Lower Derwent Valley NNR - January Sightings
A total of 115 species were recorded on or adjacent to the reserve during
the month, providing plenty of interest for local and visiting birders alike.
As usual wintering wildfowl dominated, with the two returning Bewick’s Swans
being welcomed back amongst the nearly 200 strong herd of Whooper Swans. Grey geese put on
a great showing, with as well as the usual north-west passage of Pink-footed
Geese (nearly 1700 moving during the
month), up to 79 European White-fronted, 11 Tundra Bean and 19 Barnacle
Geese toured around the Wheldrake/Storwood/Hagg Bridge area, with smaller
numbers frequenting the Melbourne and Thornton Ings part of the valley. Large
flocks of wintering waterfowl included 12,000+ Wigeon, 5000+ Teal, 629 Pintail,
513 Gadwall, 441 Shoveler, 200 Tufted Duck, 103 Pochard and 25 Goldeneye, as
well as two Scaup and a drake Green-winged Teal on the 26th/27th.
Raptors were well represented as usual with seven or
eight wintering Marsh Harriers, two-three returning Red Kites, 2 Merlins and four Peregrines.
Amongst the 25,000 smaller gulls at the Wheldrake Ings roost, a single adult Mediterranean Gull was found on the 26th whilst an Iceland Gull was present throughout (joined by a Caspian Gull on the 4th and 11th) in
fields to the west of the valley near Riccall. With the extensive and deep
winter flooding finally receding to reveal better wader habitat, numbers slowly
increased with 3700 Lapwing, 1000 Golden Plover, 121 Dunlin and 73 Ruff
recorded. Four Jack Snipe were
logged with good numbers of Woodcock on Skipwith Common NNR and in local
woodlands. Two Green Sandpipers were
present on the 13th whilst the now annual early January return of Black-tailed Godwits built up to nine by month end. Other notable records
included a Long-eared Owl on the
5th, five wintering Chiffchaff and
three wintering Cetti’s Warblers, with
just two Brambling and despite the lack of Lesser
Redpoll a single Common Redpoll was at
Melbourne during the month. The wet ground conditions resulted in little tilled
land over the autumn and winter, so the subsequent abundance of winter stubbles
resulted in widespread smaller flocks of farmland birds, which included up to
300 Corn Buntings in the area. The highlight
of the month continued to be the impressive build up and showing of the Starling murmuration at Aughton – with up to 300,000 by month end
- a truly spectacular sight.
The mild conditions throughout most of the month
lead to several un-seasonal bat sightings, although a half
ermine Stoat near Wheldrake was probably feeling a little conspicuous. The
same mild conditions produced three Small Tortoiseshell butterflies on
warmer days.
Many thanks as always to everyone who contributed records throughout the month, in particular to members of the YOC, and thanks also to Duncan Bye, Stuart Campbell, Jono Leadley, John Price and Tim Ward for the use of their photographs.
BIRDS:
Whooper
Swan – 166 were present throughout the site on the 2nd
with 196 (including 29 immatures) counted on the International Swan Census on
the 11th. Up to 25 continued to winter in the Melbourne and
Thornton Ings area until the 25th, with 150+ in the Bubwith/Aughton
and Ellerton area still remaining on the 27th.
Counts of brood sizes, numbers of first winters and
colour-ringed birds show a minimum of 217 have been present in the valley since
November 2019.
Bewick’s
Swan – Two adults were still present at Ellerton between
the 1st -13th, including the long returning colour-ringed individual
702.
Bewick's Swan - Ellerton - 02/01 - DB
Mute Swan
– 129 were present on the 11th during
the WeBS count.
Pink-footed
Goose – 26 remained in the Hagg Bridge area on the 1st
and Wheldrake on the 2nd, when a
further 130 passed north-west over the valley. 30 were present in the
Wheldrake/Storwood area on the 3rd-5th. A large
movement saw 536 pass north-west over the valley on the 10th
whilst 928 headed north-west on the 11th, with smaller
numbers also present in goose flocks in the area. 198 flew north-west
over Bank Island on the 13th with 300 over Thorganby on the
same date. 110 flew north over Bank Island on the 23rd with 33 present
around the Wheldrake area on the 26th. 240 passed north-west
over Thorganby on the 27th.
A total of 1681 flew north-west in return migrations
during the month - in addition to the small wintering numbers present in the
valley.
