Jun' 19

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - June Sightings

Although June can often be a quieter month, dominated by breeding records and caught between late spring and early summer passage, there was nevertheless plenty to enjoy. On the wildfowl front it was fairly quiet and quite similar to May. A Pink-footed Goose appeared at Wheldrake on the 16^th, followed by two or three Egyptian Geese. Garganey continued to show well during the first half of the month, with up to four pairs and two females and a drake at Wheldrake from the 16^th. A brood of four Wigeon was a welcome record, whilst the appearance of two drake and a female Pochard where more intriguing. The first fledged Little Egrets were noted at Wheldrake and North Duffield Carrs on the 23^rd, with yet another fly-over Great White Egret at Bank Island on the 21^st. One of the highlights of the month however was the second reserve record of Cattle Egret – seen at Bank Island on the 28^th.

Marsh Harriers and Hobbies were regular whilst at least three Peregrines fledged from one of the nearby pylons. Highlight was however undoubtedly a female Montagus Harrier that slowly drifted south at Wheldrake on 18^th, also visible from Bank Island. A Corncrake was ‘crex-crexing’ at East Cottingwith on the 2^nd, with five Quail also noted during the month. A single Spotted Crake and eight Water Rails were recorded in the Wheldrake/Bank Island area, with several scattered Grey Partridge. Little Ringed Plovers continued to linger (and probably bred nearby), with late northward bound Ringed Plover and Dunlin on the 3^rd and an even later Greenshank on the 8^th. The first returning Green Sandpiper arrived, right on cue on the 16^th, followed by two Wood Sandpipers on the 26^th. It became clearer that it was going to be a good season for our breeding waders as the month progressed – with up to 70 pairs of Curlew and 31 chicks seen, whilst up to 10 newly fledged Snipe chicks were seen at one site on the 14^th. Post breeding flocks of Lapwing also built up during the month, with 200+ present throughout on the 23^rd.

Two pairs of Common Terns hatched five young on the rafts (with another pair in the wider area), whilst Kingfishers showed well and raised broods during the month. It was also a good month for Swift passage with good numbers throughout peaking with 1000+ over Swantail Ings, Wheldrake on the 21^st. Many species appeared to have had a favourable breeding season (despite the heavy rains at times) with 15 juvenile Robin ringed in the NNR base garden. Spotted Flycatchers were at North Duffield Carrs, Elvington and Melbourne, with another two pairs of Willow Tits located bringing the valley total to 32 pairs. A Cetti’s Warbler was at Bubwith on the 5^th with the usual mid-summer appearance of singing Corn Buntings on the Ings. 

On the mammal front it was a good month for Roe Deer, with young seen in the Ings meadows, whilst several Fallow Deer were seen at Bank Island and a couple of larger herds were present in the wider area. Invertebrate wise, we eventually shared the influx of Painted Ladies (from the 16^th) and large numbers of Diamond-backed moths also arrived. Meadow Brown butterflies were conspicuous by their absence until the 20^th, whilst a Dingy Skipper in the NNR base garden (1^st and 3^rd) was the first for the reserve (having been found nearby near Wheldrake in 2018). A Hairy Dragonfly was seen at Wheldrake (1^st) with a Currant Clearwing recorded at the NNR base on the 3^rd. 

As always many thanks to everyone who has contributed records and photographs throughout the month, in particular to members of the YOC and regular LDV birder Duncan Bye (credited DB).

BIRDS: 

Mute Swan – Two cygnets were present on the pool at Wheldrake throughout the month. 

Mute Swan cygnets - Wheldrake - 21/06

Greylag Goose – Up to 380 adults and 100 fledged young were present at month end.

Pink-footed Goose – A single re-appeared at Wheldrake on the 16^th. 

Egyptian Goose – Three adults were present on Wheldrake on the 1^st, followed by two there on the 18^th.

Shelduck – 70 adults, largely ‘off duty’ territorial males, were present throughout the site on the 1^st. Numbers as usual, decreased thereafter with few remaining in the second half of the month as females and broods moved away from the area and down to the upper Humber. Two adults remained at Bank Island on the 22^nd with three seen at Wheldrake on the 29^th. 

Wigeon – A single brood of four were present with a female on Swantail Ings, Wheldrake, on the 11^th, followed by four adults at Wheldrake on the 16^th. 

Teal – At least 12 were present at Wheldrake on the 16^th. 

Garganey – Birds continued to show well with daily sightings from Bank Island, Wheldrake and North Duffield Carrs during the first half of the month, with three (two females and a drake) at Wheldrake on the 15^th-19^th. A female with a brood of six ducklings were on the pool at Wheldrake on the 29^th-30^th. 

