A Trip to see a Goose from Greenland.

On Sunday 7th February 2016,  saw a break in some recent atrocious weather. It seems we have had nothing but grey skies, storm after storm and continuous rain for days now. Glyn Richard and I decided to head off into Yorkshire in the hope of seeing a Greenland White-fronted Goose (flavirostris). Before we did, there was a diversion required, in order to see a Black Redstart that had recently been discovered in a remote area of South Derbyshire. The bird could well have been in the area of Church Broughton all winter, waiting for someone to find it. It was a moulting first winter male when we eventually set eyes on it. It took some finding as it was not on it’s favoured muck heap when we arrived. It showed briefly in some pretty inclement weather and I only managed a couple of record shots in the wind and rain. Black Redstart is a scarce breeding bird and passage migrant in Derbyshire, so to have one so close to home was a bonus.

Black Redstart – 1st winter male – Heath Top, Church Broughton, South Derbyshire – Tony Davison© – above two record shots – I’m sure there will be better images to follow.

We decided to head off to our original destination of Fairburn Ings, in North Yorkshire. There had been a small flock of Greenland White-fronted Geese in the vicinity. Fairburn Ings is an RSPB reserve and a large wetland area. A great place for photographing common birds, as access is easy and there are many feeding stations for small familiar garden birds. During our time here we saw Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Smew (A Redhead) Little Egret, Shelduck, Goldeneye, Pochard, Willow Tit, Nuthatch, some good numbers of Tree Sparrow but no Geese. Around lunchtime we received some news that a single Greenland White-fronted Goose had been seen at nearby Swillington Ings, so we made our way there. After about a mile and a half walk, we eventually got some good views and some reasonable photographs of this superb goose. My Year List moves on to 120

Tree Sparrow – A few studies of this progressively uncommon bird. Good numbers though at Fairburn Ings – Tony Davison©

Greenfinch – adult male – A very attractive finch – Tony Davison© – Small numbers around the feeders at Fairburn Ings

Nuthatch – Just a head shot, as the bird was ringed – for me, there just seemed to be far too many resident birds that were ringed?

Kestrel – A young male – Fairburn Ings – Tony Davison©

Mallard – A courting couple – Fairburn Ings – Tony Davison©

Tufted Duck – drake – Tony Davison©

Black-headed Gull – A first winter in front of two adults. Tony Davison©

Black-headed Gull – adult in wither plumage – A really attractive gull when up close and personal. Tony Davison©

White-fronted Goose – The Greenland race flavirostris – note the heavy barring on underparts, predominantly long and orange bill and dark area around the chin  area