Bird Lover

Today, for our final Tuesday morning of 2016 we travelled all the way to RSPB Fairburn Ings, which we should have visited last week, but illness intervened.  I set off just after 7.30 because of the misty conditions, and the traffic in Hull seems to be getting worse every week.  After leaving the M62 the mist turned into thick fog, so the prospects seemed rather bleak.  This was also Maggie's final class, so the photos here are a showcase of her talents.  Just look at the feather detail in the Kingfisher and Nuthatch - especially when you think how dark the conditions were today. All photos (c) 2016 Maggie Bruce  Nuthatch   As we gathered in the car park 2 Nuthatches flew overhead making their way to the feeding station.  There were also some nasal sounds from the hedge in the car park, which emanated from a Willow Tit - perhaps it was going to be a little more promising after all.  Finally, we had three different flyovers...

Last week was a week like no other in the past 14 years.  Around lunch time on Monday I began to feel a little queasy, and shortly afterwards I was violently ill, which lasted the remainder of the day.  I knew I wouldn't be able to make it to RSPB Fairburn Ings, so the Tuesday group was altered to North Cave Wetlands.  Unfortunately, I felt worse after trying to eat breakfast on the Tuesday, so I couldn't make it to North Cave either.  Luckily, Steve is a regular there, and he took everyone around.  They managed to see 45 species including a Bar-headed Goose, Herons, Little Egrets,  Snipe, Redwings, Fieldfare, and plenty of other stuff.  No one had a camera, so all the NCW pictures are from North Cave Wetlands later in the week Marsh Harriers (c) 2016 Aileen Urquhart Because the weather was beautiful on Wednesday the 7-times postponed class to Alkborough Flats was able to go ahead.  I'm afraid I again felt ill af...