Due to personal circumstances I have not been out birding much in the last couple of weeks but there have been some nice local highlights. As strange as it may seem one gull missing off my photo list has been Common Gull … mostly to far away, and very easily spooked!!! However, on the 15th of November I finally cracked my jinx!! Some Common Gulls had been seen the day previously, so keeping my fingers crossed I went back the next day – and there were a few Common Gulls feeding close to the road… the light was perfect too!! A great morning’s photography.
To get home, I decided to take the back roads, suddenly I caught some movement in one of the fields and yes!! A couple of Roe Deer feeding in broad light in the late afternoon.
The 25th of November found myself and my birding mate Alf doing some local patch birding and we came across a juvenile male Sparrowhawk attempting to drag out of a Holly bush some terrified Tree Sparrows; the local Blackbirds, Chaffinches,Wren, Robins and various Blue Tits were going absolutely nuts!! What a row!!! The Sparrowhawk was literally diving into the bush, he then circled it and tried to get in from the side – but it could not reach its meal. Eventually the young bird flew off much to the relief of the local songbird population!! The drama last about two minutes and I managed to get a few shots of the event !!
Over the last couple of weeks there has been a steady influx of winter thrushes i.e. Redwings and Fieldfare into our local patch i.e. about a 10 mile radius around Pickering – surely a sign that Winter is on its way. Another interesting addition to these winter thrushes are continental Blackbirds emanating from Scandinavia … these Blackbirds unlike their British cousins are much darker and have a much darker bill which replaces the traditional yellow bill of British birds.
Unfortunately Redwings and Fieldfares are super wary and often take flight when approached and are flushed easily; so. some guile is needed!! Yesterday we had a walk down Westgate Carr on the western side of town. Our walk produced some nice surprises our wintering Great White Egret had returned, which was great news. This is the 3rd winter we have had a GWEgret wintering here. Other highlights included 2 Little Egrets, along with some cracking male Bullfinches, a Kingfisher and in the Cormorant roost we counted 29 birds.Sadly we also found a dead otter – looking at its size it was probably a cub. A sad sight but it confirms all the local rumours !!! The other highlight were lots of Redwings feeding on Hawthorn and Sloe Berries … but no chances of photographs as the birds were far to skittish. So today 30th of November, we returned in the car and parked opposite the berry feast. I am always amazed as to how wildlife becomes quickly at ease with a parked car. If you don’t make any sudden movements and talk very quietly it is amazing how close the birds will come.
Well, it will be December soon; Happy Birding and safe journeys. Regards Jon
