July 24

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - July Sightings

Highlights included another Spoonbill on the 5^th and 6^th which lingered long enough for several of the local birders to connect with it. A White Stork was briefly in the Hagg Bridge area on the 6^th before it was tracked over Wheldrake, Thorganby and Skipwith, before being picked up further south towards Thorne later in the morning. Two vocal Cranes flew over Wheldrake on the 15^th.

A further two Ospreys were recorded during the month whilst Hobbies also showed well with up to five at Wheldrake Ings towards dusk. The first returning wader passage started to pick up with several Little Ringed Plover present early in the month and a passage flock of 35 Black-tailed Godwits (28^th). A fly-through Knot on the 18^th was more unseasonal and the usual build up in Green Sandpipers saw numbers reach a high of nine late in the month. Two Wood Sandpiper were also noted whilst two Mediterranean Gulls were also recorded. Two Redstarts were present (Wheldrake and Seavy Carr) on the 19^th following the first (of four) Whinchats on the 13^th. An influx of Grasshopper Warblers saw at least seven reeling birds appear during the month, whilst at least three broods of Cetti’s Warblers were confirmed at Wheldrake.

Many thanks as always to everyone who contributed records and sightings 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 photographs below.

 

BIRDS:

Whooper Swan – A single reappeared and remained throughout the month at North Duffield Carrs.

Egyptian Goose – Thirteen flew over Bank Island on the 14^th and were later present at Thornton Ellers on the 19^th.

Wigeon – Two drakes remained at Wheldrake Ings during the month with possibly the first returning flock of 12 over Melbourne on the 23^rd.

Wigeon - Wheldrake Ings - 11/07 - DB

Teal – Numbers remained low early in the month with up to 15 at Wheldrake Ings increasing to 20 there by month end.

Mandarin – Two were at Wheldrake Ings on the 16^th.

Garganey – A single eclipse drake was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th with three fledged juveniles seen at Bank Island on the 28^th.

Shoveler – Good numbers of fledged and unfledged broods remained throughout the month.

Gadwall – Good numbers of fledged and unfledged broods remained throughout the month.

Tufted Duck – One or two were present daily throughout the site with a brood of nine at North Duffield Carrs.

Little Egret – The large numbers present in late June decreased early in the month as post-breeding birds dispersed. Following on from that only single figure counts could be made around the second half of the month until an influx brought 20 back to the site on the 30^th.

Grey Heron – Up to 30 remained throughout the site during the month.

Great White Egret – Three were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 30^th with one roosting by the Pocklington Canal at Storwood on the 31^st.

Spoonbill – A juvenile was at Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings on the 5^th and 6^th, reappearing briefly at Bank Island on the 16^th.

Spoonbill - Bank Island - 06/07 - DB

White Stork – An adult was present at Hagg Bridge on the 6^th before flying off towards Wheldrake and south down the valley over Skipwith Common NNR. It was presumably the same bird (with primary damage) that was present in South Yorkshire the previous day, which was then seen again after leaving Skipwith Common as it flew south over the M62 and M18 30 mins later.

Grey Partridge – A pair with six fledged young were at Hagg Lane, East Cottingwith on the 22^nd. A pair remained at Bank Island with eleven pairs at Ryedale Farm, Melbourne.

Common Crane – Two flew south down the valley excitedly calling on the 15^th.

Quail – Singles were at Thornton Ellers on the 12^th and Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th, with the Thornton bird remaining until at least the 17^th.

Osprey – A single flew along the Pocklington Canal between Hagg Bridge and Storwood on the 14^th with another over Elvington on the 24^th.

Marsh Harrier – A single cream-crown remained throughout the month with two juveniles seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 20^th. A sub-adult male was at Melbourne on the 30^th.

Marsh Harrier - Wheldrake Ings - 28/07 - DB

Peregrine – Adults were at Elvington on the 21^st, Wheldrake on the 22^nd and Thorganby on the 25^th.

Hobby – Two pairs were located to their nest site during the month with seven young reared between them. Five were at Wheldrake Ings at dusk on the 23^rd with regular sightings of single birds throughout the site. Birds were then seen daily around Melbourne village throughout the second half of the month.

Little Ringed Plover – Two were present at Bank Island between the 1^st and 7^th with three juveniles there between the 8^th and 10^th.

