Lower Derwent Valley NNR - November Sightings 2014
Despite low coverage at times during the month due to a combination of factors,
there were still a number of reports coming in to keep the interest going and plenty of activity particularly towards the end of the month.
Following a
relatively dry autumn mirrored by low waterfowl numbers, the valley began to finally
wet up from the first half of the month. This lead to the usual influx of
wintering wildfowl and waders and by late in the month notable counts included 66
Whooper Swans, 2000+ Greylag Geese, 5000+ Wigeon and 4000+
Teal, with smaller numbers of Shoveler, Gadwall, Pintail and Tufted Duck all
building up. One of the highlights included an apparently ‘lost’ Tundra Bean Goose
that circled Wheldrake Ings calling loudly for over an hour on the 7th.
The first returning Goldeneye of the winter appeared on the 19th
and the second Goosander of the winter on the 5th. Good
numbers of Water Rails and Little Grebes were also scattered
throughout the valley.
Bank Island - 17/11
Waders, appearing as if by magic alongside the
floods, built up to an impressive early winter tally of 3300 Lapwing, 2100
Golden Plover and 50 Dunlin, although the count of 140 Ruff
was the undoubtedly the highlight – a great count, especially so early in the
winter and bucking the species trend over recent years. This could be one of
the biggest UK wintering counts this winter. Other interesting records included
a single Greenshank over Bank Island on the 21st followed by
a late (or really early) Black-tailed Godwit on the 22nd
whilst more surprising was a very late Whimbrel calling over Bank Island
at dusk on the 25th.
A good showing of Kingfishers from around the
reserve was an encouraging recovery following hard times in recent years whilst
Grey Wagtails were also reported from a number of locations, including
the Bank Island car park where one was present daily attacking wing mirrors of
the parked vehicles. Three Stonechats present during the month were also
a pleasing return to form following a rather scarce wintering presence after
two or three cold winters, and likewise a good scattering of records came in
for Willow Tits, suggesting they are at least maintaining a toe hold in
the area in the face of large national declines. An apparent wintering male Blackcap
at Wheldrake Ings on the 15th was also noteworthy although not all
together surprising these days.
Kingfisher - Thornton Ellers - 24/11
Many thanks as always to all who have contributed records this month, either by writing in the hide log books or sending them in via the YOC.
BIRDS:
Mute Swan
– 27 were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 3rd.
Whooper
Swan – Birds were mobile during the early part of the
month between Wheldrake Ings and North Duffield Carrs. The resident herd
numbered 18 at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st increasing to 27
there on the 3rd. A further arrival saw the herd increase to
66 on the 7th, remaining to month end although spending more
time on Ellerton and Aughton with flooding there during the month.
Whooper Swans - North Duffield Carrs - 07/11
Pink-footed Goose – 200+ flew east over Bank
Island on the 4th. 300
went south over the valley on the 7th
with 60 north-west over Church Bridge on the Pocklington Canal on the 16th. Ten were present at
Bank Island on the 20th.
Tundra Bean Goose – A single at Wheldrake Ings on the
7th (CSR, MFJ et al).
Greylag Goose – Numbers increased during the
month with 2000+ present by the 22nd,
most in the northern half of the valley.
Canada Goose – 500 at Wheldrake Ings on the 21st was the monthly maxima.
Shelduck – Two at Wheldrake Ings on the 4th and 5th, four at Wheldrake Ings on 7th with 11 at Ellerton on the 16th.
Teal – Numbers remained low early in the
month with 1500 having built up with
small scale flooding by the 15th.
Numbers then increased quickly to 4300 throughout the valley on the 22nd.
Teal - Bank Island - 03/11
Wigeon – Up to 700 birds were present
throughout the site early in the month, increasing to 1000+ by the 15th and then rapidly to
5100 by the 22nd.
Pintail –
30 at Wheldrake Ings on the 3rd
increased with further flooding with 44 present throughout the valley on the
22nd.
Gadwall – 19 at
Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd with 61 throughout the valley on the
22nd.
Shoveler – Up to 30 were present at
Wheldrake Ings early in the month, with numbers increasing to 60 by the 22nd when birds were
scattered throughout the site.
Tufted Duck – Single figure counts were made
occasionally early in the month increasing to 10 at Wheldrake Ings on the 16th and 21 at Bank Island
on the 21st, with 32 then
present throughout the site on the 23rd.
Pochard – A single female was present at
Wheldrake Ings on the 19th
- the first returning bird, with six later at Bank Island on the 22nd.
Goldeneye – A single ‘red-head’ at North
Duffield Carrs on the 19th
was the first of the winter.
Goosander – A single red-head on the pool
at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th.
Water
Rail – Three were still present at Wheldrake Ings early
in the month with a single calling at Thornton Ellers on the 5th.
Two were calling at Wheldrake Ings on the 15th, with three at
Thornton Ellers on the 18th and one at Church Bridge on the 19th.
Three were at Wheldrake Ings again on the 21st and one at
Bank Island on the 27th. At least eight individuals were
present throughout the site but presumably more were scattered elsewhere across
the reserve.
Little
Grebe – Up to four remained on the Pocklington Canal at
Melbourne during the month, where two were also caught. Four were on the river at North Duffield Carrs
on the 20th when one was also present on the Top Pond.
Little Grebe - Pocklington Canal - 13/11
Grey
Heron – Small numbers were scattered throughout the site
with a monthly maxima of eight on the 11th.
Little
Egret – A single was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 9th.
Cormorant – Up
to nine were present throughout the month.
Red Kite – A
single flew over Church Bridge on the Pocklington Canal on the 16th.
Marsh
Harrier – Up to
two cream crowns remained in the valley throughout the month.
