spurn and tern part 2

Day 3 was a good day, i left Sacha to get on with her job, and went exploring by myself. I just had a little walk around the canal and on the point. got a few good shots of sedge warblers, and possibly my best swallow photos. It was nice to have an explore, and to take the time to see some wonderful birds and talk to some great people.

bird numbers seemed good. And once i had walked down to find Sacha, i spent an hour watching one of my favourite birds, a ringed plover displaying around the tern hut, its one of the reasons i go bird watching, to be able to watch the birds doing their thing! and watching behaviour! i have never been one to run around after rarities, i would much rather sit and watch 1 bird feeding that see something rare!

Thursday night, we walked to easington for a drink with one of the wildlife trust lads, it is always great to chat with new people who have a conservation interest. so that was a fair old walk too! but worth it for a few pints of blacksheep and to socialise with my one of my best est friends! :)

unfortunately i had to go home on Friday, but with the promise to return soon! will be back in July!

bird list was not bad for the week. and of cause the highlights for me were the little terns!

Spurn and tern part 1

it was an early start on Tuesday morning for me because i wanted to make the most of my time down at spurn. 3 days staying with Sacha at Kilnsea. she is the tern warden for this season, looking after the little tern (sterna albifrons) colony on the lagoons. it was a much needed trip for me, mainly because i hadn't seen her for over 2 months, and also because i have just come of Coquet island, (see my blogs from coquet at www.livinonanisland.blogspot.com)

so i left home at 8 am. but soon got stuck on the A19, after about half an hour i was moving again and on my way. after getting a little bit lost in hull, i finally arrived at the caravan at 11:30. a quick phone call and i was on my way to Sacha's observation hide. the heat was amazing coming off the sand, so i whipped my sandals of and went for a paddle on my way up to the lagoons.

the first day was a bit of a blur to be honest, but i did get to see little terns quite lose up. and some little Egrets that had apparently been noticeable by their absence on teesside whilst i have been of working. i also got a quick view of a sedge warbler on the night as we went for a walk around the canal. there were the usual suspects to be seen, gulls, oystercatcher etc. And i got my 1st pint of beer in 6 months on the night in a pun at Kilnsea (crown and Anchor).

on day 2 (wed) i basically shadowed Sacha, just seeing what she has been up to. basically its up at 5am, walk the 2.4 miles to her hide and the terns, check the electric fences, the eggs and heck for new scrapes. then its a case of settling down to watch the terns and make sure nobody gets into the lagoons. i forgot about the sun though! so when we were ready to head back i was very red! how i missed sunburn :)

If you have read any of my coquet blogs you would have got a taste of what species protection is all about. and its much easier on coquet i can tell you. i didn't have to worry about foxes or dogs! its nice to see that the area is both an SSSI and an SPA. and this should hopefully safeguard what is a beautiful area.

BTCC and Birding, all in one day :)

yesterday, i was fortunate to get a free pass to the British touring cars championship at croft circuit, the weather was fabulous! and the racing was top notch!

3 rounds of touring cars, dispersed between formula 3, reneult clio cup, porche cup, and ginetta G50s, proved an action packed day of racing!

The touring cars, were as usuall on top form, providing some breathtaking racing, and lots of overtaking and bumps!

but, a welcome adition to the racing was of cause, the bird life! in the field opposite me, looking towards the starting grid i watched skylarks, meadow pipits, swallows and carrion crows doing what they do. above the track there were kestrels, and on the way home i spotted my first buzzard for a few months . so all in all, it was a brilliant day, although, the sunburn is stinging today!

wasted day?

well i went out with a bit of a spring in my step this morning, off to do a bit of birding, spent and hour at saltholme, and saw vertually nothing! then a trip over to dormans with the lure of fledgeling cettis! no shows! :( but i did get to do a bit of frog rescue! it was sat by my tire, and was a fluke that i saw it at all!

new blog! :)

following on from my enjoyment of Http:livinonanisland.blogspot.com i've set up a new blog!

this time its all about me! and not just on an island! this time im loose in the north of england!

90% of my blogs will come from the north tees marshes! and in particular RSPB Saltholme, my local patch! and my place of work!