Nov '19

Lower Derwent Valley NNR Sightings - November

The month was almost completely dominated by water – either by the constant rainfall or by lingering extensive flooding of the Ings with the river over-topping the flood banks and covered most of the surrounding area. Some notable counts and interesting species were recorded during the month as a result, although coverage was rather limited to watching around the edges of the reserve.

Up to 170 Whooper Swans represented a good early winter count, whilst goose watching was equally rewarding with over 800 Pink-footed Geese logged (still an increasing feature of early winter in the valley), along with 33 European and two Russian White-fronted Geese. However, it was the Greylag Geese that stole the headlines with 3400 present on the 11^th, representing a new reserve record. Six Ruddy Shelduck appeared from the 9^th to month end, followed by the usual build up in Shelduck numbers (52 by month end). 171 Pochard represented a notable count these days, with 258 Tufted Duck, 9 Scaup and 4 Red-crested Pochard adding to the totals. 321 Pintail was a good early count for November, whilst 3200 Teal and 7300 Wigeon were good early winter counts, but probably lower than they might have been with feeding opportunities for the dabblers limited. Other notable sightings included a Slavonian Grebe (18^th/19^th), Common Crane (2^nd), and following last months extraordinary showing of Great White Egrets, just two records were logged early in the month.

Raptors continued much in line with recent months, with up to 6 Marsh Harriers throughout the site, two Peregrines showing well daily on the bales at North Duffield Carrs, a Merlin at Thorganby (3^rd), Short-eared Owls at Bank Island and Wheldrake (2^nd and 9^th), with a late report of an Osprey at North Duffield on the 21^st. Whilst there wasn’t much habitat left for wading birds, up to 2140 Lapwing and 2000 Golden Plover were present, with 61 Ruff, 22 Curlew and 17 Redshank. A single Knot was noteworthy. 

Despite the wet and largely dreary conditions, a handful of summer visitors lingered with the last two Swallows (4^th), House Martin (5^th), Blackcap (5th and 17^th) and Chiffchaff (2^nd, 21^st and 29^th). Large numbers of Fieldfares and Redwings were present, whilst 23+ wintering Stonechats (including 9 at North Duffield Carrs), represented another record count. Two Cetti’s Warblers seemed to have taken up winter territories at favoured locations whilst the first 15 Corn Buntings were present in the Melbourne roost on the 19^th.  

Many thanks to everyone who contributed records throughout the month, in particular to members of the YOC and local valley birder Duncan Bye - thanks also to Duncan, Jono, Adam for the use of their photographs).

BIRDS: 

Whooper Swan – Numbers increased to 170 wintering birds by the 10^th, following a flock of 110 over Wheldrake airfield and south down the valley on the 7^th. 43 flew south over the valley on the 11^th followed by eight on the 12^th. 129 were counted on the WeBS on the 16^th (inc. 31 immatures), with 140+ remaining at month end. 

Mute Swan – 82 were present throughout the site on the 16^th.  

Pink-footed Goose – 200 were present in the Thorganby area on the 2^nd, with 60 south-east over North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd. 75 passed over Skipwith Common on the 5^th followed by 26 in the valley on the 9^th. 30 were present at Bank Island on the 13^th with 41 over Skipwith Common on the 14^th. 95 flew in to roost at Thornton Ings at dusk on the 15^th with 115 seen flying out at dawn on the 16^th – presumably commuting between fields on the Wolds on this roost site. 51 flew west over Bubwith with 12 at Wheldrake on the 16^th whilst 56 headed east over Bank Island on the 20^th. Up to five lingered at Bank Island thereafter with seven over Melbourne on the 29^th.  

European White-fronted Geese – Two immatures were at Ellerton on the 16^th, a week later 33 flew south over Bank Island on the 22^nd (CSR, FM). Seven were present near Melbourne on the 29^th when an adult was present at Bank Island. 

European White-fronted Goose - Bank Island - 29/11/19 - AF

Greenland White-fronted Goose – Two at Bank Island on the 24^th (DW et al) and 25^th.  

Egyptian Goose – A single adult and three newly fledged young remained at East Cottingwith throughout the month.

Greylag Goose – 1200 were still present at Wheldrake on the 10^th when 2000+ were recorded at Thornton Ellers – a total valley count of 3400 was then had on the 11^th. 2000+ roosted at Thornton Ings again at dusk on the 15^th. 2851 were counted on the WeBS on the 16^th, with up to 800 at Bank Island from the 21^st to month end, with a total of 2470 on the 30^th. 

Canada Goose – Monthly maxima of 321 recorded on the 16^th.

Shelduck – The first returning wintering birds were 13 at Ellerton on the 3^rd followed by 36 throughout the site on the 10^th - increasing to 52 by the 16^th. 

