After being picked up by Chris we headed out today for Barton Pits,planning to cover all or most of the pits to the east and west of the bridge.We started proceedings at a frosty Far-ings,looking from the bum numbing Ness hide first.Highlights here included a single Kingfisher,but little else.We continued walking around the reserve and the new pits over the road where good numbers of mixed wildfowl fed on the largest of the pits,this included Wigeon,Gadwall,Teal,Coot and smaller numbers of Tufties.A smart adult male Marsh Harrier hunted over the Pursuit Pit and a single Black-tailed Godwit fed with a flock of Curlew on the grass field adjacent to the Humber Bridge and a singing male Cettis Warbler sang it's explosive song in the lovely winter sunshine from one of the many reed filled clay pits.A few other passerines were encountered apart from 3 or 4 Goldcrest and small numbers of Goldfinch and Redwing and a single Willow Tit at the feeders at the New visitor centre.After covering the pits to the west of the bridge,we had a welcome Cuppa and Sausage sarnie at Water's Edge cafe before continuing on our walk.An improvement in passerine numbers included nice views of a single Treecreeper feeding along a Hawthorn hedge and a few Bullfinch and Goldfinches were seen also.A quick look on Hoe Hill revealed that the 2nd calendar year male Long-tailed Duck had left,no doubt flushed by photographers,but after much scanning,we managed to find the 3 on the Sailing pit.These were a nightmare to keep tabs on as they constantly dived for food,but we eventually had three in separate areas of the pit.Also present here were at least 3 Great-crested and 4 Little Grebe,40+ Pochard and a handful of Goldeneye.Further sightings around these eastern side pits included 2 Kingfisher and a cracking male Sparrowhawk carrying prey.With the afternoon drawing on we had a couple of hours left of sunlight and decided to look on the 'Gull fields' at Elsham.Huge numbers were found eventually and we managed to find at least 2 Yellow-legged Gulls a first calendar year and an adult,the adult a proper brute,bullying the other gulls around it.We also found an interesting looking Common Gull,which almost looked Med Gull like with distinct pale eye crescents,a cracking bird.Not a bad day considering,with some nice weather at last.
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| Robin,Water's Edge. |
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| Goldfinch,Water's Edge. |
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| Female Bullfinch,Pioneer Pit. |
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| Ness Lake,Far-ings NNR. |
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| Flood damage along the Humber bank near Reed's Hotel. |
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| Record shot of Adult Yellow-legged Gull,Elsham. |
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| Record shot of Adult Yellow-legged Gull,Elsham. |
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| Record shot of interesting Common Gull,Elsham. |
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| Record shot of interesting Common Gull,Elsham. |
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