Lower Derwent Valley NNR - November 2021
The highlight of the month was undoubtedly the immature White-tailed Eagle, seen causing mass panic among thousands of waterfowl at Bubwith Ings on the11th - showing well (c100m height), before drifting south over Bubwith Bridge, dwarfing a mobbing Marsh Harrier. It appears this bird had actually passed right through the LDV, with widespread panic among waterfowl reported from Bank Island and Thorganby in the proceeding 10-15 mins.
Perhaps the most surprising record of the month however concerned a Garden Warbler caught and ringed at South Duffield on the 13th - the latest ever in the area by quite some time.
Waterfowl
numbers predictably increased with a good early total of 117 wintering Whooper
Swans, although many others also moved through the site during the month. 2000
‘resident’ Pink-footed Geese were also present early in the month with
450 still roosting daily at month end. Up to 2000 Greylag Geese were present with Shelduck numbers increasing to 40 late in the month, along with
the regular returning hybrid, and a Ruddy Shelduck from the 28th.
Up to two Great White Egrets continued to linger, with
several Marsh Harriers and three - four Peregrines, several Red Kites and a Merlin on the 8th. 2550 Golden Plover were
counted with 1850 Lapwing, whilst c500 Snipe and three - four Jack Snipe were recorded. Large numbers of Woodcock arrived
from mid-month feeding on the Ings and local arable fields after dark, with 10
Curlew, a Knot (15th), 13 Ruff and 15 returning
Dunlin by month end. A single Green Sandpiper was also noted,
along with a Raven at Bank Island on the 27th. One or two
wintering Chiffchaffs were also logged.
Many
thanks as always to everyone who submitted sightings 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
dropped into Bank Island briefly on the 1st followed by 12 on the
Low Grounds on the 2nd/3rd. 20 flew south
over East Cottingwith on the 3rd with 30 at North Duffield
Ings - two flew over Wheldrake Ings after dusk on the same date. 13 were recorded
at Melbourne and Thornton Ings on the 4th with 20 there on
the 5th. A total of 89 were recorded on the WeBS on the 7th
(inc. 14 juveniles), with 68 present in the herd at Thorganby. 12 flew into Bank Island high
from the north on the 9th before moving on after a couple of
hours. 11 flew south at Breighton on the 10th when 103 were recorded
in the Thorganby area along with three briefly at Bank Island - total of 117. 11
adults were at Bank Island on the 16th (another presumed
passage group), with another four (family party) at dawn on the 17th.
Four flew over Melbourne village on the 19th. A total of 98 (inc. 23 immatures), were present across the reserve on 20th with 83 at North
Duffield Carrs on the 23rd.
Mute
Swan – 87
were recorded throughout the site on the 7th.
Greylag
Goose – 1050 remained throughout the site on the 7th followed by 1470 on the
10th. A further 600+
were present in the Melbourne and Thornton Ings area during the month – total
of over 2000 across the reserve.
Pink-footed Goose – 2000 were still roosting at the Low Grounds and feeding nearby in local fields early in the month. 160 were at Melbourne on the 1st followed by 41 on the 4th. 200 remained in the area between the 7th - 10th with up to 450 ‘local’ birds present between the 11th - 18th. 300 were still roosting daily at Wheldrake Ings until the 29th.
Egyptian
Goose – A single was recorded at East Cottingwith Ings on
the 7th with three over
Storwood Ings and the Low Grounds on the 8th.
A pair were present at Bank Island between the 10th -
17th.
Shelduck
– Three were at Bank Island on the 8th
followed by eight there on the 13th
and 16 on the 15th.
23 were at Thornton Ellers on the 20th
with 11 at Bank Island on the 21st
and 22nd, increasing to
22 on the 26th.
Numbers increased further with 40 on the 29th
along with the regularly returning hybrid.
Ruddy Shelduck
– One flew north over North Duffield Carrs on the 28th.
Wigeon
– 4050 were present throughout the site on the 7th
with 5000+ on the 10th
and 5670 on the 20th.
Teal
– 2030
were recorded on the WeBS survey on the 8th.
Mallard – A monthly maximum of
988 on the 8th.
