It’s been nearly a fortnight since I was last able to get out birding. However, I was able to fit in a quick visit to North Cave today on what was also about the first dry, sunny day we’ve had in a couple of weeks too! The general consensus is that this will have been a poor Summer, weather-wise at least.
I wanted to walk down Dryham Lane to look for waders on the Ings. A Wood Sandpiper was recorded here yesterday and I would really like to see one of those, having narrowly missed one on a couple of previous occasions.
The water level was good today and the water margins were absolutely teeming with birds; a huge number of juvenile Black Headed Gulls were there, some begging attendant parents for food whilst others appeared to be feeding more independently now. There were also large numbers of Feral Pigeons on the islands, a few Avocet and a good number of Lapwings around Dryham Ings.
It was very difficult to try to spot a bird as small as a Wood Sandpiper amongst all the other birds present, and unfortunately I was unable to locate the bird, (always assuming that it was still there, of course!) I did, however, manage to see some Black Tailed Godwits in full Summer, breeding plumage and a lone Redshank which was feeding alongside them. A few Cormorants were an unexpected surprise, basking in the sunshine.
A rather scrawny Dunnock posed for me on a fence as I walked back towards the car. I couldn’t quite tell if it was a moulting adult or a recent fledgeling. It’s always nice to see any bird, however.
A very brief visit then, but it’s always nice to get out for the walk, at least.
Alan's Ramblings 