Snow and Fun

Snow is always a good looking thing. Here 8 inches over the weekend, a series of closed roads and -9 celsius make for fun. Today despite this we headed to York. A total of 120 miles driven back and forward but about 7 hours of driving. Most of it crap but in the initial traversing of the Yorkshire Wolds a Red Kite was hunting for carrion over a snow bound field with a Redwing acting like a Robin, sitting on a mound of snow, investigating the seeds entombed below. So confiding it was untrue. The Blackbird was in my garden yesterday. Gorgeous.

Ferruginous Fun

I attempted my first twitch with Isabelle in tow today. We set off for Pugney's at 11am - a more relaxed attitude needed now. We arrived at the site around half 12. A fly-over Cormorant was one of the first birds seen. Not a lot going on until we reached the nature reserve - it takes time with all the bags and stuff. The Fudge duck was right in front of the hide fast asleep before it had a dig at a Pochard. After this its eye kept opening and closing showing how white it was. The hide filled rapidly with the great and the good of Yorkshire birding so I exited before Izzy started screaming. No Bitterns or Cetti's but a much welcome first lifer in nearly three months. We can work with this birding & baby lark...

P.s. thanks to the birders in the hide for being accomadating when I exited.

Seal Shots