Interesting Weekend

Interesting Weekend

23-24/02/2014

Wykeham, The Wolds and The Marine Drive

An  interesting weekend was had, considering my chest infection problems reoccurring and not having a great deal of energy.

It was intended that I only go out to Wykeham Lakes to try and see the Black Throated Diver (success), but on returning and feeling not too bad, me and Adele decided to have a ride out over the Wolds to visit the Robert Fuller Gallery at Thixendale and have a little lunch out.

On the way to the Gallery, our first visit, good views of, Hares Rabbits, Common Buzzards, Kestrels and Red Kites were on offer and the visit to the Gallery was excellent.

With Robert not painting we were allowed into his studio, which gave a great insight into the way he works with superb photography of wildlife prior to him painting the same.

After a cracking lunch at The Old Gait, Millington, a proper old fashioned village pub, we headed to spot red kites, near Warter, which proved poor, due to the light but did get good but distant views of Green Woodpeckers.

Sunday morning was much brighter than forecast, so an early morning visit (before resting) to try and spot the previous days Slovenian Grebe bore a fruitless trip to the sea wall in front of the Spa, but on returning home around the Marine Drive and stopping to see a Harbour Porpoise within the North Bay where the sea was calm, a 5 minute sea watch showed, 1 fish Cormorant, 2 Red Throated Divers, 5 Guillemots, a number of Black Headed Gulls and the strange location of 3-4 Purple Sandpipers on the rock armour opposite the Albert Road turning, which proved an excellent opportunity for photographs.

All in all a good weekend considering how s--t I feel!!!

Early Spring Loving

Early Spring Loving

20/02/2014

Brompton Ponds, Brompton By Sawdon, Scarborough

 

 

Lovely weather at lunchtime today saw me at Brompton Ponds, indeed the weather seemed to have brought out a little early spring loving between a pair of Mallard Ducks!!!!

 



Peregrine Update

Peregrine Update

16/02/2014

Castle headland, Scarborough

A quick look on the castle headland on Sunday morning provided views of both the male and new female Peregrine Falcons. though not much movement in the half hour I was there, it was good to see them, though not to close, but definitely calling to each other.

Fingers crossed to a successful breeding season, though the female may still be too young, as she was only born in May 2012 in East Lancashire.

It is reported that the pair on a local hotel maybe the more fruitful pair this year, but they are not as easy to spot and I am slightly worried about looking through binoculars and scopes adjacent hotel bedroom windows!!!!!

Drake Teal

Drake Teal

18/02/20014

Brompton Ponds, Brompton By Sawdon, Scarborough

A quick lunch time wander round Brompton Ponds today provided the usual sights of the local Mallard Ducks, Tufted Ducks, Little Grebes and Moorhens, but with the added pleasure of a lone Drake Teal, which was the first I have ever seen at the ponds in 2-3 years of looking at least once a week.

Peasholm and Kingfisher Encounter

Peasholm and Kingfisher Encounter

09/02/2014

Peasholm Park, Scarborough

A drying Sunday afternoon saw me and Adele just going for a wander through Peasholm Glen and Park to feed the Squirrels along with a few ducks and geese, with the rest of the Sunday afternoon crowds, but strangely provided us with a great encounter of a female Kingfisher, firstly just sat on the Peasholm Island railings, opposite the old caged bird area and then fishing right in front of us, along with people stood there feeding the ducks, seeming not to be really bothered by anybody.

Brilliant!!!

Tophill Low and Otters

Tophill Low and Otters

09/02/2014

Tophill Low Nature Reserve, Watton, Driffield

A fine sunny morning, brought an unexpected trip to Tophill Low, following a quick decision to go and hunt out the Otters that had been seen frequently this week, but which had never been seen by me in a couple of years visiting the reserve.

On entering the site, a quick wander to the north scrub area to see if there were any Barn owls around hunting in the sunshine after a night of rain, gave the showing of a hiding Barn Owl under the nest box in the hedge bottom, but not hunting, 2 Kestrels and a Common Buzzard (no sign of the male Hen Harrier was seen though from the night before).

My attention then really concentrated on the North Marsh Hide, one of the usual sighting areas of the Otters, even after all the work that has been done recently to cut back the willows and trees and form a new Otter holt, which hopefully will get some use before long. The area has certainly been opened up considerably. Hopefully excellent work by all the volunteers involved.

After a couple of hours wait and natter with Bill and Tony, I suddenly spotted an otter to the right of the hide, which stayed around for a minute or so, excellent my first ever sighting of a fresh water Otter, with in half an hour it was back for another minute or so and then again after another half hour at the far end of the North Marsh. Excellent, three sightings in one morning after two years of waiting!!!

Extended North Marsh

Otter!!!!!

Hiding Barn Owl

First Snow Drops