Local / St. Aidens RSPB

1st of Match and while we wait for Abi to welcome in the day......
Another cracking day today and a nice surprise with a singing Linnet seen as I walked up the path to Wards View through the bog to Ned Hill Road and back.

Hazy type of sunshine for the most part with lots of bird song and a few 'good uns' (for me anyway) along the way.

A lovely walk if you have your wellies on !

After lunch (Abi breakfast) Sue decided to take Abi shopping to Junction 32 outlet near Castleford and gave me options:-

1. Go Shopping.

2. Go birding at St. Aidens RSPB reserve.

After a lot of head scratching (he lied)  I finally option of No 2. birding.
Sue dropped me at St, Aidens and picked me up later on.

A bit of a late do this evening,  with Wakefield to call at later as well.

St. Aidens RSPB.

This place is massive and I always seem to run out of time, no matter how much time I have.

Today I look a left between the first ponds after the car park to eventually walk along the west(?) side of the ponds.

It was quite a hike before I came to a path that leads between the ponds to circle around back to the car park.

In the afternoon you need to get to the 'far side' because the afternoon sun creates a massive amount of glare on the water(s) and the birds appear in silhouette.

I did OK I think taking photos as I walked probably 3 miles or more!

Birds:

Bradshaw Fields.

Linnet.

2 Stonechat.

Greenfinch. Goldfinch.Chaffinch.

6 Meadow Pipit.

c10m Herring Gulls.

A potential Yellow Legged Gull in flight - but I am not clever enough to dissect the P number on it's wing tips!! I'm clutching at strays again.

c80 Small Gulls in the horse field with glare from the sun.

c20 Common Gulls sunbathing in another field.

3 Stock Dove.

5 Wren.

Long Tailed Tit.

Blackbird.

Little Owl.

Skylark.

St Aidens RSPB.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves (later) but some highlights were:-

Many, many Duck species plus..

Redshank.

Many Curlew.

Great White Egret.

Shelduck.

I'll post the photos later, when I've had time to look at 'em.(Probably tomorrow now).

Bradshaw Fields.

Herring or Y.L.G.