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.

Whoopers..

...or Whopper Swans as The Sun called them when describing the BBC's Autumnwatch programmes. These were on my local patch today, a reservoir in the midst of the sprawling conurbation surrounding Mansfield.

They probably won't stay the night so we rushed down to see them when we heard they were around. It's a new tick on our local list, a lifer for my girlfriend, and a very elegant one too.
Seems the haywire season we're experiencing means practically any species can turn up wherever you are.

We saw Kingfisher too, which have spread from their breeding waters as wintering individuals. They certainly add glamour.

Cormorants are another species to arrive during the cold months, probably regional migrants from the reservoirs up in the Peak District. Welcome ones in mind, despite what the fisherman say.

Happy birding everybody.