Lower Derwent Valley NNR - January Sightings
The start of the new year began where December left off with extensive flooding throughout the site, although water levels did finally start to recede towards the end of the month. A great start to the year was had with the highlight being an American Wigeon present between the 16th and 18th, with up to two Bewick’s Swans, three Smew and six Scaup all notable (remaining from December). A Common Crane on the 9th and Cattle Egret between the 21st and 24th provided additional interest.
Wintering
wildfowl were well represented with 167 Whooper Swans, 2271 Greylag and
2000 Pink-footed Geese along with a single White-fronted and Tundra
Bean. Raptors were also notable with two Hen Harriers, five Marsh Harriers, five Peregrines and
the usual Merlin and Red Kite records. On the wader front 4600 Lapwing,
1760 Golden Plover and 1200 Dunlin were highlights, with the Dunlin
count in particular being the highest for several years. 2,000+ Snipe
flooded back onto the reserve later in the month with perhaps as many as 100 Jack
Snipe scattered through the wider area. A flock of 13 Grey Plover
through North Duffield Carrs on the 13th was a notable record with a
build-up of 34 Curlew and 74 Black-tailed Godwits as the month
progressed. The gull roosts were also well covered and held two Caspian and
at least five different Mediterranean Gulls.
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, Trevor Walton and Dave Ward for the use of their images below.
Mute
Swan – 86
were present throughout the reserve on the monthly WeBS count on the 13th.
A total of 30 were recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 21st
with another 20 at North Duffield Carrs – a total of 92 were present throughout
the site on that date.
Bewick’s
Swan – Three
remained from December and were still present at Melbourne Ings on the 7th
and remained in the area until at least the 13th. Two adults
flew south through Wheldrake Ings on the 26th.
Whooper Swan – 140 were present throughout the reserve on the 1st followed by 167 on the 13th.
Pink-footed
Goose –
The wintering flock of 400 were still present on the 1st when
a further 33 birds flew northwest through the reserve. At least 450 were at
North Duffield Carrs on the 3rd and 4th. Up
to 2000 were then found roosting on North Duffield Ings and Carrs from the 6th
with 460 remaining on the 13th. 1000+ came into roost again
at North Duffield Carrs after dark on the 15th with 200
remaining in that area thereafter to month end. 33 flew west at Wheldrake Ings
on the 27th with 63 northwest over Bank Island on the same
date, when the first largescale return movement back to the northwest coast was
noted throughout the county. 29 flew west over the reserve on the 28th.
White-fronted
Goose – Last
month's single was possibly heard again on the 7th.
Tundra
Bean Goose
– One at North Duffield Ings on the 9th.
Greylag
Goose – 1000+
were present in the Thorganby area on the 1st with 2271 recorded
throughout the site on the 13th.
Egyptian
Goose – Four
were present on the usual breeding ponds at East Cottingwith on the 1st
when display and territorial behaviour was noted. A flock of 13 were at
Thornton Ings on the 10th with 20 then present on the 17th.
Shelduck – Numbers continued to
increase with 114 on the 13th.
Wigeon
– Numbers had increased to 9551 by the 13th.
American Wigeon
– A single adult drake was present at Seavy Carr on the 16th with
it (or another) in the North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings area on the 17th and 18th.
Teal –
The WeBS count on the 13th
produced a total of 7931.
Mallard –
1083 were counted throughout the site on the 13th.
Pintail
– Numbers continued to increase with 420 counted on the 13th. A total of 266 were
then present at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th.
Shoveler
– Numbers remained low (no doubt due to the extensive flooding), with only 59
present on the 13th.
Gadwall – 133 were recorded
throughout the site on the 13th.
Pochard – 120 were present at
Bubwith Ings on the 1st followed by 113 on the 13th.
A total of 105 were still present at North Duffield Carrs at month end.
Tufted
Duck – Numbers
reduced slightly as the floods started to recede with 184 remaining on the 13th.
104 were present at Wheldrake Ings with 160+ still present throughout the whole
site on that date. 165 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th with
75 at Bank Island and 62 elsewhere throughout the site – a total of 302
throughout the reserve. 121 were at Bank Island on the 30th.
Smew – A drake appeared at
Thorganby on the 3rd (presumably the one from December) and
remained thereafter until the 10th when a further drake was
present at Bubwith Ings with a red-head also present at East Cottingwith. The
drake remained at Thorganby where it was joined by the same red-head or another on the 12th
and 13th. A drake was then present at Wheldrake Ings on the 17th
with a pair there on the 20th and a red-head remaining on the
26th until the end of the month.
Scaup – Two ducks and a drake were present on the site on the 1st following December’s influx with two males then found at North Duffield Carrs on the 2nd. Two drakes and a duck were at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th with two drakes remaining there on the 9th. Six remained throughout the reserve on the 13th with two ducks thereafter at Wheldrake Ings until the 17th and a single thereafter until the 20th. A male and female were then present on the 21st and remained until the 27th with a drake thereafter.
Goldeneye – Eleven were present on the
13th whilst 25 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 21st.
30+ were at Wheldrake Ings on the 28th.
