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A large area that incorporates farmland, estuary and saltmarsh, with a diversity of wildlife on offer.
This is one of my favourite areas for birding, although getting close enough to get good photographs isn’t always easy. The area is great for Barn Owls and Little Owls, some of which I’ve managed to photograph. Sightings of Buzzards & Kestrels are commonplace, Curlews, Redshank, Oystercatchers & Lapwings are all abundant in the area, as are Red legged Partridge which I assume are bred & released on the farmland here for hunting purposes. Large flocks of Pink footed Geese can be seen in the fields and in large skeins overhead during the winter months. The farmland also plays host to Whooper Swans & Shelduck, with the occasional rarity such as the Glossy Ibis that was a resident in the fields around Fluke Hall Lane in late 2006. Fluke Hall Lane has also provided me with good sightings of a Snow Bunting, along with Grey Partridge, Jays, Pheasant, Little Egrets, Skylarks and Pipits. For shore birds Cockersands is an excellent location, large flocks of roosting waders form at high tide and are a real spectacle to watch. The fields around Cockersands are good not only for waders, but also Hares, which I’ve seen boxing here numerous times. The feeding station at Bradshaw Lane is excellent for Yellowhammers, in fact it’s the only place I’ve ever seen them, but so far they’ve not ventured close enough to get a good photograph of them, but maybe one day. I hope the photographs in my galleries go someway towards illustrating what’s on offer in the area.
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