Cuckoo, Cuckoo!!

Cuckoo, Cuckoo!!

27/04/2013

Falsgrave Park, Scarborough

Just a quick cold wander round the Mere before heading off on a new car search, turned into a great ten minutes or so at Falsgrave Park, thanks to Adrian Ewart and Joe Bamfield, informing that the previous nights, reported Cuckoo was still around.

Great showing of a great bird which was still around at 4.00 pm after disappearing for a while. Hope a few more local birders get to see it before it gets too disturbed, but then apparently it's been about for around a week as stated by locals that use the Park.

Amazing what's about in a town park!!!!

Little Grebe

Little Grebe

19/04/2013

Brompton Ponds

Finally on my usual lunch time wander at Brompton Ponds, a semi close (not at the far bank!!!) Little Grebe showing well and not immediately swimming away.

Note to myself though to take photographs of the more mundane birds around as summer progresses, as the birds in view today were:
Mute swans (female on nest for last 10 days with male in close attendance)
Tufted ducks
Mallards
Moorhens
Coots
Pied Wagtails
Little Grebes (of course)
Swallows (first 2 of the year over the water, but didn't stay around)
Wood pigeons
Crows
Rooks
Jackdaws
Magpies

Top Hill Low

Top Hill Low

13/04/2013

Top Hill Low Nature Reserve, Watton, Near Driffield

Lovely day spent at Top Hill Low, with Adele, with sightings many various birds, animals and others, spring had really sprung, can't wait for a return visit in a couple of weeks.


Grass Snake, from the North marsh Hide

 

Spring!! A Ladybird near the 'O' Ring

Kestrel, over the South Marsh

Shoveller Ducks on the South Marsh

Marsh Harrier, rubbish shot, but always great to see, from the North Marsh Hide

Little Egrets, at the very North of the Reserve

Roe Deer, 1 of 2 near the path, to the Watton Hide

Wheeldale Road. Goathland

Wheeldale Road

06/04/2013

Wheeldale, Goathland

Honestly I thought spring had sprung on Saturday afternoon, with a lovely walk from Goathland over the Roman Road to Wheeldale and back.

Not many birds around yet due to the late spring, no Pipits or Wheatears about, but a few Grouse, Skylarks and the odd Lapwing about were nice to see.

Looking forward already to a return trip later in the year, to hopefully see more abundant bird and wildlife, as last year.

 

 

Peregrine Check

Peregrine  Check

06/04/2013

Castle Headland, Marine Drive, Scarborough

An early visit on a bright Saturday morning in search of the Peregrines, proved fairly fruitless except for 1 or 2 circuits around the nest site, which seems fairly usual for me at the moment. Recently I have either seen nothing, very little activity, or as Saturday just the odd fly around.

The female though seems and is reported to be sat on the nest, hopefully brooding some healthy eggs and future chicks, unlike last year and the wait continues for a bit of action!!!

Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull

29/03/2013

Holbeck Car Park, Scarborough

Finally a quick spell of sunshine and a final Mediterranean Gull before migrating. I should have got even better shots as there were 2 stood around as I arrived, but then disturbed after only on site for a couple of minutes by the usual couldn't careless about myself dog walkers and the four legged friends.

Hopefully they will be back next year (the Gulls, I mean)!!!!

Jacksons Bay

Jacksons Bay

31/03/2013

Jacksons Bay, Scarborough

What a great place, I have always walked past before, as I either didn't know you could get down the cliff side or thought it looked a little dangerous.

But after a visit to Sheffield, I thought a tea time wonder was in order in the cold sunshine, so I set off for a look round Scalby Lodge Ponds, only too find nothing there, but 3 separate lots of people with dogs walking around the pond, then to the new letting cottages. Note to myself, not very happy with this, report same to Scarborough Birders Facebook site, due to a post requested by the farmer the other day. I know it's Duchy Land, but surly its still a reserve!!!!

Following this brief visit, I thought bite the bullet and head down to Jacksons Bay to see if there  were any late leaving Bar Tailed Godwits around, which has been on my to do list for a couple of months, after being told, if you go down and sit quite behind rocks for a while, when the tide comes in the birds come up the beach towards you.

Indeed this did happen, with the 1 remaining Bar Tailed Godwit, some Oystercatchers and Redshanks.

All was going well until some screaming girls at the top of the cliff disturbed them towards the northerly end of the bay.

Looking forward to a summer evenings scramble down the cliff again.


Jacksons Bay on arrival

Jacksons Bay, sat quietly awaiting for the tide to bring the birds closer, note the shadow!!! not well hidden but still!!

View from Jacksons Bay towards Long Nab





 

View back down to the Bay after leaving

 

Bar Tailed Godwit

Redshank

Jay

Jay

26/03/2013

Forge Valley Feeding Station

On my last visit a Jay made very brief appearance even though it was busy with 4 or 5 cars, so I thought an early visit may pay dividends and luckily one did make another brief visit, where I  managed 2 or 3 quick shots of the bird in the gloomy morning light. Though Jays are the most colourful member of the crow family and are reasonably hard to see, as they are very shy woodland birds, never moving far from cover.