Jul' 22

 Lower Derwent Valley NNR - July Sightings

Drought conditions continued with very few wildfowl records or counts of note, with most birds taking to the ditch network or departing the site soon after fledging.

A Spotted Crake was seen at Bank Island, with several Quail reported from scattered locations. Post-breeding concentrations of waders further suggested a successful season with particularly notable counts of Curlew and Oystercatcher, and several late broods of Redshank. The usual build-up of passage Green Sandpipers continued and attracted a single Wood Sandpiper during the month. Three juvenile Cuckoo's were noted, whilst warbler passage started towards the end of the month with good numbers of Reed and Sedge Warblers suggesting a successful breeding season.

Many thanks as always to everyone who contributed counts and records throughout the month, in particular to members of York Birding and regular patch birder Duncan Bye. T

Thanks also to Duncan Bye, Trevor Walton and Andrew Wappat for the use of their images below.

 

BIRDS: 

Egyptian Goose – A further brood of eight goslings were recorded near Elvington.

Wigeon – A pair lingered at Wheldrake throughout the month.

Teal – One or two were present on the pool at Wheldrake daily from the 1^st with 14 recorded on the 28^th - first sign of incoming migrants.

Little Egret – Up to 14 were feeding on the pool at Wheldrake early in the month with 17 there on the 8^th, 22 on the 20^th and 21 on the 23^rd.

Little Egret - Wheldrake - 24/07 - DB

Marsh Harrier – Several different cream crowns were present early in the month (including the reappearance of D3), with an adult male roosting at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th and a sub-adult male on the 12^th. An adult male was present again between the 17^th-22^nd with two different cream crowns noted during that time, with at least three throughout the site to month end.

Red Kite – Six were at Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th with the same number again on the 17^th. Otherwise, birds or pairs were encountered throughout the site on an almost daily basis.

Red Kite - Wheldrake - 17/07 - DB

Common Buzzard – 13 were recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 17^th – seen daily throughout the month.

Peregrine – An adult male circled Bank Island on the 14^th with a juvenile buzzing the starling roost at Wheldrake on the 19^th.

Hobby – Several individuals were recorded throughout, with one sitting amongst mixed Corvids feeding on the aftermath at Wheldrake on the 8^th. Other sightings came from Bank Island, Thorganby, North Duffield Carrs/Ings, South Duffield, Aughton, Melbourne and Thornton. Single seen chasing Swallows at the Wheldrake roost on the 18^th, with one over Bank Island on the 21^st and another at the Wheldrake roost again on the 21^st, 24^th, and 28^th.   A brood of three were ringed to the southern end of the valley on the 29^th.

Spotted Crake – One was seen briefly and later heard at Bank Island on the 13^th and again on the 14^th.   

Quail – Two birds were still singing at Ellerton on the 4^th with another at Wheldrake Ings followed by one at Hagg Bridge on the 5^th. One was singing in arable near Wheldrake on the 23^rd.

Water Rail – Up to eight singing birds remained throughout the month at Wheldrake with plenty of activity throughout. Single juveniles (from different broods) were also recorded.

Water Rail - Skipwith Common - 08/07 - AW

Little Ringed Plover – Up to four remained in the Bank Island area from the 1^st to the 5^th.

Oystercatcher – 11 flew south-west at Bank Island on the 5^th with 21 over the pool at Wheldrake on the morning of the 11^th. Seven paused briefly there at midday on the 14^th, with three there on the 17^th and two over on the 21^st. As usual birds were heard on nocturnal passage during the month – one of the largest autumn passages on record.

Lapwing – Up to 200 remained throughout the month at Wheldrake Ings, with 300 scattered throughout the remainder of the valley.

Snipe – Small numbers of juveniles and moulting adults remained throughout the month.

Black-tailed Godwit – Single on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 31^st.

