Lower Derwent Valley NNR - February Sightings
143 Whoopers Swans were present in the valley
throughout the month, with a start of northward bound spring passage bringing a
further 54 birds in several small herds between the 17th and 22nd.
Two adult Bewick’s Swans could be found with the herd from the 12th
– including our regularly returning colour-ringed bird ‘702’. A large movement
of Pink-footed Geese saw 1320 pass north-west on the 17th/18th,
whilst the flock of eight wintering Barnacle Geese remained. Other
sightings of note included two Ruddy Shelduck, a re-appearance of the
wintering Green-winged Teal (18th), and a single female Red-crested
Pochard. Noteworthy peak counts included an impressive 609 Pintail,
321 Gadwall, 237 Tufted Duck, 180 Pochard, 150 Shoveler, 19 Goldeneye and a
handful of Goosander. Grey Herons reappeared at the local heronry in
increasing numbers, with a build up in Little Egrets and a Bittern
at Wheldrake Ings on the 14th.
It was another good month for raptors
with Common Buzzards displaying throughout the area, whilst several Red Kites re-appeared
after dispersing from the winter roosts following a small movement over the
site on the 4th. Up to five Peregrines and four Marsh Harriers
remained and showed well throughout.
The first returning Oystercatchers appeared on the 7th, building up to at least nine by the 25th,
whilst an early returning Avocet was present at Wheldrake on the 22nd.
300 Dunlin and 57 Ruff remained, whilst an increase in Snipe to 300+ presumably
included some incoming breeders and passage birds as water levels dropped,
including eight Jack Snipe on the 28th. Last months single
wintering Black-tailed Godwit was joined by the first passage flock of
15 on the 24th, whilst Curlew and Redshank started to disperse back
around the valley to hold breeding territories. The gull roost held only small
numbers of large gulls but produced two Glaucous, two Iceland and a Yellow-legged Gull during the month. The coverage of the large
numbers of wintering small gulls also yielded a minimum of six Mediterranean
Gulls at the roosts. Other notable records included four lingering
Stonechats, a large flock of 34 Bullfinch and 91 roosting Corn
Buntings at Melbourne, a single Nuthatch at Wheldrake Ings and
several singing Skylarks from the 1st. A Raven over Skipwith
Common on the 1st was a noteworthy record.
Many thanks as always to everyone who has
contributed records throughout the month, in particular to members of the York
Bird Club, and regular valley birder Duncan Bye, thanks also to Duncan for the
use of his photographs (credited DB).
BIRDS:
Whooper
Swan - 100+ were present throughout the valley on
the 1st, with a full count on the 12th producing
a total of 141 throughout the valley. 125 were present at Derwent Farm, North Duffield
on the 17th when six flew north west at Wheldrake during
the morning – possibly the first returning spring passage flock. These were
then followed by four following in the same vein on the 18th.
143 were present on the 20th (inc.
138 at Derwent Farm). 12 flew north west over Bank Island at dusk on the 21st
with a further 11 the following morning at dawn, and a further 21 later in
the day with passage for several hours at Wheldrake Ings in the afternoon. 25
passage birds flew north at Bank Island on the 28th before
hitting a snow blizzard and u-turning to land at Wheldrake Ings. A total
of 79 passage birds moved through the site.
Bewick’s
Swan – A pair, including the regularly returning
colour-ringed bird ‘702’ were present with the swan herd at North Duffield Ings
on the 12th – having been present near Goole earlier
in the year. They were still present in the herd on the 20th.
Bewick's Swan - Derwent Farm - 12/02
Mute Swan –
Monthly maximum of 91 on the 18th.
Pink-footed
Goose – A skein of 175 flew north west over North
Duffield Carrs on the 17th during the morning, with a total
of over 1000 moving during the afternoon, with a further 320 on the 18th.
Greylag
Goose – A monthly maximum of 833 on the 18th.
Canada
Goose – 215 were present at Wheldrake Ings and North
Duffield Carrs on the 11th with 325 throughout the site on
the 18th.
Barnacle
Goose – Eight remained in the Bank Island/Wheldrake area
throughout the month.
