Tophill Low...

Spent the best part of the day at Tophill Low Nature Reserve, between Driffield and Beverley. The habitat - open water and woodland, mostly - reminded me of Rutland Water, though on a smaller scale. It really did feel like the first day of spring, as I watched marsh harriers hunting over the reedbeds. Heard my first summer visitor - chiffchaffs calling - about ten days early. Also cetti's warbler and woodpeckers drumming. Lots of wildfowl: curlew, redshank, shoveler, teal, wigeon, shelduck, gadwall, goldeneye, cormorant, lapwing, great crested grebe, little grebe, etc. I heard, but didn’t see, a water rail. I chatted with some local bird-watchers, who recommended other good spots in East Yorkshire…