Good raptor day in East Yorkshire

Red Kite, near North Cave, East Yorks

Red Kite

Tree Sparrow, North Cave N.R.

Swallow, first of the year. North Cave

Wheatear, one of 4 at Atwick

Skylark

Saturday 2nd April 2011

Visited a couple of lesser known spots to cut down on the driving as much as anything else. First North Cave Nature reserve a former sand and gravel quarry similar in many ways to parts of the Tame valley. The birdlife too was familiar; large numbers of Black headed gulls dominating the islands. Greylag geese, Gadwall, Tufted duck, Shelduck and a few Teal. Shorebirds were limited to a few pairs of Redshank and gangs of Oystercatcher sorting themselves out with mates. The main difference with the Tame valley was the 22 Avocets on site, good numbers of Tree sparrows in the hedges and a Goshawk.

The Goshawk was the start of a bit of a raptor fest. as I saw a Red kite shortly after leaving the reserve. I headed for the coast at Atwick just north of Hornsea where 2 more Red kites flew over the cliff top fields and a female Marsh Harrier was seen offshore. Other birds seen on a cliff top walk were less spectacular but it was good to see 4 Wheatears along the route.