Nah it's been there a few days...
http://www.deeestuary.co.uk/lsight.htm



Cheers,
Bob.

A Badger crossed the road in front of the car at the weekend... first (non roadkill) one I've seen for a long while.


Cheers,
Bob.

Coincidentally I saw a fox near the office last night, and my first Barn Owl actually on the premises - maybe they are spreading across from Dunkeswick. Again Lawts they could be popping up on your side of Sicklinghall soon.

I thought I'd go have a look for the ikea waxwings tomorrow. Anyone know which bus service from Leeds I need?

Chris

219 & 229 - Stand 8 - Every twenty mins..

_______________________
Darren

It's a shame you don't know the area better, Chris. It's a bikeable distance though considering the weather you're better off with the bus. It's far windier than last weekend and that was bad enough cycling in that.
Chris.

Cheers for this.

Am thinking of taking my son there on Saturday, weather permitting. Haven't been for years, so am looking forward to it.

Got myself up to strensall for the waxwing this morning. Couldnt see it from in the car but heard it as soon as i got out. Got gawped at by the local housewives and found a cold waxwing squatted down on the cornerhouses aerial. It soon bugged out and i was looking at a pair of Mistle Thrushes attacking an ornamental berry tree. Dropped in at North Cave - nowt there. And called in on North Duffield looking for the Bewick's Swans - no sign, just 1 distant Whooper and a male brambling.

Where was the Mink James? I've never seen a Mink before, unless I count a 'probable' a few years back.
I mentioned a couple of days ago that I had Water Vole from the hide at N. Duffield. I've also seen Roe Deer, Grey Seal, Harbour Porpoise and the usual rodents so far this year. Foxes are elusive around E. Yorks (I see far more in Essex). I've been luckily enough to see plenty of Badgers over the years, but never seen an Otter in the UK.

Drove past on the way home from work, two Mistle thrushes sat in the bush opposite Mars so no joy for the waxwings there. Couldn't spot them in the immediate vicinity but there's still plenty for them to go at up there.

At one time they were fairly numerous in the Hull valley but they seem to have been controlled - it's become fairly easy to see Water Voles which I gather is a good sign Mink aren't around.

There was a piece in the Driffield Times some time last year about Otters being seen at the Frodingham end of the Driffield Canal... certainly there's loads of trout to feed on so it's possible... I'd be totally made up seeing one around there |:d|


Cheers,
Bob.

Mink was at Fariburn along cut lane whilst i was looking for the LSW.

Of interest to anyone in Leeds and surrounds, there is an RSPB Aren't birds brilliant! project in Roundhay Park for the next few weekends until 24th Feb.

Drop in anytime on a Saturday or Sunday between 10.30am and 3pm.

Also three guided walks that people can go on - the first this weekend for an hour on Saturday at 12.30 pm.

It all takes place at the Bandstand overlooking the Upper Lake. Details from the Mansion House Visitor Centre.

Cheers

Matthew

Right, thanls a lot. I'll see.

T'other Chris, I've got the OS, so I could have a go at biking it, but I took a short one today in the wind and it was murder. I got caught in all the hailstones. Think bus is a slightly safer bet, if it weren't for the weather i'd've give it a go.

Got the waxwings this morning, remarkably obliging birds.

ID help please.
 

Came across this odd duck in a local park, it stood out from the other ducks, me and kempy83 didn't know what it was, so I took a few snaps.
After having a look in a decent bird book, the only thing it seems to closely resemble is a adult female Red-crested pochard.
Can anyone confirm or disregard this identification.
Cheers,
mikejack82 & kempy83.

Looks like a Red-crested pochard to me too.

Saw the waxwings this morning. It was absolutely nithering but worth it (wouldn't have been too pleased if they weren't there though!). They were opposite the MARS site down Oakwell way as Den said.

RCP - Looks good to me, East Park per chance??

______________________
Darren

Yes Darren, East park.

Some record shots. Usual excuses; too close, too tame etc ;)

There have been Otter sightings at Tophill Low so they are about. Seeing them is another matter.

Water Voles are common around N. Frodingham so I agree that Mink numbers must have declined. If I remember correctly, Water Voles are the first thing to suffer from the invasive Mink.

Going back to Otter, I think one was shot in the Hull Valley last year. Not sure of exact location.

Otter was shot at Frodingham Beck, near Driffield. April 2007.

Oh dear... I guess that was the driff times story.


Cheers,
Bob.

Otters
 

Speaking of Otters...


In todays Harrogate Advertiser (pp15) the following:

"At Spofforth a party of 4 Otters playing and somersaulting in the River Crimple during daylight"

I might go try looking, the parents-in-law live there!

I also remember another article in the same paper (last year?) about one being found dead on the Harrogate bypass near the River Crimple Crossing (I think).

Interesting stuff if its true!.....

Cheers, ANDY

This month's Dalesman has an article about otters in Yorkshire. Apparently a dead dog otter was found in Skipton a year or two ago, which was a first for the area.
I have seen a single otter at Fewston reservoir in daylight but it was about 12 years ago, I used to drive round with my youngest son in the back of the car as it was about the only way I could get him off to sleep, one day I was driving across the dam wall at Fewston reservoir making towards Timble, when an otter came out of the hedge on the Fewston side at the end of the dam wall and made it's way across the road to squirm through the hedge on the other side, and it then made it's way down to Swinsty reservoir. Thankfully I was driving slowly and was able to get a good look at the animal, I'd not realised until then how big they were, I'd always thought they were about stoat sized...how wrong I was.