Egyptian
Goose – Seven were present on the usual farm pond at East
Cottingwith on the 10th. A pair were also reported as
being present in the Melbourne area during the month.
Ruddy
Shelduck – Following last months single (which remained in the
Thorganby area on private shooting ponds), a pair were present there on the
14th– 18th. A single was also present at
Aughton Ings on the 26th.
Shelduck – 114
were present during the month.
Wigeon – Good numbers remained with 9800+
present on the monthly WeBS count.
Wigeon - Bank Island - 07/02
American Wigeon – Assuming it was the same
wintering individual, the drake was re-found at Wheldrake Ings from Tower Hide
on the 10th, having been
last seen there on the 7th January (PB). It was later seen briefly
at Bank Island on the 12th
(CH) before being flushed by a Buzzard.
Teal – Large numbers remained with a
peak of 6580 present around the the 18th.
Green-winged Teal – A single drake at Wheldrake
Ings was present on Swantail on the 18th
(JL) – presumably the same wintering individual present in the valley since early
December.
Pintail – Birds started to spread out throughout the valley in line with
falling water levels - 80 were at North Duffield Carrs on the 7th and 153 at Wheldrake
Ings on the 10th. 214
were in the Ellerton/Aughton area on the
12th while a total of 424 were counted throughout the site on
the 15th (LM, NC), with
500+ by the 16th. 150 were at North Duffield Carrs on
the 18th with a total
count of 584 throughout the site on the
22nd. Counts of 172
at Aughton, 224 at North Duffield Carrs and 211 at Wheldrake Ings gave a
minimum for the valley of 609 on the 25th.
Pintail - North Duffield Carrs - 20/02
Gadwall – Numbers
continued to increase - 194 were present at Wheldrake on the 10th
with 227 throughout the site on the 12th. Numbers continued
to rise with an impressive 321 present at Wheldrake on the 17th.
Shoveler – 108
were at Wheldrake Ings on the 10th with sample counts of 38
at Aughton and 32 at Ellerton on the 12th. 150 were present
at Wheldrake on the 22nd.
Tufted
Duck – The month opened with 160 present between Bank
Island and Wheldrake on the 2nd when a further 20 were
at Aughton – a full count of at least 180 in the valley on that date. Counts
on the 8th included 120 at Wheldrake Ings, 47 at Bank Island
and 46 at North Duffield Carrs with 237 throughout the site. 201 were counted across
the site on the 15th.
Pochard – Numbers
continued to increase during the month with 171 at Aughton on the 1st
(23 females). 138 remained there on the 12th with smaller
numbers scattered at North Duffield Carrs and Wheldrake Ings, a total of 177
present on that date. 180 were counted throughout the site on the 15th.
105 had moved to North Duffield Carrs on the 18th with 90
there on the 25th.
Red-crested
Pochard – A single rather pale or leucistic female was
present at North Duffield Carrs on the 24th.
Goldeneye
– 15 were present at Wheldrake on the 2nd
with the same number there on the 10th. Three at North
Duffield on the 7th were more unusual being a less regular species
to see there. 12 remained at Wheldrake on the 15th with 17
there on the 17th and 19 on the 20th – with
displaying and mating observed.
Goldeneye - Wheldrake Ings - 12/02
Goosander
– Two drakes were present at Bank Island on the 4th
with a single at Wheldrake on the same date. A single red-head was present
at Wheldrake on the 10th while five flew north along the River
Derwent at Elvington Bridge on the 13th. Two were
present at Wheldrake on the 18th with possibly the same birds
there on the 22nd and 25th.
Cormorant – Up
to 25 birds were present at the Wheldrake Ings roost early in the month with 23
there on the 18th. Smaller scattered numbers were also
present throughout the site during the day.
Grey
Heron – 16 were present over the heronry when a further
six were seen between Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 21st, with
increasing numbers noted throughout the site during the month.
Bittern – A
single was present on the boardwalk by Swantail Hide, Wheldrake, at dawn on the
14th (CSR).
Little
Egret – Singles were seen regularly at Bank Island early in
the month with one at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th and 7th.
