Jan' 21

 Lower Derwent Valley NNR - January Sightings

A combination of lockdown restrictions and extensive flooding both limited access, and resulted in a reduction in records and monitoring throughout the month, however, an impressive 118 species of birds were recorded during December. The highlight of the month was the discovery of a ringed, overwintering Lesser Whitethroat in an Elvington garden between the 18^th and 23rd – ringing details showed this to be a bird of the eastern race Blythi, ringed at Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve on the 10^th October 2020. Records of both Blackcap and Chiffchaff in the area were also notable, although more expected. A Green Winged Teal (3^rd and 12^th), and Red-breasted Merganser (7^th) were also noteworthy, whilst a new record count of 823 Pintail were logged during the month, which saw a large clear out of wintering birds due to the extreme flooding that occurred. Two Bewick’s Swans were present with three Tundra Beans and nine White-fronted Geese, whilst another Cattle Egret was logged on the 26^th. Gulls attracted to abattoir waste on fields near Skipwith attracted two Iceland, three Caspian, a Mediterranean and Yellow Legged Gull among the masses of commoner species. The site also attracted large numbers of scavenging Common Buzzards, a handful of Red Kites and a Raven on the 12^th.

Many thanks as always to everyone who contributed to the monthly sightings, either through records or photographs, in particular thanks to members of York Birding and regular patch birder Duncan Bye - thanks also to Duncan, Adam Firth and Mikey Naylor for the use of their images.

 

BIRDS: 

Mute Swan – Up to 93 were present on site during the month.       

Whooper Swan – Numbers increased with freezing conditions early in the month, with 94 on the 1^st and 155 on the 2^nd (including 10 at Melbourne Ings). 140 were still present (including 18 immatures) in the North Duffield area on the 4^th. 171 were recorded throughout the site on the 8^th with 119 at North Duffield Carrs on the 18^th.

Bewick’s Swan – A single adult remained with 129 Whooper Swans in the herd at Derwent Farm on the 1^st - remaining there until the 7^th. Two individuals were then present in the herd from the 8^th to month end.

Greylag Goose – Counts on the 12^th included 465 at Bank Island, 411 at Bubwith Ings, 277 at Wheldrake Ings and 66 at Elvington – a minimum overall count of 1219 on that date. 714 were at Bank Island on the 14^th.

Pink-footed Goose – 120 flew over Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st followed by 100 over Skipwith Common NNR on the 2^nd, when a single was also present at North Duffield. Six grounded birds were present in goose flocks around the site on the 3^rd when 124 passed over Bank Island. Three were present at Thorganby Ings on the 4^th- 10^th before moving to Bank Island thereafter. 60 passed over Bank Island on the 10^th with 46 flying north west on the 13^th. 14 were present with Greylags at Bank Island on the 14^th and 15^th, with 70 over on the 16^th. 150 north west over Bubwith Ings on the 18^th were followed by 250 over Skipwith Common NNR on the 19^th and 180 over Thorganby Ings on the 23^rd.

Pink-footed Geese - Bank Island - 03/01 - DB

Tundra Bean Goose – A single was present in the Greylag flock at Bank Island on the 15^th (CSR) with three there on the 25^th.

White-fronted Goose – A single was present at Storwood on the 1^st with flocks of six at Wheldrake on the 2^nd and nine at Derwent Farm, North Duffield – both flocks lingering from 2020. Six were present at Elvington between the 3^rd – 9^th with a single at Wheldrake on the 13^th - the flock of six then relocated to Newton Mask on the 17^th. It’s possible this flock of six remained in the area thereafter with a sighting again on the 30^th, when 13 were also present at Wheldrake before heading up the Pocklington Canal corridor.

Canada Goose – 277 were present throughout the site on the 12^th.

Egyptian Goose – Two were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd with five recorded in the East Cottingwith area on the same date. Two over Melbourne Ings on the 6^th were followed by two at Wheldrake again on the 13^th.

Shelduck – 130+ remained across the reserve on the 2^nd, with 110 recorded in the favoured Thorganby Ings area. The hybrid returned to Wheldrake Ings on the 4^th having been seen in several previous winters.

Wigeon – A minimum of 8500 were present on a part frozen reserve on the 2^nd - mainly concentrated along the unfrozen river and at Wheldrake Ings.

Teal – 7000+ were present across the site on the 2^nd.

Green-winged Teal – A drake was found at North Duffield Carrs on the 3^rd (JL) and was present again there on the 12^th (MN).

Green-winged Teal - North Duffield Carrs - 12/01 - MN

Pintail – 517 were concentrated by the freezing conditions at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd, with 700+ throughout the reserve on the 4^th. 823 were present across the whole site on the 8^th – a new reserve record.

Tufted Duck – 80 were still present during the first week of the year.

