Birding Group Visit to Blacktoft Sands and North Cave 3 June 2024
The birding group had one of its traditional overnight stays that took in RSPB Blacktoft Sands and North Cave on day one and RSPB Bempton Cliffs on day two.
We all met up at the reception hide at Blacktoft Sands and then proceeded to visit the three hide to the right of reception before returning to do the left side hides.
Apart from some of the group seeing a Bittern and the usual fantastic, very close views of Marsh Harriers the birds were pretty much as usual with no great surprises. The high number of Tree Sparrows is always a special pleasure and, as we left, we saw at lease a couple of dozens of them all crammed onto a small bird table making for an amusing sight. This was the only year tick of the visit.
We drove on to North Cave where an Osprey and a Savi’s Warbler had been reported earlier that day. Naturally, we didn’t see them though we spent a fair bit of time hoping the latter would appear near the car park.
Down at the hide, we stopped at the top of the stairs to the hide and looked over to the big lake on the other side of the road. There were lots of Sand Martins and the bank they have built there looks like it has been well occupied even though no birds were entering or leaving the holes when we watched.
The birds from the hide were fairly run of the mill. Oddly there was only one Common Tern where there are usually many. The best view of the day was of a pair of Little Ringed Plovers, one of which was sitting on at least one chick although looking very vulnerable to the Black-headed Gulls.
Bird Sightings : RSPB Blacktoft Sands 3 June 2024
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Black-headed Gull | 6 |
| Blue Tit | 2 |
| Carrion Crow | 2 |
| Cetti's Warbler | 2 |
| Chaffinch | 6 |
| Chiffchaff | 2 |
| Coot | 2 |
| Gadwall | 6 |
| Goldfinch | 4 |
| Great Tit | 2 |
| Grey Heron | 2 |
| Greylag Goose | 12 |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | 2 |
| Little Egret | 1 |
| Little Grebe | 3 |
| Magpie | 4 |
| Mallard | 30 |
| Marsh Harrier | 6 |
| Moorhen | 4 |
| Mute Swan | 4 |
| Pheasant | 1 |
| Pied Wagtail | 1 |
| Reed Bunting | 1 |
| Reed Warbler | 2 |
| Shelduck | 4 |
| Swallow | 6 |
| Swift | 6 |
| Tree Sparrow | 30 |
| Tufted Duck | 6 |
| Whitethroat | 2 |
| Woodpigeon | 8 |
| Wren | 2 |
Bird Sightings : North Cave 3 June 2024
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| Avocet | 3 |
| Black-headed Gull | 20 |
| Blackbird | 2 |
| Blackcap | 1 |
| Buzzard | 1 |
| Cetti's Warbler | 1 |
| Chiffchaff | 1 |
| Common Tern | 1 |
| Coot | 6 |
| Cormorant | 1 |
| Great Crested Grebe | 2 |
| Greylag Goose | 60 |
| Kestrel | 1 |
| Lapwing | 1 |
| Little Egret | 1 |
| Little Grebe | 3 |
| Little Ringed Plover | 3 |
| Mute Swan | 8 |
| Oystercatcher | 1 |
| Pochard | 2 |
| Reed Bunting | 1 |
| Reed Warbler | 1 |
| Robin | 2 |
| Sand Martin | 20 |
| Shoveler | 4 |
| Swallow | 4 |
| Swift | 8 |
| Willow Warbler | 2 |
| Wren | 1 |