Male Reed Bunting on Carr Naze. Reed Buntings are increasing as a breeding species locally and March is also a good month to catch them during visible migration.
As the North wind rages and temperatures plummet outside, time for a quick dip into the memory card for a few of last month's photo-orientated highlights.....
Little Egret on one of our surveys at Paull on the Humber. Look at those wing bones....
Female Teal, also on the Humber, where they congregate (with Wigeon, waders and gulls) at an outflow by the docks.
One of 20+ Bottlenose Dolphins off the North Cliff here in Filey on 28th. Following a recently predictable pattern, sightings increase in March and April and will continue through the spring and summer.
White-billed Diver off the North Cliff for twenty minutes on the 9th - any excuse to look at this vision of loveliness again.....
Always a joy..... the first Sand Martins battled through towards the end of the month, both on our Humber surveys and during vismig sessions at Muston Sands here in Filey
Finches play a major role in early spring visible migration, and it's always good to see Bullfinches bounding north along the cliff....
.... and where passerines migrate, Sparrowhawks follow
Pink-footed Geese are performing their stepping-stone migration back to the Arctic throughout the early spring, and I had an impressive 1375 heading north in four and a half hours on the morning of the 30th (these included)
Meadow Pipits - vismig stalwarts!
When the crowds descend on the town, we often head the other way, into the forests - where at this time of year our favourite spots have Kingfishers, Mandarins, Grey Wagtails, Goshawks and Dippers (pictured) all breeding
A migrant Short-eared Owl at dusk on the 30th up on North Cliff....
.. where no fewer than 12 Wheatears fed and hopped frantically together in the last of the light in a freshly ploughed field. My first of the year, and not sure I've ever seen this many together here?
Common Pipistrelle hunting by the house on the eve of the 30th
More from the Humber surveys - Curlews and Wigeon on the north bank (at Hull docks).....
..... and Avocets looking as aesthetically breath-taking as ever on the south bank.
