June 26

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - June Sightings

As to be expected June was dominated by breeding records and activity, although with one or two notable occurrences. A White-eagled Eagle flew through Bank Island on the 14^th and was identified as G602 from the Isle of Wight reintroduction project. Other highlights included a Spoonbill (9^th), Cattle Egrets on the 10^th (two) and 12^th (four) were followed by four Glossy Ibis (21^st) as well as yet another Common Crane. However, the birds of the month were almost certainly Corncrakes and Quail. A total of nine singing male Corncrakes had been recorded by the end of the month, with calling activity involving two males suggesting breeding attempts and second broods. At least one wild un-ringed male was also present. Quail were noted almost nightly on noc-mig and by month end a total of 63 had been recorded ‘on the ground’ following influxes on the 8-10^th, 12^th-14^th, 20^th-24^th and 29^th. Eleven were caught and ringed during the month with many of the birds at month end appearing in nearby barley fields, opposed to those prior which had been largely confined to the Ings grasslands.

Two Whooper Swans lingered, with a pair of Pintail remaining into the month and one pair of Wigeon having been confirmed breeding with one fledged juvenile seen. A small influx of Grasshopper Warblers were recorded and two Nightjars remained on the local heathlands.

A total of 179 Species have now been recorded on the reserve and in the surrounding area since the start of the year.

Many thanks 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 for the use of his images below. 

 

BIRDS:

Whooper Swan – Two adults remained at North Duffield Carrs between the 1^st-7^th with one thereafter until month end.

Egyptian Goose – Pairs remained at East Cottingwith, Foggathorpe and Wheldrake Ings during the month with three pairs (two broods) at North Duffield Carrs.

Egyptian Goose - Foggathorpe - 07/06 - DB

Mandarin – At least one pair were at Bank Island with a single duckling noted.

Pintail – The drake of the summering pair was still present at Wheldrake Ings on the 4^th, before relocating to Bank Island on the 6^th and 7^th before reappearing back at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th and 11^th.

Garganey – A drake was at North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st with a female later seen there on the 3^rd. A brood of four was present at North Duffield Carrs on the 21^st with occasional sightings thereafter (of the female and young).

Wigeon – Pairs remained at Thornton Ings and Wheldrake Ings throughout the month, with a large juvenile present at Bank Island between the 4^th-7^th.

Shoveler – A brood of seven appeared at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th with three broods (of seven) at Bank Island on the same date. Numerous broods (20+) appeared throughout the rest of the month.

Gadwall – Good numbers of broods continued to appear throughout the month.

Gadwall - Wheldrake Ings - 07/06 - DB

Spoonbill – A single was present at Barmby on the Marsh on the 9^th.

Grey Heron – A total of 38 active nests were counted during the heronry census (second visit) on the 10^th, with many broods fledging throughout the month.

Little Egret – A total of 35 active nests were counted during the second visit to the heronry on the 10^th, with many broods fledging throughout the month. Eighteen were at Bank Island on the 22^nd and 16 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 30^th.

Great White Egret – Two or three birds remained on site and were present throughout the month.

Cattle Egret – Two summer plumaged adults at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th roosted in the heronry overnight and four adults flew over Bank Island on the 12^th.

Cattle Egret - Wheldrake Ings - 10/06 - DB

Glossy Ibis – Four were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 21^st.

Great Crested Grebe – Two remained at Wheldrake Ings until the 4^th.  

Water Rail – Present throughout the site during the month (although becoming less vocal).

Corncrake – A singing bird was calling at Bank Island at dawn on the 3^rd with one seen in flight there on the 16^th and 18^th. Birds were then calling at Bank Island on the 19^th and Thornton Ellers on the 21^st and 26^th, with singing birds also present during the second half of the month at Breighton Meadows and near Foggathorpe on the Foulness. In total nine singing males have been recorded since the start of spring to date with one known wild (un-ringed) male involved.

Common Crane – A single was back at Thornton Ellers on the 5^th. A total of 75 ‘bird-days’ have been recorded so far in 2026 (new reserve record).

Quail – A single at Skipwith on the 1^st was followed by another at Seavy Carr and Thornton Ellers on the 2^nd and Elvington on the 3^rd. A large influx brought nine singing males scattered around the site between the 8^th-9^th with a further four reported on the 9^th/10^th (including singles at Laytham on the 9^th and Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th and 11^th). A further fresh arrival was noted at Thornton Ings on the 12^th, Sutton on Derwent on the 13^th and Bank Island and Hagg Bridge on the 14^th. Further arrivals took place from the 20^th with 47 having been recorded across the site by the 24^th, with another influx bringing a further 11 by the 28^th and six more on the 29^th, making a total of 63 singing males. Many of these later birds were found in barley adjacent to the site. A total of eleven were caught and ringed during the month and local ‘noc-mig’ recorders produced almost nightly records of passage birds during the month.

White-tailed Eagle – An immature reported flying north over Bank Island on the 14^th was found to be a tracked individual (G602) from the Isle of Wight reintroduction project. 

Marsh Harrier – A pair fledged four young at Wheldrake Ings during the second half of the month with two of the four young colour-ringed, which constitutes the first confirmed successful breeding on site. Another pair remained in the Melbourne and Thornton Ings part of the site.

Marsh Harrier brood - Wheldrake Ings - 22/06 - DV

Hobby – Widespread throughout the site although as usual secretive when breeding. Four pairs were located and thought to be breeding.

Oystercatcher – Two pairs were breeding amongst solar panels at the Oaks Golf Course at Aughton early in the month, whilst another (possibly breeding near Foggathorpe) had been ringed as a first-year in Hampshire in 2009.

Oystercatcher - Foggathorpe - 07/06 - DB

Little Ringed Plover – A single was at Bank Island between the 3^rd-11^th.

Lapwing – A flock of 70 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 7^th with up to 160 present throughout the site on the 21^st.

Snipe – Up to 15 were feeding at Bank Island on the 23^rd.

Green Sandpiper – A single (and the first returning bird) was present at Bank Island on the 14^th with three at North Duffield Carrs on the 21^st. One or two were then seen regularly at Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings throughout the month.

Curlew – Good numbers of broods continued to hatch off during the month with the first fledged young appearing on the 21^st and one pair were still incubating on the 25^th. The Ings hay cut was largely delayed by a week to help with younger broods.

Common Tern – The Wheldrake Ings pair hatched two young on the 7^th with them observed fledging from the 27^th.

Common Tern - Bank Island - 07/06 - DB

Cuckoo – Birds remained well distributed and vocal throughout the month.

Kingfisher – Breeding pairs were present at Bank Island, Wheldrake Ings, Sutton on Derwent, North Duffield Carrs and Bubwith, with three or four pairs also recorded along the Pocklington Canal. A pair were also seen in the Foggathorpe area probably breeding on the River Foulness.

Nightjar – Churring males were heard at Allerthorpe Common on the 4^th and Skipwith Common NNR from the 6^th with both birds then remaining at each site throughout the month.

Spotted Flycatcher – A pair were breeding at the Melbourne Arm during the month.

Nuthatch – A fledged brood was seen in the Thicket Priory heronry on the 10^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – New singing males were discovered in the Wheldrake reedbed and on the Low Grounds during the month.

Grasshopper Warbler – A reeling male was heard at Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th and Bank Island on the 25^th, and three were in the Melbourne and Thornton Ings area on the 29^th.