Heading back east!

The last couple of days have certainly hinted that birds are now starting to think about heading back to their Scandinavian breeding grounds as there has been a resurgence in the number of blackbirds, redwings and fieldfares as well as a single brambling and today the years first siskin. Other hints of movement were two goldeneye feeding on Xerox lagoon on Sunday and the first returning little grebe on Marshland this morning. 

One of seven hungry blackbirds feeding together along the hedge yesterday - this male literally jumped out of the hedge and pulled a worm about 3ft from my feet!

Our birds of prey have also been getting back to form with the grey male hen harrier into roost last night alongside the marsh harriers and barn owls. There has also been regular buzzards during the day and still a good chance of merlin on an evening. 

Marsh harrier and duck, with lapwing on the ground (I took this picture at the weekend over at Alkborough flats)

Barn owl from this morning near to the reserve - one of a pair

Buzzard at Ousefleet 

With the lagoons now ice free (although there was a little at the edges this morning after a hard frost) there are good numbers of wigeon grazing hard on the the grass that is now growing sugar rich tips, there are also a few teal, mallard, shelduck, shoveler and gadwall in support along with now a few canada and greylags returning to look for nest sites. Not many pink-footed geese though, they seem to have headed North towards the first stage in their return to Iceland but there were a couple of birds flying over the reserve this morning. 

Wigeon at Singleton this morning - there were 80 of em

Not too much change either on the wader front with redshank, lapwing and some very nice snipe in front of Townend lagoon today. Curlew are still giving good value at times particularly on a late afternoon at Ousefleet when like on Friday there were 77 birds in front of the hide. Down at Reads Island it was nice to see twenty avocets and a few black-tailed godwits reminding me that it won't be long before they start to return to the lagoons here too. 

Snipe feeding at Townend today

Curlew Ousefleet 

Curlew at Ousefleet on Friday

And another group in different light

You may have read my blog about curlews and organic matter in the soil that promotes worm abundance, well it was interesting to get some photo's of the curlews that winter on the coast at Flamborough head, they rather than probe, winkle! A good example of how birds exploit different habitats.

Avocets, and black-tailed godwits among duck and canada geese at Reads Island

Golden plover and lapwing in flight

Avocets, and other wildfowl in flight

As said at the start its been good at last to have a bit of passerine passage which always makes you feel a bit more optimistic when out birding. But good to see a lovely water pipit right in front of Townend hide this morning especially feeding on some of the organic matter that the Wardening team has put into the lagoon to help increase insect abundance. Also nice to get a brief glimpse of Cettis warbler as it flew and then sang near to reception, while on the sunny mornings the skylarks have been belting out their songs and raising their crests out on the grazing marsh. The stonechats are still around with birds often seen hovering above the reedbed from Ousefleet hide.

Water pipit at Townend today

And a bit of video of it skating on Ice

Fieldfare at Ousefleet

Skylark with its crest raised on Ousefleet

A cock pheasant in the frost this morning

With the milder conditions forecast the tree sparrows will be around the boxes while many of the resident birds are already singing, more sign of spring in the air! 

Plenty of mammal sightings as per usual at this time of the year with roe deer, hare and a regular stoat along the paths that posed quite nicely for me this morning. 

And more signs of spring along the bank to add to the snow drops the first rosettes of cowslip are emerging very nicely within the experimental cut we took off the side of the river bank this winter. 

And finally some great news from Visit England who inspect our visitor operations - Blacktoft has been awarded the 'Hidden Gem' accolade! Some great reward for all our volunteers and staff who work tirelessly to ensure Blacktoft runs 364 days a year.