Feb' 20

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - February Sightings

The highlight of the month concerned a single record of a Great Skua which was seen flying north up the River Derwent, past Sutton Wood, upstream of Elvington Bridge on the 27^th – the first record since the widely twitched individual at Wheldrake Ings in February 2016. Otherwise, gull watchers shared most of the interest with a long staying Caspian and Iceland Gull present all month, whilst a single Kittiwake and Glaucous Gull were logged as well as three Mediterranean Gulls at the Wheldrake roost. The two Bewick’s Swans remained early in the month, whilst the impressive Starling murmuration in the North Duffield/Aughton area continued, and held c150,000 birds. A new record count of 611 Gadwall were recorded on the monthly WeBS survey.

Although remaining extensively flooded throughout, levels did fall for a short while mid-month, exposing suitable conditions for incoming waders, however it wasn’t to last with re-flooding and regular storms making coverage and access difficult. Small numbers of Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese started to return north-west, whilst the four lingering Tundra Bean Geese remained with several White-fronted Geese. A pair of Egyptian Geese appeared with eight goslings from the 26^th. A single Great White Egret was recorded, whilst Little Egrets (17) and Grey Herons (34) increased as birds returned to the local heronry during the month. Curlew numbers increased to 123, and the first returning Oystercatcher arrived on the 1st with at least 18 scattered by the end of the month. Passage waders included a small number of returning Black-tailed Godwits, 4000+ Golden Plover and 5000 Lapwing, with a single Green Sandpiper at Wheldrake Ings on the 8^th.

Two Long-eared Owl records from the local area were noteworthy, as were 11 singing Willow Tits and the continued presence of three wintering and singing Cetti’s Warblers.

Many thanks as always to everyone who has contributed records throughout the month, in particular to members of the YOC and regular valley birder Duncan Bye. Thanks also to everyone who contributed photographs - credited below. 

BIRDS:

Whooper Swan – The month opened with 121 individuals still wintering at the southern end of the valley, whilst 21 remained in the Melbourne and Thornton area – a total of 142 on the 1^st. 110 were at North Duffield Carrs on the 4^th, whilst ten individuals, presumed passage birds, flew north west over Bank Island shortly after dawn on the 5^th with 29 following the next day. 109 were still present throughout the valley on the 8^th, including a presumably passage herd of nine at Wheldrake. 17 flew north over Bank Island at dawn on the 13^th. Up to 93 remained at North Duffield Carrs and the surrounding area at month end. 10 flew north over Bank Island on the 28^th before another 15 flew in from the north to roost on the Low Grounds on the same date. Eight were also present at Seavy Carrs on the 26^th. A total of 98 passage birds were recorded during the month.

Bewick’s Swan – Two adults remained with the Whooper Swan herd on the 1^st-3^rd at North Duffield Carrs.

Bewick/Whooper Swans - North Duffield Carrs - 01/02

Mute Swan – 109 were present throughout the site on the 8^th.

Pink-footed Goose – Six were at Wheldrake on the 4^th with 290 north-west over Bank Island on the 6^th and 200+ at dusk there on the 7^th. 90 flew north-west over Thorganby on the 13^th whilst six were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 20^th-22^nd. 123 flew north-west over Melbourne on the 28^th. A total of 703 returning birds were recorded throughout the month.

European White-fronted Geese – Six were still present in the Melbourne area on the 1^st. A single adult was then present at North Duffield Carrs on the 21^st and Wheldrake on the 23^rd.

Tundra Bean Goose – The flock of four long staying birds remained at Wheldrake between the 1^st-23^rd.

Bean Geese - Wheldrake Ings - 02/02 - DB

Egyptian Goose – Up to three remained in the East Cottingwith area early in the month. A pair with eight newly hatched goslings appeared at Melbourne on the 26^th.

Greylag Goose – Numbers decreased quickly early in the month with just 768 recorded on the WeBS count on the 8^th.

Canada Goose – 188 were present throughout the site on the 8^th.

Shelduck – 98 were present at the southern end of the valley on the 1^st with a total of 154 counted throughout the site on the 8^th.

Teal – 5673 were present on the WeBS count on the 8^th.

Green-winged Teal – The single drake remained infront of Tower Hide at Wheldrake on the 1^st – possibly the same drake commuting between South Cave and Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve.

Green-winged Teal - Wheldrake Ings - 01/02 - JL

Wigeon – Counts from the southern end of the valley included 2300 at North Duffield Carrs, 2100 at Bubwith Ings and 3150 at Aughton on the 1^st – a total of 7550. 8220 were counted throughout the site on the 8^th during the monthly WeBS count.

