Local Patching Round Up.....July 2024.

Another month ends, so here is July's round up of bird and wildlife sightings from my local birding patch at East Halton/Goxhill.

Sunday 7th 

An early start at Winter's Pond as per usual, saw a few nice birds which included singles of both Green and Common Sandpipers, 33 Mute Swans, 31 Swifts and a single Great-crested Grebe.

On the Humber shore a 3rd calendar year Yellow-legged Gull was present, and became my first sighting of the species for the year.

On the marshes a couple of nice sightings went to a smart Spoonbill watched feeding and giving some nice views and a surprise Merlin. The latter was either a failed breeding bird or a second calendar year, a great sighting for the time of year.

At the Skitter the best sightings went to 4 Common Sandpiper feeding in the haven and a nice find in the form of at least 5 Eristalinus aeneus.

Saturday 13th

Heavy rain showers on today's visit, saw restricted coverage, but a few bits were still seen and included 4 Common Sandpiper at the Skitter, a single Green Sandpiper at Winter's Pond and a juvenile Marsh Harrier and Whimbrel on the marshes.

Saturday 20th

A superb visit today saw some great birds being seen and included a nice surprise in the form of a summer plumaged Great-northern Diver which flew north along the Humber off Winter's Pond and was obviously a welcome year tick and only my 3rd sighting of this 'Big' Diver for the patch.

Also off Winter's was another year addition, as a single Sandwich Tern flew out along the Humber and 15 Common Scoter were seen as they splashed down on the Humber and drifted along with the tide.

Non bird sightings off here included singles of Harbour Porpoise and Grey Seal, both always great to see.

It was also a bit of a Wader day today as well, with 9 Whimbrel being seen including a party of 5 birds, 6 Green Sand on Winter's and 7 Common Sandpiper at the Skitter, with a further 7 along the shoreline towards Killingholme. Also the first good count of Icelandic Black-tails of the autumn migration so far, saw 1305 birds being seen at the Skitter.

Also on Winter's was an eclipse drake Pochard, the first here for several months.

A scan from Winter's towards Killingholme, saw me picking up a distant Gull roosting with Black-headed & Common Gulls and i was sure it had a jet black head opposed to the Chocolate brown of a Black-headed Gull. Fast forward 10 minutes and i was watching a lovely summer plumaged adult Mediterranean Gull. It was just beginning to moult it's head feathers, but what a smart bird all the same.

A couple of nice sightings from the marshes area included 33 little Egret, 6 Grey Heron and a lovely 2nd calendar year Hobby watched hawking insects.

Saturday 27th

Full coverage of the patch today, walking all the way up to Goxhill, saw a few nice birds being seen and some nice insects also.

Winter's first thing held 7 Green Sands, 12 Little Grebe, 15 Coot, 36 Mute Swans, 2 Common Sands and 66 Mallard.

A walk along the flood bank towards the Skitter for a change today, saw a NFY species in the form of 2 summer plumaged Knot, always nice to see. Also along here were 102 Redshank, 23 Curlew, 300 Black-tailed Godwits, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 22 Little Egret and 7 Grey Heron.

At the Skitter 5 Common Sands, Whimbrel, 4 juv. Bearded Tit, a Great-spotted Woodpecker and a surprise Tree creeper were all welcome additions to the notes.

Goxhill Marsh was fairly quiet with regards to any unusual sightings, but a cracking count of 351 Curlew was really great to see.

A stop for some lunch near Dawson City saw some nice insects being seen and included 3 Essex Skipper and several Lesser-marsh Grasshoppers and Short-winged Coneheads, the latter allowing a few photos.

Wednesday 31st 

Winter's held a few good birds first thing which included 1 Green and 2 Common Sands, 40 Mute Swan, 21 Coot, 12 Little Grebe, 11 Moorhen, 10 Cormorant, 2 Great-crested Grebe an adult and fledged juvenile, 33 Sand Martin and 59 Mallard.

A walk along the eastern edge of the marshes to the Skitter saw some nice sightings being logged and included a moulting adult Sanderling, a difficult bird to connect with along here, watched feeding along the tide edge. These really are tricky birds at this time of year, providing pitfalls for the unwary, a great bird to see. 

Also along this section were 30 Little Egret, 7 Grey Heron, 21 Teal, 100 Redshank, 64 Sand Martin, 25 Dunlin and 19 Curlew. On the Humber 2 Common Scoter flew out south.

A good wander around the Skitter saw the best bird going to a Wood Sandpiper, my 3rd record of the year for the patch, watched landing on the pools after flying overhead, calling.

Also here were 3 Avocet, Common Sand and 23 Teal.

Well that's another months birding over and the local patch year list now stands at 147 species, onwards and upwards!.

A Lovely Dawn On The 7th.

Hoverfly Eristalinus aeneus - Or Black Lagoon Fly, East Halton Skitter, 7th.

A Big Tide At The Skitter, 7th.

East Halton Beck Where It Joins The Humber, 7th.

In Coming Storm, East Halton Marshes, 7th.

Juvenile Grey Heron, Winter's Pond, 7th.

Juvenile Swallows, Winter's Pond, 14th.

Winter's Pond Sunrise, 20th.

First View Of The Adult Mediterranean Gull On The 20th.

Singing Male Yellowhammer, Marsh Lane, 20th.

Gatekeeper, Winter's Pond, 20th.

More Colourful, Big Skies Over The Humber, 27th.

Hoverfly - Eristalis Horticola Or Stripe-faced Hoverfly, Winter's Pond, 27th.

Male Short-winged Conehead Nymph, Goxhill Haven, 27th.

Female Lesser-marsh Grasshopper, Goxhill Haven, 27th.

Female Field Grasshopper, Goxhill Haven, 27th.

Six-spot Burnet Moth, Goxhill Haven, 27th.

Dingy Skipper, East Halton Skitter, 27th.

Red Fox, East Halton, 31st.

Grey Herons, Winter's Pond, 31st.