Saturday 19 November 2016

Freeze Framing Liquid DNA

On Tuesday we went to the Red Kite roost again.  It was a sunny, calm day, so a few Red Kites were becalmed in trees, but there were also a few flying around.  One of them was so relaxed it left its liquid DNA behind just as it flew past us!  The walk into the village was more profitable than Sunday afternoon with great views of the Grey Wagtail, a pair of Treecreepers and a Marsh Tit heard sneezing.  A Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the top of a tree, and a few Siskins flew over, but remained fairly hard to see clearly.  
Red Kite with green vegetation
 Ditto
 A squiggle of liquid DNA below
 Perched Red Kite
 With added Colour (c) 2016 Maggie Bruce
 Grey Wagtail (c) 2016 Maggie Bruce
 Grey Wagtail (c) 2016 MJF
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 Great Spotted Woodpecker (c) 2016 Maggie Bruce
 Treecreeper (c) 2016 Maggie Bruce
After 'work' I tried out the Hen Harrier location again.  2 of those showed well, and a couple of Short-eared Owls were flying around.  Apparently, there are 7 of these in the area now, plus at least 2 Barn Owls. 
Short-eared Owl
Hen Harrier 
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On Wednesday we travelled to Potteric Carr.  It was a dry windy day, and the forecast wasn't too good, but the rain didn't really materialise.  The Kingfisher remained hard to get on Mother Drain, but at least 3 Little Egrets were present.  


Huxter Well came up trumps when Anthony spotted a Bittern flying along the reeds, before attempting a clumsy landing in the edge of the reeds.  The afternoon group spotted a range a fungi including Fly Agaric and a Field Blewit in addition to the perpetual Hoof/Tinder Furgus and the Birch Polypore/Razorstrop Fungus.  

Record shot of Bittern (c) 2016 Tony Robinson
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Piper Marsh was better than last week, but still rather disappointing.  Some of the long-staying am group performed a full circuit of the massive Reedbed, where they saw some Whooper Swans and a Bar-headed Goose.  They had a close encounter with an immature Wood Mouse, which also happened to the afternoon group in a different area.  We found some earthstars, and an unusual thin vase-like fungi. 
Wood Mouse
 Wood Mouse (c) 2016 Tony Robinson 
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 Earthstars
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 Fly Agaric
 Pipe Club Macrotyphula fistulosa var. fistulosa
 Common Darter (c) 2016 Tony Robinson 
 Mother Drain with Little Egret
The Thursday groups went to RSPB Blacktoft Sands.  The day started well with glorious sunshine, but it soon clouded over.  The afternoon session commenced in absolutely pelting rain, but it eased off when we were in our first hide, and the sun soon broke through again.


Xerox hide has recently been landscaped for waders, and it has already paid dividends with improved views of Spotted Redshank, many Snipe, some bog-standard Redshanks, and a snoozing Black-tailed Godwit.  

Spotted Redshank
 Snipe & Dunlin
 Male Marsh Harrier
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 Marsh Harrier
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 Dunlin
Another highlight was the Fieldfare at lunch time which came down to drink from a puddle near the entrance before the deluge from the heavens made the drinking holes much more universal. 
Fieldfare
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 Lapwing roosting Black-tailed Godwit (far left)
 Record shot of Goldcrest
On Friday the bad weather forecast meant we changed to Tophill Low.  Both South Marsh East & West were relatively devoid of birds.  The highlight here was an afternoon Woodcock which flew from the River Hull and over the hide we were sat in.  The most profitable location was Watton Borrow Pits.  A Redhead Smew was permanently on display with a good selection of other wildfowl including Shoveler, Teal, Shelduck, Wigeon, but very few Tufted Duck and absolutely no Pochard.  In the morning there were also a handful of Redshank, but no Curlew.  A couple of Buzzards flew in including one with a great deal of white on its legs and underside.  Claude spotted a Mistle Thrush perched on the unused Sand Martin home, its feathers clearly ruffled by the strong winds.  In the afternoon there were 6 Cormorants in roosting position in the guano tree.  A female Goldeneye was swimming right in front of the D reservoir, which proved a fitting way to conclude the morning session.
Record shot of Smew
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 Missile Thrush
 Drake Shoveler
 Female Goldeneye
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 Cormorants in Guano Tree
 Cormorant
 Buzzard
 Record Shot of Buzzard
 Record Shot of Great Crested Grebe

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