20/03/23 - Project Penelope

In November 2021, we teamed up with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation to help out with #ProjectPenelope - a study which aims to map the species flyway of Wigeon with fieldwork carried out across the UK, Denmark and Finland recording winter movements, flight paths and breeding sites from colour-ring re-sightings.

Since then, our team have colour-ringed around 300 birds to date, which have produced a number of re-sightings - both of birds back on the reserve in subsequent winters, but also along their migration routes to their breeding grounds in Russia. This data set includes two individuals to the Netherlands, as well as singles to Moscow, Russia and the Cherven District in Belarus. Please do keep an eye open for colour-ringed Wigeon when visiting the reserve (and other sites), to help build up greater information to help conserve our populations, thank you.

10/03/23 - Corporate Volunteering

We've got a really busy month ahead with a number of corporate days booked in March with groups from the NHS, Network Rail, Vistry Homes, Amey, Carter Jonas Estate Agents and Aviva. We’re really grateful for this extra support on the reserve and are looking forward to showcasing the LDV NNR and all it has to offer. 

Whilst the practical task is the main focus of the day, we do like to provide groups with an opportunity to experience some of our local wildlife at close range, with moth trapping and a bird ringing demonstration planned if weather conditions allow. 

Last year some of our groups were fortunate to see a Goldcrest and Kingfisher in the hand, with the very beautiful Hawk-moths delighting the invertebrate enthusiasts – not a bad way to start a working day! 

If you work for a company that offers corporate volunteering days, or if you’d just like to come along on your own then we have a friendly group that come in each week – please do get in touch if this an opportunity that you’d like to explore further, thank you. 

20/02/23 - WeBS UK February

Great WeBS count in the LDV yesterday, with a total of 50,055 birds counted inc. 20, 207 wildfowl, 9682 waders and 20,168 gulls - nice to have a mix of wintering visitors with the start of spring passage and returning breeding birds. 

Wildfowl totals inc. 144 Whooper Swans, 301 Pink-footed Geese, 9152 Wigeon and 7717 Teal, with notable counts of 657 Pintail, 495 Gadwall and 248 Shoveler. 

Counts of 7018 Lapwing, 276 Dunlin and 27 Ruff were also had, with signs of spring including 7 returning Oystercatchers, 41 Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper and up to 69 returning Curlew.

Other birds present around the LDV this weekend inc. the long staying juvenile Hen Harrier, two redhead Smew, Great White Egret, seven Marsh Harrier, four Peregrine, a single Mediterranean Gull & four Barn Owls - the latter showing well at Bank Island at dawn/dusk recently.

13/02/23 - Peregrine success story

Birdwatchers visiting the #LDV recently have been able to enjoy good numbers of birds of prey, attracted by the thousands of wintering waterfowl - amongst them up to five wintering Peregrines have been showing well at both Wheldrake and North Duffield Carrs. 

Peregrine - Wheldrake Ings - 11/02/23 - DB

However, one individual seen recently (photographed at the weekend by local birder Duncan Bye), proved to be rather special. It was a young bird from 2021, that had fractured its collarbone – leaving it grounded and unable to fly. Fortunately, the wounded individual ended up in the expert care of Jean Thorpe, who, alongside Mark and the team at Battle Flatts Vets, were able to ensure the bone healed in the correct position. Once the bone had healed, the bird was then transferred to the National Birds of Prey Centre at Duncombe Park, where Charlie and the team flew it to help it gain its strength and fine-tuned its hunting instinct – very important for a young bird which hadn’t been fledged long, and which depends on speed and agility to survive. Once the bird was declared fit for release back into the wild, Jean brought it over to the reserve, where it was released in October 2021 - nearly three months after it was first picked up.

Peregrine release - NDC - 08/10/21

So, imagine everyone’s delight to see it at the weekend on Wheldrake Ings – not only having survived but looking so well. A huge thank you to everyone involved for their time, expertise, and hard work, in ensuring such a fantastic outcome for this bird – and adding to the enjoyment of so many who will have been able to watch and admire it hunting around the reserve.

10/01/23 - Winter birding

There has been some great winter birdwatching in and around the NNR recently, with waterfowl providing the ever-present spectacle - over 4000 Pink-footed Geese are currently roosting and feeding on the northern end of the reserve, whilst 150 Whooper Swans and two family parties of Bewick’s have been reported, with three Smew and a single female Scaup adding additional interest.

Smew - East Cottingwith - Adam Firth

Two, or possibly three Hen Harriers have been recorded in the area, with up to 9 Marsh Harriers and 5 Peregrines. Waders have included up to 7000 Lapwing and a lone wintering Green Sandpiper.

Whilst there is a great deal to see on the reserve, can visitors please be aware that the NNR remains extensively flooded at the moment. There is limited access to the hides and paths at Bank Island, with access also limited at Wheldrake Ings (Tower Hide can be reached in wellies - water levels permitting), with no further access to the other two hides on Wheldrake, however both the hides at North Duffield Carrs remain accessible. Please take care when visiting the reserve and let us know what you see, either on our Facebook page or via our Twitter account @LDV_NNR - thank you.

Wheldrake Ings - Stuart Rapson