Sighting Highlights 28/03 to 04/04/23
(scroll to end for Reserve News & Events)
Raptors
Red kite
Peregrine falcon
Marsh harrier
Buzzard
Kestrel
Barn owl
Water Fowl
Garganey
Russian white fronted goose
Pink footed goose (30+ flying north)
Pintail
Whooper swan (fields and flying through)
Mute swan
Canada goose
Greylag goose
Golden eye
Shelduck
Wigeon
Shoveler
Teal
Gadwall
Mallard
Tufted duck
Waders
Bittern (seen & booming…
**The flood waters have partially subsided enough to open the majority of the reserve. Pathways to First Hide, Townend Hide and Singleton Hide are clear as is the trail to Ousefleet Hide.**
Recent sightings of 2x bittern, marsh harrier, russian white fronted geese, pink-footed geese, 21 x avocet, 184 black-tailed godwits, ring plover and goosander!
The trail to Reedling and Marshland hides remains under a considerable…
**Please note that the reserve is still closed today Mon 27th March as the paths are still flooded. However by tomorrow with the high tide cycle gone we should be able to open 50% of the paths (First Hide to Singleton and then Ousefleet hide). We do need to repair some of the paths so please be patient, we will update later today when we are in a better position with the water levels.**
Sightings Highlights 09/03 to 16/03/23
(scroll to end for Reserve News & Events)
Raptors
Hen harrier (ringtail)
Short eared owl
Barn owl
Marsh harrier
Peregrine falcon
Sparrow hawk
Kestrel
Water Fowl
Russian white fronted goose
Pink footed goose
Black swan
Whooper swan
Golden eye
Mute swan
Wigeon
Teal
Gadwall
Tufted duck
Mallard
Shelduck
Shoveler
Canada goose
Greylag goose
Little grebe
Moorhen
Coot
Waders
Bitter…
Sightings Highlights W/C 27/02/23
(scroll to end for Reserve News & Events)
Raptors
Hen harrier (ringtail)
Short eared owl
Merlin
Barn owl
Marsh harrier
Buzzard
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Water Fowl
Whooper swan
Russian white fronted goose
Golden eye
Canada goose
Grey lag goose
Shelduck
Wigeon
Teal
Gadwall
Mallard
Shoveler
Pochard
Tufted duck
Coot
Moorhen
Little grebe (nest building)
Waders
Bittern (seen and heard booming…
Sighting Highlights W/C 13.02.23
(scroll to end for Reserve News & Events)
Raptors
Marsh harrier
Barn owl
Peregrine falcon
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Red kite (over Ouse)
Water Fowl
Russian white fronted goose (fields off reserve)
Whooper swan (fields off reserve)
Black swan (fields off reserve)
Barnacle goose
Pink footed goose
Golden eye
Pochard
Tufted duck
Wigeon
Teal
Shoveler
Shelduck
Gadwall
Mallard
Canada goose
Greylag…
Raptors
Hen harrier
Marsh harrier
Barn owl
Buzzard
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Water Fowl
Russian white fronted goose
Whooper swan (nearby fields)
Mute swan
Canada goose
Greylag goose
Pochard
Tufted duck
Shelduck
Wigeon
Teal
Shoveler
Mallard
Gadwall
Coot
Moorhen
Waders
Bittern
Curlew
Redshank
Ruff
Lapwing
Dunlin
Snipe
Golden plover (over estuary)
Water rail
Passerines
Kingfisher
Tree sparrow
Gold crest
Cetti’s warbler…
Raptors
Barn owl
Marsh harrier
Peregrine
Merlin
Buzzard
Red kite (passing over)
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Water Fowl
Whooper swan
Mute swan
Pochard
Tufted duck
Shelduck
Wigeon
Teal
Mallard
Gadwall
Shoveler
Coot
Moorhen
Canada goose
Greylag goose
Pink footed goose
Waders
Black tailed godwit
Redshank
Dunlin
Little egret
Curlew
Snipe
Lapwing
Passerines
Tree Sparrow
Gold crest
Redwing
Fieldfare
Green finch
Goldfinch
Stonechat
…Raptors
Hen Harrier
Marsh Harrier
Barn Owl
Sparrow Hawk
Buzzard
Merlin
Kestrel
Water Fowl
Wigeon
Teal
Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
Shelduck
Tufted duck
Pink Footed goose (flying over)
Grey lag goose
Canada goose
Whooper swan (in fields to left of reserve)
Mute swan
Moorhen
Waders
Curlew
Redshank
Dunlin
Lapwing
Water rail
Snipe
Passerines
Kingfisher
Stonechat
Reed Bunting
Chiffchaff
Tree sparrow
Fieldfare
Blue tit
Great t…
Raptors
Marsh Harrier
Barn Owl
Merlin
Tawny Owl
Buzzard
Kestrel
Sparrow hawk
Water Fowl
Wigeon
Teal
Canada goose
Grey lag goose
Pink footed Goose (flying over)
Gadwall
Shoveler
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Waders
Curlew
Snipe
Black-tailed godwits
Dunlin
Water rail
Passerines
Bullfinch
Tree sparrow
Fieldfare
Starling
Blackbird
Reed bunting
Great tit
Blue tit
Long-tailed tit
Gold finch
Wren
Robin
Chiff chaff
Cetti’s warbler (singing…
Raptors
Marsh harrier
Hen harrier (regular sightings)
Barn owl
Kestrel
Buzzard
Merlin
Sparrowhawk
Red kite (over Singleton hide 16.01.23)
Waterfowl
Wigeon
Teal
Gadwall
Mallard
Tufted duck
Shelduck
Shoveler
Canada goose
Greylag goose
Pink footed goose (flying over/estuary)
Mute Swan
Little grebe
Moorhen
Whooper swans in area
Waders
Lapwing
Curlew
Snipe
Dunlin
Black tailed godwit
Water rail
Little egret
Passerines
Fiel…
50 Wild Years at Blacktoft
Happy New Year to everyone from all the team here at Blacktoft and we hope you had a brilliant Christmas.