Peregrine – Two females and a male were present
throughout the month.
Merlin - A single was seen flying alongside the road from Skipwith to Thorganby on the 26th (SH).
Lapwing – As with many wader species
numbers increased quickly following the flooding from mid-month. 200 were at
North Duffield Carrs on the 15th,
a full count of the valley later revealed that c3300 were present from the 22nd.
Golden Plover – 100 at North Duffield Carrs on
the 15th increased with
800 on the Low Grounds at Sutton-upon- Derwent on the 18th and c2100 throughout the valley on the 22nd.
Curlew – Three were at Wheldrake Ings
on the 5th with four
there on the 7th and 11
on the 15th. 21 were
present throughout the site on the 22nd.
Common Snipe – 50 were at Wheldrake Ings on the
2nd with smaller numbers
scattered elsewhere. The largest numbers remained in the Melbourne and Thornton
Ings area where up to 200 were present on the 25th.
Jack Snipe – Two were present on the
regular wintering site at Skipwith Common NNR during the month (DT).
Woodcock – A single was seen flying
across the heath at Skipwith Common on the 17th.
Dunlin – The first returning birds were
11 seen at Ellerton on the 15th,
followed by 33 on the 18th
and 50 on the 22nd.
Ruff – Four returned to Aughton Ings
on the 16th (DB)
following the first of the autumn’s flooding, numbers increasing quickly
thereafter to an impressive 140 at Ellerton on the 22nd (OM, CG).
Black-tailed Godwit – A single bird was present at
Ellerton Ings on the 22nd
(OM, CG).
Redshank – Two at Bubwith Ings on the 16th were the first
returning wintering birds.
Greenshank – A single flew over Bank Island
calling on the 21st (TD).
Whimbrel – A single flew over Bank Island
at dusk on the 25th
calling loudly (FM, CSR).
Herring Gull – Numbers started to increase
during the month with birds commuting between Harewood Whin Tip and Wheldrake
Ings – with up to 7000 by month end.
Greater Black-backed Gull – As with the above species
numbers had increased to 3000 roosting birds by the end of the month.
Greater Spotted Woodpecker – Up to three different birds
were present at the Bank Island feeding station during the month with others
also noted in the car park area at Wheldrake Ings, one was also caught and
ringed at the Escrick Duck decoy on 23rd
(MFJ).
Great Spotted Woodpecker - Bank Island - 25/11
Green Woodpecker – Two or three were present
almost daily on Skipwith Common NNR during the month.
Grey Wagtail – A single was present
throughout the month at Bank Island where it spent hours attacking its own
reflection in visitor’s wing mirrors. A single was also present at Sutton Weir
on the 10th and Melbourne
Arm on the 19th.
Grey Wagtail - Bank Island - 17/11
Kingfisher – A good showing with birds
recorded early in the month at Wheldrake Ings and Bank Island. A single was
present almost daily on the small pool at Thornton Ellers during the month with
two caught and ringed there on the 25th.
Other birds were also reported during the month from Church Bridge Melbourne
and Melbourne Arm (NC).
Kingfisher - Thornton Ellers - 24/11
Jay – Widespread throughout the area
during the month, in particular at Wheldrake Ings, Thornton Ellers and Skipwith
Common NNR.
Stonechat – A single male at North Duffield
Carrs was caught and colour-ringed on the 3rd
(MFJ). Another first winter male was present at Seavy Carr on the 4th while two, an adult male
and colour-ringed first winter male were present at North Duffield Carrs on the
6th-9th.
Blackcap – A male was seen amongst a
mixed tit flock at Wheldrake Ings on the 15th
(DB).
Nuthatch - A single was caught and ringed
in the Escrick Duck decoy on the 23rd
(MFJ).
Willow Tit – Up to three were present
throughout the month at the Bank Island feeding station, along with three at
Wheldrake Ings on the 15th.
Other records during the month included three ringed at feeding stations at
Thornton Ellers and two ringed at Church Bridge, with two seen at Melbourne Arm
on the 15th. A good
showing following what appears to have been a better breeding season.
Lesser Redpoll – Two were caught and ringed at
Thornton Ellers from a group of four there on the 5th. Seven were at Wheldrake Ings on the 15th whilst birds were
regularly recorded flying over Skipwith Common during the month (DT).
Lesser Redpoll - Thornton Ellers - 05/11
Siskin – A flock of 25 flew over
Thornton Ellers on the 5th.
Tree Sparrow – Up to 200 were present
throughout the month on the arable to the north of Thornton Ellers whilst 150
were feeding in a game cover strip near Seavy Carr later in the month – this
area still remains a stronghold in the area with c400 present in the area. Up
to 60 were present at the Bank Island feeding station throughout the month with
small scattered flocks elsewhere.
MAMMALS:
Roe Deer – Two
at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th, and two at Skipwith Common on the 26th.
Brown Hare
– Three at Thornton Ellers on the 5th,
with a single at Skipwith Common on the 13th.
BUTTERFLIES:
Red Admiral – A single was sunning itself on
the wall of the NNR base on the 7th
– the last of the year perhaps.
DRAGONFLIES:
Common Darter – Two individuals, presumably the
last for the year were seen at Thornton Ellers on the 18th.
OTHER INVERTS:
Unsurprisingly a quiet month with few records, however one mild day on the Common saw this Orange Ladybird making its way down a Silver Birch tree.
Orange Ladybird - Skipwith Common - 18/11
FUNGI:
Several new species for the year were found throughout November on Skipwith Common such as: Common Inkcap, Common Jellyspot, Coral Spot, Fairy Inkcap and Small Stagshorn. Plenty of Jelly Ear was also found!
Common Inkcap - 17/11
Jelly Ear - 17/11
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