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

22/6/22 Ellerburn Bank and Fen Bog

Although plenty of butterflies at Ellerburn Bank YWT there was nothing unusual.

Painted Lady

Common Blue

Small Heath

Small Tortoiseshell

Red Admiral

Also large numbers of Common Spotted Orchid and a few fenced off Bee Orchids.

Common Spotted Orchid

Bee Orchid

Greater Knapweed

At Fen Bog YWT it was nice see on the breeding ground birds I usually only see as migrants or winter visitors including Stonechat, Whinchat and displaying Siskin.

Stonechat-Fen Bog YWT

We headed for the bog to look for Large Heath but although different from those we see further south all that I photographed were identified as Small Heath.

Small Heath-Fen Bog YWT-different from those I usually see including earlier at Ellerburn Bank.

Juvenile Meadow Pipit on the track of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Had a single Keeled Skimmer in the exactly the same spot we had seen them last year but the water level was very low.

Keeled Skimmer-Fen Bog YWT

Walking back to the carpark I saw a strange “stick” on the path between me and Ricky. Looking closer I saw it was an Adder, a first for me. Initially I thought it was dead but showed no sign of injury and hadn’t been there earlier. Shortly though after presumably playing dead it slivered off into cover.

Adder-Fen Bog YWT

Nearby we had a Common Lizard in deep cover.

Plenty of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries near the carpark but very mobile and hard to get a good photograph.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary-Fen Bog YWT

Went across the road to check the stream for Golden-ringed Dragonflies but none were present. While looking though I located a Spotted Flycatcher on a fence over the stream before flying to trees further away. Another bird that I now usually only see on migration.

Spotted Flycatcher near Fylingdales RAF

Also a very smart singing Whinchat.

Whinchat near Fylingdales RAF

Found a Brown Silver-line moth, a species I’ve previously seen 3 times in Cottingham.

Brown Silver-line near Fylingdales RAF

Managed to see both Large and Small Skipper in the area for the first time this year.

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

2016 in 12 picture

Intro

Most of this year, due to having more free time, I’ve managed to blog when I’ve had the inspiration and a few photographs. I’ve rarely left Yorkshire though so most of the highlights will inevitably be local. I’ve kept going with Cottingham Moths but still wonder whether it’s worth the effort. However viewing figures have doubled since last year. See how I feel when I start trapping again in 2017.

January

My first picture for 2016 is the returning Barmston Kumlien’s Gull, seen on the 31st. It proved tricky this year [more here].

Kumlien’s Gull on Barmston Beach

February

An Early Moth found in Cottingham on Travis Road on the 6th was a new one for me [see here].

Early Moth

March

March was poor for photographs so I’ll settle for my first picture of a Small Tortoiseshell of the year taken at Far Grange.

Small Tortoiseshell at Far Grange, Skipsea

April

My best photograph of the month was a very showy Cetti’s Warbler at Tophill Low NR that performed close to North Marsh Hide for several days.

Cetti’s Warbler at North Marsh-Tophill Low NR

May

This month’s photograph is the two Glossy Ibises at North Cave Wetlands NR, taken on the 29th. A site tick for most regulars.

Glossy Ibises on Dryham Ings-North Cave Wetlands NR

June

This month it’s a Dingy Skipper taken at Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit near Market Weighton on the 5th. A difficult species to see locally and even more to photograph [Full account here].

Dingy Skipper at Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit

July

Perversely my picture for July is an escaped/released Corn Snake found at High Eske NR on the 25th but it survived to provide material for a light hearted posting in August [see here].

Corn Snake-High Eske NR

August

August was a good month for waders at Tophill Low NR, had a site tick in the form of Spotted Crake at North Cave Wetlands and some good insects. All these are covered in the blog but the choice goes to the Western Swamp-hen at Minsmere RSPB on the 1st [see here].

Western Swamp-hen-Minsmere RSPB

September

This month I go for a moth. My first Brick on the 17th.

