2022 in 12 pictures

With Covid fears receding I got back to long distance twitching for the first time since early 2020. However continuing improvements at my favourite site Tophill Low NR both to the works and reserve meant restrictions varying from total closure to the current situation with some areas at the north of the reserve still not fully open and some hides yet to be replaced. However I spent most of the year either on foot or relying on others for transport this only ending in October. Fingers crossed nothing beyond my control will prevent me enjoying 2023 to the the full.

January The first picture is the Baikal Teal at Tophill Low NR. I was the second person to see the bird on the reserve on the 12th [see here], Roy was checking the righthand side of D reservoir and me the left. The actual picture was taken on the 26th when I relocated the bird for John Hirschfield [see here].

Baikal Teal with Wigeon-D reservoir, Tophill Low NR-26/1/22

February One of the two Red Kites in Cottingham on the 9th [see here].

Red Kite over Millbeck Wildlife Area, Cottingham- 9/2/22

March Back to Tophill Low NR for drake Smew on Watton NR on the 8th [see here]

Drake Smew with Goldeneye-Watton NR at Tophill Low NR-8/3/22

April Maybe not the best picture but my first Brambling in Cottingham for many years on the 10th is a “green birding” mega [see here]

Brambling-Park Lane, Cottingham-10/4/22

May Another Tophill Low NR bird this time Great Reed Warbler, both a site first and my Yorkshire bogey bird, on the 20th. A bit controversial and I have already said something here but now more in the past I will say this bird was viewable from a public footpath and in my opinion even with the reserve itself closed the news of bird could have gone out. It was present 18 May until 12 June. It wasn’t my bird and I didn’t want to cause issues with the reserve management so I kept it to myself. I still get grief from a lapsed Tophill regular over this issue.

Great Reed Warbler-Watton NR at Tophill Low NR-20/5/22

June For a change a reptile. My first Adder which I stumbled across at Fen Bog YWT on the 22nd [see here].

Adder at Fen Bog YWT-22/6/22

July This time a damselfly. Small Red-eyed Damselfly breeding at a private site on Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham [see here].

Small Red-eye Damselfly-Snuff Mill Crossing Cottages, Cottingham

August One of my few trips beyond Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The Cape Gull at Grafton Water, Cambridgeshire on the 7th [see here]. Now on the British List as Kelp Gull.

Cape Gull-Grafham Water. Cambridge-7/8/22

September I saw my first Willow Emerald Damselfly at North Cave Wetland YWT on 28/8/22 [see here]. I then found one in Cottingham, Millbeck Wildlife Area on the 30th [see here] followed by a few along Swine Bank, Hull/Willerby then more at Northcliffe Wood YWT on the 2nd of this month [see here] including the one below.

Willow Emerald Damselfly-Northcliffe Wood YWT-2/9/22

October My first Scilly twitch since dipping Great Blue Heron in April 2015 for Blackburnian Warbler on Bryher on 17th [see here].

Blackburnian Warbler on Bryher, Isles of Scilly-17/10/22

November This month it is a self found Bittern at Tophill Low NR on South Marsh West on the 27th [see here].

Bittern-Tophill Low NR on South Marsh West-27/11/22

December This month brought two new “green birding’ wader ticks with Black-tailed Godwit in Cottingham on the 6th [see here] and Greenshank in Willerby on the 20th [see here]. The former being the least likely so the last picture for the year. Worth noting that both birds were on flood prevention lagoons created after the 2007 flooding.

Black-tailed Godwit-Cottingham-6/12/22

Ten most viewed posts of 2022

The Baikal Teal on Swine Moor and the Cottingham area.

Baikal Teal on Swine Moor and the aftermath of Storm Eunice

Cottingham, Willerby and the finding of the Baikal Teal at Tophill Low NR

Willerby Carrs, Cottingham and Baikal Teal at Tophill Low NR

Twitching Cape Gull

Cape Gull at Grafham Water

First time back at Tophill Low NR after the summer closure.

12/9/22 Back to Tophill Low NR

Willerby, Cottingham and the Baikal Teal at Tophill Low NR

23-26/1/22 Willerby Carr, Cottingham and the Baikal Teal again

Twitching the Blackburnian Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler on Bryher

My first month back on the road including Tophill Low and High Eske NR’s

22/9-19/10/22 “On the road again” [High Eske NR and Tophill Low NR]

Cottingham, Willerby and the Smew on Watton NR in February

Cottingham, Willerby Carr and Smew at Watton NR

First week of 2022 including Tophill Low NR and Cottingham

First Week of 2022-Cottingham and Tophill Low NR

Twitching the Eleonora’s Falcon

Eleonora’s Falcon in Kent

Blackburnian Warbler on Bryher

On the 13/10/22 a first winter male Blackburnian Warbler was found on Bryher, Isles of Scilly. To be honest at the time I didn’t feel too enthusiastic. My last dipped on the Scillies, the Great Blue Heron in April 2015, had left me on the verge of a nervous breakdown and the idea of joining the entire capacity of the Scillonian looking for small bird wasn’t too appealing. However seeing the images and an unusually good write up in the i on Saturday gave me some regret.

The I on Saturday

So when Tony, who I’d assumed had gone without me, rang I was ready to go. Set off late on Sunday night heading for Leicester where we did up John and Colin after midnight. For a change the journey was smooth reaching Penzance with two hours to spare.

Penzance from the Scillonian III

Penzance from the Scillonian III

Initially I took a seat on the open deck to search for sea birds. Initially I had a good number of Gannet and Kittiwake then further out a few Manx Shearwaters and auks including a Guillemot but as we got out into open water the sea got very rough and I felt ill. I’ve never been seasick but I had been feeling unwell for a few days, likely having over done it last week. However I spent the rest of the voyage sitting inside and was glad to set foot on St.Mary’s quayside. Of course it was from one large boat to a smaller one, so crowded you get some respect for those hoping for a better life in rickety vessels in the Mediterranean or the channel, but in more sheltered waters it was an easier passage. On Bryher I managed a good pace to Popplestone Fields. Got a few of those ‘That’s the bird but can I really tick it views” fairly early but I knew it had show well before and didn’t wait long to get a good view. Next it was the matter of getting a photograph and like most others I became a headless chicken although with birds that have a regular circuit it is often better just to wait for the bird to come your way again. Eventually got a few “usable” images. I don’t consider myself a photographer but a birder who just wants his own record of a good bird so was glad when our time ran out I could stop trying to get a better image.

While waiting for the “Surprise” to return I got time to admire the beauty of the Scillies.

Tresco from Bryher

Straight from the small boat to the Scillonian III then back to the mainland. Spent some of the time outside but was still a bit shaky and with the seats mostly occupied found standing up, although the sea was much flatter, hard work. Did manage to see only my second Great Shearwater but not the the Minke and Humpback Whales that others were seeing. Eventually called it a day and got some sleep inside but missed what would have been my first Fea’s/Desertas Petrel off Wolf Rock.

For more on the Blackburnian Warbler check the RBA account by finder and the weekly round up. I wondered why a yank warbler was connected to a Lancastrian town but reading wikipedia found it is also the surname of an English ornithologist.

Still present on Sunday 23st mid afternoon at the start of teachers’ week.