Local Heronry

Woodcock [archived pic]

Heron
Heron - just visible on the right of the nest
Largest Heron nest

Harrassed Roe Deer outpacing the Red Setter

Today I attended a special open day at a local organic farm with an active Heronry of approximately 20 nests. This is a venue the classes will be visiting after Easter, so I thought it was time I acquainted myself with the site. I arrived early and saw 3 Yellowhammers, Tree and House Sparrows, a Woodpigeon & a Stock Dove before the guided walk began. 5 members of the classes were present as were approximately 40 mainly less experienced birdwatchers – one of the highest turnouts they’ve had for these special events - including people from Harrogate & Leeds! After an introduction by YWT staff member Jon Traill on the YWT’s involvement with the site & a brief description by farmer Tim of the organic farming practices employed on the farm, the massive crowd was split into 2 rather unwieldy groups. The group I was with was led by Top Woodcock spotter and Dawn Chorus leader Tony Martin. The walk started on a gravel path alongside a paddock. This area yielded a couple of Yellowhammers, and some Long-tailed Tits. We were soon walking alongside a full stream, and Tony pointed out an Otter spraint, containing its fair share of shells! We saw courting Lapwings, hovering Kestrels, running hares, and single Meadow Pipits, Reed Buntings, and a Fieldfare. As we neared the wood a couple of Herons flew over, as did 4 Cormorants; and above the wood 1 pair of Buzzards were being mobbed by local Rooks, whose rookery is adjacent to the heronry. A single Roe Deer ran along the edge of an opposite field, but where were the others? - we were soon to find out! Walking through the waterlogged wood we heard Wrens, Robins & Chaffinches, and Tony spotted his first Woodcock. There was at least 1 Heron perched on the edge of a nest, and others flying nearby, but we didn’t remain in the area long as some eggs have only recently hatched, and we didn’t want the chicks to succumb to the cold if their parents were disturbed. On the way back we flushed another Woodcock, but we were dismayed to spot 2 Roe Deer being chased across a series of fields at great speed by a Red Setter. Eventually, the deer escaped by being completely split up from each other. Overall, it was a very interesting introduction to a site which should garner even more species when we visit the site next month. I think the classes will be entranced with the location, and the organic home-baked produce by Caroline in her bakery.

Sprung at Last

Nuthatch - very elusive at Normanby this year

Comma
Crocus

Daffodil - emerging at last!

Fallow - the deer with a Badger's face on its backside!

Grappling Stags

Record shot of Red-legged Partridge

Minnow

The final visit to Normanby was the best, with the warmer weather bringing out more birdsong & the spring flowers putting on a fine show. The day started well with a pair of Lesser Redpolls flying over the car park almost as soon as I opened the car door. The Snowdrops were still in full flower, but now Crocus and one Daffodil were now also beginning to bloom. Last year this site was dripping with Nuthatches, but after this winter they were very hard to see. One did show fairly well in the morning, and one put in a elusive performance in the afternoon. For some reason we couldn't locate a single Jay in the morning, but they became quite easy to see after lunch. 2 fighting Commas were the first butterflies I'd seen this spring. The Green Woodpecker showed well in the afternoon, as did one Great Spotted, but they seemed thinner on the ground than in 2009. Again, we searched for the Lesser-Spotted & Little Owl without success. It does appear that both of these species may now be extinct at this site. A Red-legged Partridge made its 'steam train' noise from the remains of a wooden jump; while in the morning a pair of Kestrels were fairly vocal, so may be nesting nearby. We will probably be visiting this site again during the Autumn deer rut; and when the Jay are collecting nuts, and appear to be the commonest bird around.

Thin on the Ground

Red Kite (c) 2010 Maurice Gordon

Robin
Treecreeper
Toad

Today's final Thursday session for the winter term was the first visit of the year to a location on the Yorkshire Wolds. It was quite a long walk down into the vale, but the morning session did see Marsh, Long-tailed, Great & Blue Tits during the walk. Eventually 3 Buzzards were seen, and 2 Red Kites. To complete the list of raptors we had a male Kestrel, and a very distant raptor species, which it is safer to log as a Sparrowhawk. We probably saw less than 25 species today, and the Grey Wagtails which used to be present at this site, have probably been forced to move, because of habitat destruction. Rather surprisingly, there were no laughing Green, and no drumming Great Spotted Woodpeckers. There were 14 Fieldfare, some of which seemed to be trying to sing, and at least 3 singing Goldcrests, but overall the birdlife was rather thin. The Marsh Marigolds in flower in a very sheltered area, and the emerging Cuckoo Pint & Dogs Mercury were all sign that the long delayed Spring is actually just around the corner. I need to find a bowl in which to dunk my throbbing big toes.

Golden Chips

Yellowhammer (c) 2010 Maurice Gordon

Yellowhammer - Lichen almost same colour as the bird!
Yellowhammer
Goldcrest (c) 2010 Maurice Gordon
Record shot of Red Kite

Record shot of Red Kite

Winter Aconites (c) 2010 Aileen Urquhart

The final Wednesday class of the winter term visited the site of the oldest horse race in the world. The morning session was punctuated with chips - the contact note/alarm call of the Yellowhammer. We probably saw at least 5 males, and eventually one female. When the sun broke through in the afternoon a few erupted into full song - even including the "no cheese." They were certainly the most obvious bird in the morning, but were absent during most of the afternoon until the sun eventually came out. The Bullfinches were still around, but were harder to see, and the flock of 9 seem to have split up. A surprise in the afternoon was the Marsh Tit in the area of the disused station. A Mistle Thrush serenaded both sessions, but sung for longer during the morning. We also saw Long-tailed Tits, Song Thrushes, Lapwings, Red-legged Partridge, Black-headed & Common Gulls, but no Buzzards. We did see 2 red Kites during the morning, while someone leaving the afternoon group saw 3. The brick viaduct held a sunbathing Green Woodpecker as I left after the afternoon session. Maurice stayed behind & came across the Goldcrest near the brick viaduct. The morning group recorded 25 birds, a smaller number than most Wednesdays, but they were quality sightings. The Marsh Tit, Goldcrest & Green Woodpecker took the tally up to 28. That was the last Wednesday session until after Easter, when 99.9% of those who've attended the winter course have already booked to return - almost a record!