Brick-Cottingham

October

October was a mad month, said to be the best rarity wise ever. Oddly I never left Yorkshire but the best bird, for me at least, was the Siberian Accentor at Easington seen the same afternoon as my first Yorkshire Paddyfield Warbler [full account here].

Siberian Accentor-Vicar’s Lane, Easington

November

November was a waterbird month and represented by this Black-necked Grebe I found at Tophill Low NR on the 22nd [See here].

Black-necked Grebe on D res at Tophill Low NR

December

The last photograph should have been Dusky Thrush at Beeley but didn’t see it long enough to get a picture on my 1st attempt and not at all on the 2nd [see here]. Therefore the space is filled by Eastern Black Redstart at Skinningrove, with in the historic borders of Yorkshire [see here].

Eastern Black Redstart-Skinningrove

Top 10 posts of 2016 [viewing figures]

1 The Flamborough/Easington twitch-Paddyfield Warbler and Siberian Accentor

2 Migrants-Kilnsea/Easington including Olive-backed Pipit

3 Putative Stejneger’s Stonechat at Spurn Point–Since confirmed

4 31/1/16 Kumlien’s Gull at Barmston [for the 4th year?]

5 Waxwings at last-Hessle Sainsbury’s

6 Alkborough Flats–pre-Western Swamp-hen

7 The Grey Phalarope at Tophill Low NR

8 Spotted Crake at North Cave Wetlands

9 North Cave Wetlands YWT–Birds and insects

10 2015 in 12 pictures

Snake rescue at High Eske NR

10/8/16 Wednesday morning went to High Eske NR. Although this is the site I visit most on my own I have a sense of trepidation during the summer holidays and weekends. Although it can a paradise, at this time of year it can be invaded by the barbarians. Canoes, unruly fishermen, swimmers and even speed boats can spoil your day. For August this was a cold day so hopefully this would put off some anti-social activities. Had it to myself initially but wasn’t much to see with just the now common Little Egret and a Greenshank that I couldn’t see and may have just been a fly over. Having checked the pit walked south to check hedge at Eske Manor that often attracts the sort of commoner migrant that appears at this time of year. Only had a few Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Whitethroat that were likely just local breeders. However scanning the fields had a small covey of Grey Partridge. A year tick having yet to see any along Tophill Low NR approach road. Walked back north and round the back of the reserve. Spent some time on Pulfin NR but no sign of the family of Marsh Harrier that had nested in the area. Had a few butterflies including a Painted Lady. Also several Brown and Southern Hawkers.

Two weeks ago I seen a Corn Snake. Had no chance of rescuing it and thought I’d be lucky even to see it again. Amazingly in the same area, near the bridge over the north outlet, there it was again. Initially thought it was likely to be dead, but getting closer it was still moving. Despite it being cold it was more active than the first time.

“Haven’t I seen you before?” Corn Snake at High Eske NR

Seemed to think it was a Rattlesnake, presumably a survival technique, as if I bothered it it drew it head back as though to strike and ‘rattled’ its tail. This wasn’t purely mimicry as I later found. Now I was stuck what to do as I had nothing to put in. However when I’d posted pictures on Facebook before my friend Mandy had said she could home it if I could catch it. Sent her a text.

Minutes later Mandy phoned back and was shortly on the way with her father. The snake wasn’t showing any sign of fleeing so I went to look for a bag or somethings, never a problem at this litter strewn ‘beauty spot’. Found a bag but just couldn’t get it in. This is when it proved to be not just kidding.

Snake bite.

Thought best to give up and wait for Mandy. Gently held it in place with my foot after covering its head with my hat. Although it did try to get away a few times, eventually relaxed was able to leave it unmolested. Shortly Mandy arrived and put me to same by just grabbing it behind the head and although it put up a fight into it in a pillow case.

Mandy and the Serpent. Clearly an experienced snake wrangler.

Snake in the bag

Walking back to the farm thought I saw an Otter swimming into the opposite bank of the river but didn’t reappear.