At the weekend two Bearded Tits were seen going into roost at
Wheldrake Ings – the first sighting there this autumn. Bearded Tits are
resident in the UK throughout the year and disperse from their breeding sites
during the autumn, sometimes undertaking regular ‘eruptions’ - these are marked
by flocks of birds rising out of their breeding reed beds and taking high,
towering flights with lots of excited calling, small groups then peel off and
disperse. It is these birds that can turn up at this time of year away from
their usual haunts, making it a good time to look out for them in suitable
habitat within our area. Over the next month areas with reed beds or reed
fringes are worth checking for these amazing little birds, often noticed first
by their distinctive ‘pinging’ calls, the small reed beds at Wheldrake Ings have
been a local ‘hotspot’ in previous years. Many thanks to local birder
Duncan Bye for sending in his super photograph of a stunning male taken at
Wheldrake Ings this time last year.
It has also been pleasing to see an increase in the numbers of Grey Partridge around
the valley this year, last month two large groups (coveys)
were recorded, with 19 present at Melbourne Ings on the 10th and a covey
of eight (presumably a family party), on Bubwith Ings on the 16th. Sadly Grey
Partridge have undergone a dramatic decline in the UK over the last 30 years,
in line with many other farmland bird species. Changing land management
practices, intensification and speed of management operations have perhaps
contributed to such declines, and possibly the competition from the vast
numbers of Red-legged Partridges that are released each year for shooting.
Small numbers of Greys remain around the LDV with pockets of populations in
Thornton, Thorganby, Storwood and North Duffield - the recent increase in
sightings is a welcome change of fortune for the species locally.
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