Been some difficult stuff going on at home, so it was therapeutic to get out for a few hours on Saturday morning and then for an hour yesterday, just to clear my head. With westerlies, there have been a lot of Common Scoters heading overland, cutting across to the North Sea on their way back north for the summer. As is often the case, there have been a sprinkling of birds on local waterbodies, pausing for a rest. On Saturday, I hoped I might find one at Castle Howard Lake. I thought I'd drawn a blank until I noticed the pale cheek and spiky tail of a female snoozing among the frisky Tufted Ducks. The wind was strong and so the choppy water made the lake look like the sea, so I suspect she felt quite at home.
Not much else going on here though a brave Sand Martin battled into the wind, and a Crossbill flew over 'chipping' emphatically. I spent the next little while at Wheldrake Ings, which yielded little in the way of summer migrants, with a female Scaup on the Pool pleasant but decidely wintry!
Yesterday, I didn't have much time so headed down to North Duffield. The two female Common Scoters found yesterday were still present, and I was pleased to see the wintering Spotted Redshank feeding along the bank. It is developing some sooty breast feathers now; I wonder how long it will linger before heading back to Scandinavia? 31 Whooper Swans were grazing the winter wheat, having presumably dropped in for a break on their way north. An immature female Peregrine was harrassing the ducks and at one point landed on the bank pretty close to the hide. Still no Garganey for me, but they are beginning to turn up now, so hopefully soon.
Peregrine, Whooper Swans, Spotted Redshank and Common Scoters, North Duffield Carrs
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