End of a Long Winter Term

The classes should all have ended last Friday, but the Tuesday and Wednesday sessions were one week behind because of the snowfall the other week.  We caught up by going to Blacktoft Sands.  Unfortunately, it rained almost all Tuesday morning.   despite this we saw or heard several species we hadn't yet encountered on a Tuesday in 2018.  The first were several Avocets, which flew over in small parties throughout the morning.  The most we saw were about 8 at any one time.  Flocks of Black-tailed godwits were also seen, and I glimpsed a swiftly moving Water Rail at Townend Hide.  However, the star bird was a relatively confiding Cetti's Warbler.  It came quite close to us, probably because it was so overcast and actually raining at the time.  This was the best views of a Cetti's Warbler any of the classes has had this year - possibly the only real view so far!
Cetti's Warbler
 The more standard view
 Cetti's Warbler
 Almost like a giant Wren - tailed cocked and pale supercilium over the eye
 Cetti's Warbler
 Ditto
 Ditto
 An actual Wren - but without tail cocked!
Meanwhile at home we now have a pair of Mistle Thrushes visiting the garden regularly.  We have had the odd visit in the past, but only one-off visits and then months or even years between the next one.  Then on Tuesday a Tree Sparrow arrived.  It was still there this evening, but I don't expect it will stay much longer.  Four years ago our House Sparrows died out, so it's quite unusual to have the country cousin on the premises.    
Mistle Thrush
At the weekend a walk in my favourite East Yorkshire woodland didn't have any special encounters with birds, although there seemed to be plenty of Marsh Tits holding territory.  Yellowhammers and Linnets had returned after a winter in the fields, and Green Woodpeckers yaffled throughout the visit.  However, on one particular path first one hare bounded towards us, and a couple of minutes later another came even closer.  Two lovely  fleeting moments.
Brown Hare
 Ditto
We went to RSPB Blacktoft Sands again on Wednesday.  There was a report of special birds at Ousefleet, so we went there first.  We saw our first ever Blacktoft Barnacle Geese there, although their place of origin is uncertain.  Also present were 220 Black-tailed Godwits.  Although these stayed away from the hide we were able to see that some of them had their peachy breeding colours, and a few had turned into an even deeper colour.  Of course there were plenty of Marsh Harriers, and some of these indulged in sky-dancing.  We heard Cetti's Warblers again, but in the brighter conditions none of these ventured into the open.  
Barnacle Geese
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Black-tailed Godwit
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Ditto
 Pink-footed Goose
 Moulting Pink-footed Goose
 Magpie
 Ditto
 Record shot of Marsh Harrier
 Beetle
Meanwhile, the Thursday and Friday classes concluded last week, but not everyone has been idle.  One Thursday am participant has completed a very impressively-looking Tawny Owl nest box.  They sometimes lay eggs in January, so it could be too late for this year, but next year an owl family could be raised in the box below.
Tawny Owl Box (c) 2018 Phil Groves 
 Ditto
Winter 2018 Term tallies
1. Tues am - 99 species
2. Weds am - 97 species
3. Thurs am - 96 species
4. Weds pm - 92 species
5. Fri am - 88 species [Bempton was missed out]
6. Thurs pm - c.85 species
7. Fri pm - no data sent

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