Sep' 21

Lower Derwent Valley NNR - September Sightings

The highlight of the month was a Pectoral Sandpiper present on the pool at Wheldrake Ings between the 21^st-24^th - amazingly the first for the reserve since a single record in 2012. Equally welcome was a Firecrest in a mixed tit flock on Wheldrake in riverside willows on the 23^rd. 

The changing of the seasons was first hinted at with a skein of 90 Pink-footed Geese on Skipwith Common NNR on the 7^th, although the first large scale arrival took place on the 23^rd with birds moving daily thereafter. Seven Wigeon on the 17^th had increased to 200 by the 26^th, with up to 400 Teal, 11 Pintail and a late Garganey towards month end. A flock of Common Scoter were picked up on nocturnal recording over Elvington on the 5^th. Up to six Marsh Harriers, two Ospreys and several records of Hobbies provided ongoing raptor interest, whilst two late Quail were flushed from a game cover strip near Sutton towards month end. At least 11 Water Rail were scattered around the site, with good numbers of Grey Partridge throughout the local area. Wader passage continued during the first half of the month with a Little Stint (1^st) and two Spotted Redshanks (12^th) and the Pectoral Sandpiper (21^st - 24^th)  the main highlights. Other notable counts were 73 Snipe and 12 Green Sandpipers on the pool at Wheldrake.

Highlights of the autumn passage included a late juvenile Cuckoo (4^th), Turtle Dove (5^th) and Nightjar (7^th), along with the usual passage of Whinchats and the first returning Stonechat appearing towards month end. Single Wheatears, Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers were also recorded, with last dates so far including Garden Warbler (10^th), Whitethroat (15^th), Sedge/Reed Warbler (20^th) and Lesser Whitethroat (24^th).

A total of 177 species have now been recorded since the start of the year. Many thanks to everyone who submitted 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, credited DB.  

 

BIRDS: 

Greylag Goose – 130 were present in fields by Bank Island on the 1^st, with 400+ in stubble fields surrounding Elvington on the 6^th. 500 were then present at Thorganby Ings on the 23^rd.

Pink-footed Goose – 90 circled Skipwith Common NNR on the 7^th before dropping into the Wash Dykes. A large arrival into Northern England and along the East Coast saw 347 pass over the NNR, in small to medium skeins during the afternoon/early evening of the 23^rd. 240 passed over Wheldrake Ings on the afternoon of the 24^th with 80 over South Duffield later in the day and 40 over Melbourne. 40 flew south over Wheldrake on the 25^th, along with 90 over Allerthorpe. c100 over Skipwith Common NNR on the 26^th were followed by 74 south over North Duffield Carrs on the 29^th and 121 on the 30^th.

Egyptian Goose – Two between Elvington at Kexby on the 11^th.

Wigeon – Seven arrived at Wheldrake Ings on the 17^th, with a further arrival seeing numbers at North Duffield Top Pond increase to 50 by the 24^th and 200 by the 26^th.

Teal – Up to 200 remained on the reserve from the 1^st, increasing to 286 by the 8^th. 196 were present on the 13^th increasing to 400 on the 18^th. 200 were at North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th.

Teal - Wheldrake Ings - 18/09 - DB

Garganey – A single drake was present with Teal at North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th.

Mallard – Up to 100 were present at North Duffield Carrs early in the month, increasing to 200 by the 26^th.  

Pintail – 11 were present in an influx of ducks to North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th.

Tufted Duck – A single drake was at North Duffield Carrs on the 2^nd and at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th. One at North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th.

Common Scoter – A flock was recorded on overnight passage over Elvington after dark on 5^th (AF).

Little Egret – One or two were present daily early in the month, with five recorded on the 6^th-8^th. Two remained on the 13^th with three present between the 17^th - 27^th.

Little Egret - Wheldrake Ings - 04/09 - DB

Great White Egret – A single was at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st and 3^rd.

Marsh Harrier – On the 1^st four individuals (sub adult male, adult female, juvenile and the wing tagged bird D3), were present in the Wheldrake/Bank Island area, with four seen again on the 4^th and 6^th. Six roosted on the reserve on the 13^th with five or six throughout the site daily thereafter. Four roosted at Bank Island on the 27^th with six throughout the NNR on the 29^th.

Osprey – A single juvenile female flew low along the Pocklington Canal at Storwood towards the River Derwent on the 13^th. Another flew south along the River Derwent at Aughton on the 24^th.

Peregrine – Four were present over Thorganby village and Ings on the 7^th – presumably a local family party. Single at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th.

Red Kite – One or two birds started to re-appear in the Wheldrake/Bank Island area from mid-month after a short absence.

