2024-A Photographic Review Of The Year

From a wildlife perspective 2024 was quite a year…

The best encounter was the pallid harrier in Kilnsea with the red-breasted flycatcher a very close second.

January-Lesser yellowlegs with redshank at Swine Moor

January-Short-Eared Owl at Stoney Creek

January-Short-Eared Owl at Stoney Creek

January-Great Northern Diver at Scarborough

January-Red-Throated Diver at Scarborough

January-Red-Throated Diver at Scarborough

January-Great Northern Diver at Scarborough

January-Purple Sandpiper at Bridlington

January- Shellduck on The Humber

January- Dunlin on The Humber

January- Siskin at North Cave Wetlands

January- Siskin at North Cave Wetlands

February-Shoveller at Kilnsea

February-Spotted Redshank at Kilnsea

February-Pallid Harrier at Skeffling

February-Waders at Swinemoor

February-Waders at Swinemoor

February-Waders at Swinemoor

February-Wigeon at Kilnsea

February-Barn Owl at Kilnsea

February-Shoveller at Kilnsea

February-Barn Owl at Kilnsea

February-Barn Owl at Kilnsea

February-Barn Owl at Kilnsea

February-Barn Owl at Kilnsea

March-Red-Necked Grebe at Scarborough

March-Red-Necked Grebe at Scarborough

March-early Grey at Beverley

April-Rosemary Beetle at Beverley

April-Common Buzzard at Tophill Low

May-Collared Flycatcher at Kilnsea

May-Collared Flycatcher at Kilnsea

May- Barn Owl at Kilnsea

May-Mute Swan at Kilnsea

May-Mullein Moth at Beverley

May-Mullein Moth at Beverley

May-Common Frog at Beverley

May-Hobby at Kilnsea

June-Small Blue in North Yorkshire

June-Small Blue in North Yorkshire

June-Swallowtail Norfolk

June-Elephant Hawk Moth in Beverley

July-Magpie Moth in Beverley

July-Little Gulls in Kilnsea

July-Yellow Wagtail in Kilnsea

July-Small Ranunculus in Beverley

August-Merlin at Kilnsea Wetlands

August-Merlin at Beacon Ponds

August-Peregrine Falcon at Spurn

August-Bottle-Nosed Dolphin at Kilnsea

September Frosted Orange at Beverley

September-Red-breasted Flycatcher at Kilnsea

September-Red-breasted Flycatcher at Kilnsea

September-Red-breasted Flycatcher at Kilnsea

September-Red-breasted Flycatcher at Kilnsea

September-Bee-eater at Kilnsea

September-Caspian Gull off Bridlington

September-Great Skua off Bridlington

September-Arctic Skua off Bridlington

September-Yellow-browed Warbler in Easington

September-Yellow-browed Warbler in Easington

September-Red-breasted Flycatcher at Kilnsea

September-Red-breasted Flycatcher at Kilnsea

September-Hoopoe in Hull

September-Pallid Harrier at Weeton

September-Arctic Warbler at Kilnsea

September-Hen Harrier at Weeton

September-Hen Harrier at Weeton

September-Pallid Harrier at Kilnsea

September-Pallid Harrier at Kilnsea

September-Pallid Harrier at Kilnsea

September-Pallid Harrier at Kilnsea

September-Pallid Harrier at Kilnsea

October-Dunlin at Kilnsea Wetlands

October-Golden Plover at Kilnsea Wetlands

Spurn On A Quieter Day

I managed to resist the temptation of going up to Flamborough this weekend, and instead kept my faith in Spurn (really, a no-brainer) as Spurn to me is far more than just the birds.

I went up on Friday night and called in at Weeton. Very quiet so moved swiftly on.

saturday morning dawned bright and slightly breezy. With the wind coming from a southerly direction my best hope was that some of the migrants extended their stay for another day.

I started at Beacon Ponds and was greeted by a magnificent sunrise. As high tide coincided with daybreak, there was a good number of birds around, they were quite flighty and even more so when a sparrowhawk steamed through in search of breakfast.

Once the sun was up I headed back to the car with the intention of looking around the Warren and Canal bushes.

As I arrived news of the dusky warblere being trapped and ringed came over the radio. I have to say I’m not a fan of ringing birds nor photographing them in the hand, so I had a quick look and made my way towards the gate. I got a few shots of common waders in flight then had a look around canal bushes. Not much around but some delightful goldcrests were photogenic as they fed frantically no doubt having just travelled over the north sea.

I went back for breakfast and then decided to make the trelk accross the breach in search of the remaining arctic warbler. I made it in good time and after a while it eventually showed nicely.

After a coule of hours I headed back and had a very brief view of a barred warbler.

The last couple of hours I spent on the Humber but other than a single marsh harrier, it was very quiet.

I enjoyed the sunrise and even on a relatively quiet day I managed to shoot 1500 images!

A Weekend To Remember

Well the 24 hours between friday teatime and Saturday teatime will live in the memory for a long time.

I had planned to go to Spurn on Friday night but seeing as the long staying hoopoe on Bransholme was still there, I called in.

It was probably the easiest bird I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing, I parked up, took my camera out of the car and began photographing the bird. It was as easy as that.

It was nice evening sunlight and I got down low to capture just the profile of the bird, some Autumn leaves added extra colour.

I made my way to Spurn and after a wander around at dusk, I settled in for the night. I was hoping that there might have been some activity over the sea on Saturday morning but it was surprisingly quiet.

I missed an early hawfinch and a barred warbler refused to come out of its elderberry bush and I was beginning to think it would be one of those days.

I had a drive up to Welwick and whilst it was very quiet, I was blessed with some cracking views of the pallid harrier-it caught me completely off guard as it seemed to appear out of nowhere, so only one half decent photo.

I could still pick up a radio signal at Welwick and news came out of a probably greenish warbler near the discovery centre. By the time I had got back to the car this was confirmed as an arctic warbler.

Initially it showed very well but then becamme elusive. News of the pallid harrier moving to Kilnsea wetlands had me heading down there, it jad been blogging around for some time giving some great views but for me the light was all wrong so again no decent photos.

I figured it would work its way back up the Humber so headed back to Welwick.

I saw a flock of birds rise up in the distance and they were disturbed not by the pallid but by a cracking male hen harrier!

It came towards me giving some great views and disappeared very soon after-whet a bird.

News came out again of the pallid harrier showing well again at Kilnsea Welands. There was only about an hour of light left so I hurredly headed back. I was looking for a crowd of people on the bank top but there was no sign I still headed out and no sooner as I got there, the pallid flew past me not more than 20m away!

It perched up on a post for a good 5 minutes allowing some great views. After a while it took off, looped round then headed back over Kilnsea Wetlands. I was buzzing!

It was a good learning day for me-I was caught off guard a couple of times and I could easily have headed home after being out all day, a classic case of who dares wins!