It’s an auspicious year for RSPB Blacktoft Sands and the Humber. It’s 50 years since the RSPB began managing the habitat at the head of the Humber. It’s way back in the misty marshes of 1973 that our first nesting pair of marsh harriers were discovered by local birders (anecdotally rumoured…
The Frozen East … Winter Bites & Xmas Opening
(Christmas Opening plan at end)
At last the temperatures have dropped and winter is truly upon us. At the time of writing the lagoons are frozen over but at least the freezing fog has lifted, no sign of snow in this area yet though.
All that said it does make for an atmospheric time at Blacktoft and you never quite know what might appear from the gloom.
Pete managed…
A Day in the Life
The RSPB has always been a volunteer led organisation, from it’s very beginnings. We couldn’t do the work we do without the support of the dedicated volunteers throughout the RSPB but especially here at Blacktoft. We’re really lucky to have the best volunteers in the organisation (OK I’m a bit biased here) but they are fantastic!
So, before I delve into what’s happening at the…
The Winds of Change
At last the northerly winds blowing warm air up from the continent appears to have changed, and cooler temperatures have moved in. And so the winter birds have started arriving on the upper Humber and the low disturbance refuge sites of Blacktoft, Whitton Island and Reads Island. Site Manager Pete’s recent survey threw up some impressive combined counts:
8000 golden plover
4540 teal
4700 du…
Small is Beautiful
It’s roost time again. That means some of our larger feathered friends will be swirling around the skies later in the afternoons but more about them later.
This time of year is fantastic to spot some of our smaller gems. Some are here all year round, others are passing through on their way to their warmer winter grounds.
Most people head straight for the lagoons here, but there’s abundant wildlife…
Perky Numbers of Pinky’s
Welcome to the first blog of Autumn (now that it’s officially started) and a welcome return to skeins of pink footed geese honking their way around the Humber in their classic ‘V’ formation. It’s a real spectacle to behold.
They are best viewed in the morning as they head towards their grazing grounds, often the arable fields close to the reserve.
Pink footed geese…
September Rain Dance
So here we are, meteorological autumn (which started Sept 1st) according to the met office. When it comes to water, times are hard!
Whilst the warden team continue to work hard to keep water on marshland, townend and ousefleet lagoons else where on the reserve it remains very dry. It’s been the joint warmest summer on record, 4 of the last 5 warmest years occurring since 2003, and the driest year…
The Faintest Sniff of Autumn
There’s nothing like the smell of freshly mown wet grass to stir the soul as far as I’m concerned. While it hasn’t rained that much it has certainly refreshed the air and the greenery.
It’s certainly revived Horseshoe Meadow somewhat. It was great to see a kestrel hunting over it yesterday. As ever I didn’t have a camera to hand to capture it but it brought back mental images…
Amazing August Continues
Welcome to the latest update from RSPB Blacktoft Sands as we drift into mid August.
It’s definitely been a hot one so far, not just the weather!
There’s been plenty to see at Blacktoft over the last week or so, so let’s dive straight in!
Here’s the highlights:
First off let’s start with a pectoral sandpiper.
It’s the smaller bird at the edge of the island next to…
Back at Blacktoft
It seems I must start this blog as I have others with an apology for the lack of writing here. I’ve been away with some long term health issues which are now, thankfully, resolved. I’ll be bringing updates on what’s happening at Blacktoft and around the Humber on a much more regular basis in future.
So let’s not hang around!
Passage waders have been starring at the reserve this…
Back in March, you may have seen mention of the RSPB purchasing land to expand Blacktoft Sands reserve. We look forward to visitors being able to see this area in time, but we need to do some work before it’s possible to do that safely and without disturbing wildlife. However, we’d like to tell you a bit more about it and have asked the previous owners, Andrew and Jiggy, to write a guest blog.
Island Farm…
As the nights draw in and winter looms it’s perhaps one of my favourite times of the year around the Humber.
It’s always great to see skeins of pink footed geese over head – especially first thing in the morning. It always puts a smile on my face. A recent wetland bird count at Reads Island threw up a record 27500 of them.
Clouds of pink footed geese from Island Farm (Pic:- Pete Short)
It is truly a…
What an amazing couple of weeks here at Blacktoft, around the Humber and the East Riding of Yorkshire.
I know it’s been a little while since our last blog. But then our small but dedicated team of staff and volunteers have been very busy looking after approaching 4000 visitors.
Of course the vast majority of those have come to see what is this years star bird, Larry the White Tailed Lapwing. It’s presence has been…
Firstly apologies !
It's been a fabulous time at Blacktoft over the last week and we've been brilliantly busy. Assistant Warden Stuart discovered an absolutely gorgeous White Tailed Lapwing early Thursday morning last week and it's still showing really well. Well done Stu amazing work. He'll definitely be dining out on this anecdote for many years to come!
This is the first time it's been recorded in Yorkshire…
