Welwick and Kilnsea Wetlands

A windy day, not particularly cold, I headed for Welwick Saltmarsh in the hope of catching up with some raptors. I found it far too windy. Welwick is quite exposed and the wind mainly from the south-west, so it was hard to shelter from it. It was pretty quiet, with birds hunkered down. A few Redshank were on the Marsh. A male and later a female Marsh flew over the Marsh. After an hour or so I decided to head towards Spurn so a walked towards Sheep Trod Lane. I had a fleeting glimpse of crows mobbing a silver grey bird with long wings, a male Hen Harrier? A kestrel was hiding at the bottom of a hedge. Then I saw the Hen Harrier flying low across the field opposite. I hadn't seen one in several years, and never a male before in the UK.
 At Kilnsea Wetlands, a group of swans were feeding on distant fields by long bank. I could just see some were Whoopers with some young. While watching the curlews on the fields across the road, two hares came into view, briefly squabbling, but then they briefly mated and run along together.

 On the car park, a pair of Stonechats. Hard to take good shots with the wind though! Skylarks were plentiful, with some singing.

 Stonechat.

The new hide is open at Kilnsea Wetlands, much bigger than its predecessor. The cutout waders provide decoration and some dim light useful when opening the window latches. Comfortable and functional, it seems the birds are already used to it, as a Lapwing fed just in front of it.

 

Wigeon and Dunlin.

Feeding Wigeon.

A breeding plumage Cormorant on open wing stance.

Curlew.

Lapwing.

Courting Mute Swans.

Male Mute Swan successfully seeing off rival.

I decided to walk the bank to the area north of Beacon Ponds, hoping to see the Shore Larks. I saw a Buzzard and three Roe deer, but no larks. 

 I returned by the beach. A fresh Fox carcass lay on the sand.

 I got back to Kilnsea and was pleasantly surprised to find the long staying Green-winged Teal (top shot and below) with a small group of teal feeding on one of the scrapes. A lifer!

The Green-winged teal in the center.

A sunny spell revealed the drake Teal colours. Green-winged teal on the right.