Humber South Bank. 2. Alkborough Flats

 A sunny, still day that started cool but ended quite warm, I headed to Alkborough Flats. I was hoping for a good walk around the reserve and wasn't expecting anything in particular. As I approached the first tide, a birder was photographing some birds on the ground. As I kept my distance and focused with the binoculars, I realised they were Bearded Tits. At this time of the year, they switch from an insect to a seed diet and need grit to help them digest the reed seeds that will be their staple in autumn and winter. Early in the morning, they gather on the paths of the reserve to get some grit. About two dozen Bearded Tits were gritting. I have never seen this before, a true spectacle, they kept coming and going, with constant 'pinging', not 10 m away from three people taking photographs of them. Alkborough is a stronghold of Bearded Tits and one of the places in the upper Humber where you are most likely to see this stunning species. 

I count 20 Bearded Tits in this photo.

A Cetti's Warbler emerged from the reeds and landed on the fence to check what all that pinging was about.

A group of Swallows flied East over the reserve. The Bearded Tit flock dispersed and I got in the hide. There are great views now that the reed have been cut and there are many waders: Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Curlew, 2 Snipe, a Dunlin, 120 Avocets, about 200 Lapwing, 2 Ruff and a single Spotted Redshank. As for ducks, a dozen Pintail upend in the distance, Shoveler and Teal are also about. There are many geese, a skein of Pink-footed Geese, Barnacle Geese and Greylag. Two Water Rails make an appearance. Two Marsh Harriers flush the waders several times.

A skein of Pink-footed Geese.

Water Rail emerging from the reeds.

Avocets.

Black-tailed Godwit.

I did a counter-clockwise circular walk around the Trent, but first I walked to the end of the public footpath on the old floodbank near the breach. 

Grazing cows. The Humber and the Wolds in the background.

A large flock of Barnacle geese visible on the Humber mudflats.

Lovely to watch a flock of Curlew.

Pink-footed geese.

Stonechats.

The shallow pool where the Glossy Ibis and many egrets were feeding last time was much dryer. Many geese, including Pink-feet were resting on it.

As I walked towards the Trent, it felt quite warm. Dragonflies started being more obvious. A Ruddy Darter posed for a while. A Brown Hawker was patrolling on the low crossing, which was passable, if a bit muddy today. 

Ruddy Darter.

Bulrush Bug, Chilacis typhae

This was one of my highlights today, a Common Hawker, despite the odd angle, the yellow costa (the vein on the front of the wing) is visible.

Common Darters ovipositing.

This almost dry pool had several pairs of Common Darters ovipositing.

Sheep graze some of the wet grassland of the flats.

I returned to the hide for lunch. A pale wagtail landed in front. I thought it might be a White Wagtail, but no, a Pied Wagtail for me.

Pied Wagtail and Redshank.

Spotted Redshank.

Snipe.

Curlew, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit.

In the next stage, I'm hoping to walk from Alkborough village to Whitton.

Alkborough Flats in August

 I made a morning trip to Alkborough with my son. He has superpowers that I don't. A few years ago I stopped hearing the sound of crickets and grasshoppers, while for him they are hard to ignore and that helps spotting them, especially crickets. There was also the lure of another attempt to see the Glossy Ibis that has been settled there since the middle of May.

We got to Alkborough about 9:30. On the walk to the first hide, Marsh Harriers and Bearded tits were in evidence. I was very pleased that the reeds have been cut in front of Prospect hide. A group of waders and ducks were assembled in front. Water rails 'peeped' and squealed. Two people in the hide informed us that several water rail chicks had been seen. A Spoonbill flew and landed to the right of the view, but it didn't stay long.

Avocets and Black-tailed Godwit.

Redshanks, Avocets and Black-tailed godwits.

A greenshank woke up and started preening.

Juvenile Bearded tit.

We took the circular walk that includes the Trent bank. Plenty of fresh Peacocks were feeding on teasels, with them skippers. I got some Small Skipper and possibly an Essex Skipper too.

Small Skipper.

Roesel's Bush Cricket. I would have never spotted this species without my son coming along as he zoomed on it following its song.

Female Great Diving beetle. It waddled on the path, it was lucky that I didn't step on it!

Eristalinus sp. very noisy and numerous in a damp patch by the path.

As we joined the Humber bank, we spotted the Glossy Ibis on the pool, feeding with about 40 Little egrets and Black-headed gulls. The views weren't great, with the sun behind it, but it wasn't too far and we were content with having seen the ibis.

Glossy Ibis feeding.

Rudy Darter. Many Ruddy, Common Darter, a Brown hawker, an emperor and Black-tailed skimmer and a blue-tailed damselfly comprised the Odonata list.

Conehead cricket sp.

Essex Skipper.

View of the River Trent.

Greylags, mallards and a few Black-headed gulls rested on an island.

Flowering rush.

View of the pool with the flowering rush.

Alkborough in flood

Spring tides and the high river Trent has meant that Alkborough Flats have flooded. Many of the field had water and some of the paths are only passable with wellies. It was a sunny morning, but with a chilly breeze. On arrival at the bottom car park a Cetti's singing, then a Chiffchaff. I had three Cetti's singing across the site during my walk today. I walked to the main hide. A pinging male Bearded tit gave me some brief views amongst the reeds, but it was my first this year. In the distance, a large flock of Black-tailed Godwits.

82 Black-tailed Godwits

 As I approached the hide I could hear the Avocets. There were well over 150, very active and quarrelsome amongst themselves.

In their usual spot at the back there was a pair of Pintail upending.

Many mallard on site, more that I've ever seen. As I was preparing to leave a Water Rail made an appearance in the clearing between the reeds, shortly followed by another.

Water Rail, amongst the greening reeds.

 I decided to do a circular walk by the Trent. There was an aggressive Mute Swan chasing any Greylag that dared landing on its patch. The coots were left alone. Two pairs of Little Grebes called from the reeds.

One of the entrances of what appears to be a Badger sett on the sea wall.

The view from the Trent, upstream. A wooded cliff by the river on the background.

Black-tailed godwits on breeding plumage on flooded field.

A Jay watching from a large tree. The mixed habitats of old trees by the wetlands means you can watch a Jay while hearing a Cetti's singing.

I returned to the main hide and had my lunch there. Marsh Harriers passes flushed the waders regularly. Buzzards, three at some point, were also soaring over the reserve.

Some quarrelling Avocets.

As I was taking my wellies off by the car I heard a swallow alarm call, and looking up, there it was, perched on a wire by the sewage works, my first Swallow of the year. I took a couple of quick photos and it took off, flying high and then north.