Dawn's back on early's so after breakfast it was off to Blakehill Farm Nature Reserve to watch the sunrise. I arrived at 5:15am and already the birds were singing with a Robin by the car park and a Wren in the hedgerow behind me. I've never walked to the end of the track before and with such a lovely morning it seemed to be the obvious thing to do. At the end of the track it was an about turn and back to the car park for 7:30am.
My route this morning with the location of the Redstarts.
Sunrise at 5:45am
A Roe Deer keeps a wary eye on me........
.........plus a few more further along down the track.
A family of Goldfinches
This Buzzard clocked me and...............
...........he was off
A Kestrel on one of the many posts in the fields.
There were 2 Common Redstarts here this morning. This male and a female further down the track.
One of 2 Hares seen here this morning.
Birds Recorded: 4 Mallard, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 5 Pheasant, 2 Red-Legged Partridge, 2 Black-headed Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 11 Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, 2 Common Redstart (1f, 1m), Blackbird, 1 Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 12+ Chiffchaff including juveniles, 1 juvenile Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, 2 Raven, 2 Starling, Chaffinch, 6 Linnet, 10 Goldfinch including juveniles, Greenfinch and Bullfinch.
Also: 4 Roe Deer, 2 Hare, 10 Rabbits and a Fox.
Twitchers Gate
After Blakehill it was off to Twitchers Gate to see what was on Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve. Unsurprisingly it was quiet, but things did pick around 8:00am when 60 ducks flew in, unfortunately they didn't land on the main lake, but judging by the shape and size, many of them looked to be Tufted Duck with a few Shoveler mixed in.
On Pit 74 in front of me were at least 12 Great Crested Grebe and 15 Cormorants. Over the scrape and on Pits 68a/68b were up to 10 Common Tern, whilst on the scrape itself were a pair of Lapwings and a Green Sandpiper.
Birds Recorded: 12+ Great Crested Grebe, 15+ Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Buzzard, Coot, 2 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff singing, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.
Twitchers Gate
After Blakehill it was off to Twitchers Gate to see what was on Cleveland Lakes Nature Reserve. Unsurprisingly it was quiet, but things did pick around 8:00am when 60 ducks flew in, unfortunately they didn't land on the main lake, but judging by the shape and size, many of them looked to be Tufted Duck with a few Shoveler mixed in.
On Pit 74 in front of me were at least 12 Great Crested Grebe and 15 Cormorants. Over the scrape and on Pits 68a/68b were up to 10 Common Tern, whilst on the scrape itself were a pair of Lapwings and a Green Sandpiper.
A few of the wildfowl that flew in.......
.......including these 2 Shoveler
Birds Recorded: 12+ Great Crested Grebe, 15+ Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Buzzard, Coot, 2 Lapwing, 1 Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, House Martin, Swallow, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, 1 Cetti's Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff singing, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Jay, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.