Three were present at Bank Island on the 11th with two
there on the 13th – 16th along with a single at
Wheldrake on the 15th. A single was at Hagg
Bridge on the 22nd.
Little Egret - Bank Island - 17/02 - DB
Great
White Egret – A single was seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th.
Little
Grebe – Small
numbers were present throughout the month with birds returning to the Ings
breeding sites.
Great
Crested Grebe – Two were again present at Wheldrake on the 4th
and remained thereafter until the 10th with one also at Bank
Island on the 16th, a lone single remained at Wheldrake to
month end.
Coot –
Numbers increased as usual as the month progressed with 85 at Wheldrake Ings by
the 2nd, 193 there by the 8th and
235 by the 12th. 256 were counted throughout the valley on
the 15th.
Coot - Wheldrake Ings - 12/02
Red Kite – A
single was present in the Wheldrake Ings/Storwood area on the 2nd
while a small ‘flock’ of four flew north-east over the NNR base mid morning
on the 4th (CSR), with another over Bubwith Ings and the
nearby village on the same date (DC). Two were at Wheldrake on the 10th
with one at Thorganby on the 13th and Wheldrake on the 15th
– 17th. A single was over Hagg Bridge on the 22nd with
two over Melbourne on the 23rd. Singles were then logged high
over North Duffield village on the 24th with another at
Wheldrake on the 25th.
Common Buzzard – 11
were present in the Bank Island/Wheldrake area on the 2nd
when a single pair were seen carrying nesting material to a potential breeding
site. Displaying birds were noted on the 20th. Eight were
present around the site on the 22nd.
Marsh Harrier – At least four cream-crowns remained in the
valley throughout the month, with the majority of records coming from Bank
Island, Wheldrake and North Duffield Carrs – presumably due to increased
observer coverage. A single cream crown was seen at Aughton on the 15th with three at North Duffield
Carrs on the 17th.
Peregrine – At least five wintering birds
were present in the valley early in the month.
Peregrine - Wheldrake Ings - 02/02 - DB
Kestrel – Good numbers were present
throughout the area during the month, with some birds moving back to breeding
boxes and other sites.
Sparrowhawk – Present throughout with five
in the Wheldrake/Bank Island area on the 2nd.
Water Rail – Good numbers were scattered throughout the
site including a single at North Duffield Carrs on the 7th with three there on the 17th. Wheldrake Ings area held up to six birds with
three at Bank Island, three in the Melbourne area and two at Thornton Ellers.
Avocet – An early returning bird was at
Wheldrake Ings on the 22nd.
Oystercatcher – A single at North Duffield Carrs
on the 7th was followed
by two at Wheldrake Ings and East Cottingwith on the 10th. Small numbers were then present throughout the
site thereafter. Eight were present across the site on the 20th. Seven were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 25th when two were also at
Wheldrake Ings.
Golden Plover – Small numbers were scattered
throughout the site during the month with a peak of 3730 on the 22nd.
Lapwing – 1000+ were present in the
Ellerton/Aughton area on the 1st
with 3500 at Wheldrake and 800 at Melbourne Ings on the 2nd. An estimated 5300+ were present throughout the valley
at this time – down from the 10,000+ at the end of January. Flocks of 500+
lingered at Thornton Ellers and North Duffield during the first 10 days of the
month, with 800 on the Low Grounds on the 10th.
3500 were still present across the site on the 20th with a similar count of 3450 on the 22nd.
Dunlin – 120 were present on the Low
Grounds on the 10th, with
300 there on the 18th and
200 remaining on the 26th.
Ruff – 57 were present throughout the
site on the 22nd.
Common Snipe – Up to 100 were present on
Melbourne and Thornton Ings on the 6th
with 198 throughout the site on the 18th
and 300+ by the 25th. Heavy snow during the last days of the month
saw a cold weather movement with 60+ through Bank Island on the 28th,
when six were also logged passing over North Duffield village.
Jack
Snipe – The same cold weather movement that brought a
movement of snipe through the valley on the 28th brought
eight Jacks at Bank Island on the same date.
