It's that time when we have been busy compiling last
year’s records and submitting them to the various county and national recording
schemes. We’ve recently just finished inputting our moth recording data – no
mean feat with 12,661 moths recorded of 250 species over 92 trapping nights during
2019. It’s always interesting to see what new and unusual
species have occurred, last year a rather stunning Privet Hawk-moth was the
first record for the reserve - caught at Bank Island on the 11th July.
Another highlight was our fourth Archers Dart at Bank Island on the 28th
June, following one in 1993 and two in 1995 – this species has a mainly coastal
distribution around Britain, but can also occur inland on dry sandy heaths or
breckland, such as those found in the Thornton Ellers area. Other species
which have notable strongholds in the Lower Derwent Valley area include Oblique
Carpet, a damp grassland species, with 27 caught between 29th May
and 29th August, and Cream-boarded Green Pea which was recorded
on four occasions. Six Oak Eggar were notable, whilst Beautiful Hook-tip continue to increase,
with 39 recorded during the year including a high count of 13 on the 11th
July.
Our peak count of moths reached around 800 during some nights in August,
of which 300 Large Yellow Underwings comprised a significant proportion of the
catch. Many thanks to all of our volunteers who helped us identify, count and
release our catches throughout the year.
Whilst many of our summer migrants and warblers are enjoying warmer winter
climates further south, over the last few weeks up to five Chiffchaffs have
been enjoying the unseasonably mild conditions in and around the NNR base
garden at Bank Island.
We’ve enjoyed having some great views of the birds
through the office windows, whilst they have been working their way across the
building, windows and picnic tables - picking off flies and other insects, and
they also provided many of the bird race teams a useful bonus species. It won’t be long now until the first returning
migrants start to appear though, as they announce their arrival with their
characteristic and repetitive chiff-chaff song from mid-March. Please do let us
know if you come across any wintering birds in the area, and we’d be delighted
to hear about those first spring records in around eight weeks’ time. As well
as the Chiffchaffs, there are plenty of other birds to be seen at the NNR base
at the moment, with flocks of Tree Sparrows, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and various
tits all present at the feeders. Many thanks to local wildlife photographer
Terry Weston for sharing his super image with us.
During the 1960’s and 70’s, herds of up to 250-300
Bewick’s Swans were regular in the valley during the winter months. Numbers
then started to decline through the 1980’s and 90’s, to around 30 birds each
winter, yet now we're down to just one lone pair which have been returning to
the valley since 2009. The female (702) was ringed as a first year on the wintering
grounds in the Netherlands in November 2007, and has wintered in the valley
each year since 2009, except the 2011/12 winter when she and her partner remained
in Denmark.
The Bewick's Swan population seems to be struggling on
the Russian breeding grounds with low productivity, and with warmer winter
conditions across Europe, many birds are now wintering there rather than
continuing another 400 kilometres to the UK. Since returning once again at the
end of December, the two Bewick's have been moving between the flooded Ings at
Ellerton and Bubwith, but largely keeping their distance from the 180+
Icelandic Whooper Swans wintering in the same area. Bewick’s Swans are slightly
smaller and more delicate than Whoopers, and have less yellow on their bill
(not extending below their nostrils). When visiting the reserve please let us
know if you're lucky enough to spot these two scarce winter visitors.
After a well-earned Christmas break, our hardworking and
dedicated band of volunteers returned to the LDV last week, to continue
delivering some of the grants the Friends have been successful in securing
recently. These include grants from the Spaldington Community Windfarm Benefit
Fund, and the East Riding of Yorkshire Councils Year of Green Action Fund, both
of which have helped sponsor our winter farmland bird feeding stations, as well
as providing timber to make Tree Sparrow nest boxes.
With over 70 boxes made before Christmas, last week we
spent time with our volunteers putting up the first 30 at Thornton Ellers – a
key site for Tree Sparrows. We’re looking forward to monitoring these boxes in
the spring and summer, which will hopefully help to boost our local population.
Whilst there we also started our tree and hedge planting project - this will
improve the edges of the reserve for a host of wildlife with a range of tree
species planted, which will provide various nectar, fruit and nut resources.
Many thanks as always to our team for their efforts.
