Running Late.

I was waylaid last night and Tuesdays birding records come a day late.

Water Vole. Courtesy of Kirkstall Creatures.

As is often the case I have no appropriate pics for the day but Linda has HERE, a good blog which I follow. Please take a look and find excellent photographs like the one above of the exquisite Water Vole.

At Conder Green 2 Little Egret were seen as I rounded the corner by the Stork Hotel. OK it's a few years ago now, but who would ever have thought the first bird you'd see at Conder Green would be the Little Egret, but ten years on an amazing eighty eight went to roost at Leighton Moss last night per LDBWS . Conder Pool was quiet although 7 Little Grebe are making their comeback on here but would have escaped any prying eye from the platform but didn't mine from the viewpoint at the west end, the 3 Wigeon are still here, a Kingfisher flew in, and a Common Sandpiper appears to be the only one left. On the circuit I found 3 Spotted Redshank two of which were juveniles, up to 6 Greenshank, 2 Ruff, 5 Snipe, 6 more Wigeon were in the Conder channel below the railway bridge, about 6 House Martins are still visiting nests at River Winds, and I watched a Stoat swim across the creeks with two Redshank wading after it, only the second one I ever saw swimming the first being ten years ago at Snettisham in Norfolk when a Coot went after it as the Redshank had done here. The Lune Estuary was uninspiring though I counted at least 800 Redshank conveniently close, and a Little Egret over by Waterloo Cottage which is where most of the gulls were in a heat haze.

At Cockersands - where the Yellow Wagtails keep turning up but never whilst I'm here - I saw 5 Wheatear, and estimated at least 200 Golden Plover appropriately on Plover Scar, incredibly camouflaged and easily overlooked, whilst counting I heard a Whimbrel. On the circuit I found 15 Tree Sparrow, 25 Goldfinch, nearly a double figure of 8 Greenfinch and saw a Peregrine Falcon and 2 Buzzards soaring high.

A detour round Gulf Lane produced another 2 Buzzard with another seen later at Fluke Hall where I found a Whitethroat, and another Little Egret. Butterflies today were c.30 Small Tortoiseshell, c.8 Speckled  Wood, and a Wall Brown.

And finally....

       Migrant Hawker. Courtesy of Kirkstall Creatures.  

An excellent photograph of the female Migrant Hawker. Thanks again for these Linda they are much appreciated. 

National 'MEGA' news - all in East Yorkshire - is of an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Flamborough Head, a 'possible' Sykes Warbler at Spurn, and a 'probable' Collared Flycatcher also at Spurn.

I'm about to check the Oxford English Dictionary meanwhile, does anyone know the difference between the definition of  'possible' and 'probable' please.