February usually sees a build-up of waterfowl in the
valley as wintering birds are joined by returning birds on spring passage and
incoming breeding birds, with this month being no exception. Two Bewick’s
Swan were still to be found amongst the wintering Whooper Swans at Aughton
Ings late in the month, whilst grey-geese continued to be a feature. 103 European
White-fronted Geese on the 1st were followed by 22 Barnacles
and up to 19 Tundra Beans from the 24th. Counts of common
wintering ducks included 12,000 Wigeon, 10,000+ Teal, 368 Pintail, 262 Gadwall,
251 Tufted Duck, 257 Pochard and 238 Shoveler. Two red head Smew from
the 19th and up to four Scaup added interest. Little
Egrets were present throughout whilst three Great-crested Grebes were the
first returning birds of the year on 19th. Coot numbers also
increased with spring passage and incoming breeders bringing the total to 320
by month end.
The first Ringed Plover of the year was at
Wheldrake Ings on the 19th, shortly followed by the first February
record of two Avocets on the Low Grounds on the 25th. The
first incoming Oystercatcher appeared on the 4th with numbers increasing
to 14 by the 26th, whilst the seven wintering Black-tailed Godwits
increased further to 23 by the end of the month. Large numbers of wintering Lapwing
and Golden Plover remained with 9000+ and 4150 respectively, along with 300 Dunlin.
Numbers of Curlew increased from the wintering flock of 30 to 130 by month end,
with the first singing/displaying birds noted from the 27th.
A Woodlark on the Low Grounds on the 25th
represented an unusual spring record for the valley, although two birds at
Skipwith Common on the same date were more typical. Up to 10 Waxwing
re-appeared in Wheldrake village briefly again during the month whilst up to 20
Brambling were present near Thorganby. The Pine Bunting at Dunnington
remained throughout the month, later joined by a nearby Arctic Redpoll
at Hagg Wood, bringing an increased flow of admiring birders to the valley.
Away from the birds a handful of moths were recorded along with a notable run of 'first' ladybirds from Skipwith Common, including Eyed, Orange, 7-spot and 10-spot.
As always, many thanks to everyone who has submitted
records throughout the month, particularly to members of the YOC, and extra
thanks to Duncan Bye and Trevor Walton for the use of their photographs.
BIRDS:
Mute Swan
– Up to 85 were recorded throughout the valley during
the month.
Whooper Swan
– Up to 70 remained between North Duffield Carrs,
Derwent Farm and Aughton Ings.
Whooper Swan - Aughton - 19/02 - DB
Bewick’s
Swan – Two were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 4th
and were again present at Aughton Ings on the 26th - presumably
having remained elusive and mobile throughout.
Greylag
Goose – 1000+ were present in the Thorganby area on the 3rd
with 500+ at Ellerton Ings on the 8th. 900 remained
throughout the site by the month end.
White-fronted
Goose – Two flocks, totaling 103 birds arrived low and
fast from the north-east at Bank Island on the 1st, heading
in the direction of Wheldrake Ings. 20+ were present from the viewing platform at
Thorganby Ings on the 3rd whilst a flock of 14 were present
at Aughton on the 4th – with presumably the same flock
there again on the 8th. Two flocks, of 23 and 32 were
in the Aughton/ Ellerton/Thorganby area on the 9th, making a
total of 56 birds present in the area on that date. Six were still present in
the area on the 12th.
Tundra
Bean Goose – 19 were present at Bank Island on the 24th
(CSR) with nine present again there on the 27th followed by
11 on the 28th.
Pink-footed
Goose – Six long staying birds remained in the Aughton
area on the 8th with 210 NW over the valley on the 13th.
Canada
Goose – 200+ were present at Ellerton Ings on the 8th
with 300+ on several dates thereafter.
Barnacle
Goose – Three birds that had been present since mid-January
remained at Wheldrake Ings into the month and increased to four by the 12th
– 18th. A flock of 20 arrived at Bank Island on the 24th
(CSR, DT, SC) followed by 22 on the 26th to month end.
Barnacle Geese - Wheldrake - 18/02 - DB
Egyptian
Goose – The regular pair at East Cottingwith were joined by
another two birds on the 4th.
Shelduck – Up to
60 were present early in the month with 80+ by month end.
Wigeon – 9800 were present throughout
the site on the 8th, whilst
Bank Island held 2209 on the 21st
and 4000+ at Aughton/Ellerton on the 26th
– when an estimated 12,000+ were present throughout the site.
Teal – Large numbers were present with
c10,000+ throughout the valley on the 8th.
Pintail – 200+ were still scattered
throughout the site on the 4th
with 230 counted on the 8th
and 300 on the 12th
and 19th. 245 were
present at Aughton on the 26th
with a monthly maxima of 368 present throughout the valley on that date.
