Alkborough Flats 13-9-12

With Jacqui and myself deciding on where to go the night before for somewhere different to go birding we decided on Alkborough,with the thought of a 14 mile round trip on bikes it didn't sound to bad and the potential of some year ticks for me and a couple of lifers for Jacqui.
On arrival we headed for the first hide to scan through the waders picking out mainly Juvenile Ruff and a large flock of Avocet with a few Black-tailed Godwit mixed in with them on a further look around I managed to pick out a few Greenshank which we ended up with around 10 birds present,A small flock of Pink-footed geese was also mixed in with the Graylags after a hour or so we continued our walk up to the second hide which over looks the the beginning of the Rivers Trent and the Ouse as the Humber finishes,here a few Marsh Harriers were hunting and 1 pair food passing over the reed bed towards RSPB Blacktoft Sands.A flock of around 150 Golden Plover was also observed coming in and we managed to watch a Weasel carrying what looked like a Vole pity it never stood still for a photo,with not much happening we took a walk back to the first hide with lots of Meadow Pipit and Yellow Wagtail in the sheep field,as we reached the pools another birder kindly let us look through his scope at a Spoonbill standing in the distance a great bird for Jacqui to see and a welcomed lifer I'm sure.We arrived back at the first hide and I picked out a lone Knot on the foreshore  feeding with the Ruff,after another hours here or so we headed off back home along the Humber bank stopping off at Whitton where a flock of Barnacles were feeding in the fields.
A good day out and what made for a real nice change.