Newbald Becksies YWT Nature Reserve with Hull Nats

This was my first visit to Newbald Becksies, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI citation) and nature reserve managed by the YWT. It is a very small site, just 2 ha. The site is a fen at the base of a chalk slope fen by springs, flushes and streams. Willows, ash and sycamore form a band of semi-natural woodland on the upper, drier levels. The main interest of the site is its special fen flora, with several species that are very scarce in East Yorkshire. However, some of these, including Butterwort, were lost between the late 60s and 80s, coinciding with increases in agricultural fertiliser use. 

There are no paths and access is difficult (the main gate was blocked by vegetation and to survey it we had to climb it). Wellies are a must. Despite its small size, it takes us a while to walk through it, with some boggy areas that almost swallowed a couple of us! A central area includes carpets of Bogbean, with a few flowers, and Marsh Valerian flowering and a few rosettes of Marsh Orchids. Common Cottongrass, Sedges, mosses and both water and marsh horsetails are also present. The day was mostly overcast with showers. The northern area had grass dominated and horsetail dominated areas. Despite the weather, we recorded several Orange Tips. Parts of the site appears very overgrown in places and in need of some management. We spend a good couple of hours botanising and insect recording on the site and I make a decent 20 bird species list.

An interpretation board.

The rosette of a marsh orchid.

Hull Nats members recording on site.

Buzzard.

Bogbean.

Close up of Bogbean flower.

One of the chalk streams traversing the site.

Watercress.

Freezing at Blacktoft Sands

A bitterly cold day that felt even colder at midday due to the wind turning NW. A large and nervous flock of Fieldfares, with a few Redwing fed in the hawthorns of the car park. I surprised a stoat as it run on the grass on the car park, but it run into the hedge before I could take any photos. The Fieldfare were quite nervous and took off every time a car went pass the road by the nature reserve.

Fieldfare.

Thrush flock.

  The visitor centre/hide and was closed, as in the winter months it only opens on the weekend, so I went to Xerox hide first. A Reed Bunting fed on the path with a Wren and a Robin.

Reed Bunting.

I spent some time at Xerox. There was a large Teal flock and I went through it in search of a Green Winged Teal that had been reported at Blacktoft, but no luck. Some Dunlin fed amongst the teal.

I moved on. The Hawthorns on the long stretch to the Ousefleet hide were laden with berries, good news for the cold and hungry thrushes.

 At Ousefleet, the highlight were the six Konik ponies, which were drinking in the sun and having little squabbles. They are use for conservation grazing on the reedbeds and marsh in the nature reserve.

 The light was fantastic with mostly clear sky. This is the view from Ousefleet.

An informative panel with the Humberhead levels and nature reserves within it.

I moved to the eastern end of the reserve. There were barely any birds from the hides, but a Marsh Harrier quartered past, with the great backdrop of Alkborough.

 The view from Singleton hide.

 I ended up returning to Xerox. Found some Redshank feeding near the hide.

 More Teal.

 Three Marsh Harriers together at some point. One of them flushed all the birds (top shot). The following photos all from Xerox.

Marsh Harriers.

Dunlin.

Shovelers.

Wigeon.

A Redshank (left) and a Spotted Redshank (right) posing beautifully next to each other.

Little Egret.

July at Tophill Low

On Monday the weather forecast was windy with showers in the morning. I briefly considered going to work, but ultimately decided to brave the elements and head to Tophill Low. The wind was there, but the rain was pretty much absent. I walked towards the south of the reserve, with a stop at the lagoons, where I watched a family of Little Grebes. One of the parents brooded the chicks while the other fed them with small fish. 

One of the parents brings a fish.

Brooding Little Grebe.

Another fish is brought.

The verges around O reservoir were teeming with orchids, mostly common spotted, with a single shrivelled bee orchid.

Orchid display

A moth-like insect landed at the base of one of the South Marsh hides. Upon closer inspection I think it is a caddis fly, but I haven't been able to identify it.

At least three Little Egrets fed on South Marsh East.

Two young Little Ringed Plover. The adults were nearby.

This young Garganey was feeding with some mallards, possibly one of the young that this year have been born at the reserve.

An adult Little Gull was sleeping on one of the islands. It woke up briefly and I could take its portrait.

In the window frames of the hides live the Furrow spider, Nuctenea umbratica.

Another Garganey, this one in South Marsh West

Oystercatcher

A few insects were active, including this pair of Common Blue Damselflies.

and a Large Skipper.

On the path to Watton Carr hide, I found a dead shrew, and, when I upturned it, a Sexton Beetle was hiding underneath. It was a Nicrophorus investigator. I followed this very useful key to identify it.

Small Skippers where out as well. This frontal shot shows the brown underside of the antennae tip in this species.

A single Common Darter sat on the path around O reservoir.

Underside of a large skipper.

I walked to the north side of the reserve and met these amazing flies on the path. The males are as shiny as a mirror and they dart over damp ground flashing like fireflies. They belong to the genus Argyra.

As I opened my lunch box in North Marsh hide, a Kingfished flew towards the perches. It sat on several of them and even hovered over the water in search of fish. It ended up catching a couple. What a great lunch time it was!