Quail
 

Birds are centred around Bubwith Bridge, with three calling from Bubwith Ings. Follow the public footpath north upstream on the bubwith side (c200m). There has also been a single bird on the south side of the road (listen from the road as there is no other access) and one by the road between the car park at North Duffield and Bubwith ings. Early am best (up to 8.30ish) and again in late evening but calling on and off all day. No tape lures please!! Just enjoy.

Elsewhere in the valley, still record numbers of garganey with 2 drakes at North Duffield, 2 at bank island and up to five at Wheldrake Ings as well as scattered birds elsewhere.

Quail
 

Attachment 141427

A photo (if it works) of one of quail caught this year in the Lower Derwent valley - this one from Bubwith - one of the best views your likely to get - part of a research programme into the species in the area which appears to be something of a regional/national hotspot

Hi Marcus yr Avatar - Don't look like BAP to me.:-O

Best

Daz

Went to North Duffield Carrs this evening got there about 6.45. stood listening for quail in the meadow/paddock along side the path to the first hide. Did not hear much other than traffic noise and a rather loud sedge warbler.

I then went into the first hide and heard the quail from the direction of the river within ten minutes of going in the hide. I heard it again twice more over a period of twenty minutes, I did not hear it again even though I stayed until 8.50pm

julie

Awww.... spent quite a while with the foxes, they were more scared of the wind than me. There were littler ones as well!

Hi all, I know this isn't specific to this forum but i know some of you guys have been up to Scotland a fair bit (and I haven't!) I'm going to be staying at the Glen Nevis camp site nr Ben Nevis for a week in Mid June and was wondering if anyone could help me out with some good birding locations. Not really sure what is possible in than area having never been that way before. Would like to connect with some of the following (if possible). I;ve just ordered the WTWB Scotland Book but any gen on the following would be cool!!!!:

Crested Tit
White-tailed and Golden Eagle
Osprey
Wood Warbler/Twite
Red-necked/Slav Grebe
Scot/Parrot Crossbill
Ptarmigan
Capper
Quail/Corncrake
Dotterel
Hen Harrier
Shearwaters/Petrels

Please feel free to drop me a PM if it is deemed necessary.

cheers

Andy

Tried out timble ings last night after getting some quality directions from bitterntwisted. Got on site at 8.30pm but only had 3 wood cock to show by 9.45pm. Possible large owl flushed on forest track (long wings and brown) and maybe a cuckoo (brown kestrel sized) near the farm. Both views were fleeting. May need some more advice about best places to watch.

On a better note, went back to Bolton Abbey after dipping on the spotted flycatchers last week and took the wife along. (bonus points needed for leeds final on sunday)
Saw all the star performers (Graham - wood warbler still on station) including redstart in the strid. Finally caught up with the spotteds (wife spotted high up in an oak) she's got eyes to match bitterntwisteds ears. Also refound ravens during our picnic, bonus of cuckoo getting mobbed by a chiffchaff and a possible LSW (need to check calls on CD). Red Kite again over west bank fields.

Marcus, i think i know where you got the fantastic shots of the nuthatch from. Literally feeding from my hand today!

Had a quick check for Quail at Armthorpe this morning, no joy should have gone to Bubwith.. Checked Beal Carrs, just Yellow Wagtail & 2 Roe Deer of note, finished at Lyne Dyke, Fairburn, and just chatting with Vince, when a Osprey appeared at 13:20, circled and flew off on the prevailing winds west, towards Swillington Ings.

Best
Daz

Can't have missed that osprey by much, damn. Was in that area by 1:45, though probably wouldn't have noticed it unless it was reasonably low and really obvious. Did see a marsh harrier but that was about the only thing of interest today, well maybe the hares on the morning dog walk too.

Had my first day at Bolton Abbey today, nice place, but expensive. £5.50 for car parking and £7.80p for 2 teas, 1 piece of cake and 1 J2o......

Birds:
Garden Warbler
Wood warbler
Chiff Chaff

Redstart

Blackbird
Song Thrush
Starling
Robin

Blue Tit

Chaffinch

Mallard
Mandarin

Jackdaw

Greylag

Pheasent

Spotted Fly
Pied Fly.

My purpose for the visit was to capture images of Pied Fly's and following Marcus' advice soon located.

Dave, next time go early and park in Storith's Lane for nowt. Don't go giving ole man Devonshire yer hard earned brass. I never buy anything at the Cavendish Pavillion now as the tight-fisted b@st@rd kicked out the previous people who used to run the cafe there, didn't give them a chance when the lease came up for renewal a couple of years ago. They were quite reasonable with their prices, now that it is the estate that are running the cafe, all they want is your credit card details and your PIN number so they can bleed you dry.
Gripe over....very tasty pictures. I hope I have as clear a view of the pied flys when I'm there tomorrow morning about 5.00am.

Keith
Do you know where the Pieds are?

Graham and Marcus have both pm'ed details so I'm confident of scoring at least one sighting...

Got your pm Dave and noted the details... I should be one happy bunny tomorrow I reckon

I had very mixed results at Spurn this afternoon. After a very busy morning at work, I planned to watch the football at home, however the chance of Broad-billed Sandpiper proved too tempting.