European White-fronted
Goose –The long staying family party of eight were
present at Bank Island on the 1st-2nd. In
addition, 26 arrived high from the east at Bank Island and onto Wheldrake on
the 3rd, with 14 also found at Melbourne – a total of 48 in
the valley. A total of 33 were present around the site on the 4th
with 62 on the 5th and 47 at Bank Island on the 9th. 22 were at Melbourne and 16 at Bank Island on
the 10th with 64 present in the valley on the 11th/12th
followed by 79 on the 13th (including a flock that arrived
high from the east into Bank Island). 27 were still present on Seavy Carr on
the 15th with 48 throughout the valley again on the 19th. The Seavy Carr flock appeared to depart
shortly after this date with 24 remaining in the valley on the 25th
-26th.
White-fronted Geese - Melbourne - 29/01 - TW
Tundra
Bean Goose – Three were present with other grey geese in
fields by Cheesecake Farm, Bank Island on the 9th, before
flying over towards the Low Grounds/Storwood area (CSR). Four were then present
at Hagg Bridge on the 11th (CSR) and again at Wheldrake and
Hagg Bridge on the 12th (DB et al). Six were located in the
same area on the 13th with five there on the 16th.
Four were on Wheldrake again on the 18th/19th when
a family party of seven were also present at North Duffield Ings – a total of
11 individuals around the site. Four then remained in the Wheldrake area until
at least the 28th.
Egyptian
Goose – A single adult and immature remained at East
Cottingwith on the 1st with three there on the 2nd
and 11th.
Greylag
Goose – Over 1200+ were present throughout the valley on the
10th with 1847 counted on the
11th. 1000+ remained
throughout the month.
Canada
Goose – 323 were present throughout the valley on the 4th
increasing to 471 on the 11th and 503 on the 26th.
Barnacle
Goose – Three were present at Bank Island at dawn on the 4th,
possibly part of a group of seven located later in the morning at Wheldrake
before heading south. 19 were recorded at Aughton on the 25th
- later seen circling Wheldrake Ings the following day before heading off south
down the valley.
Barnacles - Ellerton - 25/01 - JP
Shelduck – 132
were present throughout the site on the 11th. 63 were counted
at North Duffield Carrs on the 19th.
Teal – 5347 were counted throughout
the site on the monthly WeBS count on the 11th.
Green-winged Teal – A single drake was present in-front
of Tower Hide at Wheldrake Ings on the 26th
(JL et al) and again on the 27th
(NC).
Wigeon – The WeBS count on the 11th revealed a total of
12,127.
Wildfowl - Aughton - 19/01 - JL
Pintail – Up to 500 were recorded early
in the month, with 557 counted on the monthly WeBS count on the 11th. A total of 629 were present
throughout the site on the 19th.
Gadwall – 180+ present
early in the month increased to 398 by the 11th. 154 remained
at Wheldrake on the 19th. 374 were recorded at Wheldrake on
the 26th, when other counts from
elsewhere gave a minimum of 513 throughout the site.
Mallard – 1986
were recorded throughout the site on the monthly WeBS count on the 11th.
Shoveler – 246
were present throughout the site on the 3rd – upto 441 by the
11th. 350 remained on the 26th.
Tufted
Duck – Numbers declined from 200+ early in the month to
just 84 on the 11th - increasing again to 148 on the 26th.
Scaup – Two drakes
were present at Aughton Ings on the 1st/2nd, with
one remaining at Wheldrake on the 11th. Two drakes were present again on the 19th at Aughton
and 25th/26th at North Duffield Carrs.
Pochard – 103
were recorded at Bubwith Ings on the 3rd, reducing to 71
throughout the site by the 11th. 63 remained on the 19th
with 91 later present throughout the valley on the 25th/26th.
Goldeneye
– 15 were counted at Wheldrake on the 3rd,
with 19 throughout the site on the 11th. 25 were recorded
throughout the site on the 26th.
Goldeneye - Wheldrake - 26/01 - DB
Goosander
– A single drake was at Wheldrake on the 2nd with four there on the 11th and
seven on the 21st.
Little
Egret – The year opened with a single over Bank Island on
the 1st and 2nd, when two were also
reported from Melbourne and Thornton Ings. Five were present throughout the
valley on the 3rd-5th increasing to nine on the 10th-13th.
Five were present again in the Wheldrake/Bank Island area on the 19th, with nine at Wheldrake Ings/Low Grounds on the 26th - two were
also at Melbourne and a single at North Duffield Carrs on the same date.
Great White
Egret – One at Barmby on the Marsh Wetlands on the 25th.
Grey Heron – A tight flock of eight arrived into the Low
Grounds and then over Bank Island on the 3rd – possibly birds returning to the valley following long lasting deep flooding. The WeBS
count on the 11th indicated an increase of birds with 27 recorded.
