Barton Pits 21-3-14

Again today seen me back down the local pits for the Slavonian grebe,some people may well ask why do I keep going for this bird well two reasons,firstly it took me such a long time for me to see one !!!
I remember back in the late 80's me and my good old friend Dave Hutton doing a 30 mile round bike ride and dipped one at Kingsbury Water Park in Warwickshire,and on a 24 hour bird race with good friends Mark Maddox and Brian Berry walking half of Titchwell beach after a bird that turned out to be a distant female Common Scoter :) but was a fun weekend.
Secondly This bird is so skittish it is a big challenge to get near enough for a descent photo so to test my fieldcraft,even if any other waterfowl gets spooked it is so alert to what's going on and heads of out to the safety of the middle of the pits.
So I walked my usual way as yesterday we picked up on Sand Martins,I reached the Eastern bank when I seen a large falcon approaching knowing that a possible Gry Falcon is in the area I quickly got the camera off the tripod in readiness,as it got closer I started to get photo's but knew it was a Peregrine Falcon but I wasn't complaining,just glad it came the right side of me so the sun was behind me.

With that gone in to the distance I walked the East bank between the sailing pit and pit 25 and soon as I got about half way there it was sitting in it's favourite spot on pit 25 damn was my thoughts,so I sat and waited while scanning the ducks I managed to pick out 3 Scaup 2 female and 1 male,I suddenly noticed the grebe on the move so got down behind some hawthorn so it wouldn't see me and it started to fish in front of the flooded makeshift hide that someone uses for shooting :( so each time it dived I crept a bit closer until I got in to the hide but it knew some thing was wrong but I managed to get these for my effort.

With this making it way off,I noticed the Scaup had moved a lot closer to the South west corner so remembering what Simon Spavin said to me the other day I just had to try and get at least half descent shots of them,so keeping low I made my way down into the corner trying not to spook anything I managed to get some.

3 Scaup female each side of the male 

With this done I thought to myself the only 1 missing is the Long-tailed duck I hadn't seen it,so I started to walk the south bank of the sailing pit and there it was preening and bathing but wouldn't come close enough for a photo,oh well can't win them all.I headed off back for home through the fishing pits and picked up 4 Sand Martins in the same area as yesterday.

Barton Pits 19-3-14

Today I thought I would head off back down the local pits for another go with the Slavonian Grebe,walking the usual route along the Humber bank looking for any migrants Wheatear mainly.
On reaching the sailing pit I could see a car parked down the eastern end so thought it must be down there,I was greeted by Karen and Simon Spaven and told me the Grebe and Long-tailed duck was there also a pair of Scaup on pit 25 which I only picked up the female,I walked the east bank but everything had been moved,the grebe and LT-Duck was nowhere to be seen so headed back towards my start point,but picked the grebe up along the north bank again so I sat and waited when it suddenly headed out due to a dog running around grrrrrrrrr.
I continued to watch it out in the middle when it made it's way to the south bank and then headed for the west bank which was great I could get the sun behind me.After a further wait it came in so slowly lifting the camera I managed a couple of shots before it headed off along the west bank.

again it came back towards me a bit further out heading for the south bank so I made my way into the corner where I could sit.When I saw something swimming across the water my heart started to race,WOW I thought my first Barton Otter but when it came closer this is what it turned out to be.

A bloody Mink second one in my last two visits,this proceeded to come in just below me and went after a coot but the Slav grebe wasn't hanging around and went off out of harms way.
I decided to head back home but check on the Owls but couldn't see them,and then got talking to the secretary of the fishing club who assured me the box does have a flat roof after I explained about it,and in turn extended my permission to be on the fishery and he also told me a new Owl box is waiting to go up and would I volunteer to help them put it up,of course I agreed to give a hand.

Well I can say lay down a bank with a step sticking in to your back is very uncomfortable !!!