To cut a long story short, I missed a Common Rosefinch by 5 minutes, had a possible Arctic Tern too distant to be 100% on ID. I also had a very distant wader that I was told was BB Sand. It took flight before I was satisfied I was on the correct bird!

As some consolation I had two decent flight views of Female/Juv Golden Oriole and several Cuckoos.

Back from Bolton Abbey, all target birds achieved! Thanks Marcus, Graham and Dave, info was spot on.
On site for 5.30, parked on Storiths Lane as advised, I made a complete circuit of the Strid, crossing from East to West bank at the aqueduct and back to the East bank at the Cavendish Pavilion.
Spot fly in the place you saw your first bird Graham, I was watching a garden warbler when the spot fly landed in same tree, moved up through foliage and then took off to cross the river.
Pied fly, at least 7 or 8 males, at all location given and I managed to find a couple myself right at the top end of the wood.
Wood Warbler, I reckon I saw your showy bird Graham, but also managed to locate a singing male on the other bank, singing in full sunshine.
Redstart, the only real disappointment, I located a singing male but it was high in an oak tree and couldn't get a decent view of it.
Mandarin, found 2 drakes, one by the aqueduct and the other by the Cavendish Pavilion.
Dipper, only saw one but got some good pictures, digiscoped with the camera on normal... no zoom needed.
So a happy chappie with 6 year ticks from the mornings excursion.
I'll post the dipper pics later when downloaded them from camera

Look forward to the "dipper" photos Keith, looked hard yesterday bu could not locate one.

Wood warbler, at Bolton Abbey - I was there dawn yesterday!

Had a couple of trips to Spurn this weekend, I saw the BBS yesterday but the views were poor so went back again today and fared a little better.
Quite a few waders on show with Curlew Sandpiper,Sanderling (summer plumage),Knot,Bar-Tailed Godwit,'Tundra'Ringed plover etc.
The BBS was quite active as the tide flooded and took some pinning down.This shot was taken south of the warren, but it was later re-located at the Northern end of canal zone.
Tried for the bluethroat but no sign, didn't bother with the golden oriole but it was there again.
Not a bad day considering the wind.
More shots on the blog.

I enjoyed my day at Bolton Abbey last year despite the drizzle and I'm planning a visit there the week after next. This time I hope to get to the valley of desolation and not be stopped with a headache. Didn't see redstart last time round so there's one target and I'm still being foiled by garden warblers. The other birds mentioned will all be year ticks so please be kind weather.

Could any of you Yorkshire birders please give me any advice.I will be spending a couple of days around Robin hoods bay near Whitby at the end of June and was wondering were the best places to watch seabirds might be.I would particularly like to see Sandwich Roseate and Little terns as well as the usual sea bird species.Any help would be most appreciated.Thanks

Here's a couple of pictures from this morning, the best of the dipper photos and the best of the others I took. Didn't have the light to get any pictures of pied flycatcher but if time allows I'm going back to have another bash.
This afternoon I was talked into going for a walk with Sheila, we finished up walking to the summit of Beamsley Beacon from Addingham, only 6 miles and almost a thousand feet of ascent. Very B windy at the top but coming down we were treated to a sight that was a first for me. A hen red grouse with downy chicks crossed the path in front of us.

You'll struggle to find Roseate or Little tern but there should be sandwich tern round about, not sure where the nesting ground is. The main sea bird colonies are Bempton/Flamborough but you may see small numbers of razorbill/guillemot/gannet along the coast. The cliffs at Ravenscar will probably have a few birds there. I think there are normally Fulmar nesting at Sandsend, but only the odd pair.

You're in a good position for North York Moors and for Teesside so I'd check the DUrham birding page.

Finally, take a hammer and chisel because Ravenscar can be good for ammonites and belemnites.
http://www.ravenscar.ukfossils.co.uk/
http://www.dinocoast.org.uk/sites.html
http://www.ukfossils.co.uk/nyorkshire.htm

The best place for seawatching from around Whitby is Ness Point:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...506680&A=Y&Z=3

You should see Sandwich Terns from there, and Manxies, at that time of year. Alternatively try the high-tide roost at Saltwick Nab where there is often a roost of terns (and waders) at Black Nab

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap...510500&A=Y&Z=3

This is a lot more hit and miss than it used to be due to distrubance and also there are not so many terns offshore at that time of year so you may well draw a blank on that one.

Roseate Tern is exceptionally rare off Whitby, though does occasionally get picked-up and Little Tern is almost equally as rare - so not much chance of either off there I'm afriad unless you get very lucky.

HAve a good trip.

Little Tern
 

Hi Gossypots
Try South Gare (Redcar), if you have time for Little, they normally roost with the Sandwich on the rocks to the right of the Gare at the end, above Cabin Rocks, Rosy normally quite a bit further north to Northumberland.

Good/windy day at Spurn today, BBSand showed well in the scope, after everyone had seen it at around 10:00, so eventually it took 1.5 hrs & seemed like hundreds of Dunlin later, when I re-found it @ distance, in the end good views with Ray S. & Garry T.

Only my second in York's - but the best views...

Blacktoft was quite, best 79 Avocets on Marshland.

___________________________
Best
Daz

Just got an email from Billy Shiels. Sailing not garanteed for tomorrow - gutted :-C

Anyone got any suggestions in how to use the day pass. Anyone fancy some birding?