Whilst I was in Norfolk I chatted to a chap about Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. "Rufford Country Park for the first hour in the main car park is the best place." he said. I thought about it and contacted a work colleague who is also a birder and lives in the area. We met in the car park but it was a big place. Eventually the odd birder turned up and said they could appear anywhere. This site was also good for Hawfinch too. We set off and started looking at the trees around the car park and the drive. Birds noted were Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Redwing, huge amounts of Long-taited Tit, Blue Tit, Black-headed Gull, Robin, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk, Treecreeper, LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER, Goldcrest, Jackdaw and Starling. After admiring my long sought after quarry for a while we eventually lost it. We then decided to have a look around the lake before having a cup of tea. Other birds noted were Moorhen, jay, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Mallard, Coot, Tufted Duck, Siskin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Carrion Crow and Wren.
A nice birding session which saw my bogey bird finally nailed, and what a cracking bird it is too.
South Ferriby.
I was half way to South Ferriby, being at Rufford so I decided to head there for another look at the Rough-legged Buzzard. Whilst reading the site descriptions during the week it suddenly dawned on me OI was not in the right place at the first attempt. In South Ferriby instead of driving through South Ferriby and viewing the bird looking south, I followed the satnav which made me turn onto a High Road where I viewed the cement works by looking north. Here the works were miles away. Today I followed the main road, drove passed the entrance to the cement works and found the lay-by where there were already a handfull of birders. I asked about the bird, it was present, set my scope up and had distant long looks at a ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD. Rather pale in contrast to other Buzzards which were soaring nearby. After watching it for a while it lifted and flew out of site. A cracking bird and glad I came back for it.
Reid's Island.
It was a long trip to the next birding site, all of 5 metres to cross the road and set the scope up to view the River Humber and a small island. there were quite a few birds and deer on it so I had a look. Birds noted were Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Common Gull, Lapwing, Dunlin, Cormorant, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese and Mallard. It was worth a look I suppose, if only for the Fallow Deer on there.
Carsington Water.
Before I set off for Carsington I headed to Hatfield Moors where a Lesser Scaup had was resident on a lake. Unfortunately my map and satnav did not show the lake and after a small drive around I opted to head off. A pair of Great Northern Divers had made this reservoir home for the winter so I headed over, on the way home, to get them on my list. It is quite a big place and the last report on the pager was they were near the dam so I parked in the main car park. By the time I got there, there was not much light left si I headed to an area where I could view the damend and also the main body but all from a distance. Birds noted were Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Lapwing, House Sparrow, Coot, Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Pochard, Goldeneye, Cormorant, Blackbird, Wren, Pied Wagtail and Lesser Black-backed Gull. No divers and not much birds but a year tick for the Pochard.
Home time now but a great day with my 4th and 5th lifer this year already. Flying.
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