Welcome To My Blog,This Will Be Mainly Used As A Diary For My Local Birding Patch At East Halton/Goxhill On The Banks Of The Humber Estuary,With Occasional Twitching And Visits Elsewhere Including Photos From Mine & Tracey's Walks Around Our Beautiful Countryside.
A free couple of days as Mrs R was working at Elsham,so today after i had got some well earned sleep after my nightshift,i decided to have a day over in the Messingham area.
The forecast promised a cloudy start,then sunshine breaking through around mid-morning and that is exactly what it did.
I started by walking up to Manton first thing,seeing a few notables which included a Little-ringed Plover on a roadside pool,3 Pink-footed and a pair of Egyptian Geese with the local Greylags and a lovely pair of Grey Partridge which i managed to get some decent video of.
After this enjoyable,if short wander,i then drove around to Messingham Sand Quarries nature reserve for the remainder of the day.
As i arrived at Messingham the weather began to break,with the sun coming through nicely and i began to explore.
It was really great to get to grips with some macro photography again and record some insects and i managed to find a new species for myself.
While looking at Alder-leaf Beetles i found a Hoverfly which at first i thought was a Xylota species,but the habitat was wrong.After reviewing the photos and looking up the ID,it is Chalcosyrphus nemorum,a really nice find and as mentioned a new species for myself and most probably a new species for the reserve and the area.
This species frequents damp Alder woodland,so where i found it was spot on.
There are too many insect highlights to mention all here,so i have included some of my favourite photos from the visit,but they included Hawthorn Shieldbug,Parent Bug,Clarke's-mining Bees,Brimstone Butterflies,Nursery Web Spiders,Slender Groundhoppers etc.,what a great day.
Bird wise a few migrants were noted and included my first Common Terns of the year,a pair watched on the raft down from the car park on the first lake.It was really great to see these lovely summer visitors,a true sign of spring.
Other migrants included at least 6 singing male Willow Warblers,35+ Sand Martin and a handfull of Chiffchaffs,Reed Warblers and Blackcaps,but only 1 Sedge Warbler.
It was really nice to see some spring flowers today also which included Meadow Saxifrage,Marsh Marigolds and the lovely coconut smell of Gorse.
A great day out today and i look forward to my next visit.
A compilation of three visits here to the local patch at East Halton and Goxhill,with summer migrants arriving proper at last,with a total of 15 new species added to the local patch list,putting me on 125 species for the year here now.
The following is what i recorded over the three visits.
Wednesday 13th April
I started as usual today at Winter's Pond with a fresh westerly breeze blowing,making me hope that some visible-migration might happen today.
An obvious increase in Chiffchaff at Winter's saw at least 5 singing males present and a non singing bird.
As i walked along the floodbank towards the chimney,3 Barnacle Geese flew by south,probably back to their home at Cleethorpes boating lake.
The area south of the chimney which is so often good for migrant Warbler species,certainly didn't disappoint today,with my first 2 Willow Warblers of the year,followed by 3 singing male Blackcap.
I have a soft spot for Willow Warblers it has to be said,really smart little birds and that lovely song,always brings a smile to my face.
As i returned to the car park area,a quick look on the grassland saw a Common Sandpiper feeding in amongst the Wildfowl,another new arrival from Africa and another new species for the year.
The good birds continued as i walked along the edge of the mitigation area,as the lovely sight of a smart male Wheatear was feeding from the fence posts along the edge of the site giving some nice views.
A little further along and a female was seen in relatively the same area and i wondered where these lovely migrants were heading,perhaps the Yorkshire Dales or the Peak District to raise their young.
Other species observed on the mitigation area included 36 Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits,4 Roe Deer and 2 Brown Hare.
The Skitter area also was productive for migrants today,with another 5 Wheatear together on a newly tilled field and my first 2 House Martins of the year flew north overhead,along with 3 Sand Martin and a Swallow.
As i walked along the floodbank towards Goxhill Haven,a single Whimbrel called and i added another new species for the year in the form of this long range migrant.
