Feb' 24

Lower Derwent Valley - February Sightings

Water levels remained exceptionally high throughout the month and equally access was limited with coverage was restricted. That said, two Bewick’s Swans remained with 95 Whooper Swans in the wintering herd, with the first spring passage herd of 100 passing over the site on the 25^th. A single White-fronted Goose was seen on the 10^th whilst an adult male American Wigeon (18^th-23^rd) was popular but hard to find amongst the 7265 Wigeon present. 885 Pintail on the 2^nd set a new reserve and Yorkshire record before being surpassed once again by 937 counted on the 10^th. A red-head Smew reappeared (18^th) with at least three drakes and two female Scaup noted during the month. A single Common Crane was recorded (2^nd) followed by a pair (11^th) with a ringtail Hen Harrier present until the 11^th. 

Large numbers of waders were present throughout with 8585 Lapwing, 3506 Golden Plover and 1000+ Dunlin, with 212 returning Black-tailed Godwits. 911 Snipe represented a notable count whilst Curlew had increased to 140+ by month end. A Kittiwake on the 18^th was a good local find whilst a first-winter Caspian Gull was present on several dates at the Wheldrake roost early in the month. The first returning Woodlarks were singing on Skipwith Common from the 14^th (with five or six there by the 24^th). A Raven flew over Bank Island on the 26^th with three Waxwings lingering on return passage at Elvington. Three Chiffchaff’s were singing on the 25^th.

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, Adam Firth and Jono Leadley for the use of their images below.

 

Mute Swan – 101 were recorded throughout the site on the 2^nd with 89 present on the 10^th.

Bewick’s Swan – The two adults were present again at Ellerton Ings on the 9^th and North Duffield Ings on the 14^th.

Whooper Swan – 95 were recorded on the 2^nd with 91 remaining on the 10^th. The first spring passage herd of 100+ flew north over Thorganby on the 25^th, which was presumably the same herd seen passing over York 10 minutes later.

Pink-footed Goose – 371 were still present throughout the site on the 2^nd with 180 at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd and 160 at East Cottingwith on the 4^th. Birds were heard overnight at Elvington on the 6^th whilst 82 were recorded on the WeBS count on the 10^th. 400 were at East Cottingwith on the 11^th and 17^th. A total of 260 passage birds passed over Bank Island on the 18^th with 120 on the 19^th. 400 flew northwest on the 24^th.

Pink-footed Geese - East Cottingwith - 11/02 - DB

White-fronted Goose – A single roosted with Greylags at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th.

Greylag Goose – 827 remained throughout the site on the 11^th.

Barnacle Goose – Four were present at Thornton Ellers on the 17^th.

Egyptian Goose – Two were at Melbourne on the 2^nd with three in the area on the 10^th. A single was at North Duffield Carrs on the 23^rd when two were present at Foggathorpe.

Shelduck – Up to 90 remained throughout the month.

American Wigeon – What was presumably last month's adult drake was re-found at Bubwith Ings on the 18^th and remained in the area until the 23^rd.

American Wigeon (centre) - Bubwith - 24/02 - JL

Wigeon – A total of 7265 were counted throughout the site on the 2^nd. Prolonged winter flooding and rising water levels from the 8^th saw numbers fall to 5724 on the WeBS count on the 10^th. Numbers then increased towards month end with the start of spring passage.

Teal – A full count on the 2^nd produced a total of 7183 which had reduced to 5325 on the 10^th due to rising water levels.

Mallard – 687 were present on the 2^nd with 788 recorded on the 10^th.

Pintail – Numbers increased to a new reserve record of 885 on the 2^nd – beating the last previous high of 823 on the 8^th January 2021. This total included 191 at East Cottingwith, 221 at Wheldrake Ings and an impressive 385 on North Duffield Ings. However, numbers increased further to 937 on the 10^th, including an impressive 530 at North Duffield Ings. 571 were recorded at North Duffield Ings on the 22^nd.

Shoveler – Numbers remained low with the extensive flooding with 110 recorded on the 2^nd. Spring passage then resulted in 161 present on the 10^th with numbers up to 200 by month end.

Gadwall – 107 were present on the 2^nd with 150+ building up by month end.

Pochard – Numbers remained high as the deep flooding persisted with 143 throughout the site on the 2^nd (as usual mainly confined to the Bubwith Ings and North Duffield Carrs area). 148 were recorded at Bubwith Ings on the 9^th with 150 there on the 10^th. A total of 222 were present throughout the site on the 23^rd.

Pochard - Bubwith - 18/01 - DB

Tufted Duck – 258 were recorded on the 2^nd followed by 363 on the 11^th. 162 were at North Duffield Carrs on the 23^rd with 72 remaining at Bank Island on the 27^th.

Smew – A red-head reappeared at Wheldrake Ings on the 18^th.

Scaup – A pair remained at Wheldrake Ings early in the month from the 1^st to the 17^th with a duck at Bank Island between the 16^th to the 18^th. Two ducks were at North Duffield Carrs on the 23^rd with two drakes and a duck at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th and three drakes and a duck on the 25^th to month end, although the situation was confused by the presence of some likely hybrids.

Goldeneye – 26 were present on the 2^nd with numbers up to 32 by the 11^th. 24 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th.

Goosander – Two were located on Storwood Ings on the 2^nd with one at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd.

Cormorant – 28 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd with up to 30 recorded regularly throughout the month.

Little Egret – Nine were present at Melbourne Ings on the 5^th with small numbers remaining throughout the month.

