Mar' 25

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - March Sightings

One of the two wintering drake American Wigeon remained until at least the 24^th and proved popular with visiting birders on its chosen pond at East Cottingwith. The drake Ruddy Shelduck remained at Bank Island on the 1^st and 2^nd before relocating to North Cave Gravel Pits. Over 832 passage Whooper Swans were recorded throughout the month, although this figure is more likely to be in excess of 100 with uncounted passage herds noted after dark. Over 2,000 Pink-footed Geese lingered in the area until late in the month with nine White-fronted Geese appearing as part of a wider displacement. The first returning Garganey was reported (22^nd) with numbers up to three a few days later (26^th), the latter date also brought the first Mandarin of the year to Bank Island. Several grounded Common Scoter were noted towards the second half of the month with a concentrated period of nocturnal passage on the 24^th and 25^th as birds moved across country on their spring migration. Bitterns were noted on the 3^rd and 20^th, whilst three Great White Egrets and ten Common Cranes were logged during the month. The first returning Osprey also appeared (5^th) and a female Merlin was reported at Bank Island (6^th).

The first returning Little Ringed Plover was recorded on nocturnal passage on the 20^th, whilst the spring passage of Black-tailed Godwits increased from 500 on the 1^st to 911 on the 14^th (250 remained at month end but with a degree of turnover during the month). The first chipping and drumming Snipe were noted on the 3^rd when 30+ Jack Snipe were recorded at Bubwith Ings. Green Sandpipers were present on the 11^th and 27^th.

The first returning migrants included Chiffchaff (4^th), Sand Martin (15^th), Willow Warbler (24^th), Blackcap (25^th), and Swallow (30^th).

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 Bye, Gary Flakes and Trevor Walton for the use of their images below.

 

BIRDS:

Mute Swan – Several pairs were nest building on the 1^st with up to 14 pairs throughout the site by month end. Up to 100 non-breeding birds were present early in the month with 40 remaining at month end.

Whooper Swan – 146 were present throughout the reserve on the 1^st, whilst 90 passage birds headed northwest over the site on the same date. Sixteen paused at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th whilst 150 headed north and northwest through Bank Island prior to 10am on the 7^th. 177 were at North Duffield Carrs on the 8^th when a further five herds totalling 110 birds passed over Bank Island after dark. Thirty-eight flew north over Wheldrake at dawn on the 11^th whilst 13 were there at dusk. Twelve flew over Wheldrake Ings at dusk on the 12^th followed by 59 north over Bubwith on the 13^th. 147 flew north over the valley in darkness on the 14^th with the resident herd decreasing to just 35 by the 16^th, on which date passage herds of 26 and 16 were present at Thornton Ellers and Wheldrake respectively. Twenty-six paused at North Duffield Carrs on the 18^th when 17 roosted at Wheldrake Ings. Thirty-three north on the 20^th were followed by six at Wheldrake Ings on the 21^st. Two further herds passed over Wheldrake village under the cover of darkness on the 24^th followed by 60 north over Aughton on the 26^th. Thirteen paused at Wheldrake Ings on the 28^th. A total of 832 passage birds were recorded during the month.

Greylag Goose – 400+ remained throughout the site on the 1^st with 180 present at month end including numerous incubating pairs.

Canada Goose – 103 were recorded throughout the site on the 1^st.

Pink-footed Goose – Over 2,000 were present on the site on the 1^st, with small numbers of presumed passage birds also on the move confusing numbers. 1,000+ were still around the Wheldrake Ings and East Cottingwith area on the 2^nd with another 550+ heading northwest over Wheldrake village. Over 1,000 were recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 3^rd with 600+ moving northwest over the valley on the morning of the 4^th. 1,000+ remained thereafter until the 20^th with 250+ present between the 21^st and 27^th followed by 28 on the 28^th and 32 on the 30^th.

