Survived another New Year of gorging, explosives and alcohol with "the outlaws" over on the east coast, and even managed an hour or two of birding, notably at Far Ings Reserve (under the Humber Bridge) yesterday, where I resisted the temptation to scoot north for the Glaucous Winged Gull, returning to the boozy bosom of the family instead.
The Ings were on good form, with a great drake Smew - an elusive if regular species on the reed fringed pits here each winter.
No sign of any Bitterns this time, but you can't have everything.
A male Bearded Tit feeding in the reedbed was particularly unobliging too.
Green Woodpecker in the fields near the reserve, and plenty of Fieldfares and Blackbirds in the hawthorn hedgerows.
A wintering juv Marsh Harrier was a nice bonus.
Apart from the Smew and small numbers of Tufties and dabblers, Ruddy Ducks and Grey Herons, a few Great Crested Grebes were sailing about, and two were already starting half hearted display.
Nice to see.
Further down the coast at Killingholme Haven, more Fieldfares, Redwings and a Kingfisher, but not much else it had to be said.
There was always the House Sparrow colony in "The Outlaws" back garden at Immingham to enjoy - we don't get them at Dempsey Towers.
Got back to Merseyside today - Fieldfares and Mistle Thrushes in the garden, but not a lot else.
Happy New Year to all.
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »
Two Bitterns showing well at Moore Nature Reserve, Eastern Reedbed - closer to home!!