Red Kite Roost

A calm, sunny Sunday evening, I decide it's a good opportunity for add Red Kite to my year list and try and catch some pre-roost activity. The area between Warter and Nunburnholme on the Yorkshire Wolds is known for holding a Red Kite roost, a fantastic spectacle. In a short stroll from Warter, on a flooded field, there are Teal, Gadwall, Mallard and a pair of Greylags. A Jay flies across the valley to a small wood. A Mistle Thrush sings from a lone tree by the road, and a Marsh Tit from the woods. 

 From a high vantage point on a lay by on the road, there are raptors all round, at least 8 Red Kites, 4 Buzzards and a pair of Kestrels. This is a great spot, overlooking the rolling wolds, unusually wooded for East Yorkshire.

Cock Pheasant on tree. There was an incredibly high density of Pheasants in the area. 

This is one of the most beautifully marked Buzzards I've ever seen. Pity the photo is a bit distant.

Buzzard. 

Kestrel joins in the soaring of the thermal. 

Red Kite. 

Red Kite and Jackdaw 

Flooded field. 

Drake Gadwall.

Buzzards soaring. 

One of the Red Kites settled on a tree. 

And several Buzzards were also getting ready to roost. 

Two of the Red Kites soar together. 

On the way back, we spot at least two Little Owls getting ready to start hunting at dusk. 

Up the River Hull. 5. Thearne

A quick stage today, up and down the right river margin between Ferry Lane at Thearne and the southern entrance to Figham Common. Woodpigeons, Pheasants, a Stock Dove and four Fieldfares feed on a field by the Ferry crossing. The river runs very high. It's cloudy, but mild and calm. The river, lined by grassy banks is occasionally fringed with reeds and a few willows, meanders by farmland with the occasional copse.
 By Kenley Reach Farm a group of Lapwings takes flight with their squeaky calls. I spot a black rabbit, which are not that unusual in the area. Cormorants, Coots and a few Mallards and Moorhens can be seen from the bank on the fishing pond. I hear the first Yellowhammer song of the year by the entrance to Figham Common, which will be the next stage.

The Ferry Crossing on Thearne side, looking south.

Male Lapwing.

These cows objected to me walking on the riverbank.

Carr Plantation.

The bend in the river by the fishing lake. Two Moorhens crossing.

Cormorants resting on the fishing lake.

Entrance to Figham Common. 

Cormorant flying over the river.

Stage 5 aerial view. 1.8 km each way.

Bird List

1. Black-headed Gull
2. Blackbird
3. Blue Tit
4. Carrion Crow
5. Chaffinch
6. Collared Dove
7. Common Gull
8. Coot
9. Cormorant
10. Dunnock
11. Fieldfare
12. Goldfinch
13. Great Tit
14. Greenfinch
15. Greylag Goose
16. House Sparrow
17. Jackdaw
18. Lapwing
19. Magpie
20. Mallard
21. Mistle Thrush
22. Moorhen
23. Pheasant
24. Robin
25. Feral Pigeon
26. Rook
27. Skylark
28. Song Thrush
29. Starling
30. Stock Dove
31. Tree Sparrow
32. Woodpigeon
33. Wren
34. Yellowhammer

Up the River Hull. 4. Kingswood to Wawne

The weather forecast for today was of no rain and sunny spells, so I drove to Kingswood by the bridge over the River Hull to walk to Wawne. This stage goes through the last of the farmland in the Hull city council area, which is disappearing fast to development, and enters the East Riding of Yorkshire. The twin bridge carrying the A1033 road is the last in a long stretch, as there are no bridges until Grovehill Bridge, north of Weel. There used to be a ferry at Wawne, which stopped by 1946. Indeed, the still called Ferry Lane at Wawne was the end of the stage.

 I join the bank after going through the underpass under the twin bridge. The grassy bank is not as muddy as I was expecting. As soon as I start, over the noise of the busy road and building construction, I notice the song of Skylarks. Them, and the occasional Reed Bunting song, accompany me through the stage. A few Linnets fly over, they are the first of the year for me. A roe deer feeds on the other side of the river. Overall, a relatively long stage, given the return by the meandering river, but quite pleasant and yielding 39 bird species.

Cormorants, posing, all sculptural atop pylons. Every pylon by the river had a few resting. There are few large trees by the river and the pylons seem to suit them. 

Floodlights are used in the same way by a Kestrel. 

A Greylag sitting on the other side of the river. 

Roe Deer. 

A bend in the river looking north. 

A wetland created a few years ago by the river bank, possibly to compensate for development, I could find no name for it on maps. It is now fringed by reed beds. 

A pair of mute swans, coot, moorhen and mallard were in residence in the wetlands.

Another cormorant on a pylon, this one in breeding plumage.

There are occasional willows, almost in bloom, ash and patches of reedbed by the river side.

Male Reed Bunting.

Linnet 

On a set aside field a large flock of Linnets move about. I notice a couple of Yellowhammers like flaming suns on the ground. When they fly, another one joins them. 

A male Meadow pipit after carrying out its parachute display flight singing away.

A pony tethered to the bank. 

Google Earth view of the 4th stage. 4.16 km.

Wykeham Raptor Viewpoint

We took advantage of a brief window in the weather to head to Wykeham Forest Viewpoint. This is located in a Forestry Commission plantation, on a ridge with great views over Troutdale, and favoured by raptors displaying and passing during migration.
Shortly after arrival a Goshawk gave a brief view as it was mobbed by a crow and two Buzzards soared on the ridge opposite. But a few minutes later, a Goshawk displayed along the ridge in their territorial rollercoaster-like display, climbing up and stooping down repeatedly (the spot on the top shot is a goshawk). Although I've seen Sparrowhawks displaying like this over my street, the setting here was fantastic. A few Crossbills called from the spruce trees and one of them crossed between them. After a short while, the rain started to fall softly, but the dark clouds looked very ominous, so it was time to call it a day. I will definitely be back here, in the summer, where Honey Buzzards can be seen from the viewpoint.
 The viewpoint is 5 min walk from a small car park and there are a couple of benches that double as screens and come very handy to support your arms when using binoculars.

The woodland on arrival. 

View of Troutdale.

An information panel on raptors and other birds you can see. 

More information
Forestry Commission Website. Here. Includes location map and further information on Wykeham Forest.

Bird list

1. Carrion Crow
2. Buzzard
3. Woodpigeon
4. Common Crossbill
5. Stock Dove
6. Brambling
7. Goshawk
8. Robin
9. Pheasant
10. Coal Tit