Pochard – 18 were recorded at Wheldrake on the 2^nd, increasing to 37 there on the 8^th. A total of 51 were recorded throughout the site on the 12^th, with numbers increasing thereafter with a total of 118 recorded on the 31^st.

Goosander – A pair flew over Thornton Ellers on the 3^rd, with a single over Bank Island and a pair on the Pocklington Canal at Melbourne on the 6^th. This pair lingered thereafter with regular sightings until the 18^th.

Red-breasted Merganser – A drake flew north up the Derwent with two drakes and a female Goosander early on the morning of the 7^th – possibly having roosted at Wheldrake Ings overnight (CSR).

Goldeneye – 12 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 4^th, with numbers then increasing due to the extensive deep flooding, which resulted in 20 at Wheldrake on the 17^th.

Great Crested Grebe – A single was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 9^th and 10^th.

Little Egret – A single over Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd was followed by one at Elvington Bridge on the 6^th. One flew east towards Thornton Wood over Church Bridge, Melbourne, at dusk on the 26^th. Singles remained in the same area daily to month end.

Little Egret - River Derwent - LM

Cattle Egret – One flew east towards Thornton Wood over Church Bridge, Melbourne, at dusk on the 26^th, shortly followed by a Little Egret.

Cormorant – 25 flew over the Pocklington Canal at Melbourne on the 15^th.

Coot – A single remained at North Duffield Carrs from the 1^st.

Marsh Harrier – Wing-tagged bird ‘D3’ was present at Bank Island on the 1^st, with five birds (including ‘D3’) recorded from North Duffield Carrs on the 2^nd. A single cream-crown was observed at Skipwith Common NNR on the 4^th, with two un-tagged individuals still present at Bank Island on the 12^th.

Peregrine – Seen regularly throughout the reserve with up to four individuals present – a single over Skipwith Common NNR on the 12^th was more unusual.

Merlin – A single flew through the NNR base garden at Bank Island on the 5^th.

Red Kite – Two lingered in the Thorganby Ings area early in the month, with sightings on the 1^st and 2^nd. Three were in the same area on the 3^rd with a single also present at Bank Island. A single was at North Duffield Carrs on the 4^th when two were also present over Storwood. Three were recorded near Skipwith Common NNR on the 5^th with four on the 8^th and three regularly thereafter. One was present at Bank Island on the 21^st.

Grey Partridge – Three near South Duffield on the 4^th with nine on the 5^th. 12 were observed near Newton Mask on the 17^th.

Water Rail – Flooding brought two individuals into the car park scrub at Wheldrake on the 1^st and 2^nd. Two birds were wintering on the Canal at Melbourne on the 4^th and 6^th - remaining thereafter to month end.

Oystercatcher – The first returning bird was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 28^th.

Lapwing – 2000+ remained throughout the reserve during the month.

Golden Plover – Numbers on the Ings grasslands remained low with extensive flooding, although 1000 were observed on arable at Derwent Farm on the 12^th.

Jack Snipe – One or two individuals were present at North Duffield Ings on the 1^st and 3^rd, and again on the 16^th.

Woodcock – A single was flushed by beaters adjacent to North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st with regular sightings across Skipwith Common NNR during the month. One was present at Church Bridge Melbourne on the 6^th, with one in the Wheldrake Ings car park woodland on the 17^th. Three were recorded on Adder Heath at Skipwith Common NNR on the 18^th, with eight on Nightjar Heath on the 19^th. Numbers wintering on the Common during the month from numerous sample counts were likely to be in the region of 30-40 wintering individuals.

Curlew – Six were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st. The following day 12 were feeding during the daytime in floodwater in Elvington, with 25 then roosting at Wheldrake during the evening. On the 17^th the number of roosting birds at Wheldrake had reached 27.  

Curlew - Wheldrake Ings - 17/01 - DB

Black-tailed Godwit – Up to two birds were observed at Wheldrake on the 1^st and 2^nd, and were followed by three on the 3^rd and four on the 4^th. A single remained between the 8^th-10^th, with numbers back to two again on the 12^th. One remained on the 30^th with two again on the 31^st.

Dunlin – Up to 100 remained across the reserve on the 1^st and 2^nd, with 160 present on arable at Derwent Farm during freezing conditions on the 8^th.

Ruff – Up to 80 remained early in the month.

Green Sandpiper – A single near Skipwith Common NNR on the 12^th (CSR), was followed by another, picked up dead, near Melbourne on the 15^th - possibly the individual seen in the same area during December. The unfortunate individual was ringed in July at Wheldrake Ings, and gives the first indication as to the link between autumn passage birds remaining to overwinter in the area.

Mediterranean Gull – An adult at Wheldrake Ings on the 2^nd (CSR) with a second winter individual at Skipwith on the 10^th (CG).