Mallard – An estimated 1450 were present
throughout the month.
Gadwall – Numbers
increased quickly with 262 present by the 27th.
Shoveler – 180
were spread across the site on the 12th with 238 present on
the 26th.
Tufted
Duck – 103 were present throughout the site on the 4th
followed by 65 at Bank Island on the 6th and 139 at
Aughton on the 8th. The Ellerton/Aughton area held 192 on the
9th when 59 were also present at Bank Island – a minimum of
251 present throughout. 107 were recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 18th
with 200+ present throughout the whole site on the same day. 79 were at Bank
Island on the 21st.
Scaup – A
drake was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 18th -27th
followed by a female at Bank Island on the 24th. Two females were
at Aughton on the 27th.
Pochard – 84
were present at Aughton Ings on the 8th with 188 there on the
9th when a total of 257 were present throughout the site.
180+ remained at Aughton on the 19th with 112 there on the 26th.
Goldeneye – 10
were present throughout the site on the 4th with 11 in the
refuge area at Wheldrake Ings on the 12th followed by 16
there on the 18th and 21st.
Goldeneye - Wheldrake - 21/02 - TW
Goosander – Five
were present on the River Derwent near Stamford Bridge late in the month.
Smew – Two
red-heads were present at Aughton Ings on the 19th (DB) with
at least one still present on the 20th and 21st
and again on the 26th.
Grey
Heron – Numbers and frequency of sightings increased
during the month as birds started to return to the valley and the local
heronry.
Little
Egret – A single was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 12th
with one then reported regularly from the Hagg Bridge area of the Pocklington
Canal. A single appeared once again at Bank Island on the 15th-17th
and Wheldrake Ings on the 18th, with up to two present thereafter
to month end (at both Wheldrake and Hagg Bridge).
Cormorant – 32
were present at the Wheldrake Ings roost on the 18th.
Little
Grebe – Several wintering birds were present on the River
Derwent and Pocklington Canal throughout the month, with pairs also returning
to breeding sites at North Duffield Carrs (21st)
and Bank Island (25th).
Great-crested
Grebe – The first returning birds of the year were three seen
together at Wheldrake Ings on the 19th, present thereafter
until month end.
Great-crested Grebe - Wheldrake - 21/02 - TW
Goshawk – A
single pair was reported throughout the month.
Red Kite – A
single was present over Bank Island on the 3rd followed by
four at Wheldrake Ings on the 19th. A single was near Newton
on Derwent on the 24th with singles over the NNR base on the 26th
and 28th.
Marsh Harrier – Up to two cream-crowns continued to winter
throughout the valley.
Peregrine – Up to five birds were present
during the month, showing particularly well at both Wheldrake Ings and North
Duffield Carrs during the month.
Merlin – A single was reported from the
Elvington Water Treatment Works on the 19th
(AF).
Coot – 30 were present between
Bubwith and Ellerton on the 9th,
followed by 110 present in the refuge area at Wheldrake Ings on the 12th. Numbers continued to
build with 320+ present throughout the site on the 26th.
Water Rail – Up to 15 wintering birds
remained throughout the valley during the month.
Grey Partridge – Five at Aughton on the 8th were followed by three at Ellerton on the 21st and two near Wheldrake
village on the 23rd. Two were present at North Duffield
Carrs on the 26th.
Avocet – Two were present on the Low Grounds
on the 25th – the first
February record for the reserve of a species which is increasingly encountered
(AF).
Avocets - Low Grounds - 25/02 - DB
Ringed Plover – The first returning bird of the
year flew over Wheldrake Ings on the 19th
before landing on the Low Grounds.
Oystercatcher – The first returning bird was
present at East Cottingwith on the 4th
with another at North Duffield Carrs on the 6th and Wheldrake Ings on the 14th, followed by three there on the 18th. Numbers increased quickly thereafter with 14 present throughout
the site on the 26th including
11 at North Duffield Carrs.
Lapwing – 5200 were present at Wheldrake
Ings on the 2nd when
flooding throughout the valley no doubt concentrated birds, an estimated 6800 were
present throughout the site on the 3rd.
5000 were still present at Wheldrake on the 4th with an estimated 8-9000 present throughout the whole
site on the 8th and 9th. 3000+ were still present at Wheldrake on the 12th with 4000 there on the 18th and 5100 present throughout the whole site on the 26th.
Golden Plover – 3500 were recorded at Wheldrake
Ings with large numbers of Lapwing on the 2nd
with 4150 present throughout the whole valley on the 3rd. 2000 were present at Wheldrake on the 4th with 1200 at East
Cottingwith/Thorganby on the 9th. 1000+ were at Wheldrake on the 12th followed by 2000 there on
the 18th. 3300 were present over the Low Grounds
on the 24th with 4100
again present throughout the valley on the
26th.
