Far Ings 28-4-12

With deciding on doing my first survey today of the season my alarm was set so that I could get a earlyish start.
I reached FI at about 8.30 taking my normal route starting with Barton reedbed,only stopping at the monolith for a scan to see if there was any waterfowl broods but none present there yet.
I contiued round to Beardie corner where I heard my first Sedge Warbler of the Year .I didn't hang around for Bearded Tit as there as been none reported for a month or so on the reserve now,which is a great shame so I reached Pursuit Pit and yes got my first brood of 7 young Canada Geese.
I walked along the Humber bank to Pursuit pit hide to count the Avocet and picked out a lone Common Sandpiper along with 2 Common Tern on the new raft,also a Reed Warbler could be heard in the reedbed but didn't show itself,after a while 2 Common Swift flew through my first of the year,I carried on along the bank to the old cement works to see if I could find any more migrants tucking themselves away but not a chance,so I continued to Reedy hide on the north of Ness pit with even more Avocet on here I counted these up making the total over 80 birds a great count for the reserve I think.
With my mind set on going to Chowder ness for some waders I continued back along the bank looking for and Wheatears on the wall but things changed when I reached Target pit,the martins and swallows were close in by the hide feeding along the margin,so I though that I may aswell try for some shots so as I lifted the flap up on Target hide the first bird I see was a Red-rumped Swallow but I thought to myself no maybe a House Martin just crossed a Swallow so it looked like it had a rump,so I waited and within a few seconds it came back round and sure enough it was brilliant finding my own Red-rumped Swallow only my second for Britain.
After 10 minutes or so of watching it feed they all disappeared but was soon relocated over at blowells,sorry Andy but the brood count went out the window at this point.
I headed over to try and get some shots and some cracking views with it flying over everybody's head about 10 foot up so big smiles on my face :)
A Lesser Whitethroat could be heard here calling with time pushing along I decided on heading down to the visitor centre for a well deserved drink and kitkat before heading off home.
I finally got home and uploaded my pics when I got another text from Andy Sharp saying a male Ring Ouzel at Far Ings in the field to ness pit,so with my memory card back in the camera this time it was a quick dash on my bike back to Far Ings to get this in the bag which I did and some not bad shots a fantastic day for me with 2 new birds added to my Far Ings list.

Ring Ouzel

Red-rumped Swallow 

Far Ings 18-3-12 (Owl Fest)

With Short-eared & Barn Owl showing on the Humber bank on thursday night seen by the bird study group which I could not attend due to work,this seen myself on the bank on a nice sunny sunday afternoon in the hope of 2 new species for Far Ings for me.On arriving at the Humber bridge I scanned the south towers and spotted a female Peregrine Falcon sat on the tower,so on reaching the visitor centre at the reserve I looked back so I could count it on my list a nice start would I get the other 2 intended new species.I walked up to the Old Cement work scanning the reedbeds along the way for any sign of Owls but a bit early so I had a look around the Cement works and on the Humber but not much about,so I decided to sit where I could watch over Hotel pit for any Bittern flights and keep an eye out for the Owls along the foreshore too.
With no sign of Bitterns and time getting on I walked back towards the visitor centre, just as I reached the back entrance to Reads Hotel I spotted something perched on a branch about 250 yards further on,I lifted my bins and had a look and yes it was a Short-eared Owl on that note I made my way towards it and full of joy and big smiles I got close enough for some record shots and as I did another Shorty appeared from nowhere and they both went up calling after a while and some better shots,I managed to stalk one of the bird which had perched and get some decent photos and as I was looking through them not noticing the bird had flown I stood up and looked down toward Graham Cattley,noticing a Owl flying towards me with only a short time before it disappeared I managed to get 3 shot off and on looking I was surprised to see it was my second target Owl,even bigger smiles now Barn Owl in the bag to and within a 10-20 seconds a second Barn Owl flew by me now i'm thinking wow a great afternoon bagging all the target birds and the bonus of Peregrine,It doesn't happen very often where things go right and to plan but this was just a superb afternoon,as the light was now fading I made my way home phoning Jacqui who had wished me luck to let her know it had gone well who was so happy for me :) Now I'm wondering is that damn Tawny Owl ever going to play ball just keep on trying!!!

