Monday 24th July 2017

It was a dull and overcast morning, 14C as I arrived at the reserve at Fairburn Ings this morning. As I got out of the car I hadn’t realised that the strengthening North Easterly wind had a bit of rain in it so I was pleased I had put my winter jacket in the car. The heavy overnight rain had left puddles all over the place. After a quick chat with the wardens and a coffee I made my way along the ‘Discovery Trail’ to the ‘Pick up hide’ having to watch were I put my feet, lots of tiny baby froglets no more that 1cm in length were busily hopping across the trail, not much bigger than bluebottles, every now and then I stopped to watch as they avoided some of the bigger stones on the pathway. I settled down at the hide for 9.30am, as I put my camera bag on the floor I had a quick glance out onto the lake, literally in front of the hide on the water’s edge was a Common Sandpiper busily feeding, its long beak sinking deep into the mud searching for small crustaceans. I hurriedly set up the camera, securing it to the shelf and fired off several shots of this new arrival, before it saw me. Fortunately it stayed around the hide for most of the morning, completely oblivious to my presence.

Several pairs of Coots were on the water with their young families this morning, it was fascinating watching these youngsters as they grow up, they tend to be quite brave at times as they venture off from the relative safety of their parents to one of several small islands on the lake, it is only then that they realise where their parents are and go scooting back almost running across the top of the water to the security of mum and dad. The pair of Mute Swans swam round from the back of the lake to another of the tiny islands and spent most of the morning stretching, wing flapping and preening. Meanwhile the Sandpiper was contently walking along the shoreline near the hide constantly searching for food.

I watched at least four lots of Mute Swans fly over the hide heading off towards the Lin Dyke hide. I noticed in the book in the visitors centre several sightings of the Cattle Egret which had been seen down at that hide, I think it has been there for several days now.

Over on the feeders were the usual tits and finches, I could hear the Long Tailed Tits in bushes beside the hide but they were reluctant to show their faces this morning. It was nice to see the Willow Tit though, it made several appearances during my time at the hide. The Juvenile Robins were getting much bigger and their red chest beginning to show through the speckled infant feathers.

On the floor beneath the feeders a pair of Rabbits were busily feeding on the spent seed from the feeders, every now and then a Bank Vole would wiz out of its little hole near the fence post, pick up some seed and zoom back, they certainly down dawdle about above the ground.  The Grey Squirrels were regular feeders this morning a pair of them at times, although they didn’t like each other’s company and quite often little squabbles would develop when one would encroach on the others little bit of territory.

As the day progressed the hide saw more and more disruption, what with birders and groups of children on ranger guided activities which was great to see, so as the time marched on towards lunch I called it a day and headed back to the centre and home. A lovely morning.