Goosander – A single drake was at
Thorganby Ings on the 13th with two at Wheldrake Ings on the 20th
and four there on the 21st. Five were at Wheldrake with three
at Bank Island on the 28th.
Cormorant – 28 roosted at Wheldrake
Ings on the 27th.
Little
Egret – Two were at Bank Island on the 6th with occasional
sightings following from there throughout the month with three also present at
Melbourne Ings. 13 were at Melbourne Ings on the 10th,
with 19 throughout the site on the 13th.
Nine were then present at Melbourne on the 15th.
Grey Heron
– Numbers increased as the month progressed as birds returned to the area ahead
of breeding. 34 were present around the reserve on the 13th.
Great White Egret
– A single was present along the Pocklington Canal towpath at Melbourne on the 3rd and was there again on
the 4th, 7th and 13th. One was present at
East Cottingwith on the 20th
and Wheldrake Ings on the 21st
daily to month end, roosting in poolside willows.
Cattle Egret
– One flushed by shooters at Storwood Ings on the 21st
was then present on the Low Grounds on the 22nd.
Two days later on the 24th
it appeared over Bank Island before heading back towards Wheldrake Ings.
Great Crested Grebe
– One at Melbourne Ings on the 26th.
Grey Partridge
– 16 were at Elvington Airfield on the 21st.
Water Rail
– Three were wintering in the Wheldrake Ings car park scrub on the 1st when two were present
on the canal at East Cottingwith. Ten were recorded throughout the site on the 13th with three showing well
on the ice in front of the Geoff Smith Hide at North Duffield Carrs on the 21st.
Coot
– Three were at Thorganby Ings on the 5th
with five there on the 13th.
Five were also on Melbourne and Thornton Ings on the 10th with 21 were present at
Wheldrake Ings on the 21st.
Common Crane
– A single passed over the NNR Base at Bank Island (calling) on the 9th, before heading over
towards Thorganby.
Marsh
Harrier –
An adult male was present at Bank Island on the 2nd when five
cream-crowns were in the Thorganby area. Occasional sightings were also noted
from Skipwith Common throughout the month. Five were still present across the
reserve on the 21st.
Red
Kite –
Regular sightings were had throughout the month with three at Wheldrake Ings
and two at North Duffield and Thorganby on the 21st. Four
different birds were at Melbourne during the month with three seen together there
on the 25th followed by three at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th.
Hen
Harrier –
The single ringtail remained on Skipwith Common early in the month until the 7th
with a second bird present in the area on that date. A ringtail was then found
at Melbourne on the 15th with another over Elvington and Bank
Island on the 17th. What was believed to be the same
individual was then present again at Bank Island on the 19th
and 20th. A single was
then observed leaving the reedbed at Swantail, Wheldrake at dusk on the 30th.
Peregrine – A pair were present at Ellerton on the 1st with a further bird present at Wheldrake Ings on the same day with regular sightings of a pair at North Duffield Carrs. A small male at Wheldrake Ings on the 19th was observed hunting thrushes coming into roost at dusk. Up to five were present across the reserve on the 20th and 21st. The small male was seen hunting thrushes again at Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 26th.
Merlin – Singles were at North
Duffield Carrs on the 7th, Skipwith Common on the 8th
and 11th and Melbourne on the 28th.
Oystercatcher – The first two returning
birds were present at Elvington on the 27th.
Lapwing – 4000+ were present throughout
the reserve on the 1st followed by 3825 on the 13th.
2500+ were at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th
with a further 2100 at North Duffield Ings and 500+ at Thornton - giving a
minimum count of 5100 throughout the site.
Golden
Plover – 900
were at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st with numbers up to 1760 on the
13th. 1000 were recorded at North Duffield Ings on the 21st
with 800 there on the 26th. 1000+ were at Wheldrake Ings on
the 27th with 300 at Thornton Ings on the same date.
Grey
Plover –
A flock of 13 flew south along the river at North Duffield Carrs on the 13th.
Dunlin – 900+ remained
throughout the reserve on the 1st with 1020 present across
the site on the 5th (including 540 at Thorganby Ings). Numbers
remained stable thereafter with 1018 counted on the 13th,
whilst a German-ringed bird was re-caught at Bubwith Bridge on the 15th.
1200 were recorded on the reserve on the 18th when a single
Norwegian-ringed bird was caught after dark amongst a catch of 50 Dunlin at
Bubwith Bridge.
Ruff
– 21 were
present at Ellerton on the 1st with 25 at Bubwith Ings on the
13th and 15 at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th.
Black-tailed
Godwit – One
was present at Bubwith Bridge on the 12th and 13th.
Two were at Wheldrake Ings on the 19th with four there on the
20th. 31 were then present at Wheldrake Ings on the 26th
with 74 there on the 27th and 28th.
Jack
Snipe – 14
were recorded near Elvington Airfield on the 1st with nine
there on the 2nd. Two
were present at Heslington Tilmire on the 4th with one near
Elvington village on the 6th. Two were recorded at Skipwith
Common on the 8th. Eleven were at Bubwith Bridge on the river
bank after dark on the 12th when 15+ were still present at
Elvington. 17 were recorded throughout the site on the 13th
with nine at Bubwith Bridge on the 15th. One was also present
at Melbourne Ings on the 16th with four flushed by a Hen
Harrier at the Low Grounds on the 17th. At least ten if not
more remained on the riverbank at Bubwith Bridge after dark on the 18th
with two seen at Bank Island on the 19th. Ten were still
present at Bubwith Bridge on the 21st. A total of 26 were ringed
during the month.
