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!