What a 'HOBBY' this is..

August..Is Wader-Time...Here in the north, We have two superb reserves for watching waders, Leighton moss in the west, and Blacktoft Sands, in the East. Blacktoft Sands is the second best wader reserve in the country (Minsmere has attracted one more species). First trip to the Wardens office for the upto the minute news. Great! plenty of waders are about. From here we check the hides out on the west. First hide and it is apparent that the Snipe have come out of hiding. Good numbers of godwits too. A scan of the bins along the fringes of the reedbeds, I find 3 Green Sandpipers. The next hide is the main hide for the waders, At the far side, a group of 10 Spotted Redshanks show off the lovely plumage, Ruff show there weird variations of plumage. Also seen Dunlin, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Grey Heron, A single Little Stint, Greenshank, Redshank, Little Egret. A nice selection of waders in anyones book. Marsh Harriers, Barn Owl, as support acts. But the bird of the day was a Hobby, that flew towards us from along away, right over our heads, clearly showing it's streaked under belly, and red trousers. Hobby is a falcon I haven't seen this Millennium.
Total 146.

Heron their...

It's December, where has this year gone? Time to get those birds I have been putting of for some time now.
Leighton Moss SD4775, Today I have packed the kitchen sink into my rucksack, with the intention to 'roughing it' in Lillians hide -Carpeted, Comfy seats, and heated - untill I get to see Britains most secretive and rariest Herons. On arrival I am greated with the 'Should have been here 15 minutes ago...the Egret was posing a few feet away from the hide, before flying off'..damn! the time I spent in Morrisons buying steak pies, etc....bugger!
Black Sabbath blasts from my pocket...Guess who forgot to turn the mobile off!..Leave the hide time...It's the Wife!!..3 minutes later..back inside..Excitement in the air....A Bittern is flying across the pool, lands, 2 steps into the reeds, and it turns invisible, gone!...Incredible...that was a near miss...phew!
I load up the mule (me), And I am off to another hide in the direction the Egret fly..and get soaked...Nothing here but a very wet looking Heron...One more hide to try. As I leave the hide, My eyes catch a glimpse of a white bird flying just above the 6ft high reeds, being chased by a Heron. Yes! that's it. It lands in the area I am going..700 yards in seconds...The Egret is just outside the window...set up in record time..3 pictures snapped, and the Heron sees off the Foreign bird....Gone...Am I lucky today....Both Bittern and Great White Egret seen in my first Hour....Breakfast time declared..and some bird watching time.
Woodwell SD462744, Is a cert for Britains larges finch, Hawfinch, at the right time of year..not December though, but last week one was seen..I give it 90 minutes..no sign...But some Marsh Tit made up for the missing finch...should have been here in spring.
Hest bank, Morecombe SD4766, Great timing! I catch the tide just coming in. This brings the birds towards me. No need to leave the car, and get wet. Farsands of birds here. good bird watching, No sign of Eiders. Where have they go to?
High Rid Reservoir, Horwich, SD6610, A lost Long Tailed Duck, prefares here rather than the turbulent seas. I set up for a Foto, only for Dog walkers/ dog swimmers to put the duck in the middle of the reservoir. GRRR!
181 - Bittern
182 - Great White Egret
183 - Long Tailed Duck
Nail biting times.

Wader Seasons begins..

August for me is when the wader season really begins. Waders begin showing up anywhere, any many times they are often accompanied with rarities.
Fairburn Ings SE4527:this weekend had a Great White Egret. This, the largest of the Egrets, and is getting more and more common to Britain each year. Once this was ticked, it’s off too..
Blacktoft Sands SE843232: Reports of many species of waders here. So pencil sharpened, book at the ready. Ousefleet and Marshide are the ones to be in. Greenshank, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Black Tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Ruff, and Snipe, phew. That’s 15 species. Can’t be bad! And there was the residents as support cast, Bearded Tits, Yellow Wagtails, Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl, Buzzard and more. You should be able to get about 50 species.
August is the best time to get Butterflies and Dragonflies too.
An excellent day out, and some good pictures taken. Looking forward to next week already for some rare waders. Ciao.

“It may be winter outside…but in my heart it’s spring”

To beat this weekends foul weather coming from the North. I headed East, too mop up on some long staying birds.
First stop. Pule Hill, Halifax. This hill, overlooking Halifax town itself, was favoured by a single Shorelark. A bird that is more typically found on the shores of the East coast, seems to have overshot it’s landing grounds by 70 miles. I struggled to stand upright, in a real “hooli” of a gale. After about an hour, I was fortunate to find the bird. But the wind did not allow for any photos.
Second stop: Fairburn Ings RSPB Castleford. For a few weeks now, a pair of Long Eared Owls, had taken up residency in evergreens. Once pointed out, a single bird was easy to spot. Other birds of note where good numbers of Tree Sparrows at the feeding station. With the Owl found quickly, it’s of to the next stop.
Budwith, Nr Selby. Part of the extensive Lower Derwent Valley floodplain. Two male American Wigeon, had made friends among a few hundred European Wigeon. Their notable size and plumage differences made this another spot in no time, but too distant for photies. So with the “Yanks” in the book, A short trip to:
Blacktoft sands RSPB, Ousefleet. Part of the exciting complex of habitats around the Humber estuary. The tidal reedbed is the largest in England and is important for its breeding Bearded Tits, Marsh Harriers and Bittern. It was here that I once choose to volunteer to spend a ‘Birthday week’, pulling up weeds, digging dirt, and guiding visitors around the reserve for NO PAY, just feeding my soul, with the knowledge that I have contributed to the future of both existing and visiting birds. The reserve is waiting for the start of the ‘wader season’ to begin. Single, Avocet (RSPB logo), and Spotted Redshank, where the only specialists on show. Above the extensive reed beds, 3 ‘lezzer’ female Marsh Harriers, practiced ariel maneuvers! with each other, in readiness, should, a male show up. An excellent day, in atrocious wind.
Additions to the list included: Avocet, Snipe, Spotted Redshank, Shorelark, Long-Eared Owl, Linnet.
Year Total: 92