“This week I am mostly” doing Tophill Low NR.

24/5 Only managed a walk in Cottingham on Friday but had an interesting record of a Goldcrest singing in St.Mary’s churchyard.

Goldcrest-Cottingham

Grey Squirrel-Cottingham

25/5 Went to Tophill Low NR on Saturday afternoon. Started in car park hide over looking D reservoir. The Ring-necked Duck hadn’t been seen since Thursday but still at least 2 1st summer Little Gulls.

Marsh Frog-Tophill Low NR

Did the north end first so ended up viewing Watton NR early evening so looking into the low sun. However still managed the Temminck’s Stint as well as a tundrae Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover and at least one Common Sandpiper. The pair of Little Ringed Plover were still on South Marsh East and at least one Marsh Harrier still lingering in the area.

Common Carpet-Tophill Low NR

26/5 Went to Swinemoor with John on Sunday morning but no sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper seen yesterday evening. Went on to Tophill Low NR. Went straight to Watton NR as John had dipped the Temminck’s Stint on Thursday. Unfortunately no sign but still both “ringed plover” species providing a useful lesson for some of Sunday regulars. Also 3 first summer Little Gulls, which were also seen off and on on D reservoir. Had a Kingfisher flying along Barmston Drain on the way out.

27/5 Went to Kiplingcotes Station with John on Monday morning and walked to Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit.  Turtle Doves had been seen recently but no sign for us but not helped by the wind. This also kept the butterflies down with only a few Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tips and Large Whites as well as a presumed Common Carpet moth. Did a bit better in the Chalk Pit with brief views of a Green Woodpecker and Mother Shipton moth hanging around long enough to photograph, a 1st for me.

Mother Shipton-Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit

Yellowhammer-Kiplingcotes Station

Went to Tophill Low NR this afternoon. Walked the north end.

Speckled Wood-Tophill Low NR

Large Red Damselfly-Tophill Low NR

Four-spotted Chaser-Tophill Low NR

Had a Hobby with a large flock of Swifts over D reservoir late afternoon and 2 1st summer Little Gulls dropped in just before with left. No news from the south end.

For more from the reserve check here and here

For my moth trapping this month check here.

Year ticking tiny Temminck’s at Tophill Low NR

22/5 Having missed two on Saturday [see here and here] I was glad to get a message of a Temminck’s Stint on at Tophill Low NR on Watton NR on Wednesday morning. Getting there late afternoon it was still present but distant and often difficult to pick out when static. Also a Wood Sandpiper, a tundrae Ringed  Plover, both new for the site year list, Common Sandpiper and 2 1st summer Little Gulls.

Wood Sandpiper-Watton NR

Little Gull-Tophill Low NR

Common Tern-Watton NR

Several Marsh Harriers still being seen and the Osprey was over again early morning.

Marsh Harrier-Tophill Low NR

Checked out the ever present Ring-necked Duck on the way out.

Roy and Martin L went to Paull and had off Saltend 68 Shelduck, 23 Curlew and  4 Oystercatcher. 20 Ringed Plover on Paull Holme Strays and on Paull Sands 55 Ringed Plover, 42 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 35 Turnstone,  720 Grey Plover, 113 Bar-tailed  Godwit, 230 Knot, 5 Avocet, c30 Shelduck, c60 Curlew and 11 Whimbrel. Also a Common Buzzard over.

23/5 Had look round Burton Bushes near Beverley on Thursday morning but no sign of any Spotted Flycatchers.

Burton Bushes

Fungi-Burton Bushes

Did Swinemoor this afternoon but no sign of the Ruff seen on Monday but still 2 Little Ringed Plover.

Did Tophill Low NR with Roy. The Temminck’s Stint was still on Watton NR. Also Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper and 2 1st summer Little Gulls dropped in again.

Common Sandpiper-Watton NR

Little Ringed Plover-Tophill Low NR

The pair of Little Ringed Plover were still on South Marsh East. The Ring-necked Duck was still on D reservoir.

For last weekend at Kelk check here.

For news from Risby Estate nr Skidby check here.

Winter again?

11/5 Only managed an hour at nearby Woodland Trust site Nut Wood and Wauldby Sprogs on Saturday evening. I’ve visited this area since I was a child and it was one of my first birding sites. The main interest is a few breeding Marsh Tits but also over the years have seen other interesting birds including Green Woodpecker, Brambling  and Hobby. However it can be hard work and today was no exception.

Nut Wood

Like a lot of sites this years Blackcaps were very common but I had little else and it became more of a botanical trip.

Lords-and-ladies

Bluebells

Ramsons

12/5 Did Swinemoor from Weel Road with John on Sunday morning. Only found 3 Wood Sandpipers and no Little Ringed Plovers.

Went to Tophill Low NR. The Ring-necked Duck was still on D reservoir, initially a the north end but close from the car park hide later.

Ring-necked Duck

I picked up a first winter Mediterranean Gull with a few Common and Black-headed Gulls. Also 2 Common Terns.

Walked south this afternoon. Had 2 Marsh Harrier and the 2 Little Ringed Plovers were still on the nearly dry South Marsh East. Retreated to the car park hide mid afternoon as the weather deteriorated. Nothing new and with the rain not yet set in I headed north. Met up with Martin H and I joined him looking for Large Red Damselfly exuviae.

Large Red Damselfly exuvia

Had c50, all new from yesterday and I had my first Large Red for the year.

Large Red Damselfly

Also had a Drinker caterpillar.

Drinker caterpillar

Rain set in and we retreated to the car park hide but nothing new so didn’t stay much longer.

For recent Hornsea Mere sighting check here.

