Patch Watch 2019 Update......

The following is going to be a summary of the last 3 visits to the local patch at East Halton/Goxhill where i added a decent count of 7 species over the the three visits putting me on a nice,round,100 species for the year so far.

Sunday 10th 

A dire weather forecast today,with heavy rain all day,so i drove along the Humber bank and parked up and watched the river over the high tide in the hope i might pick up a few species.
 The highlights included a male Common Scoter which was seen on several occasions in flight and watched diving for food,a new species for the year and sort of expected at this time of year,as the species often migrates overland and up the estuary.
 The next species wasn't really a highlight,other than it was incredibly,the first i had seen this year on the patch,a Drake Shoveler.He was watched with a small flock of Mallard and Teal around the Skitter,making the 2nd new addition to the year list on today's visit.
 Finally,another long awaited species to make an appearance this year,a Great-crested Grebe,was watched loafing about on Winter's Pond as i made a brief visit before heading home.This species is always absent from the patch in the winter months,so it was nice to see this bird in full breeding plumage ready for the new breeding season.
 Other sightings included a bit of a movement of Oystercatcher's,with 14 birds flying out east,8 sheltering from the weather at East Halton Skitter and a single bird at Winter's on the grassland adjacent to the car park.
 The only non-bird highlight went to a whopping bull Grey Seal which i hadn't seen since last November/December time.

Sunday 17th

A much more spring like day today,with a little light passage of birds moving west up the estuary and the first proper spring migrants beginning to appear.
 Vis-mig included 2 White Wagtail which flew west at Goxhill Haven,the first records of the year and which were quickly followed by at least 4 Siskin,which consisted of 1 bird which flew north and 3 which flew west,also at Goxhill Haven and again the first records of the year,with smaller numbers of Linnet,Goldfinch and meadow Pipits.
 Also moving west,were good numbers of Common and Black-headed Gulls,with smaller numbers of Herring Gulls and the first real push of Lesser black-backs of the year also heading west.
 Grounded migrants included my first Chiffchaff of the year,a singing male in Dawson City and a Short-eared Owl was hunting the mitigation site at dawn.

Saturday 23rd

A dull start weather wise today,broke into warm sunshine around mid-morning and it is really starting to feel like spring proper now.
 Highlights on today's visit went to 2 more species,new for the year,the first of which was an out going winter visitor,the lovely Whooper Swan.To start with 13 birds were seen on the Humber early a.m.,before another single was found on the mitigation site with a couple of Mute Swans,the latter is most probably the bird that has been present on and off all winter.
 The second highlight,was a Red Kite watched soaring distantly over Grange Farm at East Halton before it drifted off inland over Goxhill.It seems a long,long time ago since i saw my first for the patch on the 31st March 1988,in the days when the species was a genuine rarity in the country and down to only a hand full of birds breeding in the valleys of central wales.
 Other goodies noted today included a single Short-eared Owl flushed from around the Skitter pools,a Barn Owl hunting around the mitigation site at dawn and 3 Chiffchaff(1 at Winter's Pond & 2 along the beck).
 A cracking count of 90 Carrion Crow near Winter's was the most i had seen down here for a long time and a male Cetti's Warbler showed fantastically also,singing out in the open.
 Non-bird highlights today consisted of 15 Roe Deer and 3 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies.

Not a bad few visits,but I'm hoping for a repeat of last years early spring find at Winter's,but i can't see lightning striking twice!.

Winter's Pond At Dawn On The 17th.

The View Along The Humber Bank Just West Of Winter's Pond On The 17th.

East Halton Beck,Taken On The 17th.

Adult Black-headed Gull,Goxhill Haven,17th.

A Flock Of Common Gulls Heading West On The 17th.

Looking Along The Estuary Just East Of Goxhill Haven.

The Coastguard Helicopter Heading Back To Kirmington On The 17th.

Looking Along The Floodbank From Just East Of Dawson City On The 17th.

The Skitter Pools Taken On The 17th.

Skitter Road Taken On The 17th.

Adult Whooper Swan On The Mitigation Site On 23rd.

And A Flyby By The Beautiful Whooper Swan On The 23rd.

Wind Turbines Heading Out Towards The Estuary Mouth On The 23rd.

Early Morning Light On The 23rd.

Hoverfly Sp. Eristalis tenax,East Halton Skitter,On The 23rd.

Male Yellowhammer,Goxhill Marsh,Taken On The 23rd.

East Halton Skitter,Taken On The 23rd.

Small Tortoiseshell,Winter's Pond,Taken On The 23rd.