A brief visit to Barton in the morning,saw the only highlight being a single Chiffchaff at Far-Ings,so i decided to head over to Bonby and give the Ancholme Valley a visit.
I parked near the Soak Drain,my usual parking place when i visit here,had some lunch and headed off with anticipation in finding something good.
It wasn't long before i realised the above wasn't going to happen,as the fields,all bar one were bone dry = no wildfowl to attract hunting raptors.
A scan to the south saw the first notable,a Merlin,as it flew along the fields before alighting on a fence post,as they do and further scans revealed a Common Buzzard watching me from an adjacent hawthorn bush and a couple of hunting Kezzies.....things weren't all bad after all.
There was one notable absence on my walk down to the river,apart from the lack of wildfowl,was also an absolute lack of passerines.I have found this on visits before,but today was particularly bad.
As i reached the river,the familiar sight of a pair of Stonechat's sallying after flying insects along a riverside reed bed was nice to see,but sort of expected at this time of year here.
As i walked along the river on the new cycle/walking path(The Ancholme Valley Way),i noticed quite a few swans up ahead,a quick scan through them all revealed only Mute's today,but a decent count of 35 birds in total.The majority were 2nd calendar years,but 9 up at Saxby Bridge contained a family party of 6 birds,with the four cygnets still with their parents.
As i walked,a lovely,close,flyby by a Common Buzzard was a great sight to see and as i neared the long plantation half way to Saxby Bridge,the distinct 'Eeep' of Brambling brought back memories of Saturday's visit to the local patch,as at least 30 Brambling flew out of a riverside Hawthorn into the adjacent wood.
A proper count of these birds later revealed 25,but they were a nice surprise all the same and at least 20 Chaffinch were seen in the same flock.Also here in the same area were 17 Yellowhammer and 10 Reed Bunting.
As i neared Saxby Bridge,another pair of Stonechat's were seen,these being slightly more photogenic than the earlier birds,but as earlier nice to see.
After a quick look from the bridge,i started my journey back towards Bonby,seeing the Stonechat pair again,this time gaining some nice shots of the female,the male was far too jumpy to get anywhere near.
I passed the long plantation again and saw a few more Brambling again and Reed Buntings gleaning aphids off the leaves of the Sycamores,something i hadn't watched them do before.Also in the wood was a roving Tit flock,which contained a Coal Tit,Treecreeper and a couple of Goldcrest and nearby a Great-spotted Woodpecker called.
As the sun was beginning to set and the light going,i watched as a superb Ringtail Hen Harrier hunted the pasture fields and a strip of Elephant Grass along the Soak Drain,what a privilege to see.
A last few scans when i reached the car,saw at least 10 Roe Deer being observed and a nice surprise in the form of 2 Noctule Bats hawking insects high over the pasture fields.
So no RLB's or strangely Owl's of any type,the latter i thought would be a cert,after all the recent immigration of SeO's along the coast,maybe next time.A nice visit today all the same.
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| Chiffchaff,Far-Ings NNR,Barton. |
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| Common Buzzard,Bonby Carrs. |
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| Common Buzzard,Bonby Carrs. |
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| Stonechat Pair,Saxby Carrs. |
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| Female Stonechat,Saxby Carrs. |
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| Sundown On Bonby Carrs. |
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| Sundown On Bonby Carrs |
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