I Give Up?

A week of working in Wakefield gave me the perfect opportunity to catch up with the Rough-legged Buzzard up on Broomhead Moor, South Yorkshire. Five bloody visits and the best part of 7 accumulated hours later not a sniff of the Buzzard. Plenty of Common Buzzards, Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk. Had a nice fly-through Red Kite yesterday (Thursday) and a single Black Grouse on Tuesday morning then later that afternoon.

With no luck at the RL Buzzard site i chanced my arm with the pair of Garganey at Elsecar Reservoir yesterday morning. No sign of these either but a corpse lay where they apparently slept the day before! Anybody ID from the crap image.

Little Beauty's

A cracking day was had today. First up was ringing at Woolston in the warm sun. The first Blackcap of the year was trapped as were 3 Chiffchaffs. A good clear out in the obs was had and a couple of potter traps were repaired and put into their new positions, fingers crossed for a Water Rail or something better. in the upcoming months.

On the way home i called into a top secret location in the hope of photographing Little Owl. I wasn't disappointed.

Less is Best

Another trip to Dunham Massey this afternoon in the hope of photographing one of the Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers. Once finally pinned down a female showed brilliantly though high up, excavating a hole and eventually upsetting a neighbouring Nuthatch and being chased off.

 Be Warned this video is very wobbly!

The 2 cavorting Kestrels from yesterday were still around showing very nicely together.

Dear Oh Dear!

A nice stroll with the wife and dogs this afternoon around Dunham Massey CP. Woodpeckers seem to rule the show here with at least 3 Green, a calling Lesser-spot and numerous Great-spots. Also noted was a mating pair of Kestrels.

 Plenty of Fallow Deer on show aswell.

Flash Gulls

Popped over to Pennington Flash this afternoon in the hope of photographing either one or the pair of Med Gulls that have been present for a week. So armed with a loaf of wholemeal all i managed were lots of Black-headed Gulls. The Med Gulls flew around but never really seemed interested, maybe another day.

Poor Return

Nearly 6 hours on Richmond Bank today with very little to show for it? 3 Iceland Gulls (2 juv + Adult) an adult Yellow-legged Gull and possibly a 1w, though I'm not too sure.

Poser

A slight detour on the way home from Leeds this afternoon to Anglers Country Park for the American Wigeon. Picked out straight away feeding on the wrong side of the lake, fortunately it decided to make its way over to the more favourable side giving crippling views. Easily the best views i have had of this yank duck.

From the path to the main hide a Greenland Whitefront and a Pink-footed Goose were mixed in with the Greylags and Cananda's.

I've Been Here Before

After a brief visit to Leeds i decided a visit of Richmond Bank was in order. Again not massive numbers of gulls but enough to keep you interested. A juv Iceland Gull was present throughout the session.

Also present the obligatory Yellow-legged Gulls a very smart 4w and 4 adults.

A very deformed hook billed 1w Herring Gull was also noted and an adult bird though not quite on the same scale.

Birds of the day were 3 Short-eared Owls that flew over heading east calling, quite a sight.

Not Roast Duck

What with it being Mothers Day next Sunday, decided to take my mother out this Sunday. The Boathouse Pub overlooking Parkgate Marsh seemed as good a place as any and it just so coincided with spring high tide. The high tide never really materialised but views of Little Egrets whilst eating roast lamb were very nice. The immature Spoonbill was also present and showing well albeit quite distant.