Local Patching 17th & 23rd July 2021.

A couple of decent visits to the local patch over the last couple of weeks,with 2 species added to the local patch year list.

The following is a compilation of what was recoreded:

Saturday 17th July

A sweltering day after a coolish start,saw the best bird being a Common Tern,which was new for the year,watched feeding over the Skitter pools and it soon disappeared south along the Humber as they usually do at this time of year.

This species unlike its name suggests,is only usually encountered in autumn on my patch,but is a regular visitor each year in varying numbers.

Autumn Wader passage is under way now and the first returning Redshank,Common Sandpipers,Whimbrels and a build up in numbers of Curlew were noticed today.

2 Common Sandpipers were seen,with one of each at Winter's and the Skitter,3 Whimbrel,with 2 feeding together in the Skitter outfall and a single bird near Dawson City.

Little-ringed Plover also featured on today's visit,but could have easily been local breeders dispersing,with a male and 3 juveniles feeding together near to the Seaplane jetty between Winter's and Killingholme Haven and a single juvenile which flew south at the Skitter.

Other sightings during the visit consisted of mainly breeding species,but after months of having no sightings at all,3 adult Great-crested Grebes turned up on Winter's,with much calling and displaying going on and eventually one of the birds flew off north towards the Skitter.

Friday 23rd July

Not great weather to be fair on today's WEBS count,with low cloud and fine drizzle,but i did manage to find a decent bird for the time of year,as a Redhead Red-breasted Merganser flew out towards Killingholme Haven.This species is usually encountered in October/November after easterly or northerly winds at sea,so today's sighting was a welcome one.

Other highlights included a single Whimbrel roosting on the old seaplane jetty and 27 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Green Sandpipers feeding on the grassland and around the margins of the main lake,the latter being the first birds of the autumn for me.

Not a bad couple of visits,now migration is beginning to happen,things should become more interesting along here.

Dawn At Winter's Pond On The 17th.