Visit to Blacktoft Sands RSPB

[James_Owen]

With my girlfriend and I starting new jobs, today looked like our last chance for decent birding trip so we headed for a fairly safe bet, Blacktoft Sands RSPB in East Yorkshire. I hoped to impress her with Avocet but the daytime tides weren't on our side, and we saw none. Apparently there are over 300 commonly scene on Read's Island just 5 miles east on the Humber, although the site isn't accessible to visitors.


Marsh Harrier showed well, toward the end three pirouetted in to roost. I think you could probably be 100% certain to see at least one during any visit at any time.
(video here)
We stayed late keeping at eye on the Barn Owl box, though we had no sighting in the vest strong winds at dusk.


A straggler Whooper Swan was probably the best local rarity, just pipping the drake Pintail and his two accompanying females.
Otherwise Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Golden Plover and Curlew where in good numbers, with nothing better to pick out among them than a solitary Redshank. A couple of hundred Greylag flew in from the Humber late on, the Tree Sparrow in the car park were nice to see, and a decent smattering of ducks from Goldeneye and Gadwall to Teal and Tufted Duck covered each lagoon.

For anybody who hasn't been, it's one of the top three RSPB reserves in the region, with 6 spacious hide, plus a reception hide overlooking internationally significant reedbeds on the south banks of the Humber. And, thankfully, there are toilets.
Winter raptors can be good, my last visit a couple of months ago came up with a Merlin for example, Bittern and Bearded Tit are present although rarely scene in the vast expanse of the reeds, and Avocet breed there, should you visit in Spring/Summer.

62 species for the day.

[Blackdog]

That looks like a good day out James.

It would be a bit of a drive for me as a day out, but a long weekend would be good.

What else is in the area, say, within an hour to hour and a half driving?

[scholesy]

Hiya James.

Are the Hen Harriers still roosting there? I think this winter there has been 2 female & 1 male.

Was planning trip this sunday, but was not sure if they are still around.

Saw wonderful views last januray of male hen harrier.

Have seen barn owl nr famr houses just past the reserve, short-eared owl perched above reedbeds on an dead tree and long-eared owl roosting low down and very close in hedges.

[James_Owen]

Originally Posted by scholesy

Hiya James.

Are the Hen Harriers still roosting there? I think this winter there has been 2 female & 1 male.

Was planning trip this sunday, but was not sure if they are still around.

Saw wonderful views last januray of male hen harrier.

Have seen barn owl nr famr houses just past the reserve, short-eared owl perched above reedbeds on an dead tree and long-eared owl roosting low down and very close in hedges.

Doesn't look like it. Gathering in the car park to leave those few of us who stayed late seemed to have seen only the three same Marsh Harrier, two female and 1 male, ironically enough. The warden seemed to suggest that's the norm now.

He also told us the Barn Owl use a box a hundred or so yards to the east of the Singleton Hide and tend to be seen on that side of the reserve, very early or late in the day.
I've found it good for owls in the past too, there again sometimes they just don't show. Had memorable views of Peregrine there a couple of times as well.

Hopefully there will be a little more variety of waders for your visit as migration heats up.

[James_Owen]

Originally Posted by Blackdog

That looks like a good day out James.

It would be a bit of a drive for me as a day out, but a long weekend would be good.

What else is in the area, say, within an hour to hour and a half driving?

The only one I know is Far Ings, which gets some decent reports. It's only 8 or 9 miles east along the Humber but to get there by road from Blacktoft you're forced to travel for about an hour what with the rivers being in the way. Lots of gravel pits and plenty of hides, though I haven't gotten there myself, always felt like devoting the travel time to Blacktoft instead.
There is of course Spurn if you don't might eating up the miles. For us it's normally a coach trip destination, still it's one of the premier birding sites in Britain, somewhere to visit at least once if you can.

[Tormentil]

Messingham Sand Quarry is only about 1/2 hours drive away.

p.s. Thats half not one to two hours.

[scholesy]

there is also North Cave Wetlands. i have heard of this place but never been, in same humber vicinity.

North Cave Wetlands-The Dealtry Reserve (NC) Nr Market Weighton
O.S. Landranger 106 Grid Ref. 886328

[Blackdog]

Food for thought. Thanks peeps

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Tormentil

Messingham Sand Quarry is only about 1/2 hours drive away.

p.s. Thats half not one to two hours.

Would definitely recommend Messingham Sand Quarry, but you need to be a member of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Far Ings is also worth a visit, open to the general public and Waters Edge is only half a mile down the road from Far Ings, again open to the general public.
Roger

[John]

Don't forget Fairburn Ings which isn't that far away.
Streetmap.co.uk- search results

John

[scholesy]

Far Ings is part of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Heres a link to the Far Ings page on their website:

Far Ings Nature Reserve

[colsworld]

Originally Posted by scholesy

Far Ings is part of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. Heres a link to the Far Ings page on their website:

Far Ings Nature Reserve

Interesting info regarding Far Ings, driven around Barton a few times in the past and have seen the reedbeds, did not know there was a reserve there though.

I would recommend Blacktoft as a good site, even if the Marsh Harriers are now the norm, they still look stunning when they float over the tops of the reeds.

Col

[scholesy]

Took a visit to Blacktoft Sands last Tuesday (10th April). Nice day, weather was sunny & little windy.

Spoke to a local who said that the Hen Harriers stopped roosting around 2-3 wks ago. But they had migrant Osprey on the sight for two consecutive Sunday’s. Possibility of Montagu’s harrier soon as they had one present for 3 weeks last year.

Plenty of wading birds around (particularly Ousefleet hide). Including:

120+ avocet
50+ black-tailed godwit
20+ ruff
15+ redshank
10 spotted redshank
5+ knot
dunlin
20+ curlew

Great views of Marsh Harriers, including a food-drop. Merlin from a distance being mobbed by crow. And courting Great-Crested Grebe. No sightings of Bearded tits or Short-eared or Barn owls.

Nice to see a variety of different wading birds. I always enjoy watching them, with their different sizes, bills and feeding methods.

Surprised to read in the visitor centre that they have Water Voles in the area, never heard this before. Although they weren’t specific about which particular lagoon was best for sightings.