Pintail – A total of 69 were
present throughout the site on the 7th.
Tufted
Duck – 17
at Bank Island on the 4th were the first returning wintering
birds. Four were then observed at Bubwith Ings on the 7th
with two at Wheldrake Ings on the 8th.
Pochard – A single drake was present
on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th.
Goldeneye – A single was present at
Bank Island on the 4th with one on the pool at Wheldrake between
the 13th - 15th. Two red-heads were at Bank Island
on the 19th with one at Wheldrake Ings between the 27th
and 29th.
Goosander – Nine (including five
drakes), flew south down the River Derwent at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th. A single red-head was recorded on Bubwith Ings on the 7th whilst a pair
flew east at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th.
Little
Egret – Five were at Thornton Ellers on the 24th. Small numbers (1 – 3),
were present throughout the month at Barmby-on-the Marsh Wetlands.
Great White Egret
– A single was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st,
with other singles reported over the Low Grounds on the 2nd, Wheldrake Ings on 5th/6th
and Bank Island on the 8th.
A single flew along the canal from Wheldrake towards Hagg Bridge on the 14th with two at Bank Island
on the 15th.
Two were then present at Thornton Ellers on the 24th.
White-tailed Eagle
– An immature (first winter), flew south over Bubwith Ings causing panic in the
wintering waterfowl on the 11th, before continuing south over
Bubwith following the river. It would appear that the bird had passed over Bank Island, Wheldrake and Thorganby (unseen), where large numbers of geese were panicked
into the air, ten minutes before it appeared over Bubwith Ings.
Marsh
Harrier –
Up to five still remained across the reserve on the 2nd with
flooding displacing the roost from Bank Island. A second-year male was present
at Thornton Ellers on the 7th, with an immature and wing-tagged
bird D3 seen at Aughton on the same date.
Red
Kite – A
single over Bank Island on the 9th with two there on 13th
and 14th. Singles were also regularly seen in the Thorganby
area during the month.
Merlin – One at South Duffield on
the 8th.
Water Rail – Up to four calling birds
were present around the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 1st and
2nd, with up to three in the Melbourne/Thornton area early in
the month. A single was on the riverbank at Bank Island on the 24th
– presumably an incoming wintering bird taking up this regular winter territory.
Four were in the Melbourne area on the 17th.
Grey
Partridge
– Seven were on arable fields by Wheldrake village on the 3rd
when six were also present near Elvington Airfield. 11 were at Bank Island on
the 9th when three coveys totalling 17 birds were present near
Wheldrake village, in addition a further nine were at Elvington. Six were also
present near Thornton on the same date. Two were at Crockey Hill on the 20th
with eight at Melbourne on the 26th.
Golden
Plover – 400
were in the Bank Island/Wheldrake area, with 300 at North Duffield Ings on the 1st.
1000+ were recorded throughout the reserve on the 2nd including
570 at Bank Island. 900+ were at Wheldrake Ings on the 8th
with 1100 there on the 9th. 2000+ were present across the
site on the 10th whilst an additional 700 birds were recorded
to the east of the reserve near Wilberfoss on the 11th. Up to
2400 remained in the Low Grounds/Wheldrake/Bank Island area during the remainder month. 2550 were present throughout the reserve on the 20th.
Lapwing – 1030 were at Wheldrake Ings on the 8th with 1850 recorded throughout the site on the 14th.
Snipe – 45 were present at Bank Island on the 3rd when 15 were present on pasture near Elvington. 250 were recorded at Wheldrake Ings after dark on the 8th, with 100+ at North Duffield Carrs and scattered smaller numbers elsewhere – perhaps as many as 500 across the reserve at this time. Up to 15 were present during the month at Barmby-on-the-Marsh Wetlands.
Jack
Snipe – A
single was caught and ringed at Wheldrake Ings on the 9th,
followed by another two on the 15th and 16th.
One was present at Elvington Airfield on the 29th.
Woodcock
– A
single was seen at Wheldrake Ings after dark on the 1st with
one caught and ringed there on the 2nd. Singles were present
near Dunnington and Elvington Airfield on the 3rd, followed
by one seen feeding in the lane at Bank Island during the day on the 5th.
