to the ground before both flew away away. I took some photos but didn't follow them, I'm hoping they are a pair and they establish themselves in the wood.

 After the circuit around the wood I walked along the eastern side of the Westwood, following the perimeter hedgerow. A female Bullfinch fed on hawthorn buds. Fifteen Blackbirds, a Song Thrush and a Redwing enjoyed the worms.
 After crossing the Walkington road I heard a Marsh Tit. I located it and got a few record shots. Further along a Skylark landed on the short grass of one of the golf course runs - also free of golfing today - and sat against the wind. Later two were singing over the long grass. On the lee side of the wind, two Goldcrests sallied to and fro from a low hawthorn catching midges. A flock of Starlings fed on the grass.

Nuthatch. It looks like it might have got a ladybird.

Looking for invertebrates in the oak bark. 

Common Gulls feeding on the wet grass with Beverley Minster in the background.

This normally dry valley was in flow. Many pools and puddles about too.

Bullfinch feeding on hawthorn buds.

A Song Thrush watches while a Blackbird pulls a worm.

Black Mill and the Minster.

Marsh tit with dishevelled plumage with the wind.

Skylark.

View of Burton Bushes.

Inside Burton Bushes.

February floods at Pearson Park

Pearson Park at Hull is my local birding patch. I make a point of walking around the park on my way to work and I regularly visit it on weekends. I also do the BTO Wetland Bird Survey, which involves a monthly visit and a census of all wetland birds in and around the pond. I don't often blog about visiting it, but last autumn and this winter it has been very, very rainy and the park is pretty flooded, with large expanses of water on the grassy areas, it somehow has departed from normality.  This winter has been also unusually mild, before the new year there was a couple of days when the pond froze, but that's it. On top of this, the park is undergoing a refurbishment, and there is resurfacing going about on paths and around the pond plus the renovation of the conservatory, a new music stands and kerb works. There is a lot of heavy machinery around, and a fair amount of drilling, sometimes at several places at the same time. I was worried that these would cause some serious impact on the birds of the park, especially the wetland birds, as the pond is surrounded by works.
Despite the chaos I've been surprised by how the birds have really taking it on their stride. The pools formed by the rain actually have offered them a safe haven from dogs and people. Geese are spending a lot of time by the pools, and have abandoned the pond. Gulls have also relocated there, and have been enjoying the worm bonanza. There has been a regular Grey Wagtail about in the last week and even a Pied Wagtail which is a rarity in the park. Black-headed Gulls, which are rare in the park, are feeding amongst the common gulls, particularly enjoying the pools.
  This is just a selection of some of the birds I've been photographing in the park during February.

The Feral Pigeons dutifully eating the grass seed spread by the new kerbs.

with some help from these Woodpigeons.

A group of gulls loafing with a dog chasing a ball on the background. I love this shot that shows how parks can be multi-use. Gulls payed little attention to the dog going back and forth.

A 150+ strong flock of Pink-footed Geese flies over on Valentine Day.

The Geese are now all split into couples that avoid getting near each other, and easily get into squabbles, unlike the peaceful winter flock.

Greylag pair.

On the 17th February, two Redwings were at the park.

Grey Squirrel enjoying a conker from its hoard.

Great Tit singing near the pond.

This Treecreeper froze when a heavy vehicle passed behind the tree. It is the usual response of an alarmed treecreeper, momentarily becoming a small tree stump.

One of the couple of dozen black-headed gulls that have been feeding on the flooded grass.

Grey Wagtail feeding by a pool.

Spot the Pied Wagtail with a Common Gull.

An assortment of Herring and Common gulls looking for worms. 

Stock Dove.

A Song Thrush male has been singing for a couple of weeks. This one just swallow a large earthworm.

Male Chaffinch on the ground. The camouflage of chaffinches on dry leaves is amazing.

The lake island has been repaired with willow branches to support the soil and some grass planted. The Moorhens have given it a seal of approval.

Another view of one of the pools.

Three large trees have fallen over in the winter storms. This one has provided dead wood, which hopefully will be left on the ground. I was excited to see that the smaller branches are lining the wet woodland paths and making a small dry hedge. Good use of the wood for new habitats.

There has been some tree planting around the park and there will be more planting to come. I look forward to the park being quiet again, but it has been interesting to see the flexibility of the birds responding to the refurbishment.

A trip to Flamborough Head

A windy, mainly overcast day with occasional light rain, I head to the white cape to try and tick the Grey Phalarope that has been at Thornwick Pools for a few days. It is one of the easier lifers ever: as I enter the hide at Thornwick Pools, a birder points it to me. It bobs up and down the waves at the pool, constantly picking invisible prey from just under the water surface. Not the usual spinning behaviour that this species often carries out. After a bout of feeding, the phalarope swims to behind a lump of soil, where, sheltered from the NW wind, it preens for a while. A few Moorhens, Teal, a Shelduck and a Greylag are about at the pools too.

Grey Phalarope resting.

Grey Phalarope with prey.

I return to the car and drive to South Landing looking for some shelter. The tide is almost high. A flock of Turnstones rests by the tideline. I watch Gannets diving just offshore. Cormorants feed too. Guillemots steadily motor past. An immature drake Eider preens in the distance. A Rock Pipit calls as it flies across the landing.

Turnstones.

Immature drake Eider

Immature drake Eider.

I decide to go to Bridlington for lunch. I search for the Purple Sandpipers on the sea wall. There are 19, with Turnstones. I find another one feeding on the slipway on the south side of the harbour. About 80 Redshank roost on the sea wall.

Turnstone at Bridlington Harbour.

Purple Sandpiper.

House Sparrows on lobster pots.

Redshank roost on harbour wall.