Ruddy Shelduck – A flock of six were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 9^th - 11^th before relocating to Ellerton until the 16^th. Presumably the same flock were present again at North Duffield Carrs on the 18^th - 22^nd before moving to North Duffield Ings on the 29^th. 

Ruddy Shelduck - 16/11/19 - Aughton - JL

Teal – 3274 were present on the 16^th. 

Wigeon – 7300 were present throughout the site on the 16^th. 

Pintail – 189 were present on Wheldrake Ings on the 15^th with 215 there the following day when a total valley count revealed 321 to be present.

Gadwall – 92 were present at Aughton Ings on the 9^th when an estimated 150+ were present throughout the site. 161 were counted on the 16^th.

Mallard – Up to 1000 were present throughout the month. 

Shoveler – 156 was the monthly maximum recorded on the 9^th.  

Tufted Duck – Numbers increased with the extensive deep flooding, with 91 at Bank Island on the 1^st and 87 on the 3^rd when 121 were also present at Aughton – total of 238 throughout.  163 were recorded on the 9^th followed by 258 on the 16^th and 264 on the 30^th. 

Scaup – A single female was present at Bank Island on the 21^st with nine (one adult drake) at Bubwith Ings on the 24^th. A first winter drake was then present at Ellerton on the 29^th and Wheldrake on the 30^th.  

Pochard – 58 were recorded at Aughton on the 3^rd when a total of 67 were counted throughout the reserve. 61 were still present on the 9^th increasing to 159 throughout the whole site on the 16^th. A total of 171 were recorded on the 23^rd/24^th.

Red-crested Pochard – Four drakes were present at Aughton on the 3^rd (DB, JL), followed by a single drake at Wheldrake on the 15^th. 

Red-crested Pochard - Aughton - 03/11/19 - JL

Goldeneye – The first returning birds were two at Wheldrake on the 3^rd followed by two at Wheldrake and Thorganby on the 9^th. Numbers increased thereafter with 11 on the 16^th and 14 on the 24^th. 

Little Egret – Six were recorded at Melbourne on the 8^th with four at Thornton Ellers on the 16^th. 

Great White Egret – A single was present at Thorganby on the 1^st followed by one at Church Bridge Melbourne on the 15^th -16^th.

Grey Heron – 17 were present around the valley on the 16^th.  

Osprey – A late bird was reported at North Duffield Carrs on the 21^st. 

Marsh Harrier – Up to six cream crowns were still present early in the month, with up to three at North Duffield Carrs thereafter. A single cream crown was seen hunting snipe on Skipwith Common on the 14^th and 20^th. 

Peregrine – A single was seen at North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st and 3^rd with two there on the 9^th /10^th and again on the 15^th/16^th then daily to month end. 

Red Kite – Singles were present at Skipwith on the 12^th, Thorganby on the 22^nd and Bank Island on the 28^th. 

Merlin – One at Thorganby on the 3^rd. 

Grey Partridge – Six at East Cottingwith on the 3^rd.

Water Rail – Two were present at Church Bridge, Melbourne on the 15^th with singles at Aughton Churchyard and North Duffield Carrs on the 16^th and two at North Duffield Carrs on the 19^th. Three were present at Melbourne Ings on the 23^rd with one at East Cottingwith and two at North Duffield Carrs on the 24^th.  

Coot – The first two returning birds were present at Wheldrake on the 2^nd with four at Bank Island on the 10^th and five on the 13^th. 11 were recorded throughout the site on the 16^th. 

Common Crane – A single was heard calling in the North Duffield Carrs area on the 2^nd – presumably present out of view on nearby farmland. 

Slavonian Grebe – A single on the River Derwent at North Duffield on the 18^th/19^th (CSR, FM, AN). 

Great Crested Grebe – Extensive flooding brought four rather unseasonal birds to Wheldrake on the 10^th. Singles remained there and at North Duffield on the 16^th. 

Cormorant – 26 roosted at Wheldrake on the 3^rd.

Golden Plover – 500 were still present on North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd – making use of the last bits of unflooded grassland. 100+ were found feeding on scattered arable fields in Escrick after dark on the 12^th. 1870 were present on North Duffield Ings on the 16^th. 2200 were present throughout the site on the 24^th with a flock of 2000 present on North Duffield Ings. 

Golden Plover - North Duffield - 03/11/19 - JL

Lapwing – 2140 were present throughout on the 16^th with 1000+ at North Duffield Ings on the 24^th.

Snipe – 75 were present on the Sands Lane area of Skipwith Common on the 5^th. 

Jack Snipe – A single at Thornton Ellers on the 16^th. Up to six or seven were then found on Nightjar Heath on Skipwith Common on the 27^th/28^th.

