Pleasant Valley Sunday

An evening walk at Wheldrake Ings was simply superb. A stonking Short-eared Owl was hunkered down on a snag in the refuge allowing great views and a bit of video to be taken. It was later flying about round Swantail Hide. An adult male Peregrine was causing chaos on the refuge, later moving to the main meadow, where it flushed 25 Curlew. Also present this evening was a first winter Iceland Gull in the roost (which sat alone on an island), 12 Black-tailed Godwits, c25 Ruff, c30 Dunlin and a Barn Owl. Also, my first bat of the year was hawking along the riverside path at dusk and my first 'chipping' Snipe were getting frisky over the ings.