Lower Derwent Valley NNR - January Sightings
A total of 108 species were recorded in and around the reserve on the 3rd, with plenty of coverage across the site as several teams took part in the annual bird race. A total of 119 species were recorded by month end.
A
great start to the years birding was had with some typical winter watching to
be enjoyed - the resident Whooper Swan herd built up to 192 and were
again joined by two Bewick’s Swans. 2000 Greylag Geese
attracted 680 wintering Pink-footed Geese (with several other groups on
the move towards month end). Eight White-fronted Geese, three Tundra
Bean Geese and a single Barnacle were also present. 10,200 Wigeon
and 5,500 Teal were recorded, with spring passage seeing numbers of other
species start to increase including 492 Pintail, 173 Shoveler and 157 Gadwall. A
male and female Smew lingered from December’s influx with a Bittern
recorded on the 11th.
10
or 11 wintering Marsh Harriers put on a great display alongside five Peregrines,
with two regular Merlin also reported during the month. Coots started to
return to the site during the month, with the first returning Oystercatcher on
the 29th followed by three Black-tailed Godwits. Up to 7,000+ Lapwing
and 2,800 Golden Plover were recorded with 358 Dunlin representing a good
count in recent years. A wintering Green Sandpiper was also present. Up
to four Mediterranean Gulls and a single Caspian Gull provided
interest during the gull roost, whilst a single Short-eared Owl and Lesser
Spotted Woodpecker were notable. Warblers were also well accounted for, with
the Dusky Warbler remaining until at least the 22nd, along
with two Common and two Siberian Chiffchaffs, Blackcap and two Cetti’s
Warblers.
Many
thanks as always to those 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 for the use of his images below, credited DB.
BIRDS:
Whooper
Swan – Up
to 121 were present across the reserve on the 2nd/3rd,
with 192 recorded on the monthly WeBS count on the 23rd.
Bewick’s
Swan – A family
party of two adults and three juveniles were present at Derwent Farm near North
Duffield Carrs on the 1st. Two adults (presumably the
regularly returning pair), were present with the Whooper Swan herd on the 23rd,
remaining thereafter to month end.
Mute
Swan – 86
were recorded during the monthly WeBS count on the 23rd.
Greylag
Goose – 2,000+ were still present throughout the site during
the first few days of the year, with 1,200 at Wheldrake Ings on the 9th, when a total of 1,370
were recorded throughout the site. 900+ were still present over the WeBS
weekend count on the 23rd.
Canada Goose
– 300+ were recorded over the New Year with 346 on the 23rd.
Pink-footed Goose
– Up to 400 were recorded in the area on the 1st
and 2nd
with 589 in the Wheldrake/Storwood and East Cottingwith area between the 4th-10th.
Numbers increased thereafter with 680 at Wheldrake Ings between the 16th-21st.
A return north/north-west passage then started towards the end of the month,
with two presumed passage skeins (120 and 230 flying east over Thorganby and
Wheldrake Ings) on the 21st,
followed by 150 over Melbourne on the 22nd
and 240 over on the 23rd
during the WeBS count, alongside the 600 ‘resident’ wintering birds. 217 passage
birds went north-west on the 28th.
White-fronted Goose
– Three lingering birds were present at Thorganby on the 7th and 13th. Two individuals were
then recorded in the Storwood/Wheldrake area on 19th
when six also appeared in a flock of 150 Greylag Geese over Bank Island. Two
were then present with Greylag Geese feeding in flooded arable between Skipwith
and North Duffield village on the 26th.
Tundra Bean Goose
– Two adults were recorded at Aughton Ings on the 2nd
(CSR) with three then reported from Allerthorpe on the 3rd (JL, RB). Three flew
north at Aughton Ings on the 13th.
Egyptian
Goose – Five were still present at Wheldrake Ings on the 8th/9th with eight (displaying)
birds on the usual pond network at East Cottingwith on the 23rd.
Barnacle Goose
– A single at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd (remaining
from the end of 2021), was present in the area until at least the 9th.
Shelduck
– 70+ were present in the Wheldrake area on the 2nd
with 86 counted throughout the site on the 23rd. 72 were at Bank Island on the 31st.
Wigeon
– 10,230 were recorded across the site on the 2nd
including 8,700 at Wheldrake Ings on that date. 9,698 were present on the
monthly WeBS count on the 23rd.
Teal
– A
monthly maximum of 5,500 on the 23rd.
Mallard – A monthly maximum of 1,667
on the 23rd.
Gadwall – Numbers increased to
157 by the 23rd.
Shoveler – 132 were recorded on
the 2nd followed by 141 on the 19th and 173
on the 23rd.
Pintail – 321 were present throughout
the site on the 2nd with an increase thereafter, with 360 at
Wheldrake Ings on the 16th and a total of 428 across the
whole site on the 18th. Numbers had built up to 492 by the 23rd.