Marsh
Harrier – Up to
three cream crowns were present daily in the Aughton/Ellerton area, with one at
Melbourne on the 1st,
Foggathorpe on the 2nd
and Wheldrake on the 3rd.
Three (cc) at Aughton on the 9th
whilst one was seen hunting over Seavy Carr near Thornton on the 15th. Four throughout the site on the 19th.
Five were viewed together at Wheldrake on the 28th when two were also at North Duffield Carrs. At
least seven, possibly eight individuals seen during the month.
Peregrine – Up to two were seen regularly
early in the month at North Duffield Carrs, with singles at Wheldrake on the 2nd and 3rd
and Thornton Ellers on the 4th.
A single immature female was hunting Wood Pigeons at Bank Island on the 10th with four recorded
in the wider area between the 11th
– 13th.
Red Kite – One at North Duffield Carrs on
the 1st with another at
Wheldrake on the 2nd
and 3rd and two
there on the 5th. A single was then present at Bank
Island on the 9th, Thorganby
village on the 10th and Seavy
Carr on the 16th. Two
were present over Wheldrake on the 19th
and regularly thereafter, with one at Bank Island on the 28th.
Merlin – A single was present at East
Cottingwith on the 11th and
Melbourne on the 12th.
Grey Partridge – 12 were recorded near East
Cottingwith on the 2nd
with 20 in the South Duffield area on the 3rd.
13 at Thornton Ellers on the 7th
were followed by 15 there on the 13th.
Water Rail – Up to six at Wheldrake, two at
Bank Island and North Duffield Carrs and six along the Pocklington Canal during
the month.
Coot – Numbers increased from 15 in
late December to 30 at Wheldrake on the 2nd
and 34 on the 3rd. Numbers
then increased quickly thereafter, with 141 on the 11th, including 97 at
Wheldrake. 250 were counted at Wheldrake on the 19th when a total of 312 were present throughout the
valley, and a total of 439 were present throughout the site by month end.
Great Crested Grebe – A pair were back on breeding
territory at Pool Bridge Farm, Crockey Hill on the 8th.
Cormorant – 21 were at Wheldrake on the 4th followed by 31 on the 29th.
Golden Plover – 1062 were present throughout
the site during the monthly WeBS count on the 11th with 1200+ at North Duffield Ings on the 19th.
Lapwing – Numbers started to increase
with falling water levels, with 3728 recorded on the monthly WeBS count on the 11th.
Snipe – Up to 150 were present in the
Melbourne and Thornton Ings area during the early part of the month, with 160
recorded on the WeBS on the 11th.
Up to 50 remained on Skipwith Common NNR early in the month with 34 present at
Barmby Marsh Wetlands on the 23rd.
Jack Snipe – Single reported from the car
park at North Duffield Carrs on the 6th
(AW) with two at Skipwith on the 8th
and a single near Thornton on the 12th.
Woodcock – Up to six continued to be
reported from Skipwith Common NNR early in the month, with 20 reported in
woodland around the Thorganby area on the 23rd.
Black-tailed Godwit – Six appeared at Wheldrake with
another at Bubwith Bridge on the 19th, followed by nine at Wheldrake on the 25th and eight on the 28th.
Curlew – 11 were scattered throughout
the valley on the 2nd, with
a freshly arrived flock of 20 at Wheldrake on the same date. Numbers had
increased to 34 by the 11th, with a flock of 35 over
Wheldrake on the 15th. Up
to 40 present at month end.
Curlew - Wheldrake - 12/01 - JL
Ruff – Numbers slowly increased with
51 recorded on the monthly WeBS on the 11th
followed by 73 at Aughton on the 27th.
Dunlin – 41 were counted along the
River Derwent at Aughton on the 2nd
with 60 at Thorganby on the 3rd
and 121 throughout the site on the 11th.
120 were still present at North Duffield Ings on the 19th.
Redshank – 19 remained during the first half
of the month.
Green Sandpiper – Two were present on the Beck at
Melbourne Ings on the 13th (NC).
Common Gull – 5000+ were present on the 2nd.
Black-headed Gull – 10,000+ were recorded on the 2nd followed by 15,000 on
the 4th.
Mediterranean Gull – A single adult was at the
Wheldrake roost on the 26th.
Great Black-backed Gull – Up to 400 birds roosted in the
valley during the month, at both Wheldrake Ings and the southern end at North
Duffield Carrs/Aughton/Ellerton.
Lesser Black-backed Gull – One or two were recorded in
and around the valley most days early in the month.
