Photo Therapy! 'Lifers' at Crowle & Norfolk; Life & death sorted by the long walk at Spurn.

Reflecting upon what has probably been one of the toughest times of my life during which I have witnessed first hand my father battle and eventually loose his fight with dementia, I've come to realise the true therapeutic value of  having an absorbing hobby to turn to when the going gets just too much to bear. Support from family, friends and the various caring services has been crucial too of course during the past few months since I moved back home to help my long suffering mother cope and care with a once proud man who was challenging to the end.

All over now, bar the funeral - the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, especially for my mum. Looking back over my photographs for the period I was surprised that I found the time to take so many but maybe I needed that absorption, the space and time when nothing else matters except getting the right shot. I suppose you might call it photo-therapy!

A few days respite on the coast in Norfolk and Lincolnshire with good friends and fellow wildlife nuts was therapeutic too. I could and maybe should have stayed away longer but it was energising all the same and good for the soul.

Stifkey Marshes, Norfolk, 23/05/19

Burnham Overy, Norfolk, 24/05/19

Spoonbill, Holkham, 24/05/19

Birding highlights included my second UK lifer of the month, a pair of overflying Black Winged Stilts, 3 Turtle Doves, several Garganey ducks, Little Terns, Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel, a Turnstone in full summer plumage and several of the Spoonbills that are now breeding successfully in Norfolk - several good views of them flying over but never seemed to get the camera ready soon enough so had to make do with a long range shot from one of the hides at Holkham.

Mediterranean Gull, Titchwell, 25/05/19

Little Tern, Burnham Overy, 24/05/19

Summer plumaged Turnstone, Frampton Marshes, 25/05/19

Curlew Sandpiper, Frampton, 25/05/19

Garganey, Frampton Marshes, 26/05/19

Red Footed Falcon, Crowle, 01/05/19

 My second 'lifer' came earlier in the month after a tip off from my mate Mark - reports of 2 Red Footed Falcons on Crowle Moor, nr Thorne. It was a good opportunity for me touch base with me old mucker and Thorne / Crowle  Moors rarely disappoint so off I went 'a twitchin'. Not sure if I ever saw 2 together but we certainly got at least one Red Foot amongst many more Hobbies. No full on 'in your face' photo opps but some useful record shots of this regular invader from eastern europe.

Red Footed Falcon, Crowle, 01/05/19

 

Hobby, Crowle, 01/05/19

Hobby, Crowle, 01/05/19

Common Cranes, Crowle Moor, 01/05/19

The small breeding population of Common Cranes on the moor is not a secret anymore and I hope they do well this year. Whilst we were marvelling at the aerobatic feats of hawking falcons and trying to pick the Red Foots out from the Hobbies, a couple of Cranes drifted by some way off engaged in what looked like some kind of synchronised display flight.

 Crowle Moor, 01/05/19

Spurn Point, 26/04/19

 A day at Spurn Point on my own and a walk down the 3 mile peninsular and back has long been one of  my 'escape valves', a good way for me to clear my head, get to grips with myself and make decisions. Not a particularly good birding day but I didn't care - it was good head cleansing and more photo-therapy. Setting off in some dull and blinding mist of anxiety and a dark mood, I returned with optimism and mental fortitude refreshed.

Spurn Point, 26/04/19

Spurn Point, 26/04/19

 

Cirrus clouds at Spurn Point, 26/04/19

Linnet, Spurn Point, 26/04/19

Wheatear, Spurn Point, 26/04/19

Barn Swallow, Spurn Point, 26/04/19

I remember my dad bringing me to Spurn once (I must have been 14 or so) along with a couple of mates, all of us budding birdwatchers. He dropped us off and picked us all up a week later! We stayed in one of several self catering Nissan huts (since condemned and taken down) with minimal supervision apart from a nightly round up of bird sightings with the warden and the observatory regulars - it was a great adventure!

Typical of my dad to do that and as I reflect on the whole experience of his distress and merciful passing I remember a happier man, the one who allowed me to wander free and follow my passion from an early age. He bought me my first pair of binoculars and although not an enthusiast himself I know he appreciated the great outdoors in his younger days and always enjoyed telling me about different birds he'd seen coming and going from his garden - including what can only have been a young Bittern by the way he described it -  on the lake behind the house which he took a week to tell me about by which time it was long gone - took me ages to forgive him that one! So in his memory, both alive and kicking and now resting at peace, here's a final few from around York he might have taken a second look at ....

4 Spotted Chaser, Askham Bog, 23/06/19

Ragged Robin, Copmanthorpe, 23/06/19

Large Skipper, Askham Bog, 23/06/19

Bee Orchid, Copmanthorpe, 23/06/19

Pyramidal Orchid, Copmanthorpe, 23/06/19

Orange Tip Butterfly, Askham Bog, 04/05/19

Water Violet, Askham Bog, 04/05/19

Meadow Thistle, Askham Bog, 22/06/19

Singing Corn Bunting, Melbourne Ings, 24/06/19

Pochard, North Cave, 13/05/19

Field Scabious, LDV, 28/06/19

Banded Demoiselle, Askham Bog, 29/06/19

Jack Ward, 1938 - 2019. R.I.P Dad ☘

Late summer into autumn, migrating birds, lakes landscapes and late butterflies.

I'm secretly glad to see the departure of that steamy hot humid Summer we've just had, one of the warmest on record and even now we're having record breaking temperatures into October .. where will it end! Surely there can't be anyone bar Donald Trump that can be any doubt that global warming is becoming more and more noticeable.

I'm off to the Linconshire coast next week on a camping trip so thought I'd post a few of my more memorable pictures of the last few weeks ...late summer turning to early autumn before I get another shed load of pics to sort and post. No particular order to these and nothing mind boggling but as ever, a story attached to each and every one.

