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.

Clumber Park

My first visit to this National Trust estate in Nottinghamshire in search of this year's hawfinches and some woodland birds. This is an extensive area, 3800 acres of ancient woodland, plantations, arable, heathland and a lake. I parked by the eastern end of the lake, by an area that has undergone recent subsidence and flooded, so trees have sunk in water and died.

Statuesque Cormorants and a Grey Heron sat on the dead trees. I heard the screech of a Jay, my first this year, and soon after the loud bubbling yelps of Nuthatches.

Nuthatch

 I ended up walking on a long detour to the Chapel area -frequented by the Hawfinches - and I only got there about 10:15. After walking around and not seeing or hearing any I had almost given up and started photographing some bathing greenfinches on a puddle. Unexpectedly, a male Hawfinch alighted amongst them and proceeded to have a bath. Shortly after a female did the same. After a little while all birds were spooked and flew up the trees and couldn't reconnect with the Hawfinches again.

The pair of Hawfinches bathing with Greenfinches and Chaffinches, the female on the left.

 Common Garden birds and Grey Squirrels were plentiful in the area though and came down to the ground when I scattered some seed.

Singing Robin.

After the wonderful encounter with the Hawfinches I carried on towards the bridge and walked around the lake by the heathland area. Goosanders, Tufted Ducks and plenty of Black-headed Gulls were in the lake, but I couldn't find the Smew.

 I got to the car and drove to the main car park to search for the Hawfinches again. Some birdwatchers were about and had just seen them. After talking to them it appeared that the Hawfinches had been feeding on yew. The long line of mature Yews north of the chapel seems what is attracting them there. These seeds are highly toxic, but Hawfinches tolerate them - as Greenfinches do too - discarding the red aril and cracking the seed open.

The Chapel.

Around the chapel area. 

Grey Heron.

Cormorant in breeding plumage.

Heathland area.

Looking towards the chapel.

Lesser black-backed gull.

Weir damming the river Poulter and creating the lake.

January at Kilnsea and Spurn

I realised at the end of last year that I had never beet to Spurn on January, so this cold morning I put and end to this and headed there. A dusting of frost covered Holderness, the low sun glowing behind fuzzy clouds. I saw a distant flock of swans on the fields as I was arriving at Kilnsea, so after parking I walked to the pill box to have a look. A group of roe deer resting on the edge of a field appeared to be watching them too.

They were about 30 swans scattered in groups. Most Mute Swans but at least one of them a Whooper, but they were too distant for my binoculars. Magpies, Starlings and Curlew fed by the long bank scrapes amongst the sheep.
 I carried on towards the Kilnsea wetlands hide. As I approached I realised the wetland was frozen over, with small pockets of water. The only birds present were a flock of Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits. I watched for a while. They appeared quite flighty and scanning for raptors I realised there was a Buzzard on a post almost opposite the hide. It appeared to be sunbathing, wings half spread, but it wasn't sunny at the time. I have seen them in a similar stance in rain.

I carried on. Two hares darted across the field towards Westmere Farm.
The birds had moved onto Beacon Ponds. Many Wigeon and Teal, but no chance of spotting a Green-winged teal with no telescope or the comfort of a hide. A Goldeneye, a Little Grebe and a single Brent Goose were also about.

Goldeneye.

I wandered north along the beach by Beacon Ponds in hope of finding shore larks, but no luck either. There was little about, or maybe I didn't go far enough.
I turned round and walked along the beach, and then along Beacon Lane. A fox scuttled away, just a red glimpse with big triangular dark ears and fluffy tail, no chance for a photo, my first fox of the year! A Song Thrush skulked between bushes.
 I walked along the cliff top. Usual Little Grebe and Mallard on the borrow pit. Added Meadow Pipit to my year list. A dozen linnets bounced along the dry grass. I got to the Breach and watched the waders on the mudflats. Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Shelduck, Curlew. On the Warren bushes three Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings.

After a hot drink in the Discovery Centre I moved to canal scrape hide. Mostly frozen, only the Mute Swans icebreaking had kept some free water, which was being used by a small group of Mallard and Teal.

The icebreaking Mute Swan pair at Canal Scrape.

It was time to get back to the car. I found a lovely trio of Roe Deer feeding on the field.

Roe Deer.

Black-tailed Godwit near the Crown and Anchor.

I caught up with the Hares again, this time they were snoozing in the middle of a field.

Kestrel on a barn roof.

I decided to make a quick stop at Sammy's Point before heading back in case the swans gave better views and I'm glad i did. A fox run ahead of the car as I was arriving and I could see that swans were a little closer. A family of six Whoopers were in view and also the White-fronted Geese, near a mute swan.

White-fronted Goose with mute swan.

 

Whooper Swan family

Brent Geese on a field.