Top(hill) Birding

Out with Pete today and as there was nothing in particular to go for and we hadn’t done Tophill Low for a while we thought we’d go there first and then maybe carry on to the coast, upon arrival we decided to do the North side first, took a look over D Reservoir that initially seemed really quiet but there was actually quite a few Ducks on mainly Tufted with a few lingering Goldeneye, a load of Hirundines feeding along the far wall included my first House Martins for the year, we carried on to North Marsh where several Sedge Warblers were singing away but the real stars were a very showy pair of Cetti’s Warblers one of which posed on the screen next to the hide within 10 mins of us getting there, we stayed with them for quite a while getting more good views of them in the reeds etc and although they returned to the screen on a couple more occasions they unfortunately didn’t come out on top again, also a couple of Buzzards and a Marsh Harrier went over, a Cuckoo was calling and a young Grass Snake slithered through the grass. Eventually tearing ourselves away we headed to the top end where a pair of Garganey had been seen on Hempholme Meadows Pools but the river bank which runs quite close to there is unfortunately a public footpath and a large group with a pack of dogs had been through and flushed everything so we returned to the car for lunch. After lunch we did the South side which was pretty uneventful until we reached South Marsh East, here we found a pair of Little Ringed Plovers, a drake Red Crested Pochard and several Marsh Frogs entertained, we carried on to Watton Borrow Pits which played host to a couple of Little Egrets and at least two Lesser Whitethroats were singing, by this time it had got to 4pm and we deemed it too late to go to the coast so we headed back up to Hempholme Meadows to see if the Garganey had returned, they hadn’t but all in all a very enjoyable day. There was a little detour off to Wiggington on the way home when news of a Hoopoe there came through, unfortunately there had been no further sightings when we got there but hopefully it may get found again tomorrow.

young Moorhens already

Cetti's posing

pair of Buzzards

Cetti's seen several more times in reeds etc

Willow Warbler

amourous Marsh Frogs were being very loud

another little brown job that cocks its tail

A Peak in Springtime activity

Sunday the 10th, I was out with Mark and we headed over to Leeds to meet up with Darren and Richard who took us to a local site as they had some info on a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, several Warblers were singing away as we set out including my first Willow Warblers and Blackcap of the year, reaching the right area it wasn’t long before we located a drumming bird and although it remained high up it drummed and preened there for quite a while allowing us good and prolonged views, a Green Sandpiper was on a nearby pool. Next up was Owler Bar in the Peak District for a wintering Great Grey Shrike, as we headed into the area Darren soon located the bird sat on a bush but after a minute or so it dropped down and despite a good stomp around for the next 40 mins or more we failed to find it again, quite a few Tree Pipits were present though which was a bonus. We were going to try for Goshawk down the end of Derwent Reservoir next but the road has been closed for the summer season so we went to the Cutthroat Bridge area instead, we headed up onto the Moors and after a good trek round we managed to find a cracking male Ring Ouzel and a couple of Wheatear as well the usual Red Grouse and Meadow Pipits. Late afternoon we headed back to Leeds calling off at Swillington Ings on the way, a few Wagtails on one of the islands include a couple each of Yellow and White but there was no sign of the earlier Blue Headed, the Black Necked Grebes were also back in but were a bit distant this afternoon, as me and Mark made our way back to York we called off at Jackdaw Quarry near Tadcaster, no Peregrines but a pair of Red Kites entertained.

always nice to see

showing off his red cap as he preened

Green Sandpiper

Spring Warblers

Tree Pipit at Owler Bar

Red Kite in the Quarry

Spring birds at the Cave

Trip out after work to North Cave Wetlands in search of Spring migrants, I went straight down to the Crosslands hide and had a look over Dryham Ings, a pair of Little Ringed Plovers were soon located and there was also a couple of Ruff and two or three Yellow Wagtails down the far end, lots of Sand Martins flying about but it was late on before I managed to find my first Swallow of the year. 

Ruff one

Ruff two

Wren eyeing me up

first Swallow

amongst many of these

A helping hand

I met up with the Rochdale crew on Strensall Common on Sunday morning who had come over for the Wood Larks, I had said I would help locate them with them not knowing the area too well, it was quite dull first thing though and although the Skylarks were up and singing it was quite a while before a Wood Lark did, once singing though we soon located the bird atop a Silver Birch and got good views, I then joined them up at the Raptor Watchpoint at Wykeham where two or three Goshawks and several Buzzards duly obliged but as always remained fairly distant. Early afternoon we said our goodbyes as they headed into the Dales for Black Grouse etc and I eventually dropped down to a very busy Bempton Cliffs to year tick Kittiwake and Puffin, not many of the latter as yet just one or two sat on the sea.

Wood Lark

Robin singing at Wykeham

a hazy view

this Buzzard had just been having a tussle with a Goshawk, it drifted a bit closer while the Gos went the other way

down the road at the feeding station

this Jay was plucking up courage

but only stayed for one shot

Bempton