Pink -footed Geese - East Cottingwith - 01/03 - DB

White-fronted Goose – A total of nine were present on the 1^st including six at Wheldrake Ings and three at East Cottingwith, with three remaining at Wheldrake on the 2^nd. Five adults were at Wheldrake Ings on the 5^th with six there on the 6^th and five thereafter until the 11^th.

Egyptian Goose – Up to five pairs remained in the area during the month.

Shelduck – Up to 53 commuted between Wheldrake Ings and Bank Island early in the month, with a regular turnover of birds during this time, whilst others started to pair up and spread back onto territories throughout the wider site. Up to 41 were also present at North Duffield Carrs during the month with a total of 103 recorded throughout the site on the 16^th. By month end birds were widely scattered through the Derwent and Wharfe Valleys.

Ruddy Shelduck – The male remained at Bank Island and Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st and 2^nd with the same bird later seen at North Cave Wetlands on the 5^th.

Ruddy Shelduck - Bank Island - 01/03 - DB

Teal – 6,000 early in the month fell to 2,628 by the 16^th with 1,100+ remaining at month end.

Wigeon – 10,000+ early in the month had declined to 5,998 by the 16^th with only 1,046 remaining on the 30^th.

American Wigeon – The drake reappeared at East Cottingwith pond on the 8^th and remained until the 24^th, proving to be a popular draw with a steady stream of visiting birders.

American Wigeon - East Cottingwith - 08/03 - DB

Mandarin – A single drake at Bank Island on the 26^th was the first of the year.

Pintail – Birds were concentrated as water levels receded with 841 recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st when a new reserve record count of 1,145 was had throughout the site. Numbers then fell quickly with 900+ on the 6^th and 511 on the 9^th, before a total of 560 were counted on the WeBS on the 16^th. 281 were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 20^th with 270 recorded at North Duffield Carrs on the 22^nd when a total 550 were still present throughout the whole site. Numbers declined quickly thereafter with 101 remaining on the 30^th.

Garganey – The first returning drake was on Tom’s Ponds at Bank Island on the 22^nd with two drakes and a duck seen at North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th.

Shoveler – 296 were recorded on the 1^st although numbers fluctuated thereafter. 200+ remained on the 16^th followed by 260 on the 22^nd and 238 on the 30^th.

Shoveler - Wheldrake - 08/03 - DB

Gadwall – Up to 200 were present throughout the site during the month.

Tufted Duck – 256 were recorded throughout the site on the 1^st. 150+ were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th although numbers had dropped to 74 by the 16^th due to receding water levels.

Pochard – Ten were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st with two there on the 6^th and four on the 11^th. 

Common Scoter – Small numbers continued to move regularly early in the month on nocturnal spring passage and increasingly so from mid-month. A single drake was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th with a large nocturnal passage taking place during the evening which included c40-70 flocks passing over the Lower Derwent Valley, perhaps involving c1000 birds (based on observations of average flock size). Once again this appears to have been on a broad front and largely from 20:30 to 23:30, with similar numbers continuing overnight on the 25^th/26^th. A single female was present at Wheldrake Ings during the day on the 26^th whilst two were seen on the river at North Duffield Carrs on the 27^th. An exhausted individual was picked up at Stamford Bridge on the 27^th and briefly taken into the care of Jean Thorpe.

Goldeneye – Twenty-two remained at Wheldrake Ings and North Duffield Carrs on the 1^st. Eighteen were at Wheldrake Ings on the 8^th with ten recorded throughout the site on the 16^th. By the 25^th just three remained.

Goldeneye - Wheldrake - 01/03 - DB

Goosander – Five roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th with two redheads on the river at North Duffield Carrs on the 13^th. Three were at Thorganby on the 16^th.

Little Egret – Sightings became more regular with six at Bank Island on the 2^nd.

Grey Heron – Numbers increased as birds returned to the reserve and the local heronry, with 40+ recorded throughout the site on the 2^nd. A count of 34 was had on the 16^th.

Bittern – One was in the reedbed by Tom’s Ponds at Bank Island on the 3^rd, whilst another was picked up on nocturnal migration over East Cottingwith on the 20^th.

