Welcome to the LDV NNR ringing blog, this blog is designed to share the experiences, findings and tales from a group of dedicated ringers. We specialise in conservation orientated research projects, largely focusing on wildfowl, waders, owls and birds of conservation concern, in and around the Vale of York NNR's.

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July 20

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - July Sightings

As usual, July was typically quieter on the bird front, although there was plenty to keep the interest going. Notable records included up to 15 Little Egrets and 30 Grey Herons on the pool at Wheldrake early in the month, with two Common Cranes over on the 18th and a Bittern on the 31st. Following a rather unproductive wildfowl breeding season, the main interest was provided by almost daily sightings of Garganey – a long staying brood of five and an adult female. Otherwise, a small increase to 24 Teal by month end suggested the first returning migrants were starting to appear.

A second summer Mediterranean Gull at Bank Island was an unusual mid-summer record, although the appearance of small numbers of Yellow-legged Gulls is now an expected annual occurrence. Wader passage started well with up to five Little Ringed Plovers, 150 Curlew and a daily south-westerly movement. A single Greenshank was present on the 19th with a Common Sandpiper on four dates, whilst up to eight Green Sandpipers frequented the pool at Wheldrake.

A juvenile Cuckoo was still around on the 20th, with a passage Redstart on the 22nd and good numbers of Yellow Wagtails around the site, as well as individuals passing over and roosting at Wheldrake Ings. However, most notable was a fall of ‘chats’ at North Duffield Carrs on the 30th/31st which saw record numbers of both, with 31 Whinchat and 15+ Stonechats recorded. It was also clear that the large movements of Siskin and Crossbills out of the forests and witnessed along the Yorkshire Coast had filtered inland, with above average numbers of Siskin during the month and five Crossbill recorded.

Many thanks as always to everyone who submitted records throughout the month, in particular to members of the York Bird Club, and thanks to Duncan Bye for the use of his photographs (credited DB).

 

BIRDS: 

Mute Swan – The resident breeding pairs remained throughout the month with their broods, whilst up to 12 non-breeding moulting birds were present on the river and Pocklington Canal.

Mute Swan family - North Duffield - 30/07


Greylag Goose – 130 were present at Wheldrake Ings early in the month, but were scarce thereafter with just small numbers recorded. An increase in small skeins passing over the area were noted again towards month end.

Egyptian Goose – A pair with two young remained at East Cottingwith throughout the month.

Shelduck – An adult with six immatures flew into Wheldrake Ings at dusk on the 22nd, before heading north-west a short while later - an unusual mid-summer record.

Teal – 11 birds were present on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st with 20 on the 6th/7th. 12 were recorded on the 17th with up to 24 from the 26th to month end.

Garganey – The female and brood of five large ducklings remained on the pool at Wheldrake from the 1st – 13th, with six on the 11th and five thereafter until the 21st - just two thereafter to month end.

Garganey - Wheldrake Ings - 19/07 - DB


Shoveler – Broods of nine and two remained on the pool at Wheldrake between the 1st – 7th. Further broods of five, two and seven appeared there between the 11th and 17th, followed by the appearance of broods on the 19th (four) and 23rd (eight).

Gadwall – Small numbers remained throughout the month with a late brood at North Duffield Carrs on the 31st.

Little Egret – 15 were present on the Wheldrake pool on the 1st with up to 10 daily thereafter. A colour-ringed bird, blue H9 was present there on the 7th. 14 were present on the 8th with 12 on the 12th/13th. 14 were present again between the 14th – 17th. Up to 10 remained until the 20th with eight thereafter.

Great White Egret – A single adult was reported from Wheldrake on the 25th before being relocated at North Duffield Carrs on the 30th/31st (CSR).

Great White Egret - North Duffield - 31/07


Bittern – One flew across the bulrush’s at North Duffield Carrs Top Pond, before dropping in and out of view again at dawn on the 31st (CSR).

Grey Heron 19 were present on the pool at Wheldrake on the 1st with two individuals both seen catching (and struggling with) large perch. A total of 21 were recorded on the 7th, followed by 30 on the 13th and up to 25 thereafter until numbers dropped towards month end, to a daily maximum of 12.

Grey Herons - Wheldrake Ings - 07/07


Marsh Harrier – An adult pair were still present at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st with regular sightings thereafter. Females were present daily throughout with the adult male still at Bank Island on the 16th and Wheldrake on the 19th – 21st – it was then seen wandering throughout the valley to month end.

Peregrine – A single adult female was present at Wheldrake on the 6th, with a single noted over Melbourne village on the 21st and an adult male over Bank Island on the 23rd.

Hobby – Singles were present in the Wheldrake and Newton on Derwent area on the 1st and Melbourne on the 10th. Daily sightings were had thereafter from Bank Island, with one near Dunnington on the 19th and two at the Wheldrake swallow roost from the 21st to month end. Further records included one over Thornton Ellers on the 16th and Melbourne on the 21st.

Kestrel – The remaining broods fledged during the month with good numbers present on the Ings.

Kestrel - North Duffield Carrs - 31/07


Red Kite – Birds were present over Melbourne daily early in the month, with numbers increasing over the Ings as the hay cutting operations began and the appearance of broods. Three were at Wheldrake Ings on the 12th with regular sightings throughout the area thereafter.

Water Rail – Up to five calling birds were heard at Wheldrake Ings early in the month with a singing bird on the Canal at Storwood after dark on the 6th. A single juvenile confirmed successful breeding on the 16th and 17th, with a small juvenile presumably of another brood, seen there on the 29th.