One was feeding after dark near Wheldrake village on the 9th,
with three located at Wheldrake Ings after dark on the 15th. Six
were in fields by Elvington Airfield after dark on the 17th, with
11 located on Wheldrake Ings after dark on the 23rd. Six were
in Wheldrake on nearby arable fields on the 24th – a clear
increase throughout the week was noted - associated with the full moon. 14 were present on Wheldrake Ings after dark
on the 29th.
Curlew – Three were present at
Wheldrake Ings on the 6th with five there on the 9th.
Five were recorded at Bank Island on the 21st followed by 10 there
on the 26th.
Dunlin
– A
single was present with a flock of Lapwings at Bank Island on the 16th
with six there on 18th and five on the 24th.
Numbers then increased with 15 on the 26th.
Knot – A single immature bird
was caught and ringed at Bank Island after dark on the 15th –
the first to be ringed on the reserve.
Ruff
– The
first returning birds were 13 at North Duffield Carrs on the 2nd
- followed by 16 at Bank Island on the 3rd. 18 were recorded on
the WeBS count on the 7th with 13 at Bank Island on the 17th.
Redshank – Three were on the Low Grounds
on the 2nd with seven throughout the site on the 8th
and 11 on the 15th. Eleven were at Bank Island on the 16th
and 17th.
Green Sandpiper – One
at Thornton Ellers on the 7th
was followed by a single at Melbourne Ings on the 22nd
with two there on the 24th.
Short-eared Owl – A
single was present at Elvington Airfield on the 29th.
Little Owl – A
pair were present near Wheldrake village on the 29th.
Redwing – 2000 passed over Bank
Island on the 3rd followed by 5230 on the 4th,
most before 0900hrs. Small numbers were present almost daily thereafter with a
small movement of 400 on the 16th.
Fieldfare – 30 were present over
Bank Island on the 3rd with 227 there on the 4th.
390 were counted at Bank Island during the day on the 5th,
followed by 200 on the 6th and 7th and 150
on the 8th. Small numbers continued to move through the reserve
over the following days.
Blackbird – A small increase in
birds appeared early in the month with 21 recorded at Bank Island on the 2nd
and 50+ on the 3rd. 37 were present in the hedges towards the
hides at Bank Island on the 10th – another noticeable influx
with large numbers reported in fields and hedges throughout the Melbourne area
during the week. Another small arrival took place on 16th.
Stonechat – Up to six remained at
Wheldrake Ings during the month with pairs also recorded at Melbourne, Thornton,
East Cottingwith and Bank Island with up to four at North Duffield Carrs.
Raven
– A
single was present at Bank Island on the 27th (MFJ, CSR).
Starling – 1376 flew west at Bank
Island on the 4th with 1000+ at Wheldrake Ings on
the 7th.
Chiffchaff – Singles were lingering at
Bank Island on the 7th and 14th, with one
at Elvington on the 19th.
Garden
Warbler –
An extraordinary record of an individual caught and ringed at South Duffield on
the 13th – the latest ever recorded in the area after one on
the 29th September 1983.
Willow
Tit – A single
was heard calling at Thornton Ellers on the 17th.
Nuthatch – Pairs were present in
the Elvington and Thorganby areas during the month with three at Thicket Priory
on the 15th.
Brambling – A single was caught and
ringed at South Duffield on the 7th when one was also present
at Bank Island. Two flew through Melbourne Ings on the 4th followed
by four the next day on the 5th. Three were recorded at
Breighton on the 10th with six on the 11th.
Singles were present at Bank Island on the 13th and 14th.
Hawfinch – Nine were seen to drop in
towards Woodhill and the eastern side of the river from Wressle Castle on the 10th
(OM).
Greenfinch – 100+ were feeding in a
sunflower cover crop near South Duffield on the 8th.
Siskin – Birds were logged
moving daily early in the month with 20-40 most mornings over Bank Island, with
50 over Breighton on the 10th. 110 were at Melbourne on the 11th
with 60 at Thornton Ellers on the 17th. 150 were present at
Thornton Ellers on the 23rd/24th.
Linnet – 200 were at Thornton Ellers on the 7th.
No comments:
Post a Comment