Far Ings 10-3-12

With having a chance of getting White fronted Geese on my year list I set off for my local patch,stooping of at the Tawny Owl roost for a search,but yet again it evades me and with Howard Booty already on site and he hadn't seen it either this morning but we had a chat about another site close by,whilst we stood talking a Treecreeper came in and H attempted some photos but no luck as it wouldn't keep still long enough .
I decided on walking the old dam road past the allotments up to the New pits where a skein of geese were in the first field,so I had a scan of them and sure enough the White fronts just at to be the ones furthest away but took a record shot of all 7 anyway ,with them in the bag I made my way to Ness hide where Paul Sutton was already present along with his mate.I only stayed a short while but as I was talking of the adult male Smew being present the previous sunday,he came swimming from behind the reedbed so I called him out to the other people present,with Paul and co having no luck with Bitterns but they did show me photos of the supposed Whinchat that was identified by so called experts but when I looked it was actually a female "Stonechat" still I wouldn't mind it on my Far Ings list.
With nobody having any luck with Bittern I moved on down Hotel track and onto the Humber bank making my way to Barton Reedbed to look for Bearded Tits but no joy only hearing a Water Rail calling.

Far Ings,Read's Island and Worlaby Carrs 3-3-12

With Jacqui heading arriving for a day out birding around my local patches but not before she had a hot cup of tea after a 2 hour drive.First stop was Far Ings to see if we could find any of the Smew and Bitterns.We arrived at Ness but what a miserable day but we didn't care just wanted a Bittern to show but after a couple of hours waiting the only birds of note were a flock of around 200 Dunlin heading east and no sign of any Bittern but we did have a visit from Malcom & Matthew Tarlor who kindly looked at Jacqui's settings for her on her Nikon camera,we decided to move on and have a look on Target pit where 1 of the 2 Smew had been over the previous week but with no sign of the first winter male,typical invite friends over and he moves off :( and so did we to have a look on new pit 5 with mainly Wigeon present we carried on round to have a look on Chowder ness with it being cold we didn't stay for long with a few Redshank mixed in with the Curlew and a few Shelduck present.
we walked the Humber bank and headed for Reedy Hide on the north side of ness pit and waited again for any sign of Bittern but rain had set in,so we were more like just taking shelter and watching the usual winter wildfowl,after a while the rain sort of passed and we made our way to the old cement works to see if any wader were on the foreshore but no not 1,yet again the rain came and that seen us off to the visitor centre for a welcomed coffee and a snack,while we watched over pursuit pit again the rain stopped and we headed back to Ness farm stopping off at Hotel hide on the way.
Next stop was to be Read's Island where Avocet and Bean Geese had been present,on arrival there were a number of Curlew in the next field,with me having a scan through the geese and failed to locate any Bean's with inly Canada & Greylags present maybe they was tucked up on the other side of the island out if the wind,we scanned the island for Avocet and managed to locate some in flight on the opposite side of the island before they settled down again great a new bird for Jacqui.We also managed a pair of Marsh Harriers spooking the Lapwing flock which had a few Dunlin mixed in with them,with not much else on show we then headed for Worlaby for the chance of the Shorties showing.We arrived after a quick stop at the shop in Bonby for some food and drink,a few people already on site we went and had a chat and a bit of banter with Roger Hatcliffe,Dave Alan,Keith Mitchell & Colin Pumfrett always good to catch up with a few comments was made when Dave Newby just ignored us all and sat on his own,so the wait began for the owls but just was not to be at about 4.15pm we headed back to my house for a good warming through and nice coffee before Jacqui set off back home only later to learn the we made the wrong choice in leaving but there's always next time.

Waters Edge Country Park 2-3-12

With the weather being opposite to the forecast I decided on a few hours down at Waters Edge,seen as I have not visited here for a few weeks to see what I could find which was only the usual birds expected to be found here.
With a good look around I decided on just spending time in the sun photographing birds in general and hope to capture something a little bit different.

Wood Pigeon

Common Gull

Tufted Duck

Greylag Goose

Mallard

Canada Goose

Song Thrush

Long tailed Tit

Coot