These Southern Hawker Dragonflies get easier and easier to photograph later on in the day when they're less active and erm preoccupied!

Coupling Southern Hawkers, Askham Bog, 1/09/18

Small Copper butterfly, saw several of these round and about my local area late summer but this rather ragged looking individual was my first record for Askham Bog.

Small Copper, Askham Bog, 29/09/18

Closer to home (quite literally), I spent 3 weeks of September looking after my father whilst my mum had a well deserved break and during much gardening I spotted 2 good butterflies on the trusty old Budlea ...

Painted Lady and Comma on Budlea, York garden, 03/09/18

Common Swift in with migrating House Martins, Wheldrake Ings, 07/09/18

There's still a few Barn Swallows and House Martins knocking about on the coast and I hope to see a late one next week but my last Swift was on the 7th Sept at Wheldrake Ings. Rubbish pic but always try and get a record shot of my last and first birds!

A few days later I was in the company of good friend Mikey who had pointed me in the direction of some late Hobbies in the York area. We saw just the one but were treated to some fantastic aeriel dispalys of this juvenile bird hawking insects.

Juv Hobby, Brockfield Hall, York, 12/09/18

Juv Hobby, Brockfield Hall, York, 12/09/18

Another notable bird for me in the York area recently was this nice female / juv Whinchat in with several juv Stonechats on Strensall Common.

Fem / juv Whinchat, Strensall Common, 05/09/18

Juv Stonechat, Strensall Common, 05/09/18

A week in the Lake District with my children and was a superbly relaxing and enjoyable break. I've posted all the family pics elsewhere so with a couple of exceptions here are a few wildlife / landscape pics from a hugely memorable family holiday in one of the most picturesque places in the country.

Lakeland fields and walls, Nr Winston, Cumbria, 23/09/18

Wast Water, 24/09/18

Wast Water, 24/09/18

South Walney nature reserve & Piel Castle, 27/09/18

Common Seal, South Walney, 27/09/18

Slow Worm, roadside, nr Winston, Cumbria, 24/09/18

Me, a bit knackered after a climb! 24/09/18

My son, same climb, less knackered!

A couple of trips out so far to the Yorkshire coast for autumn bird migration and with slim pickings so far there'll be more to come! This early morning Short Eared Owl at Sammy's Point, Spurn being the highlight so far. 2 on the peninsular that day and great to get good and regular views of them. Bit gutted I never got a decent flight shot though😢

Short Eared Owl, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

Short Eared Owl, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

Day I was there I couldn't stay long but I saw plenty of common migrants flying in over the north sea, 100s of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Redwings could be seen making landfall and whilst I ducked out on Yellow Browed Warbler, Ring Ouzel and an Olive Backed Pipit, I did bag a probable Richard's Pipit and a handful of migrant goodies including Bramblings, Whinchat, a late Swallow and several Common Redstarts.

Common Redstart (juv male?), Spurn, 11/10/18

Like many migrating song birds seen in autumn, a pale shadow of the the brightly coloured thing you might see in a quiet wooded glade somewhere in late spring. This Redstart looks like a juv to me but adult birds can look remarkably similar in their 'drab and worn' post breeding plumages.










Smashing early morning light for one of many Curlews on the Humber estuary.

Curlew, Sammy's Point, Spurn, 11/10/18

The long staying Rose Colured Starling once again evaded me but the big influx of Common Starlings into the country are already impressing their presence on our autumn landscapes .. I've never been a huge fan of wind turbines, mainly because of their 'blot on the landscape' effect but from a photographic viewpoint this works!

Flocking Starlings, Spurn, 11/10/18

Pink Footed Geese, Flamborough headland, 04/10/18

Talking about flocks there have been some impressive skeins of Pink Footed Geese over from the north as they head for their wintering grounds around our northern estuaries and veg fields, so many more I think than in years gone by. They've been flying over the York area since the middle of September and hearing that chattering honking call, looking up and seeing a massed v formation overhead always reminds me of my time in France and the annual migration of Common Cranes ....happy days!😄 This small group went over Flamborough early Oct during an overnighter there in dismal weather and precious few good birds!




Danes Dyke looked good the next morning though, through a shaft of sunshine before the clouds really started to gather ....

Danes Dyke, 04/10/18

 ....and I'm never too proud to snap a common bird if the light is good!

Herring Gull, Flamborough Headland, 04/11/18

Back around my own patch at Fangfoss Park I'm witnessing the arrival of the first Redwings and Fieldfares in the hedges, all typically skittish, and the first big flocks of Lapwing over the fields.

Northern Lapwing, Fangfoss Pk, 02/10/18

Northern Lapwing, Fangfoss Pk, 02/10/18

These magnificent Sloes and the many other berries on the hedges around me are a magnet for winter thrushes. They'll all get eaten within a month or two and once again I'll probably not get around to picking a jug full for that Sloe gin I keep promising myself .. so much else to do!😝

Comma butterfly, Fangfoss Pk, 03/10/18

I thought his would be my last Comma butterfly but I spotted another at Askham Bog a few days later and a happy looking Brimstone the week after at Moorlands nature reserve!

Red Kite, Bishop Wilton, 10/10/18

On the 10th of October I was laid flat on my back on top of the Yorkshire Wolds near Bishop Wilton. Down to a T shirt and snoozing beneath the sun in 22C of heat, this Red Kite was one of 4 that suddenly appeared circling over my head!

















I love a good ariel battle and these last pics from my local patch are from the ageless 'Corvid v Raptor' series, in this case one of my local Kestrels getting the runaround by a Carrion Crow.

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18

Carrion Crow v Kestrel, Fangfoss Pk, 01/10/18