Birding Group Visit to North Cave : 15th June 2015

Birding Group Visit to North Cave : 15th June 2015

We left Blacktoft Sands around 2pm and drove back up to the motorway and then across the other side of the River Ouse to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve at North Cave. Here we were pleased to find that the site was full of wildlife and there were birds aplenty – especially the raucous Black-headed Gulls with their hungry young but also very large numbers Greylag Geese and a good smattering of other, perhaps more interesting, birds.

We parked at the top end of the reserve nearest the main road and walked down the path, stopping to look at all the blinds that are on either side of the path that overlook the main lake on the right and the various scrapes, pools and fields on the left hands side. On these there were a variety of birds including a couple of Little Ringed Plovers, Shelduck and a Great Black-backed Gull. Over the fields there were Sand Martins and Swallows

Down at the main hide there was a great view of the whole site and from here we got good views of a Linnet and perhaps the same Little Ringed Plovers but also Oystercatcher and a single Common Tern and a single Cormorant. There were Lapwing flapping around and a general hubbub of Black-headed Gulls.

Although it was perhaps not that special, it was a nice day and there was plenty to look at so we were very happy we had fitted it in to our itinerary. We ended up doing the circular walk around the main lake and here we found a Kestrel, Small flocks of Goldfinch and Reed Warblers. On the islands there were Avocets which looked like they were on nests but there was no sign either of eggs or chicks.

In the end we hadn’t seen anything we had not already seen this year but it was a good walk on a lovely day. After Blacktoft Sands and North Cave we were happy enough to call it a day just after 5.30pm so we assembled back at the car where we then drove off to the Travelodge at South Cave where we were staying at the advance, no cancellation, rate of £30 per room. In truth it wasn’t as bad as it might have been and the rooms were clean, not troo shabby and quiet apart from some erratic plumbing. In the evening we all went to the Fox and Coney at South Cave for a good meal (even if the service was quite slow) and a few pints of decent Doom Bar. I had nearly booked a room in this pub but in the end I was glad I had not because it was pub quiz night and despite it being a small bar, the use of a microphone seemed to be needed so I wouldn’t have fancied that going on until god knows when. It would be a good idea in the future to anquire about any events in the evening before booking.

Bird Sightings : North Cave