Bird Lover

Friday morning's Jane has recently returned from Southern Spain and Gibraltar.  The following photos give you an idea of what to see during migration time. All photos (c) 2017 Jane Robinson White Stork   Male Redstart   Melodious Warbler Woodchat Shrike   Ditto   Flamingo   Ditto   Ditto   Black-eared Wheatear   Tree Festooned with Black Kites   Griffin Vulture   Ditto   Kentish Plover   Little Tern   Whinchat   Suburban Spoonbill!

On Wednesday we set off on the long-planned excursion into foreign territory.  We set off in bright sunshine, which turned to hazy sunshine at Howden before darkening to full overcast conditions by the time we crossed the border.   Black-necked Grebe  The day started well with Stock Dove, Willow Warbler, and other more common birds around the car park. Stock Dove We set off and had been going less than 10 minutes before we were able to add a Swallow, Sand Martins, Linnets, a pair of Kestrels, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits.   Record shot of Meadow Pipit Proper Shot of Meadow Pipit (c) 2017 Maggie Bruce We were lucky to find a pair of Black-necked Grebes very close to the path we were on.  Just after this a Swift flew around us, and we saw a common Tern.  Meanwhile we heard our first Bittern for a few years.  as we continued this became louder and louder until we were the closest we've been to a calling Bittern for more than a decade. Black-necked Grebes  (c) 2017 Maggie Bruce Pair of B

All of these photos emanate from West Yorkshire, and must of them depict birds that you expect to see in winter, but signs of spring are beginning to emerge.  Most of these photos were taken at Calder Wetlands or in that vicinity.  I've heard the dog mess isn't as bad as it was about 5 years ago, so now you don't have to watch where you put your feet! All but the last two photos (c) 2017 Mike Woods Female Long-tailed Duck at Calder Wetlands Ditto   A nice collection of Goosanders    Immature Drake Goldeneye   Great Crested Grebe at Calder Wetlands    Ditto   Sand Martin over Horbury Canal   Ditto   Record Shot of Swallow  over Horbury Canal   Female Reed Bunting at Calder Wetlands   Great Spotted Woodpecker   Showing his Maleness   Buzzard   Ditto   Buzzard   Buzzard & Heron   Ditto   Song Thrush   Ditto Thingeys (c) 2017 Jane Robinson at Fairburn Ings   Erm, not even a record shot of an alleged Great White Egret at Fairburn Ings