Dec' 23

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - December Sightings

Extensive flooding continued with water levels finally dropping towards the end of the month, however despite challenging conditions (for both birds and local birders with restricted access and limited dry land), several notable species were logged with plenty of interest throughout. The highlight of the month for many was the first record for the reserve of a Purple Sandpiper which was at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd and 4^th, with the latter date also seeing a Turnstone present at the same site. More usual December sightings included three Bewick’s Swans, a red-head and drake Smew, up to 10 Scaup and notable counts of 63 Goldeneye, 70 Pochard and 920 Dunlin, with yet another Cattle Egret in the area at Elvington. Both male and ringtail Hen Harriers were present at Skipwith Common, whilst the Wheldrake gull roost increased with 25,000 Black-headed Gulls and 10,000 Common Gulls, and a single Mediterranean and Caspian. The area also saw its fair share of the winter Waxwing influx with several flocks appearing in the local villages early in the month.

Many thanks as always to everyone who contributed records and counts throughout the month, in particular to members of York Birding and regular patch birder Duncan Bye. Thanks also to Duncan Bye, Stuart Rapson, Tony Wilson and Andrew Woodcock for the use of their images below. 

 

BIRDS:

Mute Swan – 83 were recorded on the monthly WeBS count on the 16^th.

Bewick’s Swan – Three adults remained in a field at Fangfoss until the 6^th and were later present at Melbourne Ings on the 22^nd with them then seen commuting between the two sites on the 27^th.

Whooper Swan – 134 were present throughout the site on the 6^th increasing to 168 by the 16^th. 202 were then recorded across the reserve on the 27^th.

Whooper Swans - Ellerton - 31/12 - SR

Pink-footed Goose – One to two hundred were present throughout the month in small groups across the site with 400 recorded on the 16^th. 400 were also present in a field adjacent to North Duffield Carrs on the 18^th.  

White-fronted Goose – Three adults were at Thornton Ings on the 27^th.

Greylag Goose – 3000+ remained early in the month but numbers reduced thereafter, although extensive flooding made access difficult resulting in limited counts. 600 remained at month end.

Barnacle Goose – Six were present in the Aughton, Ellerton and East Cottingwith areas between the 12^th and 16^th.

Egyptian Goose – Four remained at Thornton Ellers on the 16^th.

Egyptian Goose - East Cottingwith - 16/12 - DB

Shelduck – Numbers continued to increase with 68 on the 10^th and 83 on the 16^th.

Wigeon – Numbers increased but were lower than expected due to the extensive deep flooding and limited feeding opportunities. 8180 were recorded on the 16^th.

Teal – 6458 were counted during the WeBS on the 16^th.

Mallard – 1000 were present early in the month but were spread out and hard to count due to the extensive flooding. 650 were recorded on the 16^th.

Pintail – A monthly maxima of 318 were recorded on the WeBS on the 16^th.

Pintail - Wheldrake Ings - 23/12 - DB

Shoveler – Up to 110 were present throughout the month.

Gadwall – Up to 80 were recorded across the site during the month.

Pochard – 40 remained early in the month but had increased to 70 on 16^th.

Tufted Duck – 110 were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 9^th with 225 counted throughout the site on the 16^th. 200+ remained at month end.

Smew – A drake was present at Thorganby Ings on the 13^th where it remained to month end whilst a red-head was present at East Cottingwith Ings on the 24^th.  Two drakes flew south at Ellerton on the 30^th.

Scaup – A female was present at North Duffield Carrs on the 5^th with at least five at this site on the 8^th followed by four on the 9^th. A single was at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th when two were also at Bubwith, with a minimum of six different birds believed to be involved between the 5^th and the 10^th. Four first-winter drakes were at North Duffield Carrs from the 14^th with four drakes and four ducks throughout the site between the 16^th-17^th. A female was still present on the 23^rd with four there on the 24^th (an adult female, adult male and two first year males). Singles ducks were then present at Thorganby on the 27^th and Wheldrake Ings on the 28^th, followed by a drake at North Duffield Carrs on the 30^th and a pair at Wheldrake Ings on the 31^st.

Goldeneye – Up to 30 were present around the site on the 5^th but increased with further flooding to 63 on the 8^th.

Goldeneye - Wheldrake Ings - 23/12 - DB

Goosander – Two were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 23^rd.

Red-breasted Merganser – A drake was at North Duffield Carrs on the 5^th.

Little Egret – Three were present at Melbourne and Thornton Ings on the 16^th with two there on the 31^st.  

Grey Heron – Up to 20 were regularly encountered around the site throughout the month.

Bittern – A single was found in riverside vegetation at Bank Island on the 28^th.

Great White Egret – One was seen at the Melbourne Arm on the 20^th.

Cattle Egret – One was present near Elvington on the 13^th.

Grey Partridge – 27 were recorded in two coveys by Skipwith church on the 20^th.

Marsh Harrier – Three cream-crowns were still present at North Duffield Carrs on the 8^th when three different birds, including the wing-tagged individual D3 and an adult male were in the Wheldrake/Bank Island area. D3 was present at Skipwith Common on the 14^th but was back again in the Lower Derwent Valley between the 16^th-17^th. At least four were at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th, followed by an adult male at Bank Island on the 27^th and six cream crowns at Thorganby on the 30^th – a total of at least eight different birds involved.

