Chilling with the Waders

Over the last month or so, I have been heading over to Blacktoft Sands, on the Humber, to look for waders. Having spent a lot of time as a kid birder sitting in these old hides with my Dad, I find chilling out and watching the waders therapeutic, and there's always the chance of a rare dropping in. Unfortunately, despite good numbers of American waders passing through the country, Blacktoft has so far failed to attract anything, but it has been good fun sorting through the flocks of Dunlin at high tide. One or two Little Stints and Curlew Sandpipers have been the best birds, with up to five Spotted Redshanks and two Little Ringed Plovers the supporting cast. 

 

 Top two: Little Stint, bottom, Curlew Sandpiper.

 

On my last visit, Pintail and Wigeon were passing down river, and several skeins of Pink-footed Geese headed inland, a sign of autumn's arrival. 

In late August, a large flock of Spoonbills were loafing on Marshland Lagoon first thing before heading off east to feed on the ebbing tide. 

Spoonbills

Black-tailed Godwit, Icelandic juvenile. Gorgeous!

 Ruff and Spotted Redshank

Fishy Breakfast

Great to see this juvenile (male?) Osprey eating the remains of its fishy breakfast, at Castle Howard on the 26th September. Found by Stuart Rapson a couple of days earlier, this smart young bird had been seen on and off for a few days. After completing its meal, it relaxed and had a little preen, occasionally staring right at us across the lake. A gorgeous bird, which shortly will be winging its way south to West Africa for the winter. I don't see Ospreys every year in the York area, but this year I have seen three!