Lower Derwent Valley NNR - May Sightings
The
highlight of the month for one lucky observer was the discovery of two Black-winged
Stilts at Bank Island when they lifted out of the grass and flew south at dusk on the 22nd. Spotted Crakes have
been scarce this year with just one record earlier this spring, so an individual
singing at Bank Island on the 24th was a nice surprise for visitors
on an evening bird-walk. Several passage Quail were reported throughout
the month along with the first singing bird from the meadows at Ellerton on the
29th.
A Whooper Swan and Pink-footed Goose lingered into the month, with two
rather late flocks of Common Scoter noted on nocturnal passage over the area. Up
to five drake and two female Garganey were present throughout, with at
least two pairs thought to be breeding by month end, along with the first
breeding attempt by Mandarin for the reserve. A Great White Egret
appeared again along with a flock of 22 Little Egrets at North Duffield
Carrs. Three passage Ospreys and up to 13 feeding Hobbies were
recorded across the site on the 5th. Wader passage continued
strongly with up to 58 roosting Whimbrel and yet another Bar-tailed
Godwit - joining them in the feeding fields and at roost. There was a small
movement of Ruff on the 4th which was part of a much wider
movement across the country, whilst Greenshank amassed a total of 32
birds days (max four birds on the 29th) and Wood Sandpiper 11
bird days (max four on the 6th). A single Little Gull on the
10th and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls on the 8th added
interest, whilst two late Redwing (10th) followed the last two Fieldfare
(4th). The first Spotted Flycatcher was at Melbourne on the
8th with up to seven reeling Grasshopper Warblers recorded
during the month.
Many thanks as always 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, Matt Gowney, Malcolm Richardson, Trevor Walton, Terry Weston and Andrew Woodcock for the use of their images below.
BIRDS:
Mute
Swan – In
addition to the 13 breeding pairs across the reserve and surrounding area, the
usual non-breeding gathering increased with 63 at North Duffield Carrs and 21
at Wheldrake on the 8th (total of 110 birds throughout the reserve
on that date). The first brood (seven) appeared at Wheldrake Ings on the 10th,
with several others following thereafter, including a large brood of ten at
Allerthorpe on the 22nd, along with five at Wheldrake on the 27th
and nine at North Duffield Carrs on the 29th. Numbers of non-breeders
had slowly reduced by month end, moving from North Duffield Carrs along the River
Derwent.
Whooper
Swan – A
single adult remained at North Duffield Carrs between the 1st
- 18th.
Pink-footed Goose – A single lingered at
Thornton Ellers on the 1st with possibly the same individual
at East Cottingwith on the 12th.
Egyptian Goose – The first fledged brood were three goslings
in the East Cottingwith area on the 8th. Further pairs were
present in Elvington with three on ponds in the Thorganby area – a sign of
birds spreading from the traditional East Cottingwith stronghold. A brood of
twelve were present on the River Derwent at Thorganby on the 22nd,
with regular pairs or small parties at Wheldrake throughout the month.
Wigeon
– Counts on the 8th
included four drakes and two ducks at Wheldrake, along with a pair at Bank
Island, two pairs and three drakes at North Duffield and a pair at Breighton Meadows.
Similar numbers remained thereafter with three drakes at North Duffield and
three at Wheldrake on the 29th,
with two further drakes elsewhere on that date.
Teal –
Up to 33 pairs remained throughout the month, with the first brood (2+) at North
Duffield Carrs on the 31st.
Garganey
– A single pair were present daily at Bank Island from the 1st - 5th,
with a drake at Wheldrake on the 1st
and the 3rd
and an additional drake at Thornton Ellers on the latter date. Three drakes and
a duck were at Bank Island on the 7th
and 8th when a pair were
also present at Wheldrake, with a drake calling at Thornton Ellers (total of five
drakes and two ducks present at this time). Four drakes and two ducks were then
present at Bank Island on the 10th
and 11th with a total of
five drakes and three ducks around the site on the 12th.
Birds became more elusive thereafter although sightings remained regular at
Bank Island, whilst a pair lingered at Thornton Ellers to month end, with
possible incubation observed.
Gadwall – The first brood (11) were
at Thornton Ellers on the 29th with 34 ducklings at Wheldrake
on the 30th and several broods at both Bank Island and North
Duffield Carrs the next day on the 31st.
Mandarin – A male flew along the
river from a willow tree at Wheldrake Ings on the 8th and was
reported thereafter to month end on ponds in the Thorganby area. The drake was
also present in riverside willows at Wheldrake on the 19th
with a female at Bank Island on the 27th.
