Trip reports

A VISIT TO RSPB BLACKTOFT SANDS

Saturday, 25 August 2007

The reserve lies on the banks of the rivers Ouse & Trent, having inter-tidal reedbeds, ideal for marsh harriers, bitterns & bearded tits, also saline lagoons, which provide resting and feeding areas for migrating waders. Six hides and a reception centre are strung out along a well made path giving easy access.

As we approached the Marshland Hide c60 lapwing passed overhead, this is a very common bird here, breeding and on passage.

From the hide we watched, for some time, a green sandpiper and a spotted redshank - the first of a few - in front of the reedbed on the far side, near to where a group of c40 common redshank stood in shallow water. Also just above the water, reed and sedge warblers were flitting about. This area turned out to be a rewarding area, as a water rail was spotted weaving its way through the reed-stems, only coming into full view when it broke into a trot over a space where the reeds had been cut. There were bar-tailed godwit, some still in summer plumage and also numerous lapwing. At least 35 teal with a few mallard were on the open water.

One amusing sight was that of a nest box on a post in the form of a little 'house'. A barn owl stood in his doorway watching us watching him. A buzzard soared and circled high up.

We walked along an elderberry and hawthorn hedgerow absolutely laden with berries to the Ousefleet Hide, which was quiet except for a passing calling curlew and a single shoveler. And then the marsh harriers appeared, banking, diving and completing their performance by making a 'food pass'.

At Xerox Hide we saw both spotted & common redshank, 4 godwits in flight and a flock of resting lapwing.

Singleton Hide is noted for ruffs & reeves in various states of summer plumage we also saw two spotted redshank and a pair of elegant greenshank, a group of male & female gadwall which kept vanishing behind the reeds.

Townend Hide produced 6 greenshank, a goldfinch, which flew past giving its liquid twittering song, and three beautiful snipe (pictured). Also seen was a party of six dunlin, two with black belly patch and others less distinctly marked were probably juveniles. Two herons stood at the edge of the reeds.

The First Hide pool seemed to be ideal for little grebes with two pairs with young, like little humbugs, floating on the surface. We found tree sparrows which are resident, around the car park.

Blacktoft (Grid Reference SE 843232) is a great reserve to visit in all seasons, I've been in early spring when it's alive with passerines and now I've enjoyed the late summer passage of migrant waders.