Hobby – A pair with two young were hawking dragonflies at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st, with singles also seen on the 4^th and 5^th. One was present at Seavy Carr on the 1^st, followed by a single at North Duffield Carrs on the 8^th - on the same day two were at Wheldrake Ings. A juvenile was recorded at Elvington on the 11^th with an adult at Hagg Bridge on the 12^th. One was present at Wheldrake Ings on the 17^th, 21^st and 23^rd, with a single at Thornton Ellers on the 28^th.

Water Rail – Two were still on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st with four there on the 4^th and 5^th. Up to five were recorded on the pool on the 8^th, when one was also present at Melbourne on the Pocklington Canal. Up to seven or eight were spread across Wheldrake Ings on the 9^th, when a single was calling from the Top Pond at North Duffield Carrs. Another was present at Storwood on the 12^th, with five on the pool at Wheldrake again on the 13^th and 15^th.

Quail – Two birds were flushed from a game cover strip at Sutton on Derwent on the 27^th.

Grey Partridge – 10 were at Bank Island on the 5^th and 8^th with two at Elvington on the 11^th. Several were heard calling from Storwood at Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th. Two were seen drinking from the NNR base pond at Bank Island on the 17^th, when others were also present at Wheldrake Ings. Nocturnal thermal surveys located a covey of 23 on arable at Wheldrake village on the 28^th, with 11 in arable adjacent to Bank Island.

Ringed Plover – A single was on the pool at Wheldrake on the 5^th.

Golden Plover – 20 over Bank Island on the 11^th with 33 over Wheldrake on the 18^th. 30 were found feeding after dark in arable fields by Wheldrake village on the 29^th, with four caught, including a control of a bird originally ringed in mid Wales in January 2014.

Golden Plover - Wheldrake - 29/09 - GD

Lapwing – Up to 150 were present in the Bank Island/Wheldrake area early in the month.

Snipe – Good numbers were present on the pool at Wheldrake early in the month, with 37 there on the 2^nd and 3^rd, increasing to 57 on the 4^th. 47 were still present on the 6^th with 63 on the 7^th and 73 on the 8^th. 50+ then remained from the 9^th with 39 remaining between the 13^th-14^th. 27 were still present on the 23^rd.

Common Snipe - Wheldrake Ings - 05/09 - DB

Woodcock – Two were located feeding after dark on arable near Wheldrake on the 28^th.

Curlew – A single at Wheldrake Ings on the 5^th. An interesting flock of 20 were then present near Melbourne on the 16^th.

Little Stint – A juvenile remained on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 1^st.

Little Stint - Wheldrake Ings - 01/09 - DB

Dunlin – A single at Wheldrake on the 15^th with four there on the 18^th.

Pectoral Sandpiper – A single on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 21^st (AF) was present again the following morning (first reserve record since 2012) - remaining there between the 22^nd - 24^th.

Ruff – Two were present on the pool at Wheldrake between the 1^st - 6^th with one remaining thereafter to the 11^th.

Black-tailed Godwit – A single remained on the pool at Wheldrake between the 1^st - 6^th.

Black-tailed Godwit - Wheldrake Ings - 01/09 - DB

Common Sandpiper – Single at Wheldrake Ings on the 14^th.

Green Sandpiper – Seven were present at Wheldrake on the 1^st and daily thereafter until the 4^th. Three were recorded at Skipwith Common NNR on the 6^th when eight were present on the pool at Wheldrake, with up to seven daily thereafter until the 11^th. 12 were seen on the 13^th, nine on the 14^th, eight on the 15^th, with just four remaining by the 20^th/21^st. Two or three were then present daily until the 25^th.

Greenshank – A single was on the pool at Wheldrake between the 7^th - 11^th. Two, presumed fresh arrivals, flew into the pool towards dusk on the 13^th, with one remaining between the 15^th - 19^th. Two were then present on the 26^th.

Spotted Redshank – Two juveniles were discovered at Thornton Ellers on the 12^th.

Mediterranean Gull – An adult was feeding in local fields by Hemingbrough on the 9^th. A second summer bird was present with c500 Black-headed Gulls near Wheldrake on tilled arable land.

Nightjar – One was seen hawking around the pool at Wheldrake at first light on the 7^th before flying towards riverside willows.

Cuckoo – A juvenile was present at Elvington on the 4^th.

Turtle Dove – A single juvenile was present in riverside willows between Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 5^th before flying off towards Wheldrake.

Turtle Dove - Wheldrake Ings - 05/09 - DB

Tree Pipit – One flew over Bank Island on the 2^nd.