Grey Heron – Numbers increased as birds returned to the heronry and breeding activity increased. 21 were counted on the WeBS on the 11^th followed by 29 on the 28^th.

Great White Egret – A single remained and was seen intermittently throughout the month.

Great Crested Grebe – A single returned to North Duffield Carrs on the 24^th with another at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th.

Great Crested Grebe - Wheldrake Ings - 24/02 - DB

Grey Partridge – Birds started to pair up and break away from their winter coveys early in the month. Two were at Thornton Ellers on the 2^nd with three there on the 10^th. A pair were present on the riverbank at North Duffield Ings on the 9^th whilst scattered pairs were present on farmland throughout the area.

Coot – 16 were recorded throughout the site on the 11^th with 60+ present by the 24^th.

Common Crane – A single was heard calling near Thorganby Ings on the 2^nd whilst a pair flew north at Bubwith Bridge on the 11^th.

Common Cranes - Bubwith - 11/02 - DB

Marsh Harrier – Five were still present-early in the month with five cream-crowns (including wing-tagged bird D3) seen on the 11^th with daily sightings throughout the site thereafter. A single cream-crown also took up residence at Skipwith Common and roosted there daily late in the month.

Red Kite – Up to six were present throughout the site on the 11^th.

Hen Harrier – A ringtail was present at North Duffield Carrs on the 2^nd with one at Skipwith Common again on the 11^th.

Peregrine – Up to five wintering individuals were present throughout the month.

Merlin – Singles at Bank Island on the 14^th and Melbourne on the 19^th.

Oystercatcher – A single at Bubwith Ings on the 2^nd increased to nine with the return of breeding birds by the 11^th with 20+ recorded late in the month.

Lapwing – 8585 were present throughout the site on the 2^nd, with the single leucistic individual still present on that date which remained on the 10^th (when 7240 were present throughout the site). Large numbers remained thereafter.

Golden Plover – 2044 were present on the 2^nd increasing to 3506 on the 10^th. 400 were still at North Duffield Ings on the 26^th when birds were starting to come into summer plumage.

Golden Plover - North Duffield Ings - 11/02 - DB

Dunlin – Large numbers remained from last month with 900+ at North Duffield Ings on the 10^th and 1040 throughout the site on the 11^th, with 1000+ remaining on the 26^th.

Ruff – Numbers started to increase late in the month from around 15 wintering birds to 35 on the 23^rd.

Black-tailed Godwit – Birds were mobile throughout the site with at least 59 remaining on the 2^nd. 170 were then present at North Duffield Ings on the 9^th with 172 there on the 10^th. 17 were still present there on the 26^th followed by 162 on the 27^th and 212 on the 29^th, however, thermal surveys suggested these birds didn’t roost there overnight.

Black-tailed Godwits - North Duffield Ings - 11/02 - DB

Jack Snipe – 35 were present at one site near Elvington on the 1^st whilst a single was flushed at Skipwith Common on the 2^nd. 15 remained at Elvington on the 6^th with 11 present throughout the site on the 9^th.

Snipe – 300+ remained near Elvington on the 1^st. 911 were recorded throughout the site on the 9^th when three drumming/chipping birds were at North Duffield Ings.

Woodcock – Numbers started to reduce early in the month as birds began to depart from the wintering areas with a more notable reduction from the 13^th.

Curlew – 25 were present throughout the site on the 2^nd with numbers slowly increasing thereafter. 14 had returned to Melbourne and Thornton Ings by the 7^th. A total of 57 had returned to the reserve by the 10^th and continued to increase thereafter with 52 at North Duffield Carrs on the 23^rd, and 41 at Thornton and 27 at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th – a total of at least 140+ were present throughout the area at that time, including birds returning to territories away from the Ings near Foggathorpe.

Redshank – 18 were counted on the 2^nd with 21 present on the 23^rd.

Green Sandpiper – One at Elvington on the 8^th.

Mediterranean Gull – A first-winter roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd with a second-winter there on the 4^th followed by and adult on the 24^th.

Kittiwake – An adult was present in the Bubwith Ings/North Duffield Carrs area on the 18^th.

Black-headed Gull – 15,000 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd and 10^th.

Common Gull – 5000 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd with 8000 there on the 10^th.

Herring Gull – 160 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd with 300 there on the 10^th.

Caspian Gull – A first-winter bird was present at the Wheldrake roost on the 2^nd with either it or another there on the 4^th, 7^th and 10^th.

Caspian Gull - Wheldrake Ings - 07/02- DB

Great Black-backed Gull – 60 were present on the 2^nd followed by 27 on the 11^th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull – One or two were present in the roosts on a regular basis throughout the month.

Long-eared Owl – One was seen hunting Elvington on the 6^th.

Skylark – Several singing birds were present around the reserve on the 2^nd with 25+ singing around the site on the 10^th.

Woodlark – The first two singing birds were at Skipwith Common on the 14^th with three there on the 19^th and four on the 21^st. At least five, possibly six, singing birds were present on the 24^th/25^th.

Raven – A single flew over Bank Island on the 26^th.

Waxwing – Three were seen in Elvington between the 24^th to the 26^th.  

Waxwing - Elvington - 24/02 - AF

Chiffchaff – Three singing birds were present around the reserve on the 25^th.

Blackcap – A male was present in an Elvington garden on the 29^th.

Nuthatch – Three were present near Thicket Priory, Thorganby on the 1^st with two at Skipwith Common on the 7^th.

Marsh Tit – A single was present in the car park scrub at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd.

Cetti’s Warbler – Up to four wintering birds remained throughout the month.