Saturday
3rd December Almost no wind
sunny,
Mild, 6C
Flat
landscape again and a lack of wind make the cycle from Beverley to
Welwick easy enough. Through eastern Hull and along the main road I
leave my panniers at a bed and breakfast just before Patrington.
Reaching Welwick saltmarsh nature reserve beside the Humber estuary,
there is a group of birders looking over the grasslands. The reported
pallid harrier had been seen just before Noon. I stand and wait and
chat.
In
three hours there are few birds but those seen include many birds of
prey; merlin, kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard and both hen and marsh
harriers.
There are even a few short-eared owls quarter the marsh.
Light
is starting to fade when I make the mistake of going for a stroll to
warm up my frozen feet. I only walk a hundred yards or so but when I
return to the birder group, they are all celebrating the pallid
harrier having flown past! Some birders start to leave happy in their
distant views.
Ten
minutes later a ring-tailed harrier flies towards us. Pallid harrier
UTB! Bird number 316.
It
flies over fields in a large circular route before appearing in front
of us over the saltmarsh again.
Brilliant.
Anther great bird goes onto the Green Year list. Will this bird be
the last addition to the list?
32.42
miles 524 elevation feet up 550 down
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