Easter Weekend

Friday 14th Fairburn Ings

A bit of a bonus today, after taking the Mrs shopping in Castleford she then allowed me an hour on the way back, so it was up onto the Coal Tip walk to look out over the Moat area for the Spoonbill, it was seen several times in flight but spent a lot of time in the Heronry, seems to going through the motions of building a nest, but also dropped into a small marshy area on the other side for a short while, also booming Bittern and calling Green Woodpecker etc.

Sunday 16th Teesside

Typical Bank Holiday weather it was a miserable day especially when the rain set in during the afternoon, I was hoping for a few early Spring migrants but it was not to be, the best of it was a Marsh Harrier over Dorman’s Pool in the morning and several Wheatears on Seaton Common.

hoping for Grasshopper Warbler but only this Wren posed

hoping for Yellow Wagtail but just Meadow Pipits

the ever photogenic Little Egret

Monday 17th Fairburn and Swillington Ings

After the Red Rumped Swallow from yesterday had been reported this morning I decided on Fairburn Ings, I arrived at Cut Lane to be informed it was flying around the near corner of the Main Bay over the trees and houses, after several minutes I got onto it and although it never came close I followed it for a couple of minutes before losing it behind some trees, I never picked it up again and then the whole flock of Hirundines including several House Martins, also a year tick, moved further into the Bay as well starting to feed higher up, I walked down to the bridge where an adult Little Gull was perched on the Tern posts, also distant but looked very impressive when it was flying around. With no further sightings of the Swallow I decided to head up onto the Coal Tip walk to look out over the Moat area for the Spoonbill again, as Friday it was seen several times in flight collecting nesting material, also several Buzzards and a Red Kite over and a few Reed Warblers singing. After lunch I headed over to Swillington Ings parking in the now open St Aiden’s car park, I walked the whole circuit but there was nothing out of the ordinary apart from four summer Black Necked Grebes and a booming Bittern.

distant Little Gull

 

incoming Spoonbill with nesting material

Red Kite overhead

Black Necked Grebe at Swillington