Pintail – 211 were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st with 102 also present at Aughton Ings, and 300+ at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd. The WeBS count on the 8^th produced a total of 427 throughout the site. 172 were still present at Wheldrake on the 16^th.

Gadwall – Numbers continued to increase with 611 recorded on the 11^th.

Mallard – Up to 1900 were present throughout the month.

Shoveler – 297 were present throughout the site during the monthly WeBS count on the 8^th.

Tufted Duck – 198 were still present on the 8^th.

Scaup – Two males were still present at North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st with a single there and at Wheldrake on the 3^rd. A single remained at North Duffield on the 4^th with two there thereafter until the 8^th and one or two daily until the 14^th.

Pochard – 120 were at North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st with the same count had again on the WeBS survey on the 8^th. A total of 59 were still present there on the 16^th.

Goldeneye – 20 (including four drakes), were recorded on the 8^th.

Goosander – Four drakes were located at Wheldrake on the 5^th, followed by singles at Wheldrake on the 11^th, North Duffield Carrs on the 12^th and Elvington fishing lakes on the 14^th.

Little Egret – Numbers continued to slowly increase during the early part of the month, with 13 counted throughout the site (including seven on the Low Grounds and three at Storwood) on the 8^th. 11 were viewed in pasture fields off the Ings near Hagg Bridge on the 20^th. A total of 17 were present throughout the site on the 24^th whilst nine were in flooded fields by Hagg Bridge on the 25^th.

Great White Egret – A single at Wheldrake in the refuge area on the 1^st (FB).

Grey Heron – Numbers of returning in-coming breeding birds had increased to 34 by the 8^th.

Marsh Harrier – Up to three cream crowns were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st, with a minimum of five but possibly six (cc) present across the site on the 8^th with an immature male on the 9^th. Three were recorded at Bank Island on the 14^th.

Peregrine – Up to three birds were still present in the valley by the 8^th with three at North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th.

Red Kite – Two were recorded at Wheldrake on the 1^st with one at Thorganby on the 2^nd and two there on 3^rd. Two at North Duffield Carrs and a single at Wheldrake on the 4^th were followed by two at Aughton on the 9^th and 13^th, with two between Thorganby and Bank Island on the 18^th. Two were over Bank Island on the 21^st with singles between Wheldrake and Thorganby thereafter to month end. Singles were also at Escrick on the 24^th-26^th and North Duffield Carrs and Melbourne on the 26^th.

Coot – 22 were at Bank Island on the 1^st when 83 were also present at North Duffield Carrs. A full count during the monthly WeBS on the 8^th revealed a total of 433.

Great Crested Grebe – A pair were present at Wheldrake on the 28^th to month end.

Cormorant – Numbers increased with 37 roosting at Wheldrake on the 8^th.

Oystercatcher – The first returning birds were two at North Duffield Carrs and Aughton Ings on the 1^st – a rather late return in recent years. Three were still present on the 8^th with seven located throughout the whole site on the 17^th - increasing to 18 by the 23^rd. Four were recorded at Coat’s Bridge on the Pocklington Canal on the 25^th with 11 at Melbourne and Thornton Ings on the 28^th.

Golden Plover – 2000+ counted on North Duffield Ings on the 1^st increased as the floods receded, with 4030 present on the 8^th. 1000+ were still in the Bubwith Bridge area on the 15^th.

Lapwing – Up to 4000 were recorded in the North Duffield/Bubwith area on the 1^st with 5132 counted on the 8^th. 6121 were present throughout the site on the 13^th but declined thereafter as the site re-flooded forcing birds away from the Ings.

Lapwing - Bank Island - 08/02 - DB

Snipe – 90+ were present on North Duffield Carrs after dark on the 20^th. A flock of 36 were seen flying round Elvington Airfield on the 25^th – presumably many more individuals were also using this site at this time.

Jack Snipe – A single at Wheldrake on the 8^th.

Woodcock – Thee were present at Wheldrake Ings at dusk, with another two at Thornton Ellers, on the 8^th. Three were seen at Coat’s Lock, Bielby, on the Pocklington Canal on the 21^st with singles there on the 25^th.

Black-tailed Godwit – Eight remained at Wheldrake early in the month to the 5^th with nine there on the 8^th. A single was present at North Duffield Carrs between the 15^th – 22^nd with four at Melbourne Ings on the 28^th. 10 at Wheldrake on the 29^th. 