Hen Harrier – An adult male was present at Skipwith Common on the 11^th with a ringtail there on the 14^th, 23^rd, 29^th and 31^st – presumably present throughout the month, with possibly the same individual at Wheldrake Ings on the 31^st.

Hen Harrier - Skipwith Common - 29/12 - TW

Peregrine – Up to three birds were recorded throughout the month.

Lapwing – Last months ‘sandy coloured’ bird was again present at Thornton on the 5^th, having been first recorded in the Lower Derwent Valley three winters ago. Despite restricted feeding habitat a total of 3686 individuals were recorded on the WeBS on the 16^th – largely on adjacent arable fields and loafing on small, confined areas of exposed flood banks. 4400 were present on the 30^th/31^st.

Golden Plover – 347 were still lingering on the 16^th. As the peak of the floods receded up to 1000 were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th.

Dunlin – Up to 100 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd with 200+ at North Duffield Ings on the 6^th. 500+ were on fields at Derwent Cottage Farm near Bubwith Bridge on the 9^th and still remained between the 16^th-18^th. At least 720 were present throughout the site on the 23^rd building to 920 by the 30^th.

Ruff – Twelve were at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd with six at North Duffield Ings on the 6^th. 13 were at North Duffield Ings on the 30^th.

Ruff - Wheldrake Ings - 03/12 - DB

Black-tailed Godwit – One was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 22^nd with seven there on the 23^rd. 40 were present throughout the site on the 24^th with 29 remaining at North Duffield Ings on the 30^th.

Jack Snipe – Five were at Heslington Tilmire on the 16^th.

Snipe – 200+ were at Wheldrake Ings and the Low Grounds after dark on the 4^th, whilst 100 flew over Bank Island on the 6^th presumably in response to raising water levels displacing them to other sites. 200 were present on the flood bank south of Bubwith Bridge after dark on the 6^th. 150 were recorded on Heslington Tilmire after dark on the 11^th.

Woodcock – 50+ were still present on Heslington Tilmire on the 11^th when a total of seven were caught and ringed. 35 were in five fields adjacent to Skipwith Common after dark on the 19^th.

Curlew – A handful were recorded throughout the site early in the month with 19 present on the 16^th.

Purple Sandpiper – A single was found at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd which was a first for the reserve and the 41^st species of wader recorded on the site in the last 41 years. It was relocated in the same area after dark on the 4^th.

Purple Sandpiper - Wheldrake Ings - 03/12 - DB

Turnstone – One was heard calling after dark on the 4^th at Wheldrake Ings.

Redshank – One or two remained despite the high water levels with peak counts of twelve on the 10^th and just two on the 17^th.

Green Sandpiper – Two were recorded at Melbourne Ings on the 20^th.

Mediterranean Gull – A first-winter was at the Wheldrake roost on the 23^rd.

Black-headed Gull – Numbers increased during the month to 20,000 at the Wheldrake roost by the 16^th with 25,000 on the 23^rd.

Common Gull – 10,000 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 16^th and 23^rd.

Herring Gull – Up to 100 roosted early in the month at Wheldrake with 400 there on the 23^rd.

Caspian Gull – A first-winter was present in the Wheldrake roost on the 23^rd.

Caspian Gull - Wheldrake Ings - 23/12 - DB

Great Black-backed Gull – 30 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 16^th with 40 there on the 23^rd.

Water Pipit – A single was found at Bubwith Ings on the 3^rd and was seen again there on the 6^th before flying off towards North Duffield Ings.

Raven – A single went over Skipwith Common on the 2^nd.  

Waxwing – Up to 25 were in Wheldrake village between the 11^th and 13^th, with eight at Dunnington on the 14^th. 12 were still present in Wheldrake on the 16^th with six at Thorganby and ten at Dunnington on the same day. Three remained at Wheldrake on the 17^th with a single there on the 18^th.

Waxwing - Wheldrake - 16/12 - AW

Stonechat – Up to four were present early in the month at North Duffield Carrs with single on the Low Grounds on the 3^rd and Bank Island on the 4^th. Numbers seemingly increased with six at East Cottingwith, two at North Duffield Carrs and singles at Bank Island, the Low Grounds, Wheldrake and North Duffield Ings on the 5^th. Further pairs were found at Elvington on the 9^th and East Cottingwith and Ellerton Ings on the 11^th with further birds located throughout the site during the rest of the month - a minimum total of 40-45 wintering birds were thought to be present.

Stonechat - Hagg Lane - 17/12 - DB

Chiffchaff – One at the NNR base garden at Bank Island on the 8^th and East Cottingwith on the 15^th.

Willow Tit – Two or three remained at Wheldrake Ings early in the month with other sightings of one or two birds from Bielby, Melbourne and North Duffield Carrs. Eight were then present at North Duffield Carrs on the 6^th with three there on the 16^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – Six wintering birds remained during the month whilst two returned to Melbourne – a total of eight wintering birds were present thereafter.

Brambling – Six were present at Thornton on the 24^th.

Corn Bunting – Up to 20 were at Thornton Ellers on the 16^th with 41 at Hagg Lane, East Cottingwith on the 17^th.

Corn Bunting - Thornton - 16/12 - DB