June 20

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - June Sightings

The highlight of June was no doubt the influx of Quail throughout the month, with obvious arrivals around the 3^rd and again from 23^rd - 25^th. In total, 23 singing males were located (22 on the Ings grassland, and one in an adjacent barley crop), this is the highest total for several years and in line with a national influx year. Garganey provided the other main highlight of the month with three broods (19 ducklings) recorded, despite the relatively low numbers of other duck broods seen, whilst the adults continued to entertain visitors during the first half of the month.

Returning wader passage provided the main other interest during the month with Bank Island proving the best location. A single Knot on the 12^th/13^th was the pick of the bunch, with up to nine Little Ringed Plover (including a single juvenile), 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Greenshank and up to four Green Sandpiper, following the first returning bird on the 8^th. Up to 100 Curlew roosted late in the month between Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings – a notable count.

Otherwise it was mainly breeding birds that dominated the sightings – with several Grasshopper Warblers reeling across the reserve, a pair of Spotted Flycatchers with young at Melbourne and several Willow Tit broods throughout. Starling and Swallow roosts appeared at Wheldrake Ings late in the month.

Many thanks as always to everyone who submitted records throughout the month, in particular to members of the York Bird Club, and thank you to everyone who has contributed photographs - Duncan Bye (DB), Gerry Capelin (GC), Jono Leadley (JL) and Steve Race (SR).

BIRDS: 

Whooper Swan – A single bird remained on the River Derwent in the North Duffield/Aughton area from the 1^st - 7^th.

Mute Swan – 13 pairs bred on or adjacent to the site, with several broods present throughout the month.

Mute Swan family - Bank Island - 16/06

Greylag Goose – 102 birds were recorded in the Wheldrake Ings crèche on the 8^th and remained throughout.

Egyptian Goose – A pair with two newly hatched young were present at the East Cottingwith farm pond on the 9^th, with one at Bank Island on the 12^th and 13^th. Five adults flew over Wheldrake Ings and later the Low Grounds and Bank Island on the 24^th.

Teal – Up to fifteen drakes and four females were present on the 13^th/14^th, followed by a single brood (seven) at Bank Island on the 29^th.

Garganey – Good numbers lingered into June with up to two drakes and a female at Bank Island on the 1^st, with a drake present there daily throughout. Three drakes were recorded at Wheldrake on the 8^th. A single female appeared on Swantail Ings with six ducklings on the 12^th with a brood of eight at Bank Island on the 15^th and five at Thornton Ellers on 23^rd. Five large grown ducklings were still present at Wheldrake on the 28^th.

Garganey brood - Wheldrake Ings - 12/06 - DB

Mandarin – A single drake at Bank Island on the 8^th was present again on the 13^th/14^th. A single flew from Bank Island south down the River Derwent at dawn on 24^th with one at Elvington on the 26^th.

Shoveler – Although large numbers of pairs were present early in the season only a handful of broods were seen this year, with a total of eight broods (51 ducklings) recorded throughout the site during the month.

Shoveler brood - Wheldrake Ings - 30/06 - JL

Gadwall – As with Shoveler a relatively poor breeding season with just 47 ducklings noted from six broods.

Pochard – A single at Bank Island on the 17^th with two females at Wheldrake on the 19^th and a single female on the 21^st. A fledged juvenile was then present on the 22^nd and 23^rd with a female on the 24^th to month end.

Wigeon – Up to seven drakes and four females were present around the site during the month.

Little Egret – Numbers and activity continued to increase throughout the month with several pairs fledging around the 18^th-21^st. Up to 21 were in the Wheldrake Ings area on the 21^st, while 34 juveniles were counted coming out of the heronry at dawn on the 23^rd.

Grey Heron – Up to 40 birds were present throughout the site on the 18^th.

Grey Heron - Wheldrake Ings - 14/06

Marsh Harrier – An adult male was observed hunting over Bubwith Ings and later at Wheldrake on the 8^th, followed by a female at Thorganby Ings on the 9^th. Both the male and adult female, and first summer-type cream crown remained at Wheldrake throughout, and were thought to be attempting breeding.

Peregrine – Numbers continue to increase in the area, with a total of seven pairs located nesting on pylons in the surrounding area. A single adult was present at Wheldrake on the 28^th.