Ruins Pond has always been relatively devoid of birds in the past,but just recently it has seen a flock of Tufted Ducks taking up residence and today,13 birds were present which included 7 males and 6 females.It would be really great if some stop to breed,as this species is a very rare breeding species on the local patch.
As i reached Dawson City,a few birds were noted here which included 3 male and a female Blackcap,2 Chiffchaff and the pair of Mute Swans are still nesting ok,so we should see some cygnets soon hopefully.
A few insects here included Dark-edged Bee Fly and a queen Tree Bumble Bee.
Sunday 17th April
Another visit today,starting as usual at Winter's Pond,firstly to carry out my monthly WEBS count,The wind has swung around to the south east now and i was hopefull of some passage on the Humber,but it was dead.
Around the bushes and edges of the water there had been another migrant arrival though,with my first Reed Warblers(2),Sedge Warbler and Whitethroats of the year,all singing away attempting to attract a mate,it really was beginning to feel like spring proper.
Also here were 4 singing male Chiffchaff,6 singing male Blackcap and 3 singing male Willow Warblers as well as the now 3 resident male Cetti's Warblers.
The mitigation area was our next destination,with highlights including another male Wheatear,2 more singing male Sedge Warblers,a Willow Warbler,and a nice surprise in the form of a single Short-eared Owl.
The Skitter area saw another singing male Whitethroat being logged along with a single Sand Martin heading south and also 5 Black-tailed Godwit were noted.
The area between the Skitter and Dawson City provided some great sightings.which included a proper scarce species for my local patch these days,a singing male Grasshopper Warbler.
This species used to be a regular feature of my summer birding along here,but sadly not as regular these days,so it was really nice to have one today.
Also along this section our first Yellow Wagtail of the year,flew overhead and on the wet field behind the pig farm,4 Ruff and 11 Black-tailed Godwit were seen.
Other bits included another singing male Willow Warbler,a Swallow,44 Curlew still and 4 Roe Deer.
As we approached Dawson City,the welcome rattle of a male Lesser Whitethroat was heard and became my 6th new species for the year today,things were going great.
Dawson City,held another singing male Willow Warbler,Lesser Whitethroat,2 Chiffchaff,2 Blackcap and my first Speckled Wood of the year.
A walk back along the seawall to Winter's,saw a lovely Whimbrel flyby and just as we reached the car a Little-ringed Plover provided me with my first sighting of the species for the year ending a cracking visit.
Monday 18th April
Another visit to the patch today in the quest for more additions to the year list.
With all the reports of Ring Ouzels around the country and along the coast,the continued effort to try and find one finally paid off when i flushed a female from the path bordering Winter's and the car storage area next door.
It was seen in flight on two occasions,giving that metallic,tacking call that gives them away,a great addition to the year list.
Other species at Winter's today included another surprise in the form of a single Jay as it was seen in the plantation and then flying west towards the village,making it the 149th species i have seen on the site.
The 3 Cetti's Warblers were still in good voice here along with singles of Whitethroat,Reed and Sedge Warblers,with 3 Chiffchaff,5 Blackcap and 2 Willow Warbler.
I then walked up to the village covering the horse paddocks along Station Road in the hope of possibly relocating the Rouzel or another,seeing a pair of Grey Partridge which is always a bonus and great to see.
2 Doe Roe Deer and 5 Brown Hare provided some nice distraction from our avian friends and a few Butterflies seen included my first male Orange Tip of the season.
As i returned along Marsh lane a nice female Wheatear was seen along with 2 more singing male Whitethroat.
The usual suspects were recorded today on the marshes and included a single Whimbrel,male Wheatear again and superb views of the regular Dog Fox.
The Skitter area was relatively quiet today,but was brightened by another pair of Grey Partridge,2 singing male Whitethroat and another Willow Warbler.
Two more singing male Whitethroat along Skitter Road,completed a decent patch visit today,particularly the Ring Ouzel.
Another productive series of visits to the patch and it is really great to have our summer visitors back.
