After parking up at a very muddy East Halton Skitter i got the kit together and decided to head in the direction of Killingholme Haven and Winter's Pond first.
It was slightly misty on the Humber at first and i couldn't see right across the river to the north bank and also it was high tide,so no wader's present to start with.As i walked along the bankside path,i flushed three Pipits giving that distinct 'Feest' call of a Rock Pipit,but as they landed i noticed all three birds were in fact of the distinct Scandinavian race 'Littoralis' and they all showed differing amounts of greyish heads and mantles,with distinct 'Super's' compared to the british race 'Petrosus'.They were very flighty and unfortunately i didn't manage to get even close enough for a record shot of these cracking birds,but thankfully managed some good scope views.
After watching these smart 'Scandi' Pipits i carried along the bank and up to Winter's Pond to the sight and sound of singing and sparring male Skylark's as the sun eventually broke through the mist.Along here and feeding in the set aside fields were an impressive 9 Roe Deer,something i never saw here 25 plus year's ago when i first birded this area and in my opinion are a welcome sight to see.On Winter's Pond the only highlight was 15 Pink-footed Geese and these were seen as they flew off the pit at the rear of the site and did a couple of circuits before heading north over the river,no doubt on their journey north,back to Iceland.
On the return leg back towards East Halton Skitter,the tide was dropping now and wader's began to be a feature of sightings,with Curlew,Redshank,Dunlin and Turnstone being seen.
After arriving back at the car,a quick change of clothing as it was now pleasantly warm saw me heading westwards towards Goxhill Haven this time and up to Dawson City as on my last visit here.
On the Skitter pools,9 Little Egret and a single Grey Heron patiently fished on the pools and on the foreshore a nice mixed flock of Turnstone and Dunlin showed well enough to get some decent images of these lovely waders.
As i walked the bank,day dreaming about a Wheatear or Black Redstart to pop up,a few passerines passed west and included singles of Siskin and a couple of 'Alba' Wag's and a Common Buzzard steadily thermalled west also.
As i arrived at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reserve,Dawson City,a singing male Goldcrest was seen and at last my 'First' spring migrant of the year,a male Chiffchaff sang it's welcoming song as it flitted about and sallied after it's flying lunch.This is my second sighting of they year after a wintering bird at Manton Warren back in January.
A bit of a surprise sighting nearby,on the sand bank off Dawson City were 2 Barnacle Geese and i couldn't recall seeing this species before on the old patch,so was a bit of a bonus.They could well be domesticated birds,but also could be wild,but who knows with wildfowl.
Another 2 Roe Deer on the fields as i wandered back to the car made for an impressive 11 animals today and a couple of Pipits flushed from the Skitter pools,looked like they were probably Water Pipits,but i never did see them on the ground.
A brilliant visit again to the old stomping ground and even better as i had it all to myself,a good day out.
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| Three Of The Nine Roe Deer At East Halton. |
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| Little Egrets On The Skitter Pools. |
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| Turnstone And Dunlin Feeding At East Halton Skitter. |
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| Dunlin,East Halton Skitter. |
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| A Flyby Curlew At East Halton Skitter. |
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| 3rd Calendar Year Male Marsh Harrier,East Halton Skitter. |
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| Distant Record Shot Of The 2 Barnacle Geese. |
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| Male Chiffchaff,Dawson City LWTR,Goxhill Haven. |
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