Gadwall – Up to 117 males were located early in the month with 83 at Wheldrake on the 1^st followed by a brood of seven seen at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd. Another brood of five newly hatched were seen on the 5^th with numerous broods thereafter. 30 drakes were at Wheldrake on the 18^th. 

Shoveler – A single brood of two were at Wheldrake on the 8^th – the first of the year.

Tufted Duck – 31 pairs were present throughout the site during the month. The first brood (five) were present on the pool at Wheldrake on the 28^th with another brood of six there on the 29^th and a brood of two on the 30^th.  

Pochard – A single drake reappeared on the pool at Wheldrake on the 8^th and was present again on the 11^th followed by two seen there on the 15^th-16^th. A pair were then present on the pool at Wheldrake on the 22^nd when the second drake was present at Bank Island, followed by a single drake at Wheldrake on the 23^rd. A drake and two females were then present there on the 26^th with two drakes on the 29^th. 

Cormorant – Small numbers remained throughout the month with up to four at the Wheldrake roost on the 1^st and regularly thereafter. 

Little Egret – Six were recorded at Wheldrake on the 16^th with six seen between Bank Island/Wheldrake on the 22^nd. The first fledged young were singles at Wheldrake and North Duffield Carrs on the 23^rd, with up to 11 present on Wheldrake on the 29^th and 19 there (including a family party of five) on the 30^th. 

Little Egret - Wheldrake - 29/06 - DB

Cattle Egret – A summer plumaged bird flew into Bank Island from the east on the 28^th (FM, CSR), before pausing briefly on the scrape there and then moving off towards Wheldrake Ings - second reserve record. 

Grey Heron – Numbers increased throughout the month as fledged birds left the heronry and fed on the Ings. Monthly maximum of 31 on the 16^th.

Grey Heron - Wheldrake - 17/06

Great White Egret – A single flew east over Bank Island on the 21^st (JT, FM) with another at Wheldrake on the 28^th (MFJ). 

Marsh Harrier – Two cream crowns were at Wheldrake on the 1^st with one at North Duffield Carrs on the 5^th being mobbed by a Hobby. Another was at East Cottingwith on the 6^th with up to two daily thereafter to month end.

Montagu’s Harrier – A single female was observed circling and slowly drifting south at Wheldrake on the 18^th (CSR), shortly after being viewed from Bank Island (FM). 

Red Kite – One at Bank Island on the 3^rd and both Thorganby and North Duffield Carrs on the 5^th with regular sightings during the month of up to 3-4 pairs in the area. 

Hobby – Singles at Thorganby and North Duffield Carrs on the 5^th with further singles at Ellerton on the 11^th and Wheldrake on the 17^th, 18^th and 22^nd. Daily sightings towards month end at Wheldrake. 

Grey Partridge –Two pairs still remained adjacent to North Duffield Carrs early in the month, with another at Thorganby on the 3^rd and one at East Cottingwith Ings on the 5^th. 

Quail – A singing male was heard at Wheldrake on the 1^st followed by one at North Duffield Ings on the 4^th. Two were present at East Cottingwith on the 13^th with one at Breighton Meadows on the 19^th. 

Corncrake – A single was singing at dawn at East Cottingwith Ings on the 2^nd (JB).

Water Rail – Up to seven singing males were present at Wheldrake on the 13^th with one at Bank Island on the 22^nd. Two were singing from the pool at Wheldrake on the 23^rd. 

Spotted Crake – A single male was singing at Bank Island after dusk on the 10^th.

Little Grebe – A pair of adults with two fledged young on the pool at Wheldrake from the 16^th. 

Little Grebe - Wheldrake - 19/06 - DB

Oystercatcher – As usual passage started towards the end of the month with singles and small groups heading south and west over the valley, whilst six were at Wheldrake on the 28^th.

Little Ringed Plover – A single lingered at Bank Island with sightings on the 1^st - 11^th followed by one at Wheldrake on the 23^rd and another returning to Bank Island from the 28^th.  A single was also present near Escrick on the 22^nd – perhaps one of a pair present on the old Escrick mine site. 

Ringed Plover – A single lingered at Bank Island on the 1^st – 3^rd. 

Lapwing – The first post breeding flocks included 80+ birds at Wheldrake on the 1^st with 56 at Bank Island on the 13^th and 76 at North Duffield Carrs on the 14^th. 123 were recorded at Bank Island on the 23^rd when 47 were at Wheldrake and 34 at North Duffield Carrs. 216 at Bank Island on the 27^th. 