Early May

6/5 Did Hornsea Mere from the hide on Monday morning with Martin L, Roy and John. Highlights were a Black-tailed Godwit flying west and a Cuckoo.

John had 2 Avocets at Bewholme Hall.

Went to Tophill Low NR this afternoon. Ring-necked Duck still on D reservoir.

Pair of Little Ringed Plover-Tophill Low NR

Went to catch the tide at Paull Holme Strays late afternoon. Had 10 Whimbrel, 14 Shelduck, 400 Dunlin, 49 Ringed Plover [mostly tundra], 4 Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, 10 Avocet, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and Greenshank.

Paull Holme Strays

Nathan Pickering had a Wood Sandpiper on Swinemoor this morning.

7/5 My first Swifts over Cottingham on Tuesday morning,

Did Swinemoor from Weel Road. Quickly picked up 3 Wood Sandpiper [4 later]. Also 3 Little Ringed Plover and 4 Redshank but most of the wildfowl had moved on.

Went on to High Eske. The resident female Goldeneye was still holding onto a male. Walked north. No waders on Leven Carrs scrape or raptors over but heard a Cuckoo. Returning to the NR had my first Orange-tips. Little Ringed Plover and Wood Sandpiper on the “scrape” but flushed by a Fox.

Red Fox-High Eske NR

A Common Tern flew in.

Went to look for migrants in Cottingham early evening. Common Whitethroat in fields off Dunswell Road and Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcaps in Oppy Wood. The highlight though was a very approachable Water Vole in a rubbish filled drain at the latter site.

Water Vole-Oppy Wood-Cottingham

For my recent moth trapping click here.

8/5 2 Arctic Terns at Hornsea Mere on Wednesday

9/5 Osprey over Tophill Low NR late Thursday morning.

Kumlien’s Gull still on Barmston beach.

10/5 Went to Swinemoor with Roy and Martin L on Friday afternoon. Had the 6 Wood Sandpiper reported yesterday [9 reported by Nathan Pickering later]. Also 7 Redshank and 3 Little Ringed Plover.

Wood Sandpipers-Swinemoor

Went to Tophill Low NR. Had time to day tick the Ring-necked Duck on D reservoir as well as 800+ Swift over before heading to High Eske to collect the 2 tern rafts. Have mixed feelings about this. Managed to get them on High Eske NR 2 years ago when a pair each of Common Tern and Black-headed Gull breed. However they broke free in the winter and we didn’t manage to put them out again last year, probably a good thing as the high water levels during the summer would have been a problem. This year with South Marsh East drained and the logistics of using them again at High Eske NR beyond us they will be put on Watton NR [hopefully very soon!] to  with luck attract any displaced terns.

Loading the tern rafts at High Eske NR

For recent Tophill Low NR news click here and here.

Drake Garganey at Hornsea Mere early morning.

11/5 First summer Little Gull and 2 Arctic Terns at Hornsea Mere on Saturday.

6 Wood Sandpiper and 3 Whimbrel on Swinemoor.

Ring-necked Duck still at Tophill Low NR as well as drake Garganey and first summer Little Gull. 
For recent new from Barmston click here.

A slow week

30/4 Went to High Eske NR on Tuesday afternoon. Still 2 White Wagtails and few a Yellow Wagtails as well as a Common Sandpiper and Pink-footed Goose.

White Wagtail-High Eske NR

All the regular breeding warblers were now in.

Good number of Peacock butterflies at High Eske NR

Had 3 Little Ringed Plovers on Swinemoor.

1/5 Only managed a walk in Cottingham on Wednesday evening. Did KGV rec and fields behind as far as Creyke Beck substation. Very few migrants with one Blackcap and a silent Chiffchaff but had a Green Woodpecker calling behind Millhouse Woods Lane pumping station.

2/5 Went to Tophill Low NR on Thursday afternoon. The Ring-necked Duck was still on D reservoir but distant. Walked north along the road. Good number of Yellow Wagtails in Decoy Fields but distant and hidden in the emerging crop. Little Egret again on Hempholme Meadows.

Little Egret-Tophill Low NR

Cetti’s Warbler still by South Marsh West but had moved from close to back to back hide.

3/5 Went to Welton Waters on Friday afternoon. Very quiet with few warblers but had my first Garden Warbler by the WAC building, not a regular bird here.

Bar-tailed Godwit-Welton Waters

For the last month at Hornsea Mere check here.

4/5 Back to High Eske NR on Saturday afternoon. The resident female Goldeneye was still hanging onto a male. Walked to Leven Canal. Female Marsh Harrier again hunting the carrs and a Black-tailed Godwit on the scrape.

Black-tailed Godwit-Leven Carrs

Hopefully the first of many waders and a first for the site.

Leven Carrs scrape

Returning to the borrow pit I had a Little Ringed Plover.

At Swinemoor I had 3 Greenshank and 3 Little Ringed Plover.

5/5 Streamer moth in the trapped on Sunday morning was a first for the garden. Check here for my new moth blog.

Streamer

Went to Tophill Low NR with John. The Ring-necked Duck was still on D reservoir and I found a female Scaup. Also at least 2 female Marsh Harriers seen. Did the north end this morning but nothing of note but did have my first Green-veined White butterfly and heard a Cuckoo. Walked the south end this afternoon. A pair of Little Ringed Plover still showing interest in South Marsh East, although whether they can withstand the disturbance of the management work over the next few weeks we’ll have to see. Cetti’s Warbler still singing by South Marsh West but again mid way between the hides.

For more from the reserve, including a tour of the new centre, check here.

Kumlien’s Gull still Barmston beach this morning.

Geoff Dobbs had 4 Greenshank, 5 Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sand and lots of LRPs at Swinemoor this evening.