Barton Pits 14-3-14

Today I decided on another crack at the Slavonian Grebe,I soon picked up the female Long-tailed duck close in along the west bank,but carried on along the north bank and picked up the grebe just before the boat house but it kept it's distance and went along the front of the house heading for the east bank,where I waited for the next hour and it started to come in closer fishing so I got down to the waters edge with the steep bank behind me which helped,so I wasn't on the skyline when it popped up within 20 feet of me for a split second when I suddenly heard there it is,not knowing 2 birders behind me but further along started talking loud enough to be heard from the moon,hence no photo's as the grebe headed back out in to the middle so that was that blown for me,I just hate it when birders blame photographers every time for flushing a bird when it's not most of the time.
So if you 2 read this please talk more quietly bird can hear,same with hides there not sound proof !!!
I made my way back along the north bank when a birder stopped and asked me about the grebe so I gladly pointed it out to him and he told me he had seen a Siberian Chiffchaff and listened to it calling at the Carpark by the Humber Bridge viewing area so I shall be checking that out in the morning.
I reached the west bank making my way along and caught back up with the Long-tailed duck but a bit more distant than she was.
With hunger setting in I continued to head home bound calling in through Water's Edge CP,the Cetti's Warbler again singing but not much else around apart from the usual waterfowl,which I sat and watched for a while before heading home.
A nice day considering with the sun out

Barton Pits Slavonian Grebe 11-3-14

I noticed someone reported a Slav grebe on the local pits along with a Long-tailed duck which could only mean it was on the sailing club pit,a quick dash grabbing the camera,scope and bins Jacqui and myself had a quick walk down the Humber bank.This was Jacqui's only second Slav only ticking them at the end of last year and a county tick for me,on arrival we was soon on to it but distant but with a little patience it came in closer allowing for some record shots.

Far Ings 5-3-14

I decided on a few hours in the afternoon around the local patch which was quite nice with the sun tyring to warm us up.Starting off at Ness for a hours or so with not much doing apart from the Shoveler scrapping between themselves,we headed off down hotel track down to cement works a few Long-tailed tit and Bullfinch around,might start picking up when the diggers finish repairing the Humber bank from the tidal serge destruction.A few Common Redshank and Curlew on the foreshore so we made our way to Reedy hide here we added Kingfisher and Teal to the day list,then we made our way along the bank to the new scrapes where a female Goldeneye was enjoying them to herself.
With everything gone quiet people wise we headed back to Ness where a few Common Snipe was feeding in the channel.

North Yorks 1-3-14

With a nice day had at North Cave wetlands Jacqui and myself decided on a day on the North York moors to photograph Red Grouse and we also invited Mandy along with us.The day weather wise was a mish mash of fog,sun,cloud and rain.
We arrived at the moors after a little over a hours drive and within minutes of starting our drive along Chimney bank a lifer for Jacqui with nice views,this would be our only pair along here.On reaching Hutton le Hole we had a look around adding Grey Wagtail to the day list followed by scones and continued our drive around the moors with coffee stops and a few more distant grouse,but we headed off for Farndale low mill for 1 of my favourite little birds the Dipper which we got again more or less straight away but unable to get any photos,with them on my year list we continued back on the moors looking for some grouse that would sit for some shots,it wasn't long before we found a male walking along the road but wasn't having none of it but we did find more close to the road side that would pose for some photos,I think Jacqui was more than happy.
With time pushing on we headed off for Holbeck car park at Scarborough to photograph some Mediterranean gulls which some of which are nearly in full summer plumage and was good to catch up with Steve Race again.A great day had by all with some laughs along the way.

A day in North Yorks 11-1-14

I was asked if I would like to join Mandy and Paul for a day in North Yorks birding of course I accepted.
Our first stop not quiet North Yorks was at Hornsea Mere for the Scaup and Velvet Scoter,but of course couldn't find them anywhere but did manage to pick up Great white Egret for the year,we moved on to Filey Brig which was well worth it picking up Purple Sandpiper,Oystercatcher,Dunlin,Red-throated Diver,Guillemot,Gannet,Eider,Common Scoter,Shag,Ringed Plover and Rock Pipit for my year list.
Our next port of call was Holbeck for the Mediterranean gulls with 4 birds present after about a hour with them and a few shots we moved on to Scarborough Harbour for a Lifer for Paul in the form of Great northern Diver which eluded us but we had fun photographing Turnstone not the easiest to get flight shots of.
With the sun going down we made tracks back to home for a very welcomed chip supper.
A great day had by us thanks to Paul and Mandy for the offer of a day out birding.

Barton pits 5-1-14

With a few hours sun forcast Mandy,Jacqui and myself decided on a walk down the local pits for the Long-tailed duck,which is on a private lake permission needed to walk round,first time out with the camera this year.
A enjoyable few hours out and a even more enjoyable bacon roll was to follow :)