Black-tailed Godwit - North Duffield - 16/02 - DB

Curlew – Up to 40 remained throughout the site early in the month, with 30 at Wheldrake on the 5^th. A total of 68 were present throughout the valley on the 8^th including a flock of 47 on Wheldrake Ings, whilst 16 were recorded at Thornton Ellers on the 13^th. The first singing birds were heard and seen on nearby pasture in the Ellerton area on the 15^th. Numbers increased thereafter with 123 present throughout the site on the 21^st.

Ruff – 75 were at North Duffield Ings on the 1^st with 48 located throughout the site on the 8^th. A total of 58 were counted on the 16^th.

Dunlin – 200 were present early in the month followed by 203 on the monthly WeBS count on the 8^th.

Redshank – Numbers increased early in the month with 50 at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd and 56 on the 8^th.

Green Sandpiper – A single at Wheldrake on the 8^th.

Kittiwake – A single adult at North Duffield Carrs on the 6^th.

Common Gull – 800 were viewed at the Wheldrake Ings roost on the 8^th with 5000 estimated on the 29th.

Black-headed Gull – 2500 were present at the Wheldrake roost on the 8^th, with numbers increasing again with extensive flooding at month end, with 10,000 estimated on the 29^th.

Mediterranean Gull – Three adults were at the Wheldrake roost on the 29^th.

Great Black-backed Gull – Up to 400 individuals roosted in the valley during the month, at both Wheldrake Ings and the southern end at North Duffield/Aughton/Ellerton. 205 were at the Wheldrake roost on the 29^th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull – One or two were recorded in and around the valley most days early in the month, with three seen together on the 29^th.

Iceland Gull – A single first-winter was still in fields in the Riccall/Skipwith area on the 1^st – 8^th, with a single seen coming into the Wheldrake roost on the 4^th. Possibly the same individual was present again on the 21^st near Skipwith Common, with two first-winters then at the Wheldrake roost on the 29^th. 

Iceland Gull - Wheldrake Ings - 29/02 - JL

Glaucous Gull – A single first-winter individual was present at the Wheldrake roost on the 21^st .

Caspian Gull – A single first-winter individual was located in fields towards the A19 from Skipwith between the 1^st – 8^th and later at the Wheldrake roost on the 29^th.

Herring Gull – 420+ were present at the Wheldrake roost on the 29^th.

Great Skua – A single individual was seen flying over Sutton Wood next to the River Derwent, upstream of Elvington on the 27^th (JC). 

Long-eared Owl – A single just after dusk at Bank Island on the 4^th (CSR) with another in the Riccall area on the 13^th.

Little Owl – Singles were present at Thorganby, Menthorpe, Ellerton and Aughton during the month.

Green Woodpecker – A single at Thorganby on the 16^th and White Carr Meadow near the Pocklington Canal on the 25^th.  

Skylark – Up to 90 remained in the arable field adjacent to Bank Island early in the month, whilst several singing birds were seen holding territory over the flooded Ings throughout the site. 28 were singing throughout the valley on the 8^th.

Stonechat – Two wintering birds remained at Thornton Ellers, with pairs present at both North Duffield Carrs and East Cottingwith.  

Starling – Up to 150,000 remained at the Aughton roost throughout the month and showed well from the hides at North Duffield Carrs. 

Starling murmuration - Aughton - 02/02 - SC

Raven – Two flew north over Bank Island on the 9^th (CSR).

Willow Tit – Singing birds were present at Bielby and Church Bridge near the Pocklington Canal on the 6^th and 21^st. Up to six were singing at Wheldrake with two at Skipwith Common and one at Bank Island by the viewing platform on the 17^th. A single remained by the hides at North Duffield Carrs with another nearby.

Chiffchaff – One or two lingered daily at the NNR base at Bank Island, with one singing at Thorganby and Bank Island on the 6^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – Single singing birds remained along the Pocklington Canal at Bielby and East Cottingwith during the month, with one between Church Bridge and Walbut Bridge on the 28^th – presumably the over-wintering individual from Church Bridge.

Brambling – In what has been a poor winter for the species, the only record related to a single in an Elvington garden on the 4^th. Two were then present with a Chaffinch flock near Bielby on the Pocklington Canal on the 21^st.

Chaffinch – A flock of c80 at White Carr Meadow by the Pocklington Canal, Bielby on the 22^nd.

Corn Bunting – Several were singing in the Thornton area on the 9^th with 111 at the Church Bridge roost on the 15^th. 

BUTTERFLIES:

Small Tortoiseshell – One near Skipwith Common on the 6^th.

MOTHS:

Dotted Border – One at Bank Island on the 6^th with another there on the 13^th.