It was bright but a bit breezy this morning when I set off to try my luck at Blacktoft Sands. There weren’t many other cars in the car park when I got there, but when I reached Ousefleet hide at the far end, it was heaving with birders. It was a bit like being in an episode of ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ though, listening to their accents and dialectic contortions as they discussed the birds we could see before us! Aye lad, tha’s right an all!

There was a good selection of Godwits, Teal, Wigeon, Shelducks, a lone Ruff and a couple of roosting Spotted Redshank there. My first waders in a while.

The konik ponies looked well with the February sun on them. It was just as I was considering leaving when I spotted a fine Marsh Harrier which put on a flying display for a few minutes – nice bird.

However, my real photographic prize of the day came after I’d driven over to nearby North Cave YWT. (I was hoping for another chance to photograph last week’s fabulous Red Kite, if I’m honest!)

I was standing looking at the feeders near the car park when a fabulous Kestrel appeared and began hovering just a few yards in front of me. A beautiful specimen.

I saw a lovely pair of Bramblings at the feeders enroute to the Turret Hide. All in all, a good day’s birding!