Linc'd In

Was back at Killingholme today - it was a glorious day but sadly the birds on survey didn't seem to agree... Very poor numbers which I can't disclose for legal reasons. The light was amazing for photographs but sadly I managed to break my camera (temporarily, thankfully).

Black-tailed Godwit was the one bird to buck the trend with returning birds certainly doing that. I would have known where they were returning from BUT the colour-ringed bird decided to stay out of range. Nothing of note on the pits either which was a disappointment.

I was happy to be out with the wearther - reaching a scorching 12 degrees. Last time 12 was on my cars thermometer it had a minus in front. Rather bizarrely a number of walkers passed through my site today - all 60-something tall men with beards accompanied by weathered, spindly spouses. I wonder if there was some sort of formal 'thing' in the doing as walking through post-industrial waste-land, flanked by car park wouldn't be my idea of a good walk. Birdwatching I get, boat watching I can understand, but walking when there is a deficit of 'pretty'. Hmm.

I moved on to South Ferriby before I headed back over the bridge for another crack at the Rough-legged Buzzard. This took a while to show but quickly my eyes were drawn to a small harrier - a ringtail Hen Harrier in fact being chased into the distance by a Carrion Crow only marginally smaller than itself. Rather closer and somewhat disproving my theory that they had gone extinct was a very showy Barn Owl hunting the rough ground 100 metres away. It landed and as I was getting ready to take shots of it on the deck it was away, leaving the unfortunate vole on the ground (not flushed by me I can asure - traffic seemingly). I managed to squeeze off a few photos and the following was the best of them.

I'm not dead!

Whilst waiting for the buzzard to appear I noticed the 'Roe' Deer on Read's Island had plate like antlers. DOH!!! I'd not noticed that they were in fact Fallow Deer last time out. Very distant views were had. A small skein of Pink-footed Geese overflew. Then bosh the Buzzard was back. It seemed to just slip in although in truth it then spent ages farting around on the floor so may well have been just out of site. It stayed pretty distant the whole time but a brief foray out of silhouette allowed me to get a slightly better shot than last time out.

Better but still not worth a click really.

The light was failing so I pushed off. Apparently there are Waxwings at uni. Will take the camera to work...

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.