Pintail – Four pairs lingered into
the first week but were harder to find thereafter with increasing vegetation
growth, however at least one pair remained at Wheldrake until the 8th.
Shoveler – The first female with a
brood of 12 ducklings appeared at Thornton Ellers on the 17th
with a brood of 10 found a week later at Thornton Ellers on the 27th.
Two broods were at North Duffield Carrs on the 31st.
Pochard – A single drake remained
in the Wheldrake Ings and Bank Island area until the 10th.
Common
Scoter – A
flock was recorded over Elvington on noc-mig on the 7th/8th
overnight followed by another on the 9th/10th.
Little
Egret – Numbers continued to build with 23 throughout the
site on the 8th
in addition to the birds present in the heronry. 13 were at Thornton Ellers on
the 16th, with 11 at Bank
Island on several dates and 22 at North Duffield Carrs on the 29th.
Great White Egret – A single was at Bank Island on the 25th/26th with another/the same at North Duffield Carrs on the 29th.
Grey Heron
– 24 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th
with numbers up to 28 by the 14th.
Good numbers were recorded throughout
the site as young birds fledged from the Heronry.
Osprey
– A single flew north over Wheldrake Ings on the 5th
with another north-west over Bank Island at 0600hrs on the 11th. One flew north at North
Duffield Carrs on the 17th.
Marsh
Harrier –
Two cream-crowns were still at Wheldrake Ings on the 3rd with one remaining there on the 7th. An immature male was also at Wheldrake on the 20th. Two cream-crowns lingered to month end.
Red
Kite – Regular
throughout the month across the reserve with an estimated 7-8 pairs recorded. Five
were over Wheldrake Ings on the 7th with a pair observed collecting
wool at Thorganby on the 8th.
Peregrine – Single at Wheldrake
Ings and North Duffield Carrs on the 1st, with others at Storwood
on the 2nd and Melbourne on the 4th and 28th.
Hobby – At least seven individuals
were seen over Wheldrake on the 2nd followed by 13 there on the
5th, with singles reported elsewhere throughout the site
during the first week of the month. Seven were at Wheldrake again on the 7th
with a pair showing well at North Duffield Carrs on the 9th
and 10th. Single at East Cottingwith on the 12th.
Birds showed well throughout the wider site and surrounding area thereafter
with regular sightings.
Water Rail – Three calling birds were recorded from Bank Island with eight at Wheldrake Ings and five pairs elsewhere.
Spotted
Crake – A
single was heard singing at Bank Island at dusk on the 24th.
Coot – A brood of six were at East
Cottingwith on the 12th with several further broods appearing
before month end.
Quail – A single (first of the
year), was picked up on noc-mig over Elvington on the night of the 9th/10th.
Migrant birds were seen at Bank Island at 2250hrs on the 10th
and 0030hrs on the 11th. Another was recorded over Elvington around
2245hrs on the 26th with two reported from a field near
Wheldrake village on the 27th. A single was singing at
Ellerton Ings on the 29th to month end.
Black-winged Stilt – Two birds
flew out of the flooded vegetation at Bank Island late on the 22nd before
heading south-east – only the second record for the reserve.
Little
Ringed Plover
– A pair were breeding on a flooded turf field near Escrick on the 7th
with an incubating bird seen there on the 8th - followed by at
least two young appearing on the 29th. Two were at Bank
Island on the 26th with another two at Thornton Ellers on the
31st when one was also present at North Duffield Carrs.
Ringed
Plover – A
small movement took place on the 4th with a single at Aughton
followed by 14 (three flocks) through Bank Island late afternoon - all flying
north-east. One was picked up over Elvington after dark on noc-mig on the 15th.
14 ‘tundra’ birds were present at Thornton Ellers on the 23rd
with just three remaining on the 24th.
Ruff
– Flocks
of eleven and two flew through Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 4th
as part of a large national movement, with larger numbers confined toward the
east coast. Two were at Thornton Ellers on the 6th and 7th.
Dunlin
– One was
seen and heard flying over Bank Island on the 2nd with another
at Wheldrake Ings on the 7th. Six were at North Duffield Carrs
on the 4th.
Whimbrel – At least 58 roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st with 49 on the 2nd decreasing to 24+ by the 4th. Smaller numbers were encountered on the Ings elsewhere during the day with four at Wheldrake on the 3rd and six at North Duffield Carrs on the 4th. Small numbers lingered throughout the site thereafter with a single over Elvington on the 12th being the last.
