Midweek Wetlands

On holiday this week to do a bit of decorating, all done by Wednesday morning so I nipped out in the afternoon, I thought I would take a look at St Aidans, the new RSPB reserve at Swillington Ings, its a very impressive reserve covering a huge area and a lot more accessible than it was before, I walked one of the routes around the extensive reedbeds and as well as a massive colony of Black Headed Gulls highlights were a couple of booming Bitterns, a pair of Black Necked Grebes with a chick plus a single male and a Grasshopper Warbler among the many Reed and Sedge, lots of Wildflowers as well so I dare say it would be good for Butterflies on a better day.

the single male

feeding time

Swifts were feeding low but difficult to get a good shot

a good selection of Wildflowers

including Marsh Orchid

I was out again Thursday and with a forecast for showers I thought I’d better do places with Hides, I decided on the morning at Blacktoft Sands although it proved rather quiet, it did stay dry though at least until I was returning to the car for lunch, highlights were the Harriers as always and a few Bearded Reedlings were flitting around. I moved on to North Cave Wetlands in the afternoon but spent most of the time sat in the Hide watching several Common Terns fishing over the Main Lake in a rather prolonged heavy shower, unfortunately no Black Terns or anything else dropped in, when the rain eased I checked out the new Dryham Ings area where there were several pairs of nesting Avocets and a pair of Little Ringed Plovers with a chick.

Sparring

singing Sedge

a Heron gets in on the act

fishing in the rain