Because I
was in Brazil last autumn I missed the Franklins Gull when it spent a week in
the fields not far from Soil Hill. It then spent just two nights at Anglers CP
in November once I was back, before it headed to the continent. As a result I
never got the chance to catch up with it.
Until
today!
The bird
arrived at Swillington Ings two days ago but because of my covid jab I was not
in a position to go and see it until today. I arrived early and had to wait a couple
of hours before I finally saw it, but once I had connected it showed very
nicely and for an extended period, something the Scaling Dam bird in 2018 did
not do. It was a fantastic bird and well worth the trip out to see.
The reserve
was buzzing as always. The Black-necked Grebes were not super showy today but I
still saw a couple of adults with chicks. A cracking male Bearded Tit flew
across the path in front of me, while the sky was full of Swifts and House Martins,
raising the question; where are these birds in Halifax?
Swillington Ings: Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Common Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goosander, Common Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Common Wood Pigeon, Common Swift, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Common Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Franklin's Gull, European Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Bittern, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Red Kite, Common Kestrel, Eurasian Magpie, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Skylark, Bearded Reedling, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Common House Martin, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Eurasian Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Starling, Song Thrush, Common Blackbird, European Robin, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Bullfinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, Common Reed Bunting, European Rabbit,
A good do there Daniel with nice shots of the Franklin - and Pochard ! Can't just recall the last Pochard record here. Hardly any Swifts or Swallows / martins about here but that's not saying a lot. The River Calder seems the best bet at the moment but no masses.
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