Curlew – A total of 25 clutches were found during the month with good numbers present throughout the site. A flock of 12+ were present at North Duffield Carrs on the 31st - presumably non-breeders.
Black-tailed Godwit – Two remained on the reserve but were rather mobile during the first week of the month, presumably the same two individuals which appeared at Bank Island on the 17th before flying off north.
Bar-tailed
Godwit – A
single was feeding with Whimbrel during the day on the 2nd in
the Storwood/Hagg Bridge area – later coming into roost at Wheldrake that evening
and again on the 4th.
Greenshank – A single record at Bank
Island on the 1st was followed by singles at Wheldrake on the
5th and 7th and Thornton Ellers on the 6th
and 7th. Four were then present at Thornton Ellers on the 8th
with one remaining there on the 10th and two on the 11th
and 12th. A single appeared at Wheldrake Ings again on the 20th
and was present on the 21st, 24th and 28th,
whilst three remained at Thornton Ellers on the 23rd and 24th.
Numbers increased to four at Thornton Ellers on the 29th with
two remaining on the 30th and 31st.
Green Sandpiper – Single at Bank Island on the 21st.
Common
Sandpiper
– A single was present on the canal at Melbourne on the 1st.
Wood
Sandpiper
– Four were at Thornton Ellers on the 6th with one remaining on
the 10th, increasing to two the next day on the 11th
and back to one by the 12th. A single was at Wheldrake on the
19th with another/same individual at Thornton Ellers on the 23rd
and 24th.
Little
Gull – A
single was present at North Duffield Carrs on the 10th.
Mediterranean
Gull –
Two adults flew north-west over Bank Island on the 8th.
Common
Tern – Up
to four remained at Wheldrake Ings early in the month with occasional pairs elsewhere
along the River Derwent and Pocklington Canal during this time. The pair at
Wheldrake were incubating a clutch on the tern raft by the 12th.
Cuckoo – Further birds continued
to arrive early in the month with one at Bank Island on the 4th
and four at Wheldrake on the 5th. Further birds then arrived
with a hepatic female at Melbourne on the 9th. Three individuals
were located along the Pocklington Canal on the 12th, whilst
a hepatic female frequented Wheldrake and Bank Island throughout the month. A total
of 21 calling males were recorded throughout the month.
Swift – Large numbers appeared early in the month with peak counts of 200 over Bank Island on the 2nd followed by c300 on the 5th, although many more than that presumably moved through on these days. 150 were recorded at Bank Island on the 6th with 80 also present at Wheldrake on the same date.
Tree
Pipit – A singing male was at Skipwith Common NNR on the 3rd
with two singing there on the 13th.
Wheatear – A pair were at Thornton
Ellers on the 1st with another near Escrick on the 9th.
Sand
Martin – c300
at Bank Island on the 2nd and 3rd.
Swallow – 500+ were recorded in
the Bank Island/Wheldrake area on the 2nd and 3rd
with 600 at Bank Island on the 5th - part of a movement
through the site at this time.
House
Martin –
Up to 100 were present at Bank Island early in the month with 200 at North
Duffield Carrs on the 8th. 150 were recorded at Thornton
Ellers on the 12th.
Fieldfare – Two at Wheldrake Ings
on the 4th were the last of the spring.
Redwing – Two at Wheldrake on the
10th were the only records during the month.
Chiffchaff – 86 singing males were recorded
along the Pocklington Canal on the 12th.
Willow
Warbler –
58 singing males were recorded along the Pocklington Canal on the 12th.
Common
Whitethroat
– 44 singing males were noted along the Pocklington Canal on the 12th.
Garden Warbler – Nine were recorded along the riverside track at Wheldrake on the 14th.
Sedge
Warbler –
68 singing males were recorded along the Pocklington Canal on the 12th.
Reed
Warbler –
44 singing males were recorded along the Pocklington Canal on the 12th.
Grasshopper
Warbler –
Reeling birds were heard in Wheldrake village on the 1st,
Melbourne on the 1st - 4th and at Wheldrake Ings on
the 5th. A single was singing at Bank Island on the 24th
- remaining to month end. Other reeling birds followed with singles at Ellerton
on the 29th and Melbourne on the 30th, by
which time three reeling males were present in the Melbourne area.
Spotted
Flycatcher
– The first returning bird was back at the Melbourne Arm on the 8th.
Cetti’s
Warbler –
Two singing males remained at Wheldrake Ings during the month with a single on
the Pocklington Canal at Melbourne.
Corn Bunting – Two singing males were recorded at Wheldrake Ings on the 14th and were still present at month end.
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