Hobby – Singles were present in the Wheldrake Ings and North Duffield Carrs area daily, with singles at Bubwith Ings on the 8^th – total of five pairs thought to be in the area.

Red-footed Falcon – A single female was reported at Pool Bridge Farm at Crockey Hill on the 21^st/22^nd, with possibly the same bird reported from Pocklington on the 25^th. One was then recorded on the 28^th at Sunk Island on the Humber – presumed to be the same individual that had moved on.

Kestrel – Pairs bred at Bank Island (five young), Elvington (five young) and Skipwith village (three young). Numerous other pairs were also present throughout the area.

Buzzard – A single pair bred at Thornton Ellers where two young were ringed after one chick fell from the nest and was later returned. Widespread throughout the area.

Common Buzzard brood - Thornton Ellers - 15/06

Red Kite – Up to four pairs remained throughout the month.

Water Rail – A single was present at Bank Island on the 9^th with up to five pairs at Wheldrake Ings and scattered pairs elsewhere.

Quail – Following the first three recorded during late May another influx took place early in the month. A single was at East Cottingwith on the 1^st whilst ten were located around the site on the 3^rd - four at East Cottingwith, four at Melbourne and two at Breighton Meadows. A further single was singing at Wheldrake Ings on the 7^th-10^th. Two were singing at dusk at Thorganby Ings on the 10^th with another new bird at the southern end of East Cottingwith Ings on the 11^th. Birds were then heard regularly until month end with two at Thorganby again on the 18^th and 20^th, plus new singles at Wheldrake on the 23^rd/24^th and Storwood on the 25^th. A single was also caught and ringed at East Cottingwith (north end) on the 25^th, when another was calling from barley fields adjacent to Newton Mask. Another adult male was caught and ringed at East Cottingwith on the 29^th, at a site where no singing males had been recorded since the 3^rd – suggesting at least some birds were present and presumed breeding despite the lack of usual evidence and continued calling. A total of at least 23 singing males were located since late May.

Quail - East Cottingwith Ings - 25/06

Common Crane – One passed south west over Skipwith Common NNR on the 7^th with one over Melbourne which was later located near Foggathorpe on the 26^th.  

Great Crested Grebe – A single bird was present on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th.

Little Ringed Plover – Two pairs were thought to be breeding at Bank Island from the 1^st and were present throughout the month. A large fledged juvenile was also present there from the 21^st. Nine were present on the 26^th with four remaining from the 28^th to month end.

Lapwing – Up to 40 post breeding/failed breeders were present at Bank Island on the 2^nd, with 65 there on the 13^th including a brood of two chicks. A post breeding flock of 160 were present at Wheldrake on the 16^th with two broods there on the 22^nd - two further broods were also observed being walked from the arable field across the road and onto Bank Island on the same date.

Woodcock – A single was present at Crook Moor at Thorganby on the 9^th when four were roding over Skipwith at dusk.

Black-tailed Godwit – Four were present at Bank Island on the 17^th followed by 16 on the 27^th which flew off shortly after dawn on the 28^th.

Black-tailed Godwit - Bank Island - 20/06 - JL

Knot – A single was present at Bank Island on the 12^th/13^th – an unusual June record.  

Curlew – 17 were present at the Wheldrake Ings roost on the 17^th with 31 there on 22^nd, an impressive late June count followed of 77 roosting at Wheldrake and 7 at Bank Island – a total of 84 roosting birds. 36 roosted at Bank Island on the 25^th with 97 across both sites on the 26^th.

Ruff – A single at Bank Island on the 11^th.

Redshank – Up to 10 birds were present at Bank Island along with 23 at Wheldrake on the 14^th followed by 11 at North Duffield Carrs on the 16^th – small numbers of pairs were scattered elsewhere. 10 remained at Bank Island on the 22^nd.

Redshank - Wheldrake Ings - 09/06 - GC

Greenshank – A single remained at Bank Island from the 1^st - 5^th with another there on the 21^st - 24^th.

Common Sandpiper – A single at Wheldrake Ings on the 15^th.

Green Sandpiper – The first returning bird, a presumed female, was present at Bank Island on the 8^th, with the same or another on the 11^th and two on the 12^th-14^th. Two were present again from the 18^th - 24^th, with three there from the 25^th-27^th and four from the 28^th to month end.

Common Gull – Small numbers (up to 30) continued to pass through the site most days – largely sub-adults and first year birds.