Tufted
Duck – 52
were recorded across the site on the 2nd however numbers
then decreased as water levels receded, leaving just 11 on the 23rd.
30 were present on the 31st.
Pochard
– Nine
drakes and a duck were present at Wheldrake on the 2nd with
three or four lingering until the 10th. Absent thereafter
until a single drake reappeared on the pool at Wheldrake on the 29th.
Goldeneye
– 11 were
present on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd with nine there
again on the 10th and 14 between the 15th
- 18th later increasing to 17 by the 29th.
Smew
– Single
redheads were at Hemingbrough and Sutton-upon-Derwent on the 3rd.
A drake was seen on the river at Aughton on the 6th with a
red-head at Wheldrake again on the 7th and 18th.
Goosander – A single flew over
Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd with one present there the next day.
Little
Grebe – Up
to six birds were on wintering territories on the Pocklington Canal during the
month, with three at Wheldrake, six at North Duffield Carrs and scattered singles
or pairs along the Derwent – an estimated 16. 11 were on the Pocklington Canal
at Storwood on the 21st with six at Melbourne on the 22nd.
Little
Egret – Four were seen by the River Derwent at Sutton/Elvington
on the 1st,
followed by two at Wheldrake on the 3rd,
and singles at Melbourne on the 5th
and Wheldrake on the 12th.
Three were roosting at Wheldrake regularly throughout the month, no doubt accounting
for many of the sightings.
Bittern
– One at Aughton Ings on the 11th.
Marsh
Harrier –
Six were still present across the reserve on the 2nd with the
wing-tagged bird (D3), present at Wheldrake on the 4th with
up to nine thought to be in the area from the 7th. Seven were
recorded on the 18th with eight in the Aughton area on the 21st
(not including wing tagged D3 but two immature males). At least 10 or 11 individuals
were thought to be involved during the month.
Hen
Harrier –
A single ringtail was present at North Duffield Carrs at dawn on the 13th.
Red
Kite – A
single at Wheldrake on the 2nd with another at North Duffield
Carrs on the 3rd. Regular
scattered sightings continued throughout the month with one over the NNR Base
at Bank Island on the 28th.
Peregrine – Up to five individuals
lingered throughout the month.
Merlin – A single was seen
hunting Pied Wagtails at North Duffield Carrs on the 3rd with
another at Wheldrake on the same date and again on the 7th. A
single was at Wheldrake Ings again on the 14th
with one at North Duffield Carrs on the 19th.
Grey
Partridge
– Two were present at Bank Island on the 2nd and 18th.
Water Rail – Up to eight were
present in the reedbed area at Wheldrake early in the month with four in the
Melbourne area, three at Thornton Ellers and singles at Bank Island and North
Duffield Carrs. Three were calling at Bank Island at dusk on the 18th
in addition to another two on the riverbank there - a minimum of 21 calling
birds across the reserve during the month.
Coot – Numbers increased with
eight at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd reaching at least 40 individuals by
the 23rd.
Oystercatcher
– The first
returning bird was at North Duffield Carrs on the 29th.
Golden
Plover – 1,900
were at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd followed by 2,200 on the 3rd.
3,100 were at North Duffield Carrs and Ings on the 4th. 1,000+
remained at Wheldrake on the 10th with 1,800 at East
Cottingwith Ings on the same date – total of 2,800 throughout. 2,000+ were
recorded again at Wheldrake on the 12th. 1,500+ were still at
Wheldrake on the 16th and thereafter to month end.
Lapwing – 7,000+ remained early in
the month with 5350 at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd. 3,000
were still present at Wheldrake on the 9th with 6,700 throughout
the site on the 10th. Large numbers remained thereafter with 4,000+
at Wheldrake Ings on the 16th. 3,900+ remained on the 23rd
with 4,000+ at month end.
Snipe – 50+ were present at a
day time roost at Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd. 100+ were feeding
along the river bank at Aughton after dark on the 11th, when two
were amazingly drumming in temperatures of one degrees. 418 were logged across
the site on the monthly WeBS count on the 23rd.
Jack
Snipe – Three
were at Skipwith Common NNR on the 3rd with a single at
Wheldrake on the 10th. Another individual was found at a
different site at Skipwith on the 12th, 18th
and 19th with one at Thornton Ellers on the 23rd.
Woodcock
– Four
flew onto Wheldrake Ings at dusk over the car park area on the 3rd
with 11 after dark there on the 4th. Survey work at Skipwith
throughout the month estimated a wintering population of 25-30+ birds on site.
Curlew – 24 were present at
Wheldrake Ings on the 2nd, remaining throughout the month - last recorded count was 25 at Wheldrake on the 29th.
Dunlin
– 240
were present throughout the site on the 2nd with 296 at
Aughton Ings on the 11th and 358 on the 23rd.
111 were counted at Wheldrake on the 29th.
Ruff
– 47 were
recorded throughout the reserve on the 2nd.
Redshank – Up to 20 were present
early in the month, with 41 counted along the riverbank at Aughton on the 11th, with a similar number reported at North Duffield Carrs on the 26th.
Black-tailed
Godwit – A
single was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 23rd with three there on the 29th.
Green Sandpiper – One
at Melbourne Ings on the 3rd.
Black-headed Gull – 15,000+
were recorded at the Wheldrake roost on the 2nd
with 20,000 there on the 3rd
- numbers then fell to around 3,000 following the freezing conditions on the 23rd.
Common Gull – 5,000+
were present at the Wheldrake roost on the 2nd
followed by 6,000 on the 3rd
with numbers then down to only 600 on the 23rd.
Mediterranean Gull – Two
adults and a second winter type were present at the Wheldrake roost on the 2nd with an adult there on
the 3rd. A second and first winter were present on the 4th with the second winter
remaining on the 8th/9th.
What was presumably the same second year bird was present at Aughton on the 10th - the same date an adult
roosted at Wheldrake Ings. The second winter bird was reported regularly thereafter
to month end.
Caspian Gull – A
first winter at the Wheldrake roost on the 9th
(JL, DB).
Herring Gull – Numbers
generally remained low, but had increased to 170 by the 9th
- up to 300 were recorded on the 23rd.
Greater Black-backed Gull –
Up to 70 were present at the Wheldrake roost by the 9th but only two remained
on the 23rd.
Lesser Black-backed Gull –
Singles were present on the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st.
Short-eared Owl – One
on the Low Grounds on the 3rd.
Great Spotted Woodpecker –
A bird was drumming for extended periods at Wheldrake
Ings on the 23rd
with two drumming at Skipwith Common NNR on the 27th.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker –
A single appeared at Bank Island briefly before
flying off towards Wheldrake and Thorganby on the 26th
(MFJ, CSR).
Water Pipit – A
single winter plumaged bird was found at Hagg Bridge on the 3rd, and was relocated the
following day when a second bird was possibly heard calling. Two birds were
present there on the 5th
with at least one remaining thereafter until the 10th.
Stonechat
– Three were
still present at Wheldrake on the 2nd with another pair at
Thornton Ellers on the 3rd when two were at North Duffield
Carrs. Two were present by East Cottingwith Cemetery on the 9th
with three by Cheesecake Farm throughout the month.
Nuthatch – A single was present on
the riverbank at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th, 13th
and 16th, with a single then present in a Thorganby
garden from the 17th.
Starling
– A
single flock of c15,000 flew fast, low and direct over Bank Island towards
Wheldrake Ings at 1645hrs on the 19th - continuing over Wheldrake
towards Thorganby, clearly en-route to a large roost.
Cetti’s
Warbler –
A single bird was present by the canal at Melbourne between the 3rd -
5th and again on the 8th, with another at
Wheldrake Ings (Pool Hide) on the 22nd.
Dusky Warbler – Last month’s single remained but was elusive, present until at least
the 22nd.
Chiffchaff – A single was at Wheldrake
Ings on the 1st with one at Bank Island on the 19th.
Siberian
Chiffchaff
– A single showing characteristics of Siberian was present at Elvington Sewage Works
between the 16th - 20th. Another was found in the
central part of Skipwith Common NNR on the 28th (NC, MR), skulking in bramble and bracken and calling occasionally.
Blackcap – A male was present in
an Elvington garden for a few days mid-month from the 19th.
Marsh
Tit – A single
in the Wheldrake car park lane on the 5th was followed by one
in a Thorganby garden on the 9th and Thicket Priory on the 14th.
Willow
Tit – Up to
five were recorded at Wheldrake Ings regularly throughout the month.
Goldfinch – 180 were present in the
Melbourne area on the 1st with 100 near Church Bridge,
Melbourne on the 17th.
Brambling
– Up to
eight remained at Thornton early in the month with a flock of 30 at Cheesecake Farm,
Wheldrake on the 3rd and 11th.
Crossbill – Three singing birds
were present at Skipwith Common NNR on the 27th (NC, MR).
Linnet – Up to 250 were roosting
at Wheldrake Ings during the month with 200 at Bank Island. 300 were present at
Thornton on the 1st with 200 still at Bank Island on the 11th, with an additional 150-200 at Intake Lane, Bubwith. 200 were near Church Lane,
Melbourne on the 17th.
Yellowhammer – Up to 90 were recorded
along Intake Lane, Bubwith on the 23rd with 30 at Thornton
Ellers on the same date.
Corn Bunting – 71 were roosting in Melbourne at Church Bridge reedbed on the 3rd.
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