Curlew – At total of 38 fledged young were counted throughout the site on the 1^st/2^nd. Two fledged young were at Bubwith Ings on the 4^th with two near-fledged large young colour-ringed at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th. Two fledged from an adjacent silage field on the 8^th thanks to the efforts of the sympathetic landowner. 31 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th with 34 there on the 11^th, with ones and twos seen heading west over Bank Island on the same date. 29 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 12^th with 43 on the 13^th and 38 on the 14^th. 35 were present on the 17^th and 18^th with 49 there on the 21^st-23^rd. Numbers decreased thereafter with eight remaining on the 28^th and two on the 31^st.

Curlew - Wheldrake - 24/07 - DB

Dunlin – One was present at Bank Island on the 8^th with three there on the 28^th.

Redshank – A brood of four fledged young were at Bank Island on the 4^th with three large young at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th - a single fledged juvenile was on the pool on the 13^th and then on Swantail Ings between the 14^th – 22^nd. Two were then present there on the 23^rd – 25^th with one thereafter to month end.

Redshank - 24/07 - Wheldrake - DB

Greenshank – Single flew into Wheldrake Ings at dawn on the 30^th.

Ruff – A moulting adult was present on the pool at Wheldrake on the 28^th to month end.

Green Sandpiper – One or two were present daily with three at Wheldrake Ings on the 8^th, four on the 12^th and three between the 13^th to the 18^th - four were thereafter, increasing to five on the 23^rd/24^th. Seven were recorded between the 25^th to the 28^th with four thereafter to month end.

Wood Sandpiper – A single was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 30^th.

Black-headed Gull – c300 (including 190 juveniles), were feeding on cut hay throughout the reserve on the 4^th.

Common Gull – The first juveniles appeared on the reserve on the 4^th - feeding amongst the cut hay, with five present.

Common Gull - 17/07 - Wheldrake - DB

Lesser Black-backed Gull – Small numbers of mainly adult birds were present early in the month throughout the site, often following hay making operations. Five were at Bank Island on the 2^nd with 22 in arable fields by the Low Grounds on the 19^th.

Yellow-legged Gull – Two were seen with a flock of Lesser Black backed Gulls on the 19^th at the Low Grounds.

Common Tern – The family party of five remained at Wheldrake Ings until the 11^th where they continued to roost on the raft at night - spending the day feeding elsewhere in the area. They then became less frequent thereafter, with one or two additional passage birds joining – five were present on the 28^th.

Cuckoo – Adults were still calling at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st and Melbourne on the 4^th. A fledged juvenile was seen at Wheldrake on several days (6^th-8^th), with another at Thornton on the 9^th. A newly fledged chick was ringed at Wheldrake Ings on the 12^th (different bird to earlier in the month).

Cuckoo - Wheldrake - 05/07 - TW

Wheatear – A single was seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th.

Swallow – Up to 200 were recorded over Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th and 11^th, with 200+ again on the 19^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – Two calling birds were still present at Bank Island with two at Wheldrake Ings on the 5^th, with an adult male re-caught on the 15^th. Single still singing at Wheldrake on the 17^th. A female with a brood patch was controlled (ringed elsewhere) at Wheldrake Ings on the 22^nd, with a very newly fledged youngster caught and ringed there on the 23^rd – data to follow on the control.

Cetti's Warbler - Wheldrake - 23/07 - LM

Willow Tit – A single juvenile was caught in pool side willows at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th, with another nearby on the 17^th and a calling bird by the Wind Pump on the 29^th.

Marsh Tit – A single juvenile was caught and ringed near South Duffield on the 10^th.

Sedge Warbler – Large numbers of both adults and juveniles were present during the month, with monthly ringing totals well above average. Over 400 were ringed over the course of the month, in comparison to the record figure of 380 ringed previously in a calendar year. Increasing passage was noted late in the month with the first birds observed carrying fat for migration on the 27^th, followed by a fall overnight on the 28^th/29^th, with 43 ringed on the 29^th and 29 on the 30^th. This fall/movement was mirrored elsewhere in Europe.

Grasshopper Warbler – A single was ‘reeling at Wheldrake Ings between the 1^st to the 15^th, with a locally bred juvenile caught and ringed by the pool on the later date.   

Spotted Flycatcher – A pair were incubating a second clutch at Melbourne.