Great White Egret – Two lingered early in the month with three recorded across the site between the 13^th and 19^th, with two present again thereafter to month end.

Cormorant – A flock of 34 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th.

Little Grebe – Birds returned to the Ings as the month progressed with four at Bank Island, four at Wheldrake Ings and six at North Duffield Carrs on the 9^th.

Little Grebes - Wheldrake Ings - 08/03 - DB

Water Rail – Up to six calling birds were present at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st.

Coot – 104 were recorded throughout the reserve on the 1^st (monthly maxima).

Common Crane – A single circled over Wheldrake village on the 1^st before drifting south with another east over Wheldrake on the 5^th. Five flew over Bank Island before settling at Wheldrake Ings on the 19^th, where they remained the following morning before heading off north. A single bird was then heard alarm calling around the pool area at Wheldrake Ings after dark on the 25^th before three were recorded at Thornton Ellers on the 27^th.

Common Cranes - Wheldrake Ings - 19/03 - GF

Osprey – The first of the year was observed fishing at Elvington Fisheries on the 5^th before flying off towards East Heslington.

Red Kite – Up to seven were present at Bank Island on the 28^th actively feeding on frogs, with good numbers obvious throughout the site and surrounding area during the month.

Red Kite - Bank Island - 08/03 - DB

Marsh Harrier – Three were still present across the site on the 1^st with four seen (including a sub-adult male) on the 16^th. A pair were seen displaying near Melbourne on the 20^th.

Peregrine – Two juvenile/immature birds remained throughout the month.

Merlin – A single female was present at Bank Island on the 6^th.

Oystercatcher – Numbers continued to increase during the month with eight at Bank Island on the 3^rd, seven at North Duffield Carrs on the 8^th and 11 into roost at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th.

Little Ringed Plover – One was recorded on nocturnal migration passing over Wheldrake village on the night of the 20^th/21^st and was the first of the year. Two were then present at Bank Island on the 22^nd with one there on the 31^st.

Golden Plover – 240 were still present at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st with 700 there on the 5^th and 1,000+ on the 7^th. Up to 50 remained to month end.

Lapwing – 1,000+ early in the month had reduced to 310 by the 16^th.

Dunlin – 489 remained throughout the site on the 1^st with 411 then present on the 8^th. Numbers were down to 122 by the 16^th and 118 by the 24^th with just three remaining on the 30^th.

Dunlin - North Duffield Carrs - 01/03 - DB

Curlew – A flock of 40 were at Thornton Ellers on the 6^th. Thirty-two roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th whilst 60 were at Thornton Ings on the 27^th.

Black-tailed Godwit – Numbers continued to increase with 543 recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st. By the 5^th and 6^th, the flock had reached 700. Over 400 remained at Wheldrake Ings on the 8^th, and whilst birds were pretty much confined to this site during the day, they were found yet again to be much more mobile throughout the site after dark, including the 30+ found at North Duffield Carrs during the night. 60+ were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 11^th when 745 were also at Wheldrake Ings (total of 805 on that date). 889 were recorded throughout the whole site on the 13^th, followed by 911 on the 14^th and 511 on the 15^th, whilst 499 were counted on the monthly WeBS on the 16^th. There was some degree of turnover of birds at this time, with a single colour-ringed individual from Wheldrake Ings (ringed there on the 12^th March) appearing at Nosterfield Nature Reserve on the 16^th. 352 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 19^th followed by 268 on the 24^th and 238 on the 25^th. 182 remained on the 28^th with 251 present on the 30^th (numbers fluctuating as passage flocks moved through the site).

Black-tailed Godwit - Wheldrake Ings - 11/03 - DB

Snipe – The first four chipping and three drumming birds were recorded after dark on the 3^rd, when 200+ were present on Bubwith Ings. Two drummers were heard at North Duffield Carrs on the 8^th. 100+ were at North Duffield Carrs on the 9^th with 160+ across Melbourne and Thornton Ings on the 10^th. One was drumming on the Low Grounds on the 19^th with six recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th.