Snipe – Over 250+ were in
fields by Elvington Airfield on the 1st with 500+ on the
Tilmire on the 4th. Small groups were seen arriving at Bank
Island on the 12th with 130 present on the riverbank at
Bubwith Bridge after dark on the same date. A minimum of 453 were recorded
throughout the site on the WeBS on the 13th, suggesting a
return of wintering birds following the falling water levels. A large arrival
back onto the reserve took place on the 15th with an
estimated 1000+ present, further increasing to 2000+ by the 18th.
Approximately 300 were flushed from the Low Grounds on the 16th
by a passing Hen Harrier.
Woodcock – Eight were in fields by
Elvington Airfield after dark on the 1st with 20+ in three
fields by Skipwith village on the 2nd. At least 30 remained
at the Tilmire on the 5th with one or two daytime birds
reported from several sites around the area during the month. Up to 100 were
estimated as wintering on Skipwith Common throughout the month, with a total of
41 caught and ringed in the area.
Curlew – Up to 14 remained early
in the month increasing to 20 by the 13th. A total of 34 were
present throughout the reserve on the 27th.
Redshank – At least 20 were
present at Bubwith Bridge on the 5th and 7th
with 23 there on the 13th.
Green
Sandpiper
– One near Elvington Airfield on the 1st with three at
Melbourne and Thornton Ings on the 10th and 16th.
One was then present at Bubwith Bridge on the 24th.
Mediterranean
Gull – An
adult was at North Duffield Carrs on the 1st with either it
or another at nearby Derwent Cottage Farm fields on the 6th. The
same individual remained at dawn on the 7th with a different
bird present there at dusk. Two were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 13th.
Both adults and first-winters were then present at both Wheldrake Ings and
North Duffield Carrs on the 21st. A second bird was at
Wheldrake Ings on the 24th with a first-winter at North
Duffield Carrs on the 26th. An adult was present at the
Wheldrake roost on the 27th. At least five different individuals
recorded throughout the month.
Common
Gull – Birds
were roosting at both Wheldrake Ings and North Duffield Carrs with a combined
count of 21,000 on the 13th. Following freezing conditions
and ice cover some birds were then presumably displaced with just 9,000 remaining
on the 21st.
Herring
Gull – 400
were present in the gull roosts on the WeBS count on the 13th
with 540 recorded on the Wintering Gull Survey on the 21st.
Caspian
Gull – Two
first-winter birds were present in the Wheldrake roost on the 16th
with one remaining on the 20th and 21st.
Both were then present again on the 26th.
Great
Black-backed Gull
– 130 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 13th with numbers down to
only 34 on the Wintering Gull Survey on the 21st.
Lesser
Black-backed Gull
– One or two were present in the gull roosts on a regular basis throughout the
month.
Short-eared Owl – A single was present at dawn at Bank Island on the 1st.
Long-eared
Owl – One
was heard calling near Elvington on the 1st and 7th.
Little
Owl – A
single showed well and regularly at Thorganby from the village hall viewing
platform early in the month.
Skylark – 160 were recorded near
North Duffield Carrs on the 5th and 6th.
Raven – A single was seen at
Buttercrambe Woods, Stamford Bridge on the 5th.
Starling – 13,000+ headed over
North Duffield Carrs to the southwest presumably to join a roost towards dusk,
with 15,000 through Wheldrake Ings in a similar manner on the 27th.
Waxwing – One was seen in
Wheldrake village on the 9th with three near Fangfoss on the 11th.
Black
Restart –
A single was reported from Thorganby village on the 5th.
Chiffchaff
– A
single wintering bird was present again at the NNR Base on the 5th
with one by Bubwith Bridge on the 12th. Either it
or another was then seen in front of the Geoff Smith Hide at North Duffield
Carrs on the 13th. One was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th
and 28th.
Nuthatch – Singles were at
Wheldrake Ings on the 26th, 27th and 28th.
Willow
Tit – The
year opened with two in the Wheldrake Ings car park area on the 1st.
Pairs were then present by Bubwith Bridge and at the Melbourne Arm on the 7th.
Cetti’s Warbler –A single was on the canal at East Cottingwith on its usual
wintering territory on the 1st with other birds at Melbourne
(two), Wheldrake (three) and North Duffield Ings (one).
Brambling – Up to ten were present
early in the month at Thornton with 50 by Cheesecake Farm near Wheldrake. One
or two were also reported in gardens in the Thorganby and Wheldrake areas
during the month with up to 20 at Sutton Farm. 22 were at Thornton on the 10th
with numbers up to 30 there on the 16th.
Siskin – 130 at Melbourne on the
26th.
Corn Bunting – 60 were present near North Duffield village on the 7th with 55 recorded at the Church Bridge roost at Melbourne on the 15th.
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