Blacktoft Sands RSPB

Another visit to Blacktoft Sands (East Yorksire) for my girlfriend's last day of freedom before her new job. We hoped for Avocet since several hundreds are apparently wintering nearby on an island in the middle of the Humber. The daytime tides weren't on our side though, and none of the birds felt pushed inland to the lagoons at Blacktoft. Avocet should breed their again in the Spring though.
Still Marsh Harrier always show well there, and a number of local rarities were nice sightings too, including Whooper Swan and Pintail.

The main waders were present, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew, Lapwing, Redshank and Golden Plover, but nothing special to pick out among them.

Barn Owl are usually a good bet, not on windy days like this one though, and try as we might, waiting until dusk didn't pick one up for us.

Video - Marsh Harrier sailing on the wind

Still, a good day, nice birds, 62 species.

Blacktoft Sands RSPB

East Yorkshire, a good place to be to catch the late migration season.

Blacktoft has been a regular destination for years in my family, though for some reason we'd never been during November and seldom stayed very near dusk. Both big mistakes. Yesterday we were on the reserve until nearly 4pm, more or less around high tide and the flocks were becoming big. Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit too, by the hundreds and thousands, and all alighting when a languid Sparrowhawk twice quartered across the lagoons. And in the distance large skeins of Pink-footed Geese passed by.
It was a true natural spectacle.

We're very near the inland port of Goole at Blacktoft, so pacing container ships are common.

The Pinkies.

Locally rare a couple of Whoopers were in fields adjacent to the reserve.

Other notable sightings included Merlin, Goldeneye, and finally the bird which the reserve is most famed for Marsh Harrier - three of them. Oh and we also saw Roe Deer.

If you're too far north of the north Norfolk reserves of Snettisham and Titchwell where all the birds I've mentioned gather in even more unimaginable numbers, Blacktoft isn't a disappointing substitute.