Swinemoor Floods Early Evening Tuesday

A quick evening visit to look over the flooded common (18.50-19.45).

3 Black-tailed Godwit remained, a Ringed Plover was flushed and flew high north, 1 Oystercatcher and 16 Golden Plover. Walkers flushed 15 Snipe and caused disturbance to the Lapwing and Redshank. The drake Garganey remained while a pair of Wigeon and 2 pairs of Gadwall were also on the flood. A Corn Bunting was singing on the bankside and a single Yellow Wagtail was amongst the horses.

Swinemoor Floods

An evening visit to the flooded common land on the edge of Beverley turned up a pair of Garganey, 5 Black-tailed Godwits and 8 Whimbrel, plus several drumming Snipe, displaying Redshanks and a couple of broods of Lapwing chicks.

2010 Odonata Season Kicks Off

Broomfleet Washlands... dragonfly heaven!!!




A teneral male Large-Red Damselfly at Broomfleet Washlands this afternoon heralds the start of the new dragon and damselfly season in Yorkshire. Not quite the earliest ever... that was 17th April 2007 but still better than waiting until May!

Keep up to date with the latest Yorkshire sightings via http://www.erdragonflies.co.uk/ and find the menu which says sightings. You may have to click the link to Yorkshire Dragonflies. Records and pictures are always welcome.


On the bird front, both Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers vocal, 3 Corn Buntings singing on the eastern side of the site, several flava Wagtails and several Marsh Harriers in the Broomfleet area on and around the Washlands.


This Drinker caterpillar was the photographic highlight...

Kitted out

This one decided to show off!


An early morning at Bempton in the rain didn't put the Kittiwakes off swarming around the cliffs and posing for the camera. Always a challenge to keep in focus.



Gannets always look majestic... this one flew past at close range.

And just to show that even the most beautiful have their moments of not looking their best...



This Herring Gull was doing the best it could to smarten up.

Plenty of Guillemots and Razorbills on the cliffs but very few Puffins (the only one I could see was asleep) and not a Shag in sight. On the clifftop a few singing Corn Buntings, a Willow Warbler and several flava Wagtails over.

A few more pictures to be added when time allows.

Woodland butterflies

A few butterflies on the wing today at Tophill Low included a few Speckled Woods, several Brimstone and Commas but no sign of any Holly Blue at this site yet despite some on the wing in central Howden in the week. Also no sign of any damselflies on the wing despite a semi-exhaustive search! Common Sandpiper the only bird of note.

Sunny Sunday at Spurn

Sunday afternoon at Spurn on the 18th April. A few common migrants around including a cracking male Redstart which eluded the camera at the Narrows. Seeing how many species I can see from here in a year without trying to hard...

Signs of Spring

Blue skies, a little warmth... and some pictures! Welcome to my blog which will hopefully in the future show some reasonable pictures and information on things folk can see when out and about.

East Yorkshire is the place I call home so I think there will be a good place to start...

April has finally seen some nice weather and allowed me to try and learn how to use my camera... Pied Wagtail, Grass Snake and these Common Cranes which drifted over Tophill Low NR earlier this month.