Paull, 25th February '26

(Please click on images to enlarge - Blogger really messes 'em up otherwise..)

In the midst of a busy week (mostly guiding - more on that to follow), a regular, long-running survey on the north bank of the Humber at Paull (just east of Hull) this morning was a pleasure - not least on account of the sunshine and vismig.

Of the former, if you're reading this from pretty much anywhere in the UK, I probably don't need to tell you just how very grim it's been for what seems like an eternity - and so some unbroken, revitailising vitamin D was a simple joy. Of the latter, lots going on - with the wind in the SSW, a nice selection of birds on the move (all NW along the line of the riverbank) included Skylarks, Stock Doves, Meadow Pipits, a few waders, lots of Pink-feet, and most entertaning of all - Long-tailed Tits.

The birds pictured were part of a group of four which I picked up way off over the Humber - intitally frying my brain slightly at height and distance, I have to be honest - which made their way over my head and NW, bounding along and contact-calling like seasoned over-water travellers... movements of LTTs are well known and I've seen plenty during vismig sessions, following a flightline or u-turning over the sea at e.g. Filey, Flamborough and Spurn - but to see these four arriving 'in off' - and it's a bare minimum of 3.5km to the nearest spot over on the Lincolnshire side - was a real treat.

Peacock - my first of year 

We counted another 35 heading NW along the bank and (perilously?) over the chemical plant and into the city, so there was clearly a collective restlessness among their kind this morning.

Stock Doves on the move 

Pink-feet were wonderfully prevalent and vocal, heralding the beginning of spring as they yapped enthusiastically out of Lincolnshire, into Yorkshire and onto more counties, and countries, over the coming hours and days.

A pleasure to be out!

Wigeon (above), Shelduck (below)

PINKS!

All the right Ansers

Click on images to enlarge and view properly!

With the forecast for sunny intervals and a few hours spare, the day before yesterday was all about the geese. A significant influx pushed out of the near continent due to the extended period of harsh conditions has seen mixed flocks scattered across the North Yorkshire countryside, and my vague target was to see all six possible species on my circuit (but with Tundra Beans & White-fronts at the top of the list).

Success, I'm happy to report, and great views in several pleasantly undisturbed spots.... first up, a drive along Marishes Lane, about a half hour north-east of home, and a substantial flock of Pink-feet in a roadside field; a relaxed scan revealed several Barnacles and double figure of Russian White-fronts within their number.

From there, another half-hour or so north to Harwood Dale Lake. Approaching from the south, I got lucky, and parked up on the hill overlooking the farmland to the south of the lake itself - lucky because the most of the geese were feeding here, and the light was perfect. A bit of patience revealed no fewer than seven Tundra Bean Geese, 68 Russian White-fronts, a single Pink, and plenty of Greylags and Canadas. A full house, in ideal conditions.

A brief stop at Wykeham Lakes on the way home was also successful - the redhead Smew and two Scaup reported recently were all present and correct.

Pick out the seven Tundra Beans in these photos...

Bamburgh, Northumberland - 13th & 14th February '26

I had the huge pleasure of giving a talk for the lovely North Northumberland bird club this week, which was a perfect excuse to take trip up to Bamburgh - a beautiful part of the world...

The good people of the NNBC hold their talks in the cricket pavilion, which nestles below the castle, almost on the beach at Bamburgh; I've given talks in a great many locations over the years, but this one is right up there with the best....

I was looked after wonderfully and, after the talk, and enjoying a few drinks with lovely friends who'd made the effort (despite the icy roads and remote location - thanks folks!), enjoyed a few hours in the frosty, wintry sunshine (remember that?) along the coast immediately nearby.

I intended to cover more ground, but as it turned out, spent hours enjoying the sights and sounds around Stag Rocks, where watching Eiders feeding within a few metres was almost hypnotic; a Little Auk north, lots of waders (including Purple Sands), various seabirds on the move and that sweet, much-missed sunshine were more than enough.

Photos - Eiders, Purple Sandpipers, Turnstones, Redshanks

Crested Tits, Abernethy Forest - February '26

We always try for Cresties on our Schools, and they're understandably high up on the most wanted list of our clients. Getting good views can be easier said than done, however, and while we pretty much always get them in the bag, it's by no means plain sailing.

This time, however, we couldn't move for 'em.... due at least in part to a successful, dry breeding season and a contemporary extended cold period, we were never without them in Abernethy, constantly calling and comiong wonderfully close, allowing the whole team point-blank, extended views. What a treat.

School of Birding, Module Two, Class One - dismissed!

I'm just back from another fine trip to the Highlands, once again to deliver a School of Birding - our eighth, and our first Module Two. All our lovely guests were known to us and therefore were willing crash test dummies for M2, which consisted of all new subject matter for our classroom sessions.

Whooper Swan

Module Two, then - a sideways step, and not an upward one, from Module One - involved sessions dedicated to Patch Birding, Song and Calls, eBird / Birdtrack, Finding Rare Birds and more (as well as one of my now-legendary quizzes - you'll have to come along to find out why), and our team seemed suitably inspired by them. Thus, with a few expected tweaks, Simon and I are feeling great about upcoming M2s throughout this year and beyond.

Spot the rapidly disappearing adult Glaucous Gull (it was close when we found it....!)

There were, of course, also five long and productive days in the field, in as many habitats and places as we could fit in without rushing too much; happily, despite less than ideal conditions, we enjoyed a long roll call of fine birds and wildlife against a backdrop of valleys, mountains, Caledonian pine forest, estuaries, seaside, marshland, heathland and more.

Red Squirrel

Eagles of both species were especially accommodating, but it was hard to pick a highlight among so many great experiences. The Crested Tits, meanwhile, were especially showy - see next post....

Long-tailed Duck (above), White-tailed Eagle (below)

Golden Eagle

Slavonian Grebe

Whoopers

Thanks to Annemarie for the excellent group shots!