Now is the time of year when it’s a bit easier to see one of the most colourful members of the Corvid family – the Jay, as individuals move between woodlands in search of feeding opportunities, particularly acorns.
It’s always a delight to see one of these beautiful birds, and we’re pleased to say it’s been a particularly good autumn so far for records, with many individuals reported throughout the reserve over the last few weeks, including up to 20 in the Bank Island/Wheldrake Ings area with smaller numbers elsewhere. At Bank Island and around the pool at Wheldrake Ings birds have been noted flying in from the car park lane and the woodlands around Thicket Priory, where they are busy collecting acorns, before looking for sites to cache them for the winter (hopefully not in areas which will be underwater in a few month’s time!).
Although Jays are present across the site throughout the year and breed in low densities in the area, Skipwith Common NNR represents something of a local stronghold, and now is a good time to look for them whilst they are easier to see as the leaves are falling. Winter flocks of tits and redpoll can also be seen roaming around Skipwith at this time of year, although often staying high in the treetops – listen out for the high pitched and rather nasally calls of these flocks, which may also have something else with them. Wintering warblers, such as Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps sometimes follow the flocks searching for food, with both species having been seen recently – as always please let us know of any records when visiting the NNRs, thank you.
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