Potteric Carr.........again!!!

Tuesday 15th March

A quick trip to North Cave and a walk round the perimeter path, gave me my first Ringed Plover of the year as well as a Herring Gull being mobbed on Island Lake.

Wednesday 16th March

With a few reports of Lesser spotted Woodpeckers being seen in Yorkshire over the last weekend, including one again at Potteric Carr, I decided to have another trip to search for one. My plan was to head to Studley Royal Deer Park where one had been reported on Saturday, this was scuppered with the Potteric Carr again being seen by those looking for the Firecrest in Black Carr Woods on Tuesday.

After sorting the kids for school, I headed down the motorway and was soon on site. Reports were that the bird had been seen up near the visitor centre on Saturday, with a finch flock, strange behaviour in itself, then following the tit flock through Black Carr Woods on Tuesday. I headed straight down to the wood but after searching for a while, all I had found was my first Chiff-chaff of the year. Several Cetti's Warblers were heard calling along the path to Piper Marsh and Turret Hide as well as a showy Willow Tit. Crossing over Mother drain, I had a Kingfisher fly up and over the bridge. Next stop was West Hide, where after scanning the vast reedbeds, I had a Bittern flapping up and over the reed fringe and onto the next scrape. I carried on along to the Turret Hide where the same(?) bird was heard booming several times in the same area. I spent the rest of the afternoon back in Black Carr Woods hoping that the woodpecker would put in an appearance but it was again very quiet with just a couple of Goldcrests and another Chiff-chaff.

Friday 18th March

Surprise of the week was a Yorkshire Lifer in the form of a couple of Egyptian Geese, seen from the M62 on the way to Howden.

Yorkshire Life List: 278
British Year List: 135
Yorkshire Year List: 130
North Cave Year List: 72

North Cave and Blacktoft

Thursday 10th March
With news coming through of the reappearance of a Kittiwake at North Cave Wetlands, I made a slight detour on the way home from our weekly swim. Unfortunately, Toby had forgotten his Mothercare bins, so it was up to me to relocate it with nobody else in the hide. The adult Med Gull was also still present.

Kittiwake

Mediterranean Gull

Friday 11th March

With the Hen Harriers regularly being seen at Blacktoft, I thought, I'd get my first crack at the species this year. First stop was Ousefleet hide for any waders. Since my visit last week, a flock of up to 100 Black tailed Godwits had returned.

Black tailed Godwits

Walking down towards Singleton hide, a Cetti's Warbler was heard calling from the reedbed, which was new for my Yorkshire life list. In the hide, there was no sign of any of the previous nights 3 Hen Harriers but a Short eared Owl was a bonus for the year.

Yorkshire Life List: 277

British Year List: 132

Yorkshire Year List: 126

North Cave Year List: 70

Out and About

Half term meant little birding other than on day trips out but managed the regular Grey Wagtail at Welton duck pond while feeding the ducks.

A flyover Yellowhammer on a trip to Rand Farm in Lincolnshire was a welcome bonus.

Next up was an afternoon drive to Spurn for the lingering Tundra Bean Goose in the Triangle. Also managed Knot, Golden Plover, Whooper Swans for the year as well as Dunlin, Pink Footed Goose, Little Egret and Brent Goose for the Yorkshire Year list.

 Tundra Bean Goose (right) and Pink footed Goose

Tuesday 23rd February
With the kids back at school, I took a trip up to Scalby Mills as the American Wigeon had returned from Castle Howard, the second I've seen at this site. On the way down to Wykeham, I stopped off at Hackness and had a drake Mandarin on the lake. Up at Wykeham a pair of Goshawks displayed in the cold afternoon sunshine. Heading home I stopped off at Wykeham Fishing Lakes where a single Barnacle Goose was amongst the goose flock.

American Wigeon

Wykeham Raptor Viewpoint

Friday 26th February
Today was a trip up to the Lower Derwent Valley, a place I hadn't visited before but was really impressed by the amount of birds about. Three new year ticks included Skylark at Bubwith Ings, 4 White fronted Geese at Ellerton Ings and a single Scaup at Aughton from the churchyard.

Monday 29th February
With the relocation of the Long-eared Owl at Blacktoft RSPB, I had a quick drive out, close views were had as it roosted in the bushes to Ousefleet Hide.

Long-eared Owl

Very little else on the reserve as yet but a single brief Bearded Tit out in the reedbed kept the yearlist moving along.

Tuesday 1st March

Today saw another new site for me, Potteric Carr. A great place with so much fantastic habitat spread over a huge area. The main target of the day was Bittern but despite spending a couple of hours in Piper Marsh hide, there was no sign, although a squeaking Water Rail was some compensation. Stonechat was seen flycatching out in the reedbed from Beeston hide, Willow Tit from Willow hide and a Kingfisher along Mother drain

Monday 7th March

No sign of the previous days Kittiwake at North Cave but a Green Woodpecker and the first returning Avocets of the year were nice, also seen was the drake Mandarin which was new for me for the reserve and a Mediterranean Gull was seen from South hide.

Tuesday 8th March

Today saw the longest "twitch" of the year so far for a year tick, Long-billed Dowitcher at Egleton Nature Reserve at Rutland Water, Leics.

 Long-billed Dowtcher

Heading round to the North Arm, I soon managed to pick out the wintering mixture of grebes, Slavonian, Red necked and 3 Black necked. Also seen were 2 Red Kites driving between the reserve and the A1.

British Year List: 128

Yorkshire Year List: 122

North Cave Year List: 69