Golden Plover/Lapwing - Wheldrake - 04/02 - DB
Ruff – Numbers appeared rather low
with birds spread throughout the valley – up to 56 were recorded on several
dates.
Black-tailed Godwit – Seven at Wheldrake from the 1st to the 12th had increased to 16 by the
19th and up to 23 by the 25th.
Jack Snipe – A single was present at Seavy
Carr on the 14th followed
by three there on the 21st.
Common Snipe – Small numbers were scattered
throughout the site with 300+ in the Melbourne Thornton area on the 21st.
Woodcock – A single at Bank Island on the
19th.
Dunlin – 300+ present across the site
on the 8th were followed
by 100+ at Ellerton on the 12th
and a total of 215 throughout the valley on the 26th.
Curlew – 39 were recorded at Wheldrake
Ings on the 18th with a
minimum of 63 throughout the valley on the 21st.
100+ were noted on the 24th
including 42 at North Duffield Carrs. A total of 130 were present throughout
the site on the 26th with
the first displaying birds seen at Bank Island on the 27th.
Redshank – Numbers increased during the
month with 61 on the 14th
the monthly maximum.
Herring Gull – Up to 14,000 were still using the
Wheldrake roost early in the month with 10,000+ remaining at month end.
Greater Black-backed Gull – Numbers fell quickly perhaps
as birds headed back to breeding locations further north. Up to 2500 remained
at the Wheldrake roost late in the month.
Lesser Black-backed Gull – Two were present at the
Wheldrake roost on the 18th
with six at Bank Island on the 28th.
Glaucous Gull – Birds were still regular at the Wheldrake
Ings roost throughout the month with up to six different birds recorded. Two
first winters were present at Wheldrake on the 18th followed by two at North Duffield Carrs on the 24th and a lingering first
winter at Bank Island during the morning of the the 28th.
Iceland Gull – Up to five different birds were
reported during the month, with an increase in the number of adults reported as
the month progressed. An adult was present at North Duffield Carrs on the 24th.
Barn Owl – The numbers of records around the
valley increased during the month with regular sightings between Sutton on
Derwent and Allerthorpe.
Kingfisher – Two were present at Bank
Island on the 4th with
occasional sightings from the River Derwent at Wheldrake Ings.
Skylark – Numbers increased with several
pairs holding territories and displaying from mid-month.
Woodlark – A single flew over the Low
Grounds towards Wheldrake Ings on the 25th
(AF), on which date two singing birds were first present on Skipwith Common NNR
(NC).
Grey Wagtail – Up to four birds continued to
roost at the Bank Island water treatment works.
Waxwing – 10 were again present in
Wheldrake village on the 8th (IH)
with four remaining there on the 9th
.
Blackbird – 30 at Wheldrake Ings on the 12th were a noteworthy count
– perhaps an indication of return passage.
Nuthatch – Present during the month at the Escrick
Duck Decoy. A single was heard at Wheldrake Ings on the 4th – a more unusual record.
Stonechat – A single was still present in front
of the Geoff Smith at North Duffield Carrs on 4th.
Marsh Tit – A single was seen at the Bank Island
feeding station throughout the month.
Willow Tit – Up to four were present at
Wheldrake Ings.
Brambling – 20+ were in the Thorganby area,
with small scattered numbers elsewhere suggesting a limited spring passage.
Pine Bunting – Last month’s bird continued to
over winter near Dunnington amongst the large bunting and finch flock.
Lesser Redpoll – Up to 60 were present at
Skipwith Common on the 25th.
MAMMALS:
Roe Deer – Common throughout the month
around the valley and nearby Skipwith Common.
Brown Hare – Up to five were present at
North Duffield Carrs early in the month, with two at Bank Island on the 21st and scattered sightings
elsewhere.
Red Fox – A single was present at Bank Island
on the 8th and 28th.
Wood Mouse – Recorded frequently at the NNR
base.
Bank Vole – Occasional sightings in the NNR
base garden.
MOTHS:
Dotted border – A single at Bank Island on the 21st.
March Moth – A single at Bank Island on the 20th.
OTHERS:
7-Spot Ladybird – The first of the year was
present at Skipwith Common on the 15th.
10-Spot Ladybird – A single found at Skipwith
Common on the 22nd.
Orange Ladybird – One was found on birch extracted
from Skipwith Common on the 7th.
Eyed Ladybird – A single present on Skipwith
Common on the 22nd.
False Ladybird – A single was found at the
reserve base on the 21st.
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