Jack Snipe – c30+ were at Bubwith Ings on the 3^rd with seven at Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th followed by four on the 18^th and one on the 19^th. One was also present at Skipwith on the 18^th with three there on 28^th.

Woodcock – Small numbers remained until the first week in the month but reduced thereafter. Seven were at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th.

Ruff – Eight remained at North Duffield Carrs on the 8^th with six there on the 16^th. Twelve were at Wheldrake Ings between the 22^nd and 26^th with six there to month end.

Ruff - Wheldrake Ings - 27/03 - TW

Redshank – A total of 23 were present throughout the site on the 1^st with numbers up to 32 by the 16^th.

Green Sandpiper – One was seen over Skipwith Common NNR on the 11^th with another at Bank Island on the 27^th.

Mediterranean Gull – One adult was at Bank Island very briefly on the 28^th.

Common Gull – Small numbers continued on spring passage with daily counts of 10-100 recorded most days. Several nocturnal passage flocks were also noted including 500 at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th.

Woodlark – The month opened with six singing birds at Skipwith Common NNR on the 1^st.  Birds were mobile during the month and also spent some time on surrounding farmland.

Sand Martin – The first returning birds were four at North Duffield Carrs on the 15^th with the next being seven at Wheldrake Ings on the 23^rd. Two flew up the river at North Duffield Carrs on the 24^th with 40 at Wheldrake Ings on the 28^th.

Swallow – The first returning bird was at Wheldrake Ings on the 30^th.

Pied Wagtail – Seventy roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 11^th as spring passage began.

Raven – Yet another single was present over Wheldrake village and Bank Island on the 4^th.

Fieldfare – Over 1,000 were recorded throughout the site on the 2^nd followed by 600 on the 10^th. At least 400 were present at Thorganby on the 12^th whilst 190 passed through Bank Island on the 13^th – a concentrated period of return passage. 130 were at Bank Island on the 22^nd followed by 100 there on the 24^th whilst 50 flew north there on the 25^th. Eighty-six were at Melbourne on the 27^th, whilst flocks of 34 at Wheldrake, 21 at Bank Island, 160 at Thorganby and 30 at Melbourne suggested a period of passage on the 28^th.

Willow Tit – Two pairs remained at Wheldrake Ings, with two at both Melbourne and Thornton Ellers and single pairs at North Duffield Carrs and Storwood – giving a total of eight pairs located so far.

Chiffchaff – Two were singing at Melbourne Arm on the 4^th with singles at Bank Island on the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th. At least 11 were recorded around the site on the 9^th with 17 following on the 11^th. Another influx was then noted around the 19^th/20^th and again on the 26^th/27^th. An impressive 52 singing males were counted along the Pocklington Canal between Canal Head and Melbourne on the 27^th.

Chiffchaff - Wheldrake Ings - 08/03 - TW

Willow Warbler – The first returning bird was at Wheldrake Ings on the 24^th, which is the second earliest returning bird following one on the 22^nd March 2021. Two were present at Wheldrake on the 25^th and were followed by one at Skipwith Common NNR on the 28^th, three at Wheldrake on 30^th and two at Skipwith on 31^st.

Blackcap – A single at Bank Island on the 25^th was the first returning bird, with the next at Wheldrake Ings on the 27^th and Skipwith Common on the 28^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – A single calling by the NNR Base and Water Treatment Works at Bank Island on the 26^th was caught and ringed, and proved once again to be another new individual (remaining thereafter). Other single singing males were at East Cottingwith, the car park at Wheldrake Ings and Melbourne, with two at North Duffield Carrs.

Nuthatch – One was at East Cottingwith on the 28^th.

Hawfinch – A pair flew along the canal at East Cottingwith towards Storwood on the 9^th before flying off to the north, whilst one was reported at Bubwith on the 13^th.

Linnet – Up to 50 remained at the Bank Island roost on the 27^th.

Corn Bunting – Forty were feeding in fields near Wheldrake village on the 2^nd with 22 at Thornton Ellers on the 27^th.