Creeping on up

Visit two for February (I'm still deluding myself the previous one was actually January). Not much birdly action to report but let's do this anyhoo.

Saturday 23rd February

Morning around Harpham/Lowthorpe: 3 Mute Swan near Kelk Beck, 2 Sparrowhawk, 5 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 50+ Golden Plover flying east, 55 Lapwing, 1 Barn Owl, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 15+ Skylark, 195 Fieldfare, 20+ Redwing, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Jay at Lowthorpe, 20+ Chaffinch.

Afternoon around Gembling/Foston: 6 Mute Swan, 10 Greylags, 2 Teal, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Little Grebe, 7 Heron, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 8 Coot, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail, 29 Fieldfare, 12 Redwing, 1 Bullfinch.

Kelk Lake at dusk: 1 Canada Goose, 9 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldeneye (pair) and 2 Coot.

Sunday 24th February

Morning, around Kelk Beck & Kelk: 5 Mute Swan, 17 Greylags, 6 Canada Goose, 4 Gadwall, 175+ Teal, 110+ Mallard, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Heron, 3 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Coot, 50+ Lapwing, 1 Goldcrest, 15+ Tree Sparrow, 15+ Chaffinch, 2 Siskin (on garden bird feeders), 4 Bullfinch, and an impressive flock of 65 Yellowhammer in Little Kelk. 

Harpham again in the late afternoon was quiet though 10 Stock Dove, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Treecreeper, 4 Reed Bunting were additions from yesterday.

Photos...

A low-flying lump of a Buzzard. Fairly common winter behaviour. At other times of year these birds keep well up in the sky.

Male Bullfinch. Rubbish Photo. This was one from two pairs chomping Hawthorn buds in Great Kelk.

You want more rubbish photos? You've come to the right place. Having said that, Goldcrest isn't the easiest bird to snap. A wee bit of yellow crown stripe is visible if you squint.

Teal. Lots of Teal. I'm not sure what they're finding so attractive at the moment but I've never known a winter where they gather so abundantly on the beck. My guess would be that they're roosting here and moving off to feed on waterlogged fields at night.

Ouch! An ex-Woodpigeon.

Just a few additions to the year-list, a very slow start indeed. But that means even more ticks to come, I hope.

063 Coal Tit

064 Grey Wagtail

065 Bullfinch

066 Green Sandpiper

067 Treecreeper

068 Siskin