From what I was told last night, the Oriole was flushed from Old Fall early yesterday morning. It was only seen by a single birder.

I had a quick wall around Whelky Wynds this evening but no sign of the Oriole. I did see an old couple walking a cat which amused me for a while.

Showed Marcus round my nightjar site in North Yorks last night after he went to John O'Gaunts (where sadly the Redstarts were not showing well for him).

No churring yet, although Marcus did have a distant possible silhouette, and only one LEO calling only briefly, but we were entertained by many roding woodcock, including several early and very clear close passes overhead and a chase between two of them.

Also drumming Snipe, always nice, and a Redstart in a new location at the site for me. Will try again for nightjar early next week - had the first on the 16th last year.

Graham

PS - Marcus, that was Redstart contact alarm call 5a, given by male only: "(a) ♂ gives an ascending 'hueee' (sometimes in isolation—see also 6d) followed by varying number of 'tic' or 'tk' sounds: e.g. 'hueee tk tk tk hueee tk'" It is 6d I'm more familiar with which doesn't have the 'tic' notes, and which is more often given by the female.
PPS - won't paste the vast literature on Woodcock roding but the chase we saw was most likely male chasing a female back to the nest site, rather than aggression between two males.

Lots of good places around Harrogate - Nidd Gorge and Hay-a-Park virtually in town, Washburn Valley no distance which has loads to expore even away from the main Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs which attract all the visitors. Other sites I know less well like Brimham Rocks are not far at all. Bolton Abbey is a little further but is well worth extending your 20 mile limit to 30 for.

Bolton Abbey is your best bet for Marsh Tit, Wood Warbler, Pied Fly, Redstart, Common Sand, Grey Wag, Dipper, Kingfisher, Mandarin and possibly raptors nearby. Much better early before the crowds arrive though. Get there for the dawn chorus at silly o'clock and however much it hurts it's worth it.

The moors to the west of Harrogate don't seem great for Whinchat, Dunlin, Golden Plover compared to those further north and west, but you could still see all these plus the usual Grouse, Curlew and Snipe there. Have had Merlin and Hen Harrier in the area but they don't fair too well in North Yorkshire and you'd be lucky to see one. Buzzards are doing better and you can't miss the Red Kites in the Harewood area and now further afield.

Finally, Fairburn Ings RSPB is probably just over your distance limit but not much over half an hours drive from the south edge of town.

Other good sites for Redstart, Tree Pipit etc. nearer you, and some moderately sensitive stuff I could let you know about by PM or phone if you drop me a note.

Graham

Thanks for the pm Graham, going now for the bonus bird ... btw your message box is full!


Just back and although I didn't get the bonus bird, I did get my very first flight views of LEO! It's worth the painful fingers for the views I've had (I suffer from Raynaud's syndrome and I'd forgotten my gloves). I'll be going back there properly equiped next time...LOL

Glad you got a LEO, Keith. How dark when it flew?

Missed Redpoll off that list last night, and have made some message space.

Graham

I think we had 9-10 woodcock
Most I have ever had, and never witnessed that courting behaviour before.

Hi Andy,

Sorry I missed this post - 35I is a little more built up than mine in the south, but might have a better range of species. I've also seen Little Owl there, but not White Stork! And I saw Lesser Spot last Febrary in the square. Shoudl have got Garden Warbler on mine, and hoped for Cuckoo as there was also one calling in 35E. 35I is taken but 35E is free (and has Dippers) if you want some local competition?

Graham

Sorry, Loiner, missed this one as well. So it's you that has nicked all the good local squares? ;) That sounds like a lot of work but with 4 years to complete I guess it's not so bad. Have you done any yet? I have another square down south I had to wait to secure and I've now decided to wait until WInter to start - with the weather and the trees all in leaf and a lot of birds settled and singing less I think it's perhaps to late for the first survey now?

Have gto a taste for it and from now will make sure I have at least one square on the go through to 2011 - best snap up the remaining local ones I have an eye on before you and Keith have a full 10km square.

Are you a BTO member? I looked at the BBS surveys and may put myslef forward for that once I've had some more atlas experience - really like the idea of studying a really short walk really closely to get everything.

Graham

PS - Not noticed any change in Reed Bunting numbers myself.

Looks like there are 4 (four!!!) Red-footed Falcons at Throne Moor, 1 adult of each sex and 1 1st year of each sex. Mental.

Just got back from my BBS in Selby. Best bird was a Song Thrush. Not a single Warbler! Called in at a secret site in North Yorks where i had the most amazing views of Woodlark down to about 15 feet, feeding on the floor. Also Green Woodie, Great Spot, Tree Pipit, Cuckoo and a family of Stonechats inc 3 juvs. Mint.

Caught up with the Red-Breasted Flycatcher this morning at Canal Scrape, Spurn, view from the hide accross the pond, good views through a scope appaulling views through a 500mm lens, therefore no photos (or ones I am willing to share) Tons of whitethroats....and swallows scimming the pond.

Have a couple of days holiday today & tomorrow, so today Jayne (the missus) & I did a circuit of Thruscross.

There were lots of singing birds around but most were high in the trees (I really must get my act together & learn bird song ;) )

I'm still fairly new to this, but we did see Curlew, Lapwing, Whinchat, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Grey & Pied Wagtails, Common Sandpiper, Swallow, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Greylag & Canada Geese (plus loads of goslings), Wren, Robin, & Song Thrush

Rounded everything off with a very hearty pub lunch B (:.

Richard

I was on site at 8.30, and it was about 9.00 that I saw the LEO. Had it in view for about 3 minutes before it flew over the young conifers. No further sightings but plenty of calling from over the other side of the clearfell as well as from the woods on the far side of the conifer.

Little gull at blacktoft. At least 3 male marsh harriers displaying plus two daytime barn owls.Then visited north cave, nothing out of the ordinary apart from a red kite over the hills behind the reserve. Good to see plenty of lapwing chicks in the fields.

mark.

Swan for dinner??
 

Hi all

Did anybody see the SUN newspaper today! I know its not in Yorkshire but I still found this amusing! see link ;)

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1165655.ece

Chris

www.chavtwitchers.blogspot.com

Two more year ticks this week on 'business trips'. Temmincks Stint and Nightingale.

Back in county this weekend, in Jim's bus if anyone fancies joining us...probably Filey/Flam/Spurn

Picking Marcus up at 06:00 and heading for coast, two places for grabs. Returning early evening. Drop us a line.

Currently practising BIFs as Marcus would say, quite pleased with this weeks efforts.

Which day Jim?

Tomorrow. Probably heading straight over to Filey then taking it from there.

Been talking to a guy this morning who goes to Thorne Moor regularly and he said there has been no Nightingales seen or heard at all this year

Despite spending the morning busy running errands I still found a Lesser Whitethroat in the "garden" of the Grey Goose right in the centre of Belle Isle this morning. Proof that birds aren't snobs, at least.

Graham

PS - this is not a good reason to visit Belle Isle, or the Grey Goose in particular. Bachman's Warbler would not be a good reason to visit the Grey Goose.

Finished work early on Thursday and decided to head to Thorne Moors. By the time I'd stopped for diesel (£1.29 a litre), food (£2.29 sausage roll, 89p Hula Hoops, £1.09 can of coke), and an over-running one hour lecture on the Philosophy of Cellular Biology (free), I was questioning the wisdom of my plan. Not only was it going to be almost dark by the time I got to the observation tower, but I also wondered if it would have been cheaper to go and see Red-Footed Falcons in Ukraine.

On the Moorends side, the council have erected barriers apparently to designate the site as great for motocross, but which ensure visitors to the nature reserve have to walk 2 miles to the entrance. A Green Woodpecker laughed at me, but I saw Linnet, Bullfinch, Whitethroat by the time I reached the reserve. Good views of Garden Warbler, Turtle Dove, Reed Warbler, Stonechat en route as I made it out to the middle of the moor just before sunset and was relieved to find the 2CY female Redfoot perched up almost straight away.

Flushed a female cuckoo as I walked a little closer and hunkered down to get awesome scope views as it returned to hunt out pipit nests. It had a browny orange iris, which BWPi says is "rare", detail-fans.

Red-foot sat preening for about twenty minutes before flying to more distant birches and I decided to watch the dusk from the tower for a while. A snipe drummed but I couldn't find it despite having earlier learned that they describe a circle of 100m-800m circumference at a height between 30m and 150m. (wish you had BWPi, too?)

No more falcons and I was too scared of getting lost and sinking in the mire to wait late enough for nightjar. Now I know the route, and didn't actually need a torch on the way back, I'll be braver next time. But the Rhododendron tunnel is creepy and I don't know whether the deer I met in there was more or less startled than me.

Finished nicely with a gropper singing back near the car.

Graham

I was doing a vantage point survey up in scotland a couple of weeks ago and had a snipe drumming constantly for 1hr and 15mins, doing just that!!!

That, Andy, could be a record... " longest recorded continuous performances 63 min (Stubbs 1912) and 65 min (Reddig 1978). "

PS - I meant diameter, not circumference.

Graham

The Strid
 

Hi all

Had a lovely morning here arriving at 6.30am parking at Barden Bridge and did a circular walk to Cavendish Pavillion & back. Apart from are lass only saw one person in first 2 hours, lovely. Saw all my target species except Spotted Flycatcher. Birds seen include:

Redstart (male x2)
Wood Warbler (only one seen, excellant views, heard another different bird)
Pied Flycatchers (saw 4 male, 1 female without having to try)
Mandarin Ducks (at least 4 males)
Blackcap
Dipper
Common Sandpipers (two)
Grey Wagtails
Nuthatch (three)
Garden Warblers (2)
Treecreepers (three)
Goosander
Oystercatcher (with four chicks!)
Redshank
RL Partridge

Hope everyone else had a good day.

John