I’ve just got round to processing some images from the weeked and what a weekend it was!
We arrived at Kilnsea on Friday night just in time to see a magnificent sunset over the Humber and a little later the night sky was lit up like daylight under s beautiful silvery moon.
I just had enough time to set up our trail camera before it got dark and we were treat to some nice photos and video of a badger helping itself to the peanuts we’d put out for it.
I was up early on Saturday morning and the moon looked just as magnificent over the Humber.
First stop was Skeffling but I didnt fancy it-the Humber seemed too calm so I made my way back to Kilnsea wetlands and Long Bank Marsh. By now the moon was fading but not before I managed a few shots of Shovellers with the moon as the backdrop.
Long Bank was relatively quiet save from common wildfowl and waders-a distant barn owl, short eared owl and mediterranean gull made up the numbers.
The morning was as Spring like as they come-skylarks led the chorus ably supported by curlew and redshank-punctuated only by the sound of a distant gas gun on nearby fields.
I headed back for some breakfast and we had a wander on the beach then back via Hilderness field and Kilnsea Wetlands. nothing of note but just great to be out.
I had a walk up to Sammy’s Point in the afternoon as saw a single short-eared owl that posed nicely in good light. A buzzard, sparrowhawk and kestrel added to the raptor count.
A stoat added to the mammal count.
I headed back to the Wetlands and a barn owl was hunting nearby in nice light.
As the sun dropped it made for a nice sunset and flocking waders and ducks contrasted nicely with orange hues reflecting of the flooded field.
At last light a short eared owl appeared but didnt hang around.
Sunday morning dawned clear with a hnt of wispy cloud-perfect conditions for a nice sunrise. I was in position at 6.15 a full three-quarters of an hour before sunrise. There was plenty to keep me occupied including the barn owl, a short eared owl and whooper swans on Kilnsea Wetlands. A fox made a very brief appearance. Long Bank Marsh was very quiet so I headed for some breakfast at around 8.30.
I spent an hour photographing some common birds around our feeder. We saw our first butterfly of the year-a comma enjoying yet more late winter sunshine.
The final sighting in what was an action packed weekend was a fleeting glimpse of a pallid harrier-the same one re-appearing after an 8 day absence.
What a weekend in the wildlife Mecca that is Spurn.