Oystercatcher – Small numbers were noted moving throughout the month with many heard on nocturnal passage. Eight were at Bank Island on the 28^th, followed by on 30^th. Ten were at Wheldrake Ings on the 31^st.

Oystercatcher - Bank Island - 16/07 - DB

Lapwing – Up to 200 post-breeding birds remained throughout the month with the last fledged brood of two seen at Bank Island on the 17^th.

Black-tailed Godwit – Four were present from the 1^st to 3^rd with two remaining thereafter to the 7^th. A single summer plumaged adult was at North Duffield Carrs on the 21^st. A flock of 35 flew into Bank Island on the 28^th.

Knot – A single flew south at Wheldrake Ings on the 18^th.

Curlew – Fifteen chicks were recorded on the 14^th with a further five newly fledged young seen on the 21^st. A family party of three fledged young were seen at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th to month end with seven there on the 29^th.

Curlew - Wheldrake Ings - 31/07 - DB

Whimbrel – A single flew south at Wheldrake at dawn on the 15^th whilst nocturnal passage was noted in the area on the 30^th and 31^st.

Greenshank – A single at Bank Island on the 30^th.

Redshank – Two pairs that bred at Bank Island raising eight young remained at Bank Island early in the month, whilst three pairs had ten young at Melbourne Ings early in the month. A pair at Bank Island still had unfledged young on the 12^th with all birds departing the site by the 20^th.

Redshank - Bank Island - 15/07 - DB

Green Sandpiper – Up to five lingered between Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings early in the month, with six then seen on the 12^th and seven on the 27^th and 28^th. Nine were present throughout the site on the 31^st.

Common Sandpiper – One at Bank Island from the 1^st to 4^th with one at Wheldrake Ings on the 16^th.

Wood Sandpiper – Single at Bank Island on the 8^th was the first returning bird of the autumn with another there on the 15^th and 17^th.

Mediterranean Gull – A single moulting adult was present in fields around East Cottingwith on the 22^nd with an adult seen over Bank Island on the 30^th.

Common Tern – Up to eleven (the family party and pairs plus additional passage birds) were present at Bank Island until the 5^th. The birds largely departed the site from the 8^th with just occasional adults/presumed passage individuals noted thereafter to month end. An adult flew into the pool at Wheldrake on the 30^th.

Cuckoo – A single calling male was heard at Wheldrake Ings on the 12^th.

Green Woodpecker – A single was reported regularly in the Bank Island and Wheldrake area during the month, with a single pair breeding at Thorganby.

Redstart – Two juveniles appeared on the 19^th – a single at Seavy Carr with another caught and ringed in the reedbed at Wheldrake Ings.

Whinchat – The first returning bird of the autumn, a juvenile, appeared at Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th and remained until the 19^th. Three were then present between the 20^th and 22^nd with two there until the 28^th and a single thereafter to month end.

Spotted Flycatcher – A single pair were found breeding in the Melbourne area during the month, with a family party of four at Skipwith Common NNR on the 30^th. Two were present near the Melbourne Arm on the 29^th – presumably a dispersing local brood.

Grasshopper Warbler – A single reeling male was at Wheldrake Ings between the 7^th and 12^th with two there on the 9^th and three on the 10^th. One remained until at least the 17^th with a new un-ringed bird present at Bank Island (by Cheesecake Hide) on the 18^th. Two reeling birds were then at Seavy Carr on the 19^th. Birds remained at Wheldrake and Bank Island with two there on the 22^nd followed by another new bird caught and ringed (but not reeling) at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th. A single remained at Bank Island to month end.

Grasshopper Warbler - Wheldrake Ings - 21/07 - DB

Raven – A single flew over the Low Grounds on the 28^th with one (presumably the same) at Melbourne on the 29^th.

Nuthatch – One on the riverside path at Wheldrake Ings on the 28^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – A single adult female with a brood patch was caught and ringed at the Wheldrake Ings reedbed on the 11^th with a newly fledged juvenile ringed on the pool on the 22^nd. A pair with four newly fledged young were present along the riverside path at Wheldrake Ings from the 27^th to month end. In total three different broods were reported from Wheldrake including a minimum of six young.

Corn Bunting – Up to two singing males remained at Wheldrake Ings early in the month until at least the 12^th.