Black-headed Gull – The first returning fledged juvenile was present at Aughton on the 26^th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull – Small numbers were present throughout the month with 20 on ploughed fields near Skipwith on the 6^th. As usual most records related to immature and sub-adult type birds.

Common Tern – Five were present on the pool at Wheldrake on the 6^th when a single pair were also present at North Duffield Carrs. Five were present again in the valley from the 13^th to month end. Two chicks hatched on the Wheldrake raft on the 29^th.

Cuckoo – Numbers started to reduce and calling activity fell away from early in the month, with three or four calling males present on Skipwith Common NNR and along the Pocklington Canal at Melbourne, with two at Wheldrake Ings. Three were still present near Melbourne on the 8^th, with two at both Wheldrake and Thorganby on the 9^th and singles at Wheldrake and Melbourne on the 14^th. Numbers and calling activity reduced thereafter although three males and a female were still present near Melbourne on the 21^st. A male was at Wheldrake Ings by Tower Hide from the 23^rd - 25^th, with a juvenile in the reedbed there on the 24^th. A single adult was still present at Wheldrake on the 29^th.

Cuckoo - Melbourne - 06/06 - SR

Turtle Dove – A single adult flew over Bank Island on the 29^th.

Little Owl – A pair were present by the viewing platform from Thorganby Ings throughout the month with another two pairs around the village. A pair bred with three young near Thornton, with other pairs present at North Duffield and South Duffield.

Barn Owl – Early monitoring results from our long running box scheme suggested that although pairs were still present, few were breeding, with only one brood of three ringed during the month from a box at Kexby that receives supplementary feeding.

Kingfisher – Pairs were present at Bank Island, Sutton on Derwent, Wheldrake Ings (two) and North Duffield Carrs, as well as the Pocklington Canal corridor (three pairs). Several juveniles appeared during the month and visitors were able to enjoy birds fishing from the rails in front of Pool Hide, and from the roof of the Sand Martin bank at Bank Island.

Pied Wagtail – 15 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 17^th with 25 by month end.

Sand Martin – Up to 25 pairs were present in the Bank Island nesting bank with the first birds ringed on the 15^th – including two returning young from 2019, now as breeding adults. Unfortunately, heavy rain and thunder storms seemed to effect feeding and subsequent broods at this time failed.

Sand Martins - Bank Island - 08/06

Swallow – 150 roosted at the Wheldrake Ings reed bed on the 16^th with 400 at the roost there on the 24^th.

House Martin – 100+ at Wheldrake Ings on the 29^th.

Starling – The Wheldrake post breeding roost increased from 20 early in the month to 48 by the 11^th, then to 180 by the 16^th and 200 by the 17^th. 380 were present on the 24^th.

Willow Tit – A single pair were feeding two fledged young near Melbourne on the 3^rd with a brood of two at Bank Island on the 7^th and four at Wheldrake Ings on the 9^th. Single juveniles were caught and ringed at Wheldrake Ings on the 18^th and 22^nd.

Spotted Flycatcher – A pair were incubating a clutch at the Melbourne Arm by the 3^rd and had hatched young by the 19^th.

Grasshopper Warbler – A single was reeling near Tower Hide at Wheldrake Ings on the 7^th with one at Bank Island later that evening - both birds were still present on the 8^th with two then at both sites on the 9^th. Three at Bank Island and two at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th. A single was present at Storwood on the 14^th with three regular birds at Bank Island and Wheldrake regularly thereafter to month end. A total of 14 reeling birds present since early May.

Corn Bunting – Up to 33 singing males were present around the Ings having moved onto territories on the site during the month.

MAMMALS:

Fallow Deer – Three at Wheldrake on the 16^th and two at Skipwith Common NNR on the 25^th.

Roe Deer – Present regularly throughout the month at Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings including two adults with three fawns at Wheldrake on the 6^th and a group of four on the 14^th. Single adult with a fawn at Bank Island on the 27^th.

Roe Deer - Wheldrake Ings - 08/06

Stoat – Single at Bank Island on the 1^st.

Noctule Bat – 12 were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th.

BUTTERFLIES:

Species recorded throughout the month - Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Red Admiral, Orange Tip, Large White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood.

DRAGONFLIES:

Species recorded throughout the month - Common Blue, Banded Demoiselle, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser.