Nov' 24

Lower Derwent Valley NNR Sightings - November

The highlight of the month was the remaining American Wigeon present from the 1^st to month end, with two individuals seen on the 17^th. Two Bewick’s Swans at Wheldrake Ings and Melbourne on the 4^th were notable as were eight Tundra Bean Geese. A Snow Bunting near North Duffield on the 18^th was on cue for such a record in the area, with a Yellow-browed Warbler recorded on noc-mig over Wheldrake village overnight on the 4^th/5^th.

Increasing numbers of waterfowl were present throughout the site with 6000 Wigeon, 3000 Teal, 4200 Lapwing and 2700 Golden Plover. A single Knot on the 3^rd was notable, with several Jack Snipe, Black-tailed Godwits, 80 Dunlin and two Green Sandpipers also present prior to the freezing conditions during the second half of the month. Another Water/Rock Pipit was at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th with a Water Pipit then confirmed at Bubwith Ings on the 26^th and 28^th. Four Raven’s, four over-wintering Chiffchaff and ten Hawfinch were notable in the ongoing influx, whilst up to 5000 Starling roosted in the Wheldrake Ings reedbed.

Many thanks as always to everyone who contributed records and counts throughout the month, in particular to members of York Birding and regular patch birder Duncan Bye, thanks also to Duncan for the use of his photographs below.

 

BIRDS:

Mute Swan – 83 were present early in the month with 94 recorded on the 21^st.

Whooper Swan – Up to 72 resident birds were present in the North Duffield Carrs area at the start of the month with small numbers of passage birds moving through the site including herds of 14 and four over Bank Island on the 2^nd followed by 31 over Escrick on the 3^rd. A flock of 22 were at Melbourne Ings on the 4^th followed by 60 at Wheldrake Ings on the 7^th and 8^th whilst two headed south over Bank Island on the 9^th. Six were at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th and 16 headed northwest over Stamford Bridge on the 16^th. 65 were present at Ellerton on the 17^th with 78 there by month end.  

Whooper Swans - Wheldrake Ings - 11/11 - DB

Bewick’s Swan – Two were present in the Wheldrake area and later in Melbourne on the 4^th.

Greylag Goose – Up to 1,000 remained throughout the month although birds were mobile throughout the area in response to water levels.

Pink-footed Goose – Up to 350 remained throughout the local area during the month with other smaller passage flocks also regularly noted. 120 roosted at Bank Island on the 7^th with smaller flocks recorded throughout the month as they moved around locally.

Pink-footed Geese - Wheldrake - 10/11 - DB

Tundra Bean Goose – Eight flew north over North Duffield Carrs calling on the 17^th and were followed by three over Bank Island on the 29^th.

Barnacle Goose – Eleven were present in the Aughton area on the 30^th.

Egyptian Goose – Twelve were at North Duffield Carrs between the 1^st - 4^th whilst four flew over Bank Island calling on the 5^th with two there on the 6^th. Flocks of eleven at Thorganby and twelve at East Cottingwith gave a total of 23 throughout the site on the 18^th, with two present at Elvington airfield on the 26^th.

Shelduck – Seven were at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd with one at Bank Island on the 5^th. 30 were then present on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th with 30 seen again on the 18^th and 19^th. 39 were present at Bank Island on the 28^th followed by 43 there on the 29^th, including the regularly returning hybrid and an additional related young bird.

Shelduck - Wheldrake Ings - 17/11 - DB

Teal – 3,000+ were present early in the month and remained throughout.

Wigeon – Up to 5,000 were present throughout the site early in the month with numbers up to 6,000+ by month end.

American Wigeon – The lingering adult drake remained at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st and 2^nd and again between the 9^th - 11^th before appearing at East Cottingwith on the 12^th. After looking at head plumage markings it was suggested that two adult drakes were present in the area which was confirmed on the 17^th when both birds were present at East Cottingwith and Wheldrake at the same time. The East Cottingwith drake was present on the pond there again on the 20^th with the other appearing at Bubwith Ings following the flooding on the 30^th.

American Wigeon - Wheldrake Ings - 17/11 - DB

Mallard – Freezing conditions mid-month saw numbers increase, no doubt due to many smaller ponds and water bodies freezing and concentrating birds. A total of 1,500 were present on top pond at North Duffield Carrs on the 22^nd when 2,100 were also recorded in the Thorganby area, making an overall count of 4,200 throughout the site on that date.

Mandarin – A single adult drake was observed feeding with Mallards at North Duffield Carrs on the 4^th.

Pintail – Up to 100 remained on site throughout the month.

Shoveler – 50 were present throughout the site on the 12^th with numbers up to 92 by the 29^th.

Gadwall – 77 were recorded on the 12^th followed by 103 on the 29^th.

Tufted Duck – Scarce during the month due to limited flooding with four on the 27^th being the peak count.

Pochard – Four were recorded at Bank Island on the 27^th.  

Goldeneye – A single on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd was followed by one on the 4^th with another at Bank Island on the 4^th and 5^th. A drake was present on the top pond at North Duffield Carrs on the 6^th and 8^th with an immature drake there on the 17^th. Four were present throughout the site on the 29^th.

Goosander – The first of the autumn flew east over Wheldrake Ings on the 17^th, with four appearing at Stamford Bridge on the 23^rd. Another flew over Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 30^th.

Little Egret – Between one to four birds were present daily throughout the site.

Cattle Egret – A single was seen heading over Wheldrake village on the 18^th.

Grey Heron – A total of 31 were recorded across the site on the 29^th.

Great White Egret – At least one mobile individual remained on site early in the month.

Great White Egret - Wheldrake Ings - 03/11 - DB

Grey Partridge – Four were at Bubwith on the 19^th. Up to 45 were recorded in fields behind Wheldrake village on the 25^th and 26^th with 12 seen at Bank Island on the 28^th. 

Water Rail – Two calling birds were recorded at Bank Island on the 5^th with four there on the 8^th. Two were recorded at North Duffield Carrs top pond calling from areas of bulrush on the 22^nd with three heard by the Geoff Smith hide on the same date. Two were calling from Stamford Bridge flash on the 23^rd. Three or four were also calling from sites along Melbourne and Thornton Ings during the month with four or five present at Wheldrake Ings – an estimated population of 17-19 calling birds.

Marsh Harrier – At least eight individuals remained across the site on the 3^rd with nine still present on the 17^th before seven were recorded on the 29^th.

Marsh Harrier - Wheldrake Ings - 30/11 - DB

Hen Harrier – A female was at Wheldrake Ings on the 12^th.

Peregrine – The month opened with two wintering individuals with three birds then recorded on the 12^th.

Golden Plover – Numbers reduced from those in October with approximately 600-700 remaining early in the month. A total of 2,706 were recorded on the 18^th in fields near Ellerton with 2,000+ remaining to month end. 400+ were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 30^th.

Lapwing – Up to 300 remained throughout the site on the 3^rd and 4^th and were followed by a count of 1,000+ on the 11^th with numbers up to 3,100 by the 18^th including 1,966 in fields near Ellerton. 2,500 were present in the Ellerton area on the 30^th with other scattered flocks also recorded giving a total of 4,300 throughout the site at this time.

Lapwing - Wheldrake Ings - 30/11 - DB

Knot – One was present with a flock of Lapwing at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd.

Dunlin – Up to 20 remained early in the month with 14 recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 17^th. Increased flooding throughout the site thereafter saw numbers increase to 80 by the 29^th.

Curlew – Four remained early in the month with seven then recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 18^th followed by 11 there on the 25^th.

Ruff – Ten were present between the 1^st-6^th with 12 then recorded at Ellerton on the 18^th followed by 19 on the 27^th.

Black-tailed Godwit – A single was at Wheldrake Ings on the 9^th with two present across the site from the 27^th to month end.  

Snipe – Up to 240 were recorded across the site during the first week of the month with 57 then present at Bank Island on the 12^th.

Jack Snipe – Three were recorded at Bank Island on the 14^th, followed by two at North Duffield Carrs on the 22^nd and three at Elvington airfield on the 26^th.

Woodcock – Numbers increased towards month end with several seen near Elvington on the 26^th.

Redshank – Two were still present at Bank Island on the 4^th and Wheldrake Ings on the 9^th where they remained thereafter until 11 were recorded at Bubwith Ings on the 30^th.

Green Sandpiper – Two lingered at Bank Island between the 1^st-6^th with one then seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th. A single remained there until the 21^st but not thereafter following the freezing conditions.

Rock/Water Pipit – One at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th with a Water Pipit then confirmed at Bubwith Ings on the 26^th and 28^th.

Stonechat – Up to 30 were scattered throughout the site on winter territories.

Stonechat - Bank Island - 30/11 - DB

Redwing – Small numbers moved through the reserve on a daily basis early in the month with 550 recorded on the 3^rd.

Fieldfare – 200-300 were recorded daily from the 1^st-6^th over Bank Island with most observed heading straight over.

Starling – 1,253 moved northwest over Bank Island on the 3^rd with approximately 10,000 over Thorganby on the 4^th. 5,000 roosted in the Swantail Ings reedbed at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th with 3,000 recorded there on the 17^th.

Raven – Two flew over Bank Island calling towards the Low Grounds and Wheldrake Ings on the 9^th. Another flew over Wheldrake village on the 22^nd with one seemingly roosting overnight near Thicket Priory on the 25^th after being seen at dawn there the following morning.

Jay – Birds were particularly visible throughout the month with good numbers present in the Wheldrake and Bank Island areas with perhaps up to 5-10 individuals recorded on a daily basis.

Chiffchaff – A single was in the Melbourne area on the 1^st whilst one remained at Bank Island on the 3^rd. Singles were present again at Melbourne on the 14^th and at both Wheldrake and Bank Island on the 16^th. Two were in the Wheldrake Ings reedbed on the 26^th.

Yellow-browed Warbler – A single was recorded on noc-mig over Wheldrake village on the night of the 4^th/5^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – One was back at Melbourne on the 1^st with four remaining in the Wheldrake/Bank Island area on the 4^th. Six were at Wheldrake Ings on the 19^th.

Siskin – 50 were present at Melbourne on the 1^st.

Hawfinch – Singles were recorded at Bank Island on the 1^st with four there on the 3^rd followed by singles at Bubwith on the 4^th and 5^th. Two were then present at Bank Island on the 9^th. A single was reported from a Wheldrake garden on the 17^th with another on the same date at Elvington churchyard.

Yellowhammer – 50+ were in fields by Bank Island on the 30^th.

Snow Bunting – A single flew over arable fields to the northwest of North Duffield Carrs on the 19^th.

Corn Bunting – 15 were present at the regular winter roost at the Church Bridge reedbed on the 14^th. 70+ were along Hagg Lane at East Cottingwith on the 21^st with 23 in Wheldrake village on the 22^nd. 50 were in fields by Bank Island on the 30^th.

Corn Bunting - Bank Island - 30/11 - DB