Local Cream Crown

Went for a listen of the local Quail this evening. One bird was calling in the field adjacent  the meadow where they had been which has now sadly been mown. This perhaps illegal cutting will probably have waylaid the first broods but hopefully now they are in the Barley they can get some young off. A mid-sized bird of prey with a shallow tail fork caused minor pant filling. Its actual identity was a Marsh Harrier heavy tail and wing moult with new central tail feathers. Minor palpitations subsided.

On returning an aquatic mustelid crossed the river but sadly slipped into reeds before I could get a proper handle on it. Gut feeling was Otter but honestly not good enough views to do anything more than speculate. Dammit. Before I got back to the car I watched a family group of at least 6 Mistle Thrushes feeding on the cut hay meadow. An Oystercatcher kleep'd over head along with a couple of Tufted Duck heading up river. A Little Grebe was whinnying on the river.

Mistle Thrush - honest, it rattled when it flew

In the garden a pair of Song Thrush and at least 1 young bird continue to forage in the garden along with a persistant Wren.

A Hoverfly was pratting about on the trellis. Any ideas on species gladly received.

Gentlemen Prefer Redheads

Smew - North Killingholme

A pretty hideous picture of a really rather lovely duck. I was doing my high tide roost count of the pits when I see a small duck dive out of the corner of my eye. I could swear I had seen a white cheek but I dutifully continued with my count of 1 Redshank. Moving round to a better position this baby was hiding amongst the Mallards. A proper self-found Smew. 

The actual survey was not that exciting with the highlight my first Black-tailed Godwits of the year. Considering they are the target species it wasn't a huge surprise.

I decided to have a bash at the Rough-legged Buzzard at South Ferriby before I returned to Yorkshire. I got views of it briefly on the fence west of the cement factory before it circled high and disappeared for a while. A Sparrowhawk took advantage of its absence to hunt the fence line. A male Marsh Harrier sat up on Read's Island doing little and not bothering the roosting Lapwing and Teal. Amongst the ducks were a fine pair of drake Pintail, a nice bonus year tick.

Don't enlarge me!

 A steady stream of Pinks and Gulls bombed around headed for roost and the Roe Deer of the island gave a decent showing. Suddenly the Rough-leg was back and it started scrapping with a female Marsh Harrier. The male came across from the Island and briefly it was a three-way before they all split up and the Rough-leg got to sit on its favourite bit of fence.

Definitely don't click on me

Incidently regular viewers may remember my moan from my last attempt at this bird just prior to christmas about a photographer leaving the layby to get a pick. From my views today I'd suggest he was stood immediately next to the birds favourite perch. Twat. On my way home a flyover Great Spotted Woodpecker was nice in the gloom.

P.S it was dark ALL day except for the 5 mins I was taking pictures of the Curlew. Thats why the rest of the pictures are shit. Honest.