Blacktoft Sands

Sunday 13 December Spot the harrier. X marks the spot.


Trip over to Blacktoft Sands with Veronica.
Decent weather, apart from a couple of short lived showers.

Not a huge number of birds about. Apparently this has been the case since the summer and it was very dry. Mind you, there was a damn site greater variety of species than you get in Pennine Yorkshire. The highlights were as follows:-


Ringtale hen harrier seen as dusk approached giving good views.
Barn owl seen off and on for 10 mins from 2.00pm.
4? marsh harriers.
Water rail giving good views.
Snipe.
Kestrel.
Great spotted woodpecker.
Tree sparrows.
Fieldfares and redwings in large nos.
Little grebe.
Shellduck;
Teal in large nos.
Wigeon.
Shoveller.
Mute swan.
Collared dove-don't see many of them round Blacktoft.
Redshank.
Lapwing in large nos.
A lone golden plover.
Plus finches, titmice, wren, finches, blackbird, song thrush, corvids, wood pigeons, gulls etc.


Veronica enjoyed it and produced another classic photograph; well, a photograph at least.