Goodbye to Blacktoft

Wigeon

Pair of Wigeon
Great Crested Grebe

Snipe

Record shot of Black-tailed Godwit

For the last Tuesday session in the winter term we went to RSPB Blacktoft Sands. In the morning 7 Marsh Harriers were visible all high in the sky together - some of them were indulging in skydancing - rollercoastering, looping the loop, etc. The Marsh Harriers were harder to see in the afternoon, but a couple of individuals were still seen. 2 Avocets were flushed in the morning from Singleton - never to be seen again. The only other waders seen were some Redshank from Ousefleet, a few Lapwing, and 14 Curlew flying along the river. A Barn Owl was visible from Marshland in the doorway of its box. The Shelduck were getting rather friendly with each other & the drake Shovelers were showing off to the females. There were plenty of Snipe at Xerox, but this time with a good number of winter-plumaged Black-tailed Godwits. A Great Crested Grebe put on a display of affronted 'masculinity' towards another male, and we did eventually spot a single Little Grebe. Numbers of both of these species seem to be down after the recent wintery weather. A bloke in the afternoon said he saw a Short-eared Owl over Alkborough Flats through his scope, but none of us could pick up on it. Overall we saw plenty of good stuff, it was just the Bittern & Cetti's Warblers, which let us down.

Waxing Lyrical

Waxwing

Waxwing
Waxwing
Waxwing

There are some birds that you never tire of seeing again & again, and the Waxwing is one of these. These charismatic visitors were in really large flocks of nearly 100 this time last year, but there are much fewer about this winter. The largest reliable local flock seem to be the 14 birds currently thrilling the crowds in Cottingham. They were quite flighty and disappeared when a lumbering waste disposal van appeared, and when various lorries trundled past their favourite bush. There were plenty of berries, and only 14 Waxwings to scoff them, so they may be round for the rest of this week. Unfortunately, the light was pretty dire when I was there, so the above pics are the best of a bad bunch. It was great to see them though, and to meet up with local photographer Dave Tucker, oh, and Maurice was there too. See his blog for better versions of the same birds!

Fighting Swans & a Peregrine

Fighting Swans [at Spurn last year]

Juvenile Peregrine

Today's venue was changed because of the heavy rain forecast in the morning, and the hunt that was ready to mow us down in the afternoon. We transferred to our typical standby location were the spectacle of the morning was a pitched battle of 2 male Mute Swans over a female. The necks were intertwined for several minutes, and the birds were obviously exhausted, until one male eventually backed down. Both morning & afternoon sessions saw the juvenile Peregrine, which spooked all the waders & gulls on the reserve several times. The afternoon session were enthralled by a Stoat which tried to hunt several rabbits, who managed to evade it. Eventually, a couple of the rabbits ran out of patience and they actually chased the stoat away! There was no sign of the Green Woodpecker, but a hint of Spring was evident in the presence of 3 Ringed Plovers. The Little Ringed Plovers & the Avocets have yet to return.

Where Have all the Unusual Birds Gone?

Jay (c) 2010 Phil Hargreaves

Buzzard (c) 2010 Phil Hargreaves
Green Woodpecker (c) 2010 Phil Hargreaves

Treecreeper (c) 2010 Jackie Dawson

Fallow Deer (c) 2010 Jackie Dawson

Our 3rd visit in search of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers & Little Owls this term - from that point of view it was a failure. It is now looking possible that neither of these 2 species are still present at this site. It also seems as though the local Nuthatch population may have crashed, as there were none of these either today. Last year we saw these every time we were there, but this was the 2nd time this year we had failed to either see or even hear a single specimen. The Great Spotted & Green Woodpeckers were also less active than last week, as were most of the songbirds - it seems the lack of sun is the morning was largely to blame for the relative silence. The best birds were the Jays, Buzzards & Treecreepers.

RSPB Unflooded

Kestrel [above] (c) 2010 Aileen Urquhart

Kestrel Wigeon (c) 2010 Maurice Gordon

Great Tit (c) 2010 Maurice Gordon

Snipe (c) 2010 Maurice Gordon

Mute Swan

Record shot of Stock Dove

Black-headed Gull (c) 2010 Aileen Urquhart

Reed Bunting (c) 2010 Aileen Urquhart

All of Friday's floodwater had disappeared, so each hide could be reached without any problems. Yesterday the reserve's first ever Treecreeper was seen, some Avocets dropped in, and the Cetti's Warbler was very vocal - of course today all these birds appeared to be absent! There were 6 Marsh Harriers in the air at the same time, and some of these were indulging in their spectacular skydancing displays during the morning. There were much fewer sightings of Marsh Harriers in the afternoon, but there were at least 3 decent views. There were at least 19 Snipe snuggled down in front of Xerox, but most of the other birds were pretty standard for this time of year, including some very fine Wigeon. Mike Pilsworth was on hand to answer some of the 'student's' most searching questions about Marsh Harriers & Bearded Tits. In a winter count there were over 400 noted on the reserve - not a bad tally, for a bird which can be quite hard to see at any site!