Sniper alley

The most notable arrival this week has been snipe in abundance, starting with six last Sunday but rapidly swelling to a rather spectacular 50-60 by John Wilkinson on Friday night, and still 28 yesterday by Martin Hodges, and 22 this afternoon by Dave Ruffles.  There were still at least 12 there at 5pm tonight:

Other wader highlights have included the first 2 ruff of the year, a highly respectable 8 green sandpiper, up to 6 greenshank, and 3 common sandpiper with fly over grey plover, 4 whimbrel and 1 curlew.

Perhaps the most interesting visitor of the week though was yesterday.  This marsh harrier was photographed by Bill Eggleton over North Marsh yesterday morning and has some hard to miss wing tags:




It transpires that this bird was ringed as a chick this summer by the North West Norfolk Ringing Group.  Please report any further sightings of this or other birds and we'll pass them on - details of the project are linked here.

Crossbills are still fleetingly around the car park.  Four were over today and Pete Drury found and photographed some of 8 on Thursday:

Still a few common terns going south - 3 this aft.  But keep a keen eye out for any subtle differences in bill patterns.  This one looked interestingly dark at first to no avail - but there's no harm in trying at this time of year:


The new scrape at Hempholme is now cut and we've already had some greenshank drop in - pictures on Flickr by Jeff Barker:

More otter prints around it:

 And black tailed skimmer paradise on the scrapes - Roy Vincent:



Along with some of the gang of roving herons currently about - Roy Vincent:

The arisings have been added to one of the log heaps at the north of the site to create perhaps the finest grass snake refugia in East Yorkshire:

Just behind the hide are still our sparrowhawks - thanks to Chris Ulliott for this of them perched:

Butterflies after a torrid start to the year are making a good show now - thanks to Dave Ruffles for this of wall brown:

Cinnabar moths for later on the ragwort - Roy Vincent:

Plenty of Draggies too - ruddy darter by Chris Ulliott:

The feral greylags are now starting to build so start looking out for interest amongst them - Chris Ulliott:

And one way of getting closer to nature - thanks to Mike Grierson of Morrison Utility Services for these photographs of the team searching the route of the new pipeline for Luftwaffe bombs reportedly dropped in the war in the area using a ground penetrating radar. 

Please note - swimming unaided across the river Hull is not to be advocated unless you happen to be an ex-Royal Navy diver!

Finally Apologies for a misprint - it was Darren Smith who discovered and photographed the green woodpecker last Friday.