Steve's Birding,Wildlife & Walking Blog: Local Patching Roundup

An epic month with some really early spring migrants and the patch year list on 113 species, the following is what i saw.

Sunday 3rd

A steady visit today, with mostly the usual suspects being seen, until i found 3 lovely Brambling with the Chaffinch flock at East Halton Skitter. The birds were a bit flighty, but i did manage to get some record shots of a very dapper male, a welcome spring record.

Other niceties included 13 Whooper Swan sat on the Humber off Goxhill Haven, a couple of Stonechat were also seen, along with 2250 Pink-footed Geese grazing one of their favourite fields along Goxhill Marsh.

The final goodie finished with a lovely Short-eared Owl hunting the saltmarsh near to Ruins Pond, the first on the patch for several weeks.

Saturday 9th

A cracking start to proceedings for the time of year, saw a lovely 2nd calendar year Little Gull being found resting on the marshes. i managed to get a short video clip before it flew off north towards East Halton Skitter, my first record here in March.

Other birds around the area included a pair of Pintail on Winter's Pond.

A wander along Marsh lane proved fruitful this morning, as i saw the wintering female Hen Harrier again flying across the fields towards Killingholme Haven, what a smart bird.

Saturday 16th

Another great visit today saw a decent arrival of Chiffchaffs, with 13 birds being recorded.

On Winter's the 14 Tree Sparrows were still in residence along with 2 sparring male Great-crested Grebes.

Another welcome view of the female Hen Harrier saw me watching here soaring over the Skitter, perhaps on her way north and i wished her a safe journey.

The welcome sight of my first Brimstone Butterfly of the year at East Halton Grange, certainly brightened up the visit.

As i returned to Winter's Pond, a calling Little-ringed Plover headed onto the marshes, my earliest personal record and first of the year, a great end to proceedings.

Saturday 23rd

An incredible visit today, with 2 really early spring migrants being recorded.

The first was a singing male Willow Warbler in the Hawthorn scrub near the chimney on Winter's Pond, by far my earliest record and really great to hear that lovely song again.

The second was even more surprising, as i found a male Yellow Wagtail with a flock of Pied Wagtails feeding on East Halton Marshes. This is at least 3+ weeks earlier than any i have seen before in 38 years birding, amazing and a fantastic addition to the year list so early in the season.

Overhead today saw quite a bit of passage in the blustery north westerly airflow and included a first for the year species in the form of 12 Siskin which were all heading north along the estuary. Other species involved included 63 Linnet and 43 Meadow Pipits all heading in the same direction.

Next goodie was another year tick in the form of a Green Sandpiper along the borrow pits near to Dawson City, always a good record in spring here, being obviously more common on autumn migration.

A walk along the floodbank from the Skitter back to Winter's saw two more year ticks, a brief Grey Wagtail heading onto the marshes and the one i had been wanting all day, a spanking male Wheatear feeding along the seawall. The latter really are one of my fave spring migrants and it is always great to see them.

Final highlight of the visit was a cracking Red Kite seen flying low over Goxhill village giving some cracking views from the car. It was last seen heading towards New Holland, a species which still isn't common here, but annual with one or two records a year.

What a day with 7 year ticks, spring birding at it's best!.

Sunday 24th

The wind had switched around to the north today and the overhead passage had dried up, with the previous days Wheatear and Willow Warbler had moved on, but the male Yellow Wagtail was still present with his Pied Wagtail buddies feeding on the marshes, great to see again.

A walk along Skitter Road proved fruitful with my first singing male Blackcap of the year at East Halton Grange, just great to hear that flutey song again.

Two Siskin were seen flying north at the Skitter and the final highlight for today, was another first for the year, a cracking male Swallow was seen flying through Winter's and north along the marshes to round off a brilliant couple of days patch birding.

Saturday 30th

Today's early morning start certainly paid off with some fantastic views of an Otter at Winter's.

It was watched feeding in the dyke along the edge of the grassland before moving into the main lake and certainly scaring the life out of the resident Coots and Mallards.

This is the first i have seen for a good while here and was really great to see.

Also at Winter's this morning were 2 singing male Willow Warblers, one of which showed really nicely and at least 3 singing male Blackcap.

A flock of 245 Pink-footed Geese were seen heading north here also.

A walk along Skitter Road proved really rewarding for insects with my first Dark-edged Bee Flies and Common Carder Bees being seen along with several Eristalis pertinax and Seven-spot Ladybirds.

The insect theme continued at East Halton Skitter, with my first Comma of the year and a male and female Brimstone.

Also at the Skitter, another singing male Blackcap was seen and heard and a Merlin shot across the fields.

A really enjoyable month of birding, with some great records and species being seen.