On Saturday a group of over 30 Field Naturalists sneaked in a very successful trip, just before the arrival of Storm Ciara, on a coach excursion to Blacktoft sands RSPB Nature Reserve near Goole in East Yorkshire.
Blacktoft Sands is part of the Humber estuary, one of the most important wildlife sites in the U.K. and includes England’s largest intertidal reedbed, providing a home for wildfowl and waders. It also includes an area of mudflat inaccessible to human encroachment giving a safe roosting area for large numbers of Golden Plover and Lapwing.
Although the weather in Rochdale was a little overcast on our departure, we arrived at Blacktoft Sands in glorious sunshine which lasted throughout our visit with only a brisk chilly breeze preventing absolutely perfect conditions. Perhaps because of the wind fewer small songbirds were seen than might otherwise have been the case but there were still sightings of Tree Sparrows, Fieldfares, Redwing and various tits and finches, whilst the elusive Cetti’s Warblers remained heard but not seen!
All the hides at Blacktoft Sands overlook shallow saline lagoons which were rich with varied waterfowl. Tufted Ducks and Wigeon were perhaps the most dominant duck species, but there were also decent numbers of Mallard, Gadwall and Teal and a few Goldeneye and Pochard, as well as Mute Swans, geese and 2 or 3 Little Grebe.
The water level in most of the lagoons was quite high, leaving little in the way of shallow edges for the waders, although one hide gave excellent views of 4 Snipe, close by in the grass at the water’s edge. The westernmost lagoon did however have a pleasing variety of waders (mainly Redshank and Dunlin) quite near to the hide, and a small number of Godwits and Spotted Redshanks further out in the water. Every so often a large flock of Lapwings with some Golden Plover would go up into the sky then gradually disappear, and there were Curlews in a field just beyond the reserve.
The highlight for many was the appearance on two or three occasions of a Marsh Harrier flying over the lagoons, giving excellent views. Although Blacktoft Sands is a small reserve the abundance and variety of wildlife there made the time fly by and I think most of us were disappointed when it came time to return to the coach for the homeward journey.
Have a look at Pete Knowles’ film of the Marsh Harrier here :
https://www.facebook.com/pete.knowles.77/videos/2838216569596431/?t=11
Trevor Parry