Another free day today while Mrs R was working,saw me heading over to Bempton Cliffs RSPB to attempt to see and hopefully get some better video of 'Albert' on his return to Bempton for the summer?.
I arrived bright and early with a few other hardy souls,or just mad maybe,in fairly windy conditions to be fair,with a freezing south easterly breeze.
I made the relatively short walk around to Staple Newk viewpoint in the hope he was sitting on the cliffs,but unfortunately he was nowhere to be seen and so ensued a freezing cold wait.
The first couple of hours were spent trying not to shivertoo much and enjoy a lovely sunrise and also watching the local Gannets and other seabirds from the viewpoint.
Then around 8am,i saw him fly in and proceed to fly around over Staple Newk before settling out of view....crap!.
I walked around to New Roll Up viewpoint and could see him sat there out of the wind preening and giving good,but distant views.
While waiting for him to make a move,the fantastic sight of 6 Bottle-nosed Dolphins giving some nice views as they headed north offshore,was a nice bonus to the days sightings.
Back to Albert and he started doing his curious head bobbing and i said to the others he's going to fly and sure enough he did.
I dashed back around to Staple Newk and got in position and watched as he flew around in full sunshine now below us.
He landed a couple of times but flew again,before thankfully settling this time in full view and i managed to get some really pleasing video and stills with my phonescoping set up.
What a bird and it was just brilliant to see him settled below us giving fantastic scope views.
After about 15 minutes,he was off again flying around the viewpoint,before dropping down to the water and we watched him head directly out to sea.
What a fantastic encounter and i was so pleased with the video and pics i had got on this occasion,making up for last years distant video clips.
The rest of my visit was spent walking around with fellow birder Alan Wrightson as we walked around the various viewpoints watching and showing visitors the local seabirds which i enjoyed very much.It was great to show others birds which i guess we sometimes take for granted after seeing them so many times over the years.
Well what a fantastic day out today,thank you Albert you beautiful big lump!
A night away with Mrs R staying at Scarborough as our base,gave us the chance to complete two of our favourite walks in the area.
The weather forecast for both days was cloud,with sunny periods,but was the opposite,with wall to wall sunshine for the best part of both days.
A few nice birds and mammals were seen over the two days and day one from Ravenscar to Robin Hoods Baysome good numbers of summer migrants included 26 singing male Chiffchaff and 16 singing male Willow Warblers,with a handfull of singing male Blackcaps as well.
Day two walking the Levisham To Hole Of Horcum circular was far more productive bird wise,with a pair of Wheatear and 3 pairs of Stonechat seen and first records for the year of both Redstart with a singing male and also a singing male Tree Pipit.
Other niceities included a flock of 42 northbound Fieldfare and Grey Wagtails along Levisham Beck.
Wildflowers were certainly a feature of the 2 walks,with Gorse being the main highlight on day one at Ravenscar,with the hillside positively glowing and day two in the woodlands at Levisham,the first Early Purple Orchids were pushing through along with other woodland flowers including Wood Anemone,Wood Sorrel,Dog Violets,Greater Stichwort and Wood Forget Me Not.
The two walks provided some stunning scenery to enjoy as well and the following are a selection from the two days.
Beck Isle Cottage,Thornton-le-Dale.
Levisham Village.
Wood Forget-me Not,Levisham.
Dog Violet,Levisham.
Wood Sorrel,Levisham.
Mrs R At Cross Dyke.
Exiting The Hole Of Horcum.
Moorland Scenery,The Hole Of Horcum.
The Path Descending Into The Hole Of Horcum.
Looking Towards Fylingdales & Fen Bog.
The Hole Of Horcum.
Levisham Moor.
Sea Fret,Ravenscar.
Ravenscar.
Mrs R,With Stoupe Brow & Robin Hoods Bay In The Background.
Stoupe Brow.
Wood Anemone's,Boggle Hole.
Boggle Hole.
One Of The Many Winding Little Alley Ways At Robin Hoods Bay.
