Chiffchaffs and a Goosander

Chiffchaffs and a Goosander

30/03/2014

Scarborough Mere





 

A wander round the Mere this morning produced a number of the usual types of bird life with15 to 20 Mute Swans, plenty of Canada and Greylag Geese, a smattering of Moorhen and Coot, couple of Cormorants, a quantity Mallard and Tufted Ducks and the lone Goosander in the water ski pond. On land there were the usual Tits along with a number of singing Chiffchaffs, with a couple of the same photographed for record purposes.

 

Chiffchaffs 

Goosander

Stunning Red Grouse

Stunning Red Grouse

23/03/2014

Goathland Moor, North Yorkshire

On a Sunday afternoon drive over the moors to the lovely Mallyan Spout Hotel for Lunch great views of Red Grouse in stunning spring plumage on the hunt for females along with the odd Meadow Pipit, Lapwing and Curlew

The moors are a stunning place and cant wait until spring really gets going in a couple of weeks time.

More trips planned.

www.mallyanspout.co.uk

View to Goathland over the moor

Meadow Pipit

 

Red Grouse

Beautiful Troutsdale

Beautiful Troutsdale

24/03/2014

Cockmoor Hall Road, Snainton, Scarborough

Cracking lunch times views while having lunch the other day and only 5 minutes from the office!!!

Filey Brigg and Dams

Filey Brigg and Dams

16/03/2014

Filey

A lovely wander round Filey Brigg top and Country Park, with a quick visit to Filey Dams, on a none wildlife day, with the family, saw incoming migrants to the Brigg top and Carr Naze, including a couple of Wheatear, a few Meadow Pipits and the odd Skylark, very pleasant indeed, with the ponds showing lots of breeding frogs and frog spawn and a number of Starlings and Oyster Catchers in the centre of the Country Park. At Filey Dams an excellent small YWT reserve, saw good sightings of Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Little Grebe and Shelduck.

 

 

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcons

16/03/2014

Castle Headland, Scarborough

A fine sunny Sunday morning saw me on the Marine Drive in search of our local resident Peregrine Falcons, who have been reported on, as now a breeding pair, though the female is quite young (born in Lancashire in May 2012).

On arriving there was not a lot of movement the female was lively and alert on her rock perch, but the Male was asleep, which was a little worrying when a large dog Fox appeared below him and seemed to almost climb up the cliff straight past him. Adrian Ewart a local photographer, birder and friend later reported that he was pretty sure the Fox lived in a rock hole under the near by usual breeding site. This to me doesn't seem to bode well for bringing up a new clutch of young Peregrines, but fingers crossed as it has been 2 years since the last successful fledglings. After a half hour or so wait, there was some good movement of both Peregrines with at one time a little acrobatic displaying which is always great to see!!

 

 

 

 

Lovely Scarborouugh Harbour

Lovely Scarborough Harbour

13/03/2014

Scarborough Harbour

Lovely milky light sunset seen on a stroll round the harbour this evening.

Mandarin Duck

Mandarin Duck

09/03/2014

Ayton, Scarborough

Stunning Drake Mandarin Duck at Ayton today, seemed to have paired up with a female Mallard Duck, which could be interesting!!! He was fighting of man a Drake Mallard with vigour, the brave little chap.

Kestrel

Kestrel

03/03/2014

Snainton, Scarborough

Cracking views on a lunchtime wander below Snainton where I work of a female Kestrel.

Noted movements of a Male nearby so hopefully a nest site and a breeding pair.

Hopefully will get further views as the spring season moves forward.

 

 

Mediterranean Gulls

Mediterranean Gulls

01/03/2014

Holbeck, Scarborough

Cracking late afternoon light saw me having a trip to Holbeck Car Park after a couple of very cold and fruitless hours at Wykeham Forest Raptor view point where absolutely nothing but the odd pigeon was showing, but that's nature.

On display at Holbeck were 8 Mediterranean Gulls all in different changing plumage with the darkest headed gull the long time stayer from Poland.

I manage to get shots of 7 of the 8 Gulls on view, before the light faded and photography became pointless.

Holbeck a cracking place to see these lovely gulls as they are so people friendly coming to a variety of scraps along with the throngs of many many more Black Headed Gulls.

Would like a trip back in the next couple of weeks before the leave for the summer to see if I can get any shots of full black headed plumage.