Black-headed Gull – Numbers at the Wheldrake roost increased quickly with an estimated 20,000 there on the 7^th. 16,000 were counted there on the 10^th with extensive flooding attracting 30,000+ on the 21^st.

Common Gull – 10,000 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 7^th with 7000 recorded on the 10^th.

Gull roost - Wheldrake - 09/01 - DB

Greater Black-backed Gull – 100 were present in fields adjacent to Skipwith Common NNR on the 2^nd with 400 there by the 6^th. 500 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 7^th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull – A single was present near South Duffield on the 4^th with one in fields near Skipwith Common NNR on the 8^th.

Herring Gull – Up to 800 were present in fields by Skipwith Common NNR early in the month, whilst the numbers at the Wheldrake roost built up to 1500 by the 7^th.

Caspian Gull – A single adult in fields adjacent to Skipwith Common NNR on the 2^nd (CSR, DB) with a different large individual present there on the 5^th (OM). A second winter bird was then present on the 6^th (TJ). An adult and first winter were present on the 8^th.

Yellow Legged Gull – A single adult in fields adjacent to Skipwith Common NNR on the 2^nd (CSR, DB) and again on the 5^th (CSR, NC, MR) and 27^th.

Iceland Gull – An adult near South Duffield on the 4^th (CSR, DB) and again in fields at Skipwith Common NNR on the 5^th (CSR, NC, MR, OM). It was then present at this site from the 6^th, with two adults in the same area recorded on the 7^th with one again on the 8^th. A single individual roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 9^th (DB) with one still in the Skipwith area on the 27^th.  

Iceland Gull - South Duffield - 04/01 - DB

Pied Wagtail – Up to 150 were present in fields near Skipwith Common NNR between the 1^st – 10^th, with 40 at Melbourne on the 8^th and 60 feeding amongst flood debris at Bubwith Ings on the 9^th. 230 were present adjacent to Skipwith Common NNR on the 12^th.

Stonechat – Early in the month up to three were still present at Bank Island, Wheldrake Ings, and East Cottingwith, with four at North Duffield Carrs and two at Thorganby on the 2^nd, when two pairs were also present in the Melbourne area. A single was observed at Skipwith Common NNR on the 4^th, with a pair there on the 5^th. Extensive flooding towards the end of the month presumably displaced many birds away from the Ings, although a single bird remained at Bank Island on the 25^th with a pair at Melbourne to month end.

Cetti’s Warbler – Wintering birds remained at Melbourne, Church Bridge, from the 1^st, with two at East Cottingwith and one at North Duffield Carrs on the same date.

Blackcap – A single wintering bird was present in an Elvington garden on the 1^st and remained throughout the month until at least the 20^th.

Chiffchaff – A single at Elvington on the 9^th.

Lesser Whitethroat – A single, confirmed of the race Blythi, was present in an Elvington garden, feeding on fat balls on the 18^th (AF). It was still present on the 19^th and was seen again, on and off, until the 23^rd.

Lesser Whitethroat - Elvington - 23/01 - AF

Raven – A single was feeding with gulls, corvids, buzzards and kites at Skipwith on the 12^th (CSR).

Jay – More numerous as birds roamed widely in response to cold weather. Six were at Thorganby on the 8^th with seven in a loose flock at Skipwith Common NNR on the 12^th.

Nuthatch – One was calling at Thorganby viewing platform on the 2^nd, with another by Elvington churchyard on the 3^rd, followed by one on Skipwith Common NNR on the 6^th. A further record came from Elvington on the 9^th whilst birds were recorded regularly at Skipwith Common NNR until month end.

Marsh Tit – One in the NNR base garden at Bank Island on the 5^th, with regular sightings from Crook Moor, Thorganby during the month.

Greenfinch – Signs of the ongoing recovery included a total of four caught and ringed at Bank Island on the 4^th, with 12 reported from an Elvington garden on the 7^th.

House Sparrow – 40+ remained at the NNR base garden feeding station from the 1^st.

Tree Sparrow – Up to 40 were at Bank Island on the 1^st with 40 at Skipwith Common NNR on the 2^nd.

Lesser Redpoll – 120 at Skipwith Common NNR on the 2^nd, with small numbers (up to ten) in the Bank Island/Wheldrake Ings area early in the month. 50 were present in canal-side Alders at Melbourne on the 2^nd.

Siskin – Up to 60 were present during the month at Melbourne in alders alongside the Pocklington Canal.

Crossbill – Three or four calling birds were present at Skipwith Common NNR on the 20^th (MR).

Brambling – A single was present in a garden at Seaton Ross on the 3^rd.

Bullfinch – A total of 38 individuals were caught and ringed at Bank Island during the month.

Corn Bunting – 20 were present at Hagg Lane at East Cottingwith on the 3^rd when five were also present in the Seaton Ross/Laytham area.