Woodcock – A single was caught and ringed during a thrush roost at Church Bridge, Melbourne on the 8^th. Following the ‘Woodcock moon’ around mid-month, numbers increased on Skipwith Common with five on the Wash Dykes area on the 19^th. Local shoots also reported an increase in numbers on the surrounding area at the time. 

Black-tailed Godwit – A single was present with 300 Lapwing at Wheldrake on the 15^th and Ellerton on the 16^th.  

Curlew – Five were counted throughout the reserve on the 3^rd followed by seven at Ellerton on the 10^th. 21 were then present at Wheldrake on the 28^th. 

Ruff – 29 were recorded at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd, increasing to 61 throughout the site on the 16^th.

Knot – A single at North Duffield Ings on the 24^th.

Dunlin – Three were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd with 14 at Thorganby on the 16^th and 18 at North Duffield Ings on the 24^th. 

Redshank – Two remained at North Duffield Carrs into the month, increasing to 17 at Ellerton on the 10^th.

Common Gull – 1000 roosted at Wheldrake on the 3^rd with 8000+ by the 28^th. 

Black-headed Gull – 7000 roosted at Wheldrake on the 3^rd with 35,000+ there by the 28^th. 

Short-eared Owl – A single flew south over Bank Island on the 2^nd (CSR) with another circling high over Wheldrake on the 9^th (DB). 

Little Owl – A single was present on the Wheldrake/Elvington road on the 5^th, with one seen regularly at Thorganby village hall during the month. 

Grey Wagtail – Regular in the Bank Island area throughout the month with one or two birds at the adjacent Water Treatment Works.

Stonechat – Good numbers remained throughout the site during the month, with two at Bank Island, three at North Duffield Carrs, two at Melbourne and a single at East Cottingwith on the 3^rd. Widespread thereafter with an impressive nine at North Duffield Carrs on the 11^th – and an estimated 20+ present on that day throughout the site. A male was present on Skipwith Common on the 20^th with two at East Cottingwith/Storwood on the 24^th – perhaps up to 23+ present in the area.

Stonechat - North Duffield - 24/11/19 - DB

Swallow – Two late birds were present at Bank Island on the 4^th.

House Martin – A late bird was present in Elvington village on the 5^th. 

Starling – Good numbers were scattered throughout the site with presumed continental visitors swelling local populations. A roost at Aughton had built up to 2000 by the 4^th and 3000+ by the 9^th, performing mumurations which were viewable from the hides at North Duffield Carrs. 10,000+ were present there on the 18^th with 7000+ on the 22^nd and 10,000+ again on the 28^th when 1500 also roosted near Wheldrake. 1100 were present at North Duffield Carrs at dawn on the 29^th – presumably birds coming from the Aughton roost. 

Redwing – Above average numbers remained throughout the month with some notable counts. A large arrival occurred from dawn on the 6^th which brought 800+ to Bank Island. c1000 arrived throughout the day at Bank Island on the 11^th with 900+ there on the 12^th. 4150 were counted throughout on the 16^th with 1500+ at Bubwith Ings on the 18^th. 

Fieldfare – As with Redwing, notable numbers were recorded - 350 at Bank Island on the 6^th with 700+ throughout the day on the 11^th and 1200 on the 12^th. 1000+ were present at Church Bridge Melbourne on the 13^th. 2200 were recorded throughout the site on the 16^th with 1000+ at Bubwith Ings on the 18^th. 500 were present at Bank Island on the 21^st and 22^nd.

Jay – Small numbers were scattered throughout the area with five at Melbourne on the 10^th, followed by three at East Cottingwith and two at Bank Island on the 12^th. 

Nuthatch – A single was present at Church Bridge Melbourne on the 16^th with one in a Thorganby garden on the 30^th. 

Willow Tit – Singles were present on Skipwith Common on the 2^nd and 4^th, whilst a single was caught and ringed at Church Bridge Melbourne on the 9^th. A single was calling by the Geoff Smith at North Duffield Carrs on the 16^th – 20^th. 

Chiffchaff – A single was present at Aughton on the 3^rd with one caught and ringed at the NNR base garden on the 21^st followed by one on the 29^th on the old railway line at North Duffield Ings. 

Blackcap – A single was present in Elvington on the 5^th followed by a male found dead in a garden there on the 17^th having flown into a window. 

Cetti’s Warbler – A single was present in canal side scrub at East Cottingwith on the 9^th/10^th and was later heard singing there on the 24^th (DB, AF). Another individual was still at the Church Bridge reed bed on the 16^th and 23^rd (CSR). 

Corn Bunting – Four singing males were present between Ellerton and Aughton village on the 16^th. 15 were present at the Melbourne Church Bridge reed bed roost on the 19^th.