Wednesday 21 June 2017

Up north!

I was now running out of time, so on 4th June I put my bike on the train to Doncaster & then cycled to Rob & Helen's house in Crowle. The weather was very mixed, showers but the worst aspect was the strong cross-winds making cycling tricky. Arrived around 2.30 pm & the weather changed to a beautiful afternoon. 

My old patch is now a national nature reserve.

Wind turbines surround the area.


Marsh Harrier, quite close to the wind turbines!


Rob, birding.






Little Egret




Black necked Grebes.


A rare summer bird in the UK.


Black necked Grebe
Digi scoped by Rob Adams.





Black headed Gulls still breed here,
 but in much reduced numbers.



So Rob & I made a quick visit to Thorne Moors & what a great afternoon it was! I got two local ticks! Little Egret & Black necked Grebe! It is amazing how things have changed. It was a terrific two hours birding, highlights included Little Egret; 2 Black necked Grebes; 5 Marsh Harriers; 2 Common Buzzard & 9 Hobbies. 

Rob & Helen

Enjoyed a very nice dinner with Rob & Helen in the evening.

The new Spurn Bird Observatory

The Humber Estuary


One of the wetlands in Kilnsea.


Grey lag Goose.


Several pairs of Avocet breed on these wetlands.


Carrion Crow, with Meadow Pipit as prey.

The huge heliogoland trap in Church Field.

Rob is the very successful chairman of the SBO.

On 5th June paid a visit to Spurn. The weather was terrible (gale force winds) but it was nice to tramp around old haunts & see a few old friends. There were not many birds about but 600+ Common Swifts went south & a late flock of 85 Grey Plover were on the Humber.

Helen, Sandra, Pat & Gary.

Mike & Kate.

Rob & Helen.

That evening Rob did a BBQ in the garden & a few old friends dropped in. It was a great evening.

Me, setting off with Helen & Pat
in the background.


It was a little hairy crossing the bridge 
in a gale!


Martin & Amanda


Toni

The next day I cycled across the Humber Bridge to Beverley & stayed with Martin & Amanda. The conditions were terrible, heavy showers & gales! Enjoyed a nice evening with Toni even playing the violin for me!


City Hall

Solidarity for victims of the 
Manchester attack.

The Deep.


One of my old haunts!

It was of course polling day!

Had to leave early the next day to see Janet & Jen in Hull. Enjoyed a lovely lunch with them in the Old Town before I caught the ferry to Rotterdam, but that is a different blog!

Premier Inn, let me take my bike into my room!

Justin, Nicci, Gabe & Peaches.

Arrived back in Harwich on 17th June & dropped my bike off at Nicci's, before catching the train up to Yorkshire to see Rowan. Rowan & her boyfriend Ceggy have been on a round the world trip for over a year.

Ceggy & Rowan.

It was of course Father's Day when I was there.


Me & Rowan on the River Wharfe.

The last time I saw them was in Australia in January. Spent a great two days with them in Ilkley & the weather was superb. Then it was back to London & Abu Dhabi.

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