Snipe – Large numbers of drumming birds remained with six at Wheldrake on the 13^th and 15 at North Duffield Carrs on the 14^th, where up to 10 newly fledged young were flushed during management works.

Common Snipe - North Duffield - 27/06

Woodcock – Up to five roding birds were present at Skipwith Common at dusk on the 3^rd. 

Dunlin – A single at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd.  

Black-tailed Godwit – The first returning bird was a single at Bank Island on the 26^th – a day which brought small numbers to inland wetlands across the region. Five were present at the same site on the 30^th. 

Curlew – Several broods appeared early in the month whilst the behaviour of adult birds suggested many more. A brood of three were present at East Cottingwith Ings on the 5^th, along with two broods at Thorganby on the 6^th and one chick seen at North Duffield Ings on the 8^th. 10 chicks were caught and ringed on the 23^rd. 

The first post breeding flock of 27 were at Wheldrake on the 12^th, increasing to 36 there on the 16^th, with 24 over North Duffield Ings on the 18^th. Eight flew east over Bank Island on the 19^th with 31 at Wheldrake on the 21^st. Seven flew west in two groups over Bank Island/Wheldrake, as is typical at this time of year, with groups of four to five regularly thereafter – all heading west.

Redshank – Unfledged broods remained at Wheldrake and North Duffield Carrs at month end. 

Greenshank – A single, presumably late bird, dropped into Wheldrake on the 8^th.  

Wood Sandpiper – Two arrived at Bank Island on the 26^th – the first of the autumn, with one remaining the following morning. Two were present again there on the 30^th. 

Green Sandpiper – Autumn officially started with the first returning bird arriving at Wheldrake on the 16^th with one present thereafter and two on the 21^st. Two were at Bank Island on the 23^rd and 27^th. Six were present across Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 28^th with four remaining the following day.

Great Black-backed Gull – 20 sub-adult and immature birds remained at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd with four there on the 5^th. 

Lesser Black-backed Gull – Three at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd were followed by 11 there on the 23^rd with several also present over Wheldrake. Two were at Bank Island on the 30^th. 

Black-headed Gull – The first juvenile was seen at Bank Island on the 23^rd. 

Common Gull – One or two immature birds were present on most days early in the month.

Common Tern – Pairs were incubating early in the month on the rafts at both Wheldrake and North Duffield, with a further pair thought to be breeding in the Elvington area. Two chicks were present on the North Duffield raft from the 21^st when three also hatched at Wheldrake –three adults were regularly present at Wheldrake, with all three noted bringing fish to the young. Four adults present there on the 26^th.

Barn Owl – Birds showed well around the site in the second half of the month – presumably busy feeding hungry broods.

Cuckoo – Good numbers of calling birds remained into the month with up to four males and two females visiting the reed bed at Church Bridge during the month. A single was still calling at Thorganby on the 26^th.

Green Woodpecker – A single recently fledged juvenile was seen near Melbourne Arm on the Pocklington Canal on the 24^th (NC).

Kingfisher – A single pair bred and raised four young near Bielby, with other pairs feeding young in the Melbourne area early in the month. Birds were also active around Bank Island and Wheldrake – often seen and heard along the river, but also sitting on the perches in front of Pool Hide daily from the 16^th.

Kingfisher - Wheldrake - 21/06

Swift – Good numbers were feeding over the Ings during the month, increasing with some passage movement. 300 were present over Swantail on the 14^th, with 1000+ there on the 21^st.

Jay – Regular sightings continued of three birds at Bank Island, along with two at Wheldrake and singles in the Thorganby area. A female with a brood patch was caught and ringed at the pool at Wheldrake on the 26^th (MFJ).

Sand Martin – The first 21 chicks were ringed at the Bank Island nesting bank on the 18^th with a further 25 ringed on the 27^th. 

Sand Martins - Bank Island - 12/06

Grey Wagtail – A pair remained in the Bank Island Water Treatment Works throughout, with a juvenile seen there on the 27^th. 

Robin – Bred in good numbers with good success throughout the site, with 15 newly fledged juveniles caught and ringed in the NNR base garden at Bank Island during the month.

Spotted Flycatcher – Still present at North Duffield Carrs on the 5^th with one in an Elvington garden on the 8^th while a pair were at Melbourne Arm on the Pocklington Canal throughout. 

Willow Tit – Two pairs were located to the south of Bubwith church yard on the 5^th with three birds at Wheldrake on the 8^th. Also known to have bred at Melbourne Arm where an adult was seen feeding two fledged young, whilst two broods were noted at Wheldrake. The first two juveniles were caught and ringed at Wheldrake around the pool on the 26^th.

