Strong Winds

Out in the open on Swinemoor the wind made it quite difficult to stand still. However, hiding behind a bush I was able to watch 2 Shelduck, 2 Redshank, a Snipe drumming and a number of Lapwings, two of which seemed to have a single chick each. There may well have been more, but the long grass obscures them from view.

Two of the Little Ringed Plovers have returned after disappearing for a while and a single Wheatear was also foraging close by. Plenty of Swifts were hawking around and a group of House Martins seemed to move through. A Sand Martin was also present along with many Swallows. Whilst standing chatting to a friend a Common Gull and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls passed south and a Kingfisher was flying up and down the Beverley-Barmston drain.

Also in the Beverley-Barmston drain were two calling Marsh Frogs. One of these was quite easy to spot and I got some very bad pictures due to the wind blowing me around. The best photo is below; at least you can see what it is.

Further along the Hull valley at Eske the wind was even stronger and made it very difficult to find any birds at all. The two Oystercatchers were still busy chasing away Carrion Crows and two Shelduck flew in. Plenty of Tufted Ducks and Mallard around and a single male Gadwall, but the male Wigeon is still lurking around as is the female Goldeneye - maybe they are injured and can't migrate. The only notable passerine was a single Lesser Whitethroat. By now their are large groups of Greylag Geese with young on the lake, but despite there being at least 4 pairs of Great-crested Grebes there seem to be no young.