Hello everyone,
On the way home from Leeds we called at the above RSPB reserve and I found quite a few changes, some for the better and one not. For those who haven't been in the last six months or so the car park at the visitor centre has been resurfaced with tarmac, with new fencing and signs put up, hedges cut, new feeding stations and a small pond alongside plus a shelter close to the feeding station [next to visitor centre] near to where it was before, but much better, more opportunities for the photographers. Forgot to mention the other change non RSPB members have to pay £2 although if people are only going for thirty minutes it's free.
We started at the boardwalk which is at the end of the big lake near the main entrance, it's a pity we hadn't taken any bread as the birds all thought we had lol. Amongst them were 3 Black Swan's of which one I could clearly see a leg ring with Y002, this is the closest I've been to them.
Then we went to the feeding stations and saw Dunnock, Long-tailed, Willow, Great and Blue Tits, 5 rats, Tree Sparrow, Robin and above the centre a Kestrel, Mandy wished the light had been better as it would have made a great shot. As we walked away a charming little female Bullfinch flew into a bush next to us by the name of Brod, I left Mandy to say hello to her while I looked for the owls. Mandy was overjoyed at how close she had got to the Bullfinch certainly within a couple of feet! The warden told us all about the bird, from what he said it reminded us of the Steppe Shrike at Grainthorpe [let's hope it doesn't end up the same fate]. We are looking forward to meeting it again and maybe next time it will land on my shoulder or hand for Mandy to photograph!
On looking around the boardwalk area there was no sign of the owls.
We went to Lyn Dyke and saw best part of 100 Fieldfare, pair of Goldeneye, lots of Teal, Curlew, 34 Cormorant, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Kestrel, Coot, Lapwings, Greylags and a few Canada geese.
We arrived at 11.45 and left at 15.15 ish we had showers and of course it was cold.
Kind regards
John and Mandy PS: it was Mandy's first time at this reserve and she really enjoyed it
_________________ GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol
Last edited by John T Goy on Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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