Short visit to Walthamstow Wetlands on 5th June 2024

I visited Walthamstow Wetlands in early June, but only had time for a short visit round the main area

Close-up of a Robin staring up into the branches of a tree

Common Tern looking for fish in one of the reservoirs

Pretty wild Roses growing at the edge of a path

It was Ox-eye Daisy time

Juvenile Robin hiding in a tree

Layered trio of Grey Herons

Ox-eye Daisies growing at the base of an electricity pylon

Common Blue Damselflies

Gorgeous Mock Orange flowers

Young Magpie marching along the edge of a path

Close view of a Great Crested Grebe at the edge of a reservoir

Distant view of a pair of Great Crested Grebe slippers floating in the centre of a reservoir

 

Birding walk on my last morning in Thornwick Bay - 24th May 2024

I just walked round the Thornwick Bay Holiday Park site on my last morning as I was carrying a heavy backpack and did not want to travel far with it.

A Skylark was soaring into the sky at the edge of the holiday park

Young Starlings were waiting to be fed by an adult

A male Chaffinch was singing from the top of a fir tree

There was a short fuzzy caterpillar at the entrance to the bird hide in Thornwick Pools

A Moorhen walked past a tiny Pied Wagtail

A Sedge Warbler was flitting about in the reeds at the back of Thorwick Pools nature reserve

A Mute Swan absolutely dwarfed a Little Ringed Plover

Closer view of the Little Ringed Plover

A pair of Canada Geese with a gosling were feeding on grass in front of pink Ragged Robin flowers

Early Purple Orchid near the edge of the fishing lake

That was it!  Great birding trip to Thornwick Bay, Bempton Cliffs and Flamborough Head was over!

Birds, including rare Red-backed Shrike, at Thornwick Bay - 22nd and 23rd May 2024

There was very heavy rain in the morning on 22nd May and I stayed in the mobile home until after lunch.  When the rain stopped I went for a walk in the area near Thornwick Bay.

Goldfinch on top of pine shrub in Thornwick Bay Holiday Park

Male Blackbird gathering food for his young

The morning's heavy rain had brought a rare visitor to Thornwick Bay - a male Red-backed Shrike

Buck Roe deer in a field on the cliffs at North Landing

Male Stonechat perching on gorse at North Landing

Barn Owl flying above a field in North Landing

The next day I went for another walk in the Thornwick Bay area in order to see more wildlife

Common Whitethroat singing on a bush near the back of the holiday park

Two large Cayuga ducks were sitting at the edge of the lake

Statue of a deer at the edge of the lake

The Mute Swans that I had seen on a nest earlier in the week now had two young cygnets

Pied Wagtail standing on a pedalo in the boating lake

Male Yellowhammer on a twiggy tree near the boating lake

Thornwick Bay Holiday Park boating lake

Female Roe deer munching on Meadow Buttercups in a field near the boating lake

Another view of the proud Mute Swan parents with their two baby cygnets

A pair of Red-backed Shrikes were hiding in shrubbery at the edge of the holiday park.  I believe that this is the female.  They were really difficult to see.

By now, Shrike news had spread and the paparazzi had turned up at Thornwick Bay!

Greenfinch perching on a thin twig

Thornwick Bay and beach

Pretty pink Cow Parsley flower on the cliff

Dark sheep with light-coloured lamb in a cliff-top field

Linnet perching on barbed wire near the edge of the cliff

This poppet - my very last Yorkshire Puffin - had a beak full of Sand Eels!!