Nosterfield

 

A day out with Andy, as we visited the site prior to a visit by the RSPB York Local Group on March14th.

A cold but sunny day as we made our way around the reserve. We started at the quarry car park and in the field in front of the car park were several redwing. Oystercatchers, lapwing, black-headed and common gulls on Flask Lake. We then walked to the reedbed viewing hide where we addded tufted duck and pheasant to our list.

We returned to the car park via Kiln Lake and admired the new viewing screen.

Wigeon teal.mallard, shoveler, gadwall and little grebe were busy on the lake. 

35 birds on our day list. We then drove to the other part of the reserve.

Pleasant though the sun was the wind had a cold bite. Lots of curlews

There were  just over 100 in this group, and this was one of several groups. Andy left to go home and I went to the Tanfield Hide.

Lots of ducks on the grassland while a goldeneye fished in the lake.

A long line of oystercatchers and gulls. Redshank, ruff, lapwing, golden plover and ringed plover feeding at the waters edge.

A very pleasant day with 2 year ticks and a day list of 48.

Aire Valley birding.

 

I was invited to take part in a history walk at St.Aidans today. I was a little early forthe 1pm start, so popped into Fairburn Ings and spent some time at the Pickup Hide. There is more water in the field close to the reedbed than my last visit.

Cattle and great white egret, black-headed gulls and lots of jackdaws were busy feeding in the area. Cormorants and grey herons were flyinh back and forth to their nest sites. In order to reduce the risk of spreading disease amongst the small birds, they have adopted a policy of removing feeders from the feeding stations on a rotional basis. This week there was no feeders at the Pickup hide.

Still plenty of birds.

A pair of mute swans ventured into the scrape and brke the ice.

Time to go to St. Aidans. Due to flooding I could not use the road along the flashes towards Lin Dike.

I just managed to find a space in the car park as so many people were out on a sunny day.

The little owl was at home.

Our walk took us around various parts of the site and on Bowers lake I saw this male pochard.

Thanks to Evelyn and Paul for an interesting walk, with some contributions from Richard.

St.Aidan's

 

This was my view over Astley Lake this lunchtime. A light drizzle in the air. I decided to have a walk after completing the H&S checks. My luck was in, a Little Owl was at home!

Ducks were keeping close to the reedbeds for shelter.

Two Great-crested grebes had a litle dance but then went their seperate ways.

A male Goldeneye was obeying the rules!

I saw and heard my first Skylark of the year as it flew over the ridge and furrow area.

On the hillside lots of greylag and canada geese with some white fronts with them, and I am afraid that you will have to take my word that these are two grey partridges.

A pleasant 2 hours with a day list of 35 birds including 2 year ticks.

Birdtrack

 Whenever possible I post all of my bird sightings on to Birdtrack, as this allows various people access to my sightings and helps them maintain their records.

THis is last years results.

This is the 32nd year I have been using this programme.

Why not give a go?

RSPB Fairburn Ings

 

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I took some books to Fairburn Ings this afternoon for them to sell and spent about 90 minutes at the Pickup Hide. For a few minutes I even saw the sun!

Lots of activity at the bird feeders

Wren, robin, blackbird, dunnock, chaffinch, siskin. Blue, great, coal and long tailed tit.

On the other side off the reed bed herons and egrets were busily feeding.

Great white egret, cattle egret and grey heron.

The cormorants and grey herons have started to breed and there were several herons catching food and taking it back to their partner on the nest.

Kingfisher

 My first Heron Experience Walk of the season. Before the walk I went to the Pickup hide and this kingfisher flew in.

It dived into the water and caught something.

As we walked to the Heron Experience Viewpoint we disturbed the herd of highland cattle. Feeding near them were 2 great white egrets and 4 cattle egrets.

Cormorants are occupying several nests and I counted 11 gret herons on nests.

Lower Derwent Valley

 I am leading a walk for the RSPB York Local Group on Sunday, so I decided to visit the area yesterday to check on the places we intend to visit.

Bank Island, Wheldrake is where we will meet.

This was my view from the back of Natural England base, water everywhere and not many birds to be seen.

Ferry Lane was stop number 2, only greylag geese in the fields, no white fronts.

Viewing platform at Thorganby was better.

Still vast amounts of water but more birds. A mistle thrush was year tick 99. Wigeon, teal, pintail, shoveler and whooper swans in the distance.

North Duffield Carrs was next.

Again more water, plus the water is still coming over the top of the river bank.

Plenty of birds, although some are at the far end of the reserve. A grey partridge was year tick 100.

Bubwith Bridge area is still flooded and only wigeon to be seen. Aughton Church was my next stop.

How nice. Not much to see due to the misty conditions. Ellerton Church was my last stop.

A whooper swan was feeding close to the church and lots of lapwings. It did no rain during my quick trip round the valley, hopefully it will be the same on Sunday.