Woodcock – A single was present at
Wheldrake on the 2nd with
five seen flying onto the meadows there by the bridge at dusk on the 20th.
Black-tailed Godwit – A single was present at North
Duffield Carrs on the 7th,
increasing to 15 there on the 24th
(including a single colour-ringed bird).
Curlew – The first flock of the spring
(29 individuals), returned to Thornton Ellers on the 6th, while two flocks (the 36 regular wintering birds)
were still present in the core valley early in the month, increasing to 50 by
the 15th, with a total of
79 birds throughout. Birds began to spread out thereafter with 15 (first
display noted) on the 25th and
four at Bank Island on the 26th.
Redshank – Up to 56 wintering birds were
present, with three at Bank Island being the first dispersing back onto
breeding territories.
Glaucous Gull – A single first winter bird was
present at the Wheldrake Ings roost on the 2nd
and again on the 4th, with
two similarly aged birds there on the 8th.
Iceland Gull – A single first winter was
present at the Wheldrake Ings roost on the 4th
with two first winter birds at North Duffield Carrs on the 15th (AW). A single was then present at this site again
on the 25th, with another
(or possibly the same) at the Wheldrake Ings roost later in the evening.
Lesser Black-backed Gulls – An adult was present at North
Duffield Carrs on the 6th.
Yellow-legged Gull – A single adult roosted at
Wheldrake Ings on the 18th
(JL).
Mediterranean Gull – Two first winters were present
at the Wheldrake roost on the 2nd
(DB) with an adult bird present on the 4th
(DB). Three adult birds were reported there on the 10th (CG) with a second winter at Bank Island on the 14th (CSR) - a minimum of six
birds involved during the month. An adult and first winter were present on the 18th (JL).
Gull roost - Wheldrake - 18/02 - DB
Little Owl – Present on several occasions throughout
the month from the viewing platform at Thorganby.
Skylark – The first singing birds (four)
were present at North Duffield Carrs and Wheldrake Ings (two) on the 1st, with several thereafter
throughout the month.
Stonechat – A single at Wheldrake Ings
behind Pool Hide on the 4th
when three were seen feeding from the tops of flooded fence posts at North
Duffield Carrs. Two were still present at this site on the 17th. A single female was present at Swantail Ings,
Wheldrake on the 26th.
Jay – A single at Bank Island on the
21st.
Raven – A single, calling, over Skipwith
Common on the 1st (SC).
Willow Tit – Three were present at
Wheldrake Ings on the 18th
whilst several were also present in the Melbourne Ings area during the month.
Bullfinch – A large flock of 34 were
present between Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings on the 10th.
Nuthatch – A single at Wheldrake Ings on
the 10th.
Corn Bunting – A total of 69 were present at
the Melbourne roost on the 6th
with 76+ there on the 15th
and 97 there on the 19th – the highest count of the winter so far. 71 at the
Melbourne roost on the 22nd.
MAMMALS:
Roe Deer – Up to four remained on the Low
Grounds during the month whilst two were seen swimming across Swantail Ings,
Wheldrake on the 4th. Two or three were regular at Bank
Island throughout, with many of the bucks ‘in velvet’. Three were by Thicket Priory
on the 14th with four at
Bank Island on the 16th and
again on the 19th.
Roe Deer - East Cottingwith - 24/02 - DB
Fallow Deer – Up to 12 were present on Skipwith
Common during the month with 7 at Hollicarrs on the 21st.
Red Fox – A single at Bank Island on the
8th with another there on
the 18th and 20th.
Weasel – A single around the reserve
base at Bank Island on the 8th.
Otter – Several spraints were found at Bank Island
on the 7th.
Wood Mouse – A single at the base on the 4th with five there (hiding
in our seed bin tucking into peanuts) on the 13th.
Wood Mice - NNR Base - 13/02
MOTHS:
March Moth – One at Bank Island on the 15th.
Spring Usher – Single at the reserve base on
the 19th.
Hebrew Character – One at the reserve base on the
21st.
OTHERS:
7-spot Ladybird – Single
in North Duffield village on the 7th followed by one in the NNR reserve base garden on the 22nd.
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