Killingholme, Lincs - mid-Sep '22

Spotted Redshank, suddenly materialising from the masses of Black-tailed Godwits

From my last couple of days surveying at Killingholme, my long term study site for Wold Ecology on the south bank of the Humber, nestled innocuously amidst heavy industry on three sides and the big river on the fourth. As regular readers will know it's a special place for me, despite - and partly because of - its bleak and post-apocalyptic backdrop; there are always birds, big skies, and ironically, there is always peace there.

Pintail heading upriver

It's a time of year when there's lots of changeover happening, and waders - particularly Black-tailed Godwits - are hitting their peak; I had a high count of over 5,000 this week, which were wonderful to see (and a pain in the arse to count, trust me).

Common Buzzard on the river wall

There's also lots of Redshanks and Avocets, I had my first skeins of Pink-footed Geese through yesterday, and plenty of other visible migration; I also had both Little Stint and Spotted Redshank, the former gunning upriver and the latter in with the Blackwits on the reserve, and there's always plenty of other interest.

(Sound up!) The crossover sounds of the autumn here on the #Lincs bank of the Humber right now - several flocks of excitable Pink-feet fresh from Iceland, twittering Swallows bound for Africa, restless Meadow Pipits and a Chiffchaff on the banks. All in an industrial wasteland 😍 pic.twitter.com/kmW2hGQQzI

— Mark James Pearson (@Markthebirder) September 15, 2022

Black-tailed Godwits communting between the reserve and the river

Little Egret - a common bird in the area

Spotted Redshank and Blackwits (a lot of)

An accommodating Kingfisher