Meadow Pipit – Passage started with 50 south over Wheldrake Ings during the morning of the 13^th, with small numbers daily thereafter. 100+ moved through the site on the 16^th.

Skylark – The first significant movement of the year took place with 250 at Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 23^rd.

Whinchat – Single was present on Swantail Ings, Wheldrake, on the 4^th, with four there on the 5^th and two on the 7^th. One remained on the 8^th and was caught and ringed, with two present on the 9^th and 10^th, with another there on the 17^th. One was caught and ringed in poolside willows on the 18^th, with another seen by Tower Hide on the 21^st followed by one at Swantail Ings on the 25^th-26^th. Three were at North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th with four on the 28^th.  

Whinchat - Wheldrake Ings - 08/09 - LJM

Stonechat – The first returning bird of the autumn was present with a Whinchat, on Swantail Ings, Wheldrake, between the 25^th-28^th. Single at North Duffield Carrs on the 26^th.

Wheatear – One at South Duffield on the 9^th.

Redstart – Single at Seavy Carr on the 1^st.

Spotted Flycatcher – A single was present in the NNR base garden at Bank Island on the 9^th.

Yellow Wagtail – 10 passed over Wheldrake and Bank Island on the 17^th, followed by four on the 19^th and three on the 22^nd.  

Swallow – A brood of two finally fledged under Tower Hide at Wheldrake Ings on the 6^th. Small numbers remained throughout the month with 130 south at Wheldrake on the morning of the 25^th. c100 were present throughout the reserve on the 27^th, with 270 at Wheldrake on the 28^th. 50 were at North Duffield Carrs on the 29^th.

Swallow - Wheldrake Ings - 05/09 - DB

Raven – Two were present at Wheldrake on the 23^rd with three over Thorganby Ings on the 29^th.  

Willow Warbler – Three were ringed at Wheldrake Ings on the 13^th (MFJ).

Chiffchaff – Present on autumn passage in good numbers throughout the month. 22 were caught and ringed around the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th (MFJ).

Sedge Warbler – Large numbers continued to move through the site on passage with 20 caught and ringed at Wheldrake Ings at dawn on the 3^rd, followed by 16 on the 4^th. Five were caught and ringed on the 7^th with 11 new birds ringed on the 12^th followed by five on the 13^th and three on the 14^th. Singles were then present on the 16^th, 17^th and 20^th.

Reed Warbler – 10 were caught and ringed at Wheldrake on the 3^rd, followed by four on the 4^th and 11 on the 7^th. Two were caught and ringed in the NNR base garden at Bank Island on the 12^th when five were still present at Wheldrake Ings. Three were recorded there on the 13^th, followed by one on the 16^th, two on the 17^th and singles on the 18^th and 20^th.

Cetti’s Warbler – Two first year birds were caught and ringed at the NNR base at Bank Island on the 16^th - the first returning birds of the autumn. A single was calling from the banks of the River Derwent at Barmby on the Marsh between the 25^th – 27^th.

Lesser Whitethroat – Three were at Wheldrake Ings on the 7^th, followed by two on the 8^th and a single on the 11^th. A late bird was still present at Melbourne on the 17^th with a single at Wheldrake on the 24^th.

Lesser Whitethroat - Bank Island - 05/09 - DB

Common Whitethroat – A single was present at Melbourne on the 9^th, followed by four at Wheldrake on the 12^th with one remaining on the 13^th. Singles were at Bank Island on the 14^th and Melbourne on the 15^th.

Blackcap – A small movement of passage birds were noted from early in the month with 20 alone at Wheldrake and 15 at Bank Island on the 8^th. A total of 16 different birds were caught and ringed at Bank Island on the 9^th with eight there on the 12^th. Numbers ringed at the NNR base thereafter included 15 on the 13^th, five on the 14^th, ten on the 15^th and eight on the 16^th. Three were still at Wheldrake Ings on the 25^th followed by six at Bank Island on the 26^th.

Blackcap - Wheldrake Ings - 08/09 - LJM

Garden Warbler – Two were at Wheldrake Ings on the 10^th.

Firecrest – A single was present in a mixed tit/warbler flock at Wheldrake Ings on the 23^rd (CSR).

Nuthatch – Two at Wheldrake Ings on the 4^th and 17^th, whilst more unusual was a single at Melbourne on the 8^th.  

Willow Tit – Two at Melbourne on the 9^th.

Siskin – Two were present by the canal at Melbourne on the 20^th, with two at Wheldrake on the 21^st and six over on the 26^th.

Reed Bunting – A large movement into the site was noted on the 7^th with 46 caught and ringed at Wheldrake Ings during the morning.