6th
to 9th June light N-NE Mostly very sunny
and very hot, 20C+
6th
June to Hotoft Bank reserve, north of Anderby Creek
The
morning plan of a cycle to Old Moor RSPB reserve, one of my top ten
favourites, changes when the news of a singing all dancing marsh
warbler, over on the Lincolnshire coast, comes in from The Oracle.
Back
along the cycle path east, the superb one I came along yesterday, had
me very relaxed despite the about turnaround, listening to Frank
Zappa guitar music. I so prefer his instrumental work.
To
Horncastle along mostly roads empty of traffic and then along a busy,
noisy A road before a turn off towards Alford gave me more peaceful
reflective roads. Do people realise how intrusively loud traffic can
be?
Arriving
at the reserve, I walked down towards the hide with no birds singing
but nice spotted flycatcher fly catching close by.
No
one else is here and no sign of a marsh warbler. I attempt to string!
I even text Phil to say I think I've got it. A warbler is skulking in
the bushes.
Sense
prevails when I look at a photograph and see a chunky, small
acro.
7th
June to Blacktoft RSPB reserve.
Time
to try again to get to Old Moor RSPB reserve for the little bittern.
No it isn't, a red-necked phalarope is at Blacktoft sands!
72
miles of cycling in the heat, over the lump of chalk between Louth
and Market Rasen, I reach the reserve to be told by the RSPB staff in
the visitor's shed (!) that it has gone. “It hasn't been seen for a
couple of hours.”
A
lovely, friendly and enthusiastic volunteer, Penny walks with me
towards the hide furthest away from the middle, the place where the
phalarope was last seen. Two birders coming from there tell us
cheerily that it is still there!
Asking
permission from Penny, I cycle as fast as I can to the empty hide
and soon find it. Bird number 251. The final countdown, 50 to 300 has
begun.
The
spinning, frantic fly catching bird is distant but easy to see. It's
small size is emphasised when a pied wagtail walks close to it and
there isn't much difference.
Black
spotted redshank, avocets and a group of black-tailed godwits are
here too. The latter don't like the small phalarope and peck at it
whenever it comes close.
The
hide fills up in the early evening and the banter is fun. A mother
and son combination brings in a very keen fifteen year old who will
become a star. Stupidly I forget to put his name in the notebook, a
senior moment I regret as I want to tell you all of the immense
pleasure I get when a young person is so passionate about birding and
nature. I remember his Mum's name, Karen.
8th
June to Old Moor at last!
Into
Goole for breakfast and another long, mostly country lane cycle gets
me to the Trans-Pennine cycle path that takes me to the bridge into
the wonderful RSPB reserve, Old Moor. I love this reserve. It has
everything and the thrill to me is that it was created from the
mining industry pits and slag heaps. The main reserve is one of a
complex of close together reserves which are being added to as more
projects come on line.
I
am excited but extremely tired so I don't rush to the bittern hide
where the barking little bittern may be heard but probably not seen.
Instead
I am thrilled to meet the people I have met on previous visits;
Craig, Lauren and Matthew, and new RSPB staff faces too; Bill and
Joy.
The
incredible Dave is here, wonderful man who deserves a lot of credit
for the success of the reserve.
I
am given cake and coffee and sit on the coffee, writing the cost down
in my notebook as a donation. The amount written down is approaching
£100. I will be busy on my Just Giving pages and the Chaskawasi-Manu
donation webpage when I can get on the internet. Remember I am doing
all this for four charities and any gift, like the coffee and cake,
is a donation in my mind. Thanks Kevin and Michelle!
Late
afternoon and I casually wander down to the bittern Hide. The little
bittern is barking unseen at the back of a bush surrounded reedbed.
Three
hours of standing on the small bridge with around ten other birders,
the little bittern hasn't even shown us one of his resplendent
feathers.
A
married couple find a way through the tripod legs and birders and
head off for the nearby hide.
The
little bittern decides it is time to go to roost and climbs up a
willow. Unfortunately it does this at the back of the tree and is
unseen until it takes off and gives a split second banking view as it
heads off to the left.
Birders
all rush into the hide to find that the little bittern has
disappeared into the far reedbed. The husband of the couple is
distraught. He missed it. So did all of we except for one lone person
who, despite no interest in birds, had the best view, the wife!
Brilliant. One can't but laugh at the vagaries of birding. Those who
wanted great views didn't get them. She who didn't really care did.
9th
June Old Moor RSPB reserve
All
funds have been placed into the various Just-giving charities; the
RSPB, Asthma Uk and the WWT, as well as 32 euros into Chaskawasi-Manu
so my notebook figure is deleted until more donations are given.
I
have arranged to bird with Dave and together with a number of birders
we are all gathered once more on the bridge.
The
little bittern is barking once more and decides to give everyone the
best views as it climbs a willow in front of us. I take a video of it
doing so. Bird number 252 and what a bird.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8_c7K820ao
Another
great bird to see, a common one but one not often seen well, is
sitting in a large tree, a tawny owl.
A
privilege today as I am given permission to join the greater bittern
monitoring team. Think about this. This is a nature reserve almost
completely man-made and here we have two pairs of nesting greater
bitterns and a calling little bittern. Add nesting avocets, cetti's
warblers and the presence of a lot of little egrets to the mix and
who would have thought such was possible in industrial Yorkshire.
Well done RSPB!
In
the hide with Foggy, Clegg and Compo, oops I mean Steve, Paul and
Gerry, we four sit and map all movement of the female bitterns as
they return to the nests and go off to either get more food or relax
in the heat.
There
is cricket test match today and I use my smartphone to see how
England are faring against Sri Lanka. TMS, Test Match Special is
asking for photographs to show where people are playing cricket
whilst at work. There are already two boring office type photographs.
Surely we lads could do better. A stick is found for a bat, a kestrel
pellet for the ball and a rucksack for stumps, plastic bottle for
bails, myself in to bat, Gerry waiting for the snicked catch as
wicketkeeper, Steve bowls a reverse swing with Paul on camera to
capture the action.
The
first ball is hit straight at Paul, a fair straight drive. He shells
the easy catch. The next ball/pellet is pulled through the shutter
for six!
The
final pellet, another one found on the floor, is hit straight back at
the bowler who also drops the easy catch.
The
resulting photograph is emailed to TMS at the BBC and at 12:33
appears on the Live Score feed. Result!
Twice
bittern once shy cricketers of Old Moor RSPB reserve.
Lunch in the superb
cafe and procrastination over leaving. This reserve has so much and I
would love to have the time to see all of it again and again.
Springwatch should come here!
I eventually head
off once more along the Trans-Pennine way and get to Doncaster. Here
I get a bed at my favourite Doncaster B and B, The Balmoral. Here
Nurse Gladys was almost trapped by Arkwright many years ago.
3
day mileage . . 163.62
last
seven days mileage … 362.96 which is a new seven day record for me
with an average of 51.85 miles a day.