Iceland Gull – A single first-winter found in
fields between North Duffield and Riccall on the 4th was nearby again on the 5th and 8th,
and was later seen heading over Skipwith Common NNR towards North Duffield Carrs
at dusk on the 10th with
200+ large gulls. It was present again daily 11th-13th and again on the 23rd – 27th (when
it roosted at North Duffield Carrs and Ellerton).
Caspian Gull – A single first-winter bird was
present in fields towards the A19 from Skipwith on the 4th and the 11th.
Herring Gull – Up to 600 were present in the
roost at North Duffield Carrs early in the month, with up to 500 at the Wheldrake
roost by the 11th.
Long-eared Owl – A single before dawn in the
Wheldrake car park area was found by bird-racers on the 5th.
Little Owl – A single near Melbourne on the
4th with one on Menthorpe
Lane on the 23rd.
Skylark – Eight singing birds were
present on Wheldrake Ings on the 26th
with scattered singles elsewhere. Several flocks were present around the site
during the month with 90 at East Cottingwith Hagg Lane on several dates, and c50
in fields by Bank Island on the 28th.
Grey Wagtail – One or two were present
throughout the month at Bank Island with one at Church Bridge, Melbourne, on
the 24th.
Pied Wagtail – 188 were present between
Skipwith Common NNR and Riccall on the 7th.
Stonechat – Up to five were still present
at North Duffield Carrs on the 1st
with pairs at Wheldrake and Melbourne on the 2nd, and a pair in the NNR base garden at Bank Island on the
3rd. A pair were present
at Melbourne on the 4th – 17th
with smaller numbers present thereafter.
Starling – Numbers at the Aughton roost
reached 65,000 on the 2nd,
increasing to 300,000 recorded on the 25th and 27th.
Starlings - Aughton - 13/01 - SC
Redwing – 220 were recorded at the NNR
base on the 6th followed
by smaller numbers in hedgerows around the reserve thereafter. Large numbers
were later present on farmland in the Thorganby area from mid-month – with up
to 1000 reported on some dates – reflecting a shift in diet/food availability.
Nuthatch – A single at Wheldrake on the 4th and regularly in the
Escrick Duck Decoy and nearby woods during the month. Single in the car park
lane again at Wheldrake on the 19th.
Willow Tit – Two at Wheldrake on the 3rd, followed by six there
on the 19th and two at North
Duffield Carrs and Melbourne on the same date.
Chiffchaff – Two remained around the NNR
base between the 1st -10th,
with three birds caught and ringed there on the 16th. Five were present on the 17th, followed by two on the 26th and one thereafter.
Cetti’s Warbler – Three wintering birds remained
early in the month.
Brambling – A single flew over Skipwith
Common NNR on the 5th with
one at North Duffield Carrs on the 8th.
Chaffinch – Up to 350 were present in
fields near Thorganby from the 20th
to month end.
Linnet – 80 at Melbourne on the 23rd.
Common Redpoll – One with a Linnet flock at
Melbourne on the 23rd.
Tree Sparrow – 40 at Newton Mask on the 4th with 60 at Thornton
Ellers on the 9th and 48
at the NNR base garden feeders on the 10th.
Yellowhammer – 20 were present at North
Duffield on the 1st when
23 were reported at East Cottingwith. Nine were present near Storwood on the 2nd
with 30+ at Newton Mask on the 4th.
Corn Bunting – Up to 90 were present along Hagg Lane
at East Cottingwith early in the month with 40 at Thornton Ellers. 111 roosted
at Church Bridge on the 24th,
whilst flocks of 90 were present at East Cottingwith on the 26th with 60 at Thornton Ellers, 47 at Menthorpe Lane and 11 at
Aughton on the same date – potentially up to 300+ present around the valley at
this time.
Reed Bunting – Up to 100 were roosting at Church
Bridge reedbed on the 24th.
MAMMALS:
Fallow
Deer – Two were present on Skipwith Common NNR on the 12th,
with 12 in fields opposite the car park lane at Wheldrake on the 29th.
Stoat – A
single in half ‘ermine’ near Wheldrake on the 24th.
Pipistrelle Bat sp. – The
first of the year was at Skipwith Common NNR on the 12th, with
two there on the 14th. Singles
at the NNR base on the 14th
followed by three on the 16th and
two on the 29th.
BUTTERFLIES:
Small
Tortoiseshell – One in the NNR base garden on the 14th and 23rd, followed
by one at Bubwith on the 24th.
MOTHS:
Spring
Usher – One at Bank Island on the 24th.
Makalali private game reserve is one of South Africa's leading, privately-owned conservation areas presently comprising an astonishing 22,000 hectares in the Lowveld region of the Limpopo Province of South Africa, close to the world-renowned Kruger National Park.
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