Lower Derwent Valley NNR - June Sightings
The focus of the month was that of the ongoing breeding
season with the first hint of return wader passage towards the end. Highlights
included lingering Common Cranes (at least two individuals), two Spoonbills
(19th) and another or reappearing Great White Egret. Amongst
the breeding birds, a pair of Black-necked Grebes were recored with
three chicks, along with 10 singing male Corncrakes, two singing Spotted
Crakes and two Quail. Little Egrets also had another successful year
in consolidating their colonisation of the site, with 13 pairs breeding in the
local heronry producing 35+ young – with the pool at Wheldrake holding 20+ Little
Egrets and Grey Herons, along with a Common Crane late in the month.
Amongst the other breeding waterfowl up to seven
drake and four female Wigeon remained, with a single brood of six seen, along
with three or four pairs of Garganey with 17 young in two broods, a
single lingering pair of Pintail, four pairs of Egyptian Geese with an
additional four roaming birds and two summering Whooper Swans. On the
wader front good numbers of breeding pairs remained with large numbers of
broods continuing to appear throughout, with up to 18 drumming Snipe at North
Duffield carrs.
Return wader passage started with Little Ringed Plovers
(13th and 23rd), Black-tailed Godwit (18th)
and Green Sandpipers (from 28th) with one or two Ruff
possibly lingering throughout. A single Mediterranean Gull was at North
Duffield Carrs on the 3rd, with the first fledged passage
Black-headed Gulls seen from the 26th. Two pairs of Common Terns
remained throughout the month with one pair hatching three young by the 22nd.
Other notable records included Turtle Dove on the 7th,
several adult Cuckoo and fledged Nuthatch and Willow Tit young were
caught and ringed in pool side Willows at Wheldrake Ings.
Two to three cream crown Marsh Harriers
remained throughout the month including a wing tagged bird from the Belgium/French
border, whilst Hobbies were regular throughout the site and the first returning
adult Peregrine was logged.
Many thanks as always to everyone who contributed records throughout the month, in particular to regular birder and member of the YOC, Duncan Bye, also thank you to Duncan for the use of some of his photographs (credited DB).
BIRDS:
Whooper
Swan - Two Whooper Swans remained at North Duffield
Carrs throughout the month.
Whooper Swan - NDC - 11/06
Egyptian
Goose – In addition to three pairs in the East Cottingwith
area a single pair was also present on ponds in Foggathorpe on the 10th.
Up to four birds also frequented Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings throughout the
month, along with two at North Duffield Carrs on the 6th.
Wigeon – A brood of six were present on
the pool at Wheldrake on the 14th, with four drakes and a female
there throughout. A further three drakes and two females were found scattered
throughout the site – a minimum of seven drakes and four females.
Teal – The second brood of the year (seven
ducklings) were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 8th. At least seven pairs were still present in the Bank
Island, Wheldrake and North Duffield Carrs areas on the 9th.
Pintail – A single pair still remained
throughout the month at Wheldrake Ings.
Garganey – A single drake remained at Bank
Island early in the month, and was joined most dawns and evenings by a female,
thought to be incubating nearby. At least two drakes were present at Wheldrake
during the first week of the month, with a single drake at North Duffield Carrs
on the 6th. The first brood
(seven ducklings), were present on the pool at Wheldrake on the 13th, shortly followed by a
brood of 10 at Bank Island on the 18th.
A single female was on the pool at Wheldrake on the 22nd.
Gadwall – Five
newly hatched broods totalling 31 ducklings were present at Wheldrake on the 12th.
14 were present at Bank Island on the 18th whilst 23 were at
North Duffield Carrs on the 19th. Further broods continued to
appear with 100+ ducklings counted throughout the reserve on the 22nd,
including several newly hatched broods.
Shoveler – Up
to 30 ducklings were present at Wheldrake from the 12th with
increasing numbers of newly hatched broods appearing from the 15th.
16 were recorded at Bank Island on the 18th with a crèche of
34 at North Duffield Carrs on the 19th, and two further newly
hatched broods (19 ducklings) on the 22nd.
Tufted
Duck – The first broods (of five and six) appeared at
North Duffield Carrs on the 23rd.
Tufted Duck - Wheldrake Ings - 02/06 - DB
Pochard – A
single eclipse plumage drake was at Wheldrake Ings on the 20th
and 21st.
Grey Heron
– Increasing numbers of juveniles continued to
appear during the month with 19 between Bank Island and Wheldrake on the
24th. A single juvenile on the pool at Wheldrake on the 25th
was sporting a blue colour-ring – again indicating rapid post breeding
dispersal, and that the large gatherings of juvenile herons in the valley at
this time may not all be local birds. 21 were recorded at Wheldrake on the 30th.
Grey Heron - Wheldrake Ings - 25/06 - DB
Little
Egret – Still present in good numbers and widespread
throughout the site. 13 were recorded at East Cottingwith on the 7th,
with seven between Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 9th,
14 at Thorganby Ings on the 18th and five at Melbourne on
the 21st. At least 13 pairs are known to have bred in
the heronry with an estimated 35 young reared there, with birds starting to
fledge at month end. Up to 20 built up on the pool at Wheldrake at month end.
