The LDV Team headed off to another NNR this week (Duncombe Park, Helmsley) along with the Reserve Manager (Craig Bellwood) from the Humberhead Peatlands NNR (Thorne & Hatfield Moors). The visit had been organised to help maintain and improve the tree shelters around the grounds. However it also provided the opportunity to string a line of mist nets across the river during our lunch break, which proved very worthwhile with the catch of three rather special birds - Kingfisher, Dipper & Grey Wagtail, all in quick succession!
First off a pair of Grey Wags were spotted moving up & down stream so we quickly positioned a net across the water, less than a minute after being set the first bird was in!
Battling the current!
Grey Wagtail
A quick drive further along the river resulted in a Kingfisher in flight and a Dipper by the weir. Not long after the net had been up the Dipper had found itself in it, result!
Dipper - a new species for Fal
The third bird to be caught & the most stunning of them all was a female Kingfisher (sexed by the red on the base of the bill), resulting in one very happy volunteer!
One very happy Jean!
Female Kingfisher
Waiting to go!
A second Grey Wagtail was the fourth and last bird of the day. We plan to return after the breeding season to hopefully catch and ring the young of these three species.
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