Quail – New birds included singles at Seavy Carr on the 3rd and Thornton Ellers on the 31st.

Common Crane – Two flew south over East Cottingwith on the 18th.

Little Ringed Plover – Five birds were present at Bank Island on the 1st before heading off high to the south at dusk. A single was present back at that site on the 8th with three there on the 11th and two between the 13th – 17th, three on 18th were the last record for the month.

Lapwing – Up to 50 were roosting on the pool early during the month with up to 150 by month end.

Curlew – 11 roosted at Bank Island on the 1st with nine on the 8th. 21 flew south west over Bank Island on the 8th with 14 following on the 9th. 11 flew west on the 13th with two on the 14th and four on the 17th. Two were recorded at North Duffield Carrs on the 18th with three into roost at Wheldrake on the 20th, followed by five on the 22nd, eight on the 24th and five daily thereafter to the 29th. One flew south at North Duffield Carrs on the 31st.

Dunlin – Two were present on the pool at Wheldrake on the 19th.

Knot  Single summer plumaged adult on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 31st. 

Redshank Two newly fledged juveniles remained at Wheldrake on the 1st with a single present on the 8th and between the 11th-17th.

Greenshank A single at Wheldrake on the 19th.

Common Sandpiper A single at Wheldrake on the 1st with another there on the 14th, 20th and 25th.

Green Sandpiper Up to four were present daily between the 1st - 7th, followed by three at Wheldrake on the 12th, three at Bank Island on the 13th and five at Wheldrake on the 13th/14th. Seven were recorded on the 15th with up to five daily until the 22nd. Between six and eight were present daily thereafter to month end.

Wood Sandpiper  Single at Wheldrake on the 31st.

Green Sandpiper - Wheldrake Ings - 05/07 - DB


Mediterranean Gull – A single second summer plumaged bird at Bank Island on the 11th.

Yellow-legged Gull – Up to four individuals were present between Skipwith and Riccall on the 1st with three on the 3rd and occasional singles thereafter.  

Common Tern – The Wheldrake Ings pair continued to raise two chicks on the raft on the pool, both of which were colour-ringed on the 6th. Additional passage or lingering birds appeared regularly before being chased off, with up to five adults regularly noted across the site. The two chicks fledged off the Wheldrake raft on the 21st, with seven adults and two fledged young there on the 23rd. Five adults and the two fledged young were still present on the 29th.

Cuckoo – A single adult was seen along the Wheldrake Ings riverbank on the 1st. Three adults were  still present at Melbourne on the 1st with a juvenile there on the same date, having been fostered by Reed Warblers, with an adult calling there on the 3rd. Another juvenile was being fed by Reed Warblers at Wheldrake Ings on the 4th, with another nearby at the Priory on the 8th, (also being fed by a Reed Warbler) – on the same date an adult was still present near Dunnington. A single juvenile was present at the ferry boat at Thorganby on the 17th and Wheldrake Ings on the 20th.

Cuckoo - Wheldrake Ings - 07/07


Little Owl – A pair were present in Thornton village on the 1st.

Pied Wagtail – 60+ were present in the reed bed roost at Wheldrake Ings on the 13th with 30+ on the 23rd

Yellow Wagtail – 10 roosted in the Wheldrake reedbed on the 23rd with 20 nearby on the 29th and 35 on the 31st.

Swallow – Up to 200 roosted on a daily basis in the Wheldrake reed bed during the month.

Starling – The Wheldrake post breeding roost increased to 700 on the 1st and 800+ by the 4th, however, only 200 remained at month end.

Redstart – An adult male was present in the hedge at Seavy Carr on the 22nd (NC).

Whinchat – The first returning autumn birds were present at Swantail Ings, Wheldrake, on the 11th and 12th with another there following the heavy rain on the 23rd. An unprecedented fall saw 31 arrive at North Duffield Carrs after the early morning rain on the 30th, with at least 20 remaining the following morning. Nearly all were adults in moult with only two or three juveniles noted - a new reserve record/daily count at this favoured location.

Whinchat - North Duffield Carrs - 30/07


Stonechat – A large fall took place at North Duffield Carrs on the 30th when 11 were found associating with a flock of Whinchats. At least 15 were located the following morning on the 31st – all bar one or two were recently fledged juveniles.  

Willow Tit – Several juveniles were present at Wheldrake Ings and Melbourne during the month, with a calling bird by Cheesecake Hide at Bank Island on the 29th.

Nuthatch – A single at Wheldrake Ings on the 11th.

Spotted Flycatcher – Three fledged young continued to be present in the Melbourne Arm area early in the month, with single juveniles still present on the 22nd and 24th.

Grasshopper Warbler – Two were still reeling at Wheldrake on the 1st, with one at the back of the pool after dark on the 6th. The same individual (already ringed) was caught again in the ditch by Tower Hide on the 29th after no sound or records since the 1st. A new bird was recorded at Thornton Ellers on the 16th.

Reed Warbler – A Spanish-ringed adult was caught at Wheldrake Ings on the 21st.

Reed Warbler - Wheldrake Ings - 23/07


Siskin – Three flew over the Pocklington Canal at Melbourne on the 7th with up to 20 present on Back Common at Skipwith on the 8th. 13 were at Melbourne on the 10th with eight at Wheldrake on the 12th and three on the 19th. Small numbers were scattered throughout the site daily thereafter.

Crossbill – Four over Bank Island on the 3rd and a single over Wheldrake Ings on the 19th.

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