Great
White Egret – A least one bird remained early in the month in the Bank
Island/Wheldrake area until the 6th, reappearing there
again briefly on the 22nd.
Spoonbill
– Two were seen circling over Skipwith Common NNR on
the 19th before drifting off towards the River Derwent,
arriving later at North Duffield Carrs (CSR et al).
Little
Grebe – Several pairs remained throughout the month.
Black -necked
Grebe – A single pair bred producing three chicks at
North Duffield Carrs during the month – the first successful breeding since
2004.
Great
Crested Grebe – A single pair remained at Wheldrake throughout
the month.
Common
Crane – A single sub adult was present over Wheldrake on
the 7th whilst a single flew south over Bank Island and the
Low Grounds on the 16th (CSR). What was considered to be a
full adult was present on the scrape at Aughton on the 21st
(FM) with another there on the 27th (NC) and at Wheldrake on
the 30th (DB).
Common Crane - Wheldrake Ings - 30/06 - DB
Coot –
Several pairs were present at most sites throughout the valley.
Red Kite – A
single was present at North Duffield Carrs on the 11th and 15th
with two over East Cottingwith on the 19th and a single over
the Low Grounds on the 21st. A single was present at North
Duffield Ings on the 25th/26th, on the same dates two
individuals were following hay cutting operations at Wheldrake and Bank Island.
Marsh Harrier – A single male lingered early in the month at
North Duffield Carrs. Two untagged cream crowns remained thereafter to month
end. Three cream crowns were recorded during the 19th at North Duffield Carrs, with up to two birds
present at North Duffield Ings on the 25th
and 26th. The immature
bird present at Wheldrake from late May wearing two green wing tags (X8), was ringed in a nest, one of four
chicks, in Belgium the previous year.
Peregrine – At least one pair fledged two
young on a plyon in the wider area by the 11th.
The first sighting for a few weeks was an adult at Bank Island on the 16th. Four pairs were in the
wider area.
Hobby – Still present throughout the
site in good numbers although increasingly secretive with the onset of nesting.
Away from the well watched sites of Bank Island, Wheldrake and North Duffield
Carrs, singles were present at East Cottingwith on the 7th, Aughton on the 8th,
Skipwith on the 9th and Thorganby
on the 12th. Two were
present over East Cottingwith on the 19th
whilst one was seen chasing Swifts in Elvington village on the 22nd.
Water Rail – Up to eight pairs remained
throughout. A single pair were seen with four young at Wheldrake on the 12th.
Spotted Crake – Two were present at Swantail,
Wheldrake on the 8th –
calling against each other in a presumed territorial dispute (TH).
Corncrake – Up to ten singing birds were
present in total, inc. five singing males located during survey work in the
North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith area on the 15th-16th.
Amazingly during the NE long term monitoring network week, two were seen at
North Duffield Carrs on the 19th.
Late hay cuts and friendly mowing practices were put in place at the month end
to protect these birds, with at least one bird at Bubwith calling to month end.
Quail – A single at Wheldrake Ings on
the evening of the 22nd
was only the second record of the year, shortly followed by another individual
heard on the 24th near
the Pocklington Canal.
Oystercatcher – Bred throughout the area with
a single pair raising two young on the roof of buildings at Pocklington Industrial
Unit - one chick was rescued by the fire service having fallen down a drain
pipe.
Little Ringed Plover – A single was present at Bank
Island on the 13th (DB) followed
by two there on the 23rd – possibly early returning failed breeders
from elsewhere.
Lapwing – It continued to be a productive
breeding season with two fledged broods (five young) at North Duffield Carrs on
the 11th, when a single
newly hatched brood was also present. Two unfledged broods were still present
there on the 24th.
Lapwing chick - NDC - 11/06
Dunlin – Four were present at Bank Island
before flying off south east on the 13th.
Ruff – A single female lingered at
Wheldrake on the 1st and 3rd with a male at Aughton
Ings on the 11th. A
single male was present at Wheldrake on the 30th.
Common Snipe – Five drumming males were still
present at North Duffield Carrs on the 11th
with 13 drumming/chipping there on the 19th
and 18 there on the 22nd
– possibly failed birds from other sites having second or third attempts at
this wetter site. Good numbers remained elsewhere with drumming and chipping heard
throughout. 14 post breeding birds were at Bank Island on the 28th.
Woodcock – Up to six roding birds were
present at Skipwith Common at dusk on the 20th.
Black-tailed Godwit – A single was present at Bank
Island on the 18th.
Curlew – Up to 60 pairs were present
throughout, on and adjacent to the reserve. Breeding success was high with
several broods noted included newly hatched broods and broods of about a week
old on the 22nd.
Redshank – Up to 15 pairs were located
with young throughout the site.
Green Sandpiper – A single at Bank Island on the
28th when two were also
present at Skipwith Common. Singles daily thereafter at Wheldrake Ings.
Black-headed Gull – The first dispersing immatures
(two) were noted at Bank Island on the 26th.
Common Tern –Two pairs were incubating on
the tern rafts with single pairs at both Wheldrake Ings and North Duffield
Carrs. This later pair had hatched three
young by 22nd.
Long-eared Owl – An adult was heard calling on
Skipwith Common on the 4th.
Nightjar – A single was heard alarming on
Skipwith Common on the 5th (DB/JL).
Turtle Dove – A single was present by the
hides at North Duffield Carrs on the 7th.
Great Spotted Woodpecker – Pair feeding young on Skipwith Common on
the 7th, fledged young present around the nest site on the 11th.
GSW chick - Skipwith Common - 07/06
Cuckoo – Up to five males and three
females remained during the month along the Pocklington Canal near Melbourne,
with two singing males at North Duffield Carrs, Skipwith Common and Storwood. A
single adult was present at Wheldrake on the 25th.
Jay – A single was present in the pool
side scrub at Wheldrake on the 24th. Birds were also present around the
Thicket Priory during the month with up to three pairs on Skipwith Common NNR.
Kingfisher – Two pairs were found breeding
on the River Derwent at Wheldrake during the month with one pair still feeding
young at month end. A single fledged juvenile was caught and ringed there on
the 25th (MFJ), with
several appearing on the pool at that site late in the month, and showing well
on the rails in front of the hides.
Reed Warbler – Present in good numbers
throughout the month although a late breeding season with only adults caught
and ringed up to month end.
Sedge Warbler – The first fledged juvenile was
caught and ringed at Wheldrake Ings on 22nd
(MFJ).
Cetti’s Warbler – One was present near Thornton
Lock on the 15th (NC).
Nuthatch – A single newly fledged
juvenile was caught and ringed in pool side willows at Wheldrake on the 25th (MFJ).
Spotted Flycatcher – Two pairs were still present in
Skipwith village during the month, with a single at Bank Island on the 18th. A pair were also
recorded during the month at Thornton.
Corn Bunting – Good numbers were present
throughout the wider area with perhaps as many as 100 singing males scattered
throughout the wider valley on surrounding farmland, many on the eastern side
of the valley. As usual in recent years several pairs also appeared on the Ings
during the month, with a single pair at Wheldrake Ings, six pairs at Bubwith
Ings and twelve pairs on Melbourne and Thornton Ings.
MAMMALS:
Weasel – A pair were breeding in the
reserve base garden during the month with a single between Bank Island and
Wheldrake on the riverside path on the 21st.
Brown Hare – Present in small numbers.
Fallow Deer – Three were again present at
Bank Island on the 7th
with two in the area on the 8th
and single there on the 12th.
Regular sightings of a female continued thereafter with a single fawn
accompanying her from the 22nd – the first breeding record for the
reserve.
Roe Deer – A female with two fawns were
present at North Duffield Carrs from the 1st.
BUTTERFLIES:
Small Tortoiseshell – Single at North Duffield on
the 11th.
Small Copper – Two at North Duffield on the 11th.
Meadow Brown – Two at Bank Island on the 7th, five at North Duffield
Carrs on the 11th and a
single at Skipwith, followed by five at Skipwith on the 21st.
Ringlet – Single at Skipwith on the 21st.
Speckled Wood – Four at Skipwith Common on the
5th, six on the 7th, and twelve on the 11th - on the same date two
were recorded at North Duffield Carrs, followed by twelve at Skipwith on the 21st.
Large Skipper – The first of the year was
present at Bank Island on the 5th,
followed by three at Skipwith on the 7th
and twenty three on the 21st.
Large Skipper - Skipwith Common - 05/06
Marbled White – A single at East Cottingwith
Ings on the 25th.
DRAGONFLIES:
Broad-bodied Chaser – Single at Bank Island on the 11th.
Four-spotted Chaser – Four at Skipwith on the 21st.
Hairy Dragonfly – Two were present on the Low
Grounds on the 21st with
three at North Duffield Carrs and two at Wheldrake Ings on the 22nd.
Brown Hawker – The first of the year involved
a large emergence on the 22nd
with 10+ at Wheldrake Ings and seven at North Duffield Carrs.
Common Darter – The first of the year were two
at Skipwith and a single at Bank Island on the 21st.
Common Darter - Bank Island - 23/06 - DB
Ruddy Darter – A single at Wheldrake on the 22nd was the first for the
year.
Large Red Damselfly – Single at Skipwith on the 11th and 21st.
Emerald – Single at Skipwith on the 11th, followed by six there
on the 21st.
Banded Demoiselle – Four at Bank Island on the 7th.
OTHERS:
Longhorn Beetle – Four-banded, Spotted & Black
all noted on Skipwith on the 11th.
Orange Ladybird – Single at Skipwith on the 11th.
Red-legged Shield Bug – Nymph on Skipwith on the 11th.
Gorse Shield Bug – Single adult at Skipwith on
the 21st.
Green Shield Bug – Pair found mating at Bank Island on the 21st.
Rosemary Beetle – The first of the year was
present at Bank Island on the 26th
with three there on the 29th.
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