Treecreeper – Five juveniles were caught and ringed during the last week of the month at Wheldrake in the poolside willows (MFJ).

Garden Warbler – A single was caught and ringed at the NNR base on the 10^th. 

Grasshopper Warbler – A single was reeling at Wheldrake in the refuge area on the 25^th and 26^th. 

Cetti’s Warbler – One was heard on the banks of the River Derwent at Dingle Dell, Bubwith on the 5^th. 

Corn Bunting – Three singing birds at East Cottingwith Ings on the 4^th were followed by two at Thorganby on the 11^th and three at Ellerton on the 14^th.   

MAMMALS:

Red Fox – One at Thorganby on the 4^th, followed by three cubs at Wheldrake on the 9^th and a single on the 13^th.
Badger – One at Thorganby Village Hall viewing platform on the 4^th. 
Roe Deer – A single kid was seen at Thorganby Ings on the 4^th, whilst a doe with a kid was present at East Cottingwith on the same date. They also bred on Bubwith, North Duffield Ings and Wheldrake, where one was present with two kids on the 15^th. An adult at the Low Grounds on the 18^th was thought to have young nearby. Present daily on Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings.

Roe Deer - North Duffield - 01/06

Fallow Deer – A family party of five were in the Thorganby area on the 1^st with a single again at Bank Island on the 3^rd when the herd of 23 were present in the Thorganby area. Two at Bank Island on the 4^th with two again on the 22^nd. Up to 34 were present near Wheldrake Woods during the month.

MOTH highlights:

During the month a total 2,417 individuals were trapped (and then released) with highlights being a Currant Clearwing on the 3^rd, Scorched Wing on the 4^th, Archer's Dart on the 28^th and a Pine Hawk-moth on the 29^th (pictured below).

BUTTERFLIES:

Comma – Two at Wheldrake on the 29^th followed by four there on the 30^th.

Orange Tip – Singles recorded until mid-month.  

Small Tortoiseshell – Singles recorded throughout the month, with the biggest count being just 6 at Wheldrake on the 29^th. 

Red Admiral – A single was in the NNR base garden on the 11^th with six at Wheldrake on the 15^th and four on the 18^th. 12 at Wheldrake on the 23^rd and 11 on the 30^th.

Peacock – Quiet month with only a handful of records across the site. 

Painted Lady – One in the NNR base garden on the 13^th was followed by two there on the 16^th and one at Wheldrake on the 18^th. 12 were then present at Wheldrake on the 23^rd with four at North Duffield Carrs and two at East Cottingwith Ings on the 24^th. 8 at Wheldrake on the 28^th followed by 13 there on the 30^th. 

Meadow Brown – The first of the year was present at Bank Island on the 20^th, followed by 25 at North Duffield Ings and 30 at Bubwith Ings on the 21^st. 11 at Wheldrake on the 30^th.

Common Blue – Nine were present at East Cottingwith on the 3^rd followed by three at Bubwith on the same day, and one in the NNR base garden on the 23^rd.

Small Copper – Six were recorded on Wheldrake on the 1^st when five were also seen at Ellerton landing. 12 were at East Cottingwith on the 3^rd with five on the 5^th – on the same date two were seen in Thorganby.

Dingy Skipper – The first reserve record was at Bank Island on the 1^st with another, or the same individual, seen again there on the 3^rd.

Large Skipper – Singles at Bubwith on the 9^th and the NNR base garden on the 16^th and 20^th.   

Ringlet – Two at East Cottingwith were the first of the year on the 24^th, followed by several at Bank Island on the 27^th.

Speckled Wood – Recorded from the 9th onwards, largely in singles, with the highest count being three at Wheldrake on the 23^rd.

Clouded Yellow – A single reported by a visitor at Bank Island on the 27^th (MA).

OTHERS:

Hairy Dragonfly – The first of the year was seen and photographed at Wheldrake on the 1^st.

Ruddy Darter – The first five newly emerged individuals were at Bank Island on the 28^th.

Common Darter – The first individual of the year was seen at Wheldrake on the 22^nd.

Rosemary Beetle – The first of the year was seen on lavender in the NNR base garden at Bank Island on the 5^th followed by three on the 6^th. Numbers built up during the month with a new high count of 34+ on the 20^th – increasing every year. 

Tortoise Beetle – A single on Knapweed in the NNR base hay meadow on 5^th was the first of the year.

Hornet – Three at Wheldrake on the 18^th and regular there and at Bank Island thereafter.