Smew
 

Smew at Fairburn today, if anyone interested, also 5 or 6 redpoll,tree creeper and g s woodpecker,heard but didn't see green woodpecker. Paths round boardwalk nearly all walkable, lindyke path to be repaired starting Monday (so I've been told), only second day out this year, so really enjoyed it. Some very friendly people there today,
pete

Cool, male or female smew? Which ings?

male- big water near visitor centre, but best view for me was from lay-bye
where all "duck feeders" go,
pete

Hi Pete,
Long time no see, thanks for the tip off, will call in tomorrow on my way to work in Ponte.

You're welcome sir!
Had to try-out my Xmas pressie, a new 'scope, all £45 pounds worth (who's tight fisted?)

Was surprised by redpolls, they weren't high up in alders where I expected to see them, they were almost in water where one piece of boardwalk slopes into floods,
Thanks to Scottish gentleman for tip
C U later,
pete

Got the American Robin today. It was hidden in the large conifers for a while before flying across to the open area of grass. Superb! Also saw a Jay flying across the gardens. I hope the residents of the main garden being observed are comfortable with the situation. I didn't have time to try for the Firecrest which was a pity. Then to Dick Hudson's for a celebratory lunch. If both the Robin and the Firecrest hang around I'm sure I'll be back to try and get some shots.

It certainly emphasises the need to work your regular patch. How often rarities are turned up because of another bird in the same vicinity. Just shows what can be out there waiting to be found. I'm inspired to give Loshpotts a quick glance in the morning.

Had a cracking day down rodders today. Started well with Chiffchaff in the car park and then 7 goosanders from the bridge. From the first hide there was shoveler tufted duck and a couple of goldeneye. There were tit flocks roaming everywhere, and in one I picked up on the regular GSW and a couple of jays rasping away. The gull numbers are high at the moment and this was accenuated when a peregrine stooped thought the flock - Rodley lifer.

Walked down to the foot of the reserve through the finch/linnet flock, and had a kingfisher bolt up the river. So went on my way up to managers garden and the first bird I saw was a tree sparrow, there were more linnets and a difficult Rodley bird goldcrest.

attached picture is digiscoped so quite pleasing.

Had a great day birding round Yorkshire today, started with the American Robin and Firecrest at Bingley, followed by female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Bittern, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Willow Tit, 2 Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker at Potteric Carr then finished with the beautiful drake Smew at Fairburn from the duck feeding platform and Green Woodpecker too. With Red Kite seen over the A1, a real treat of a day with over 70 species recorded!!

Cheers

ANDY

I worked Loshpotts briefly this morning. Question...why is it so poor for birds? I've had a couple of waders on it during autumn, and a few ducks and grebes, but it's lacking something. Today, the best was four drake Pochard, Shelduck, about ten Mallard, large group of Greylags, and a group of Black-headed Gulls.

As winter was approaching I had high hopes for larger duck flocks, some winter duck such as Goldeneye, but it's gone down hill. No Mute Swans, no Coots, no Tufted Duck, no Little Grebes, (it had five in the autumn), no birds on its margins such as Lapwing, Golden Plover, Snipe, Grey Heron or even any corvids. Looking at the map, I'm sure there should be a stream flowing through it, so fish should be replenished.

It's still relatively new, (about two years old) with little vegetation around the banks, and this may be the problem - i.e. it's still getting established. The A1 thunders close by but this shouldn't be too much of a put off. It's low lying. It's sandwiched between the Wharfe and the Nidd. It's undisturbed.....so why no birds?

Anyone any thoughts as to why it might be proving unattractive?

How's the submerged vegetation at the site? If there isn't much then there will be little other life in the water as well, which will also limit the attracion to the birds.

I think it all starts from the bottom of the food chain, Steve. If it's good for plants and insects ultimately it'll be good for birds. I've often wished I understood ecosystems better - perhaps some biologists and botanists can point us to the underlying factors?

Worst Yorkshire Dips
 

As we've got a superb rarity in Yorkshire at the moment which I've been lucky enough to see, it made me think of some of those that got away. I've included a few of my worst which are all birds I still need as lifers. Please share your worst Yorkshire dips and missed opportunities. Trust me it's good for the soul.

My worst has to be the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater at Great Cowden. About three or four days before this bird turned up, I was driving to Bridlington on the road north of Atwick with my then new girlfriend, (now my wife) and we were running late. I passed a bird on wires which I remarked looked very much like a bee-eater. There were cars behind and no safe place to pull up for a mile or so beyond the sighting. As we were late, I convinced myself it couldn't have been and didn't turn round. I then heard news of the Great Cowden bird, (bear in mind this was pre-birdlines and pagers) and rushed over, missing MY bird by a day. I could have been famous. Instead a huge blocker on my list.

With three other birders Who I didn't know, I saw a Great Snipe fly over canal scrape at Spurn and out on to the estuary. News then came through of a Great Snipe showing at Filey. I made the trip to Filey from Spurn. At Filey the bird was never relocated after the initial sighting. Meanwhile the Spurn bird was relocated in the afternoon and showed well, but too late for me to do the drive in reverse.

I wasn't tapped into information and never went for the long staying Marmora's Warbler. I think it was Look North who finally told me about it. Equally I missed the breeding Little Bitterns at Potteric. I think it was Look North who broke trhat news for me, and when they said they were on private land, I didn't go. One of them even made a return visit and I still didn't act.

More recently I missed the Pine Grosbeak at Spurn. As soon as news broke I set off immediately from Leicester where I was working all to no avail.

This list is by no means exhaustive.

Then there's the national ones....no don't go there. Some of those are too painful.

Never mind, it's these moments that make the ticks all the more special and enjoyable!

Not sure Keith. I don't know if it was mud left after the new A1 was made, or if part of it was flooded grassland. I suspect the former. Sounds daft, but the water looks lifeless if that makes any sense.

Yes, I once watched a programme showing how a gravel pit became established and it did take a bit of time. Of course this isn't a gravel pit as such.

Missed
red-footed falcon at Blacktoft Sands by 15 minutes,
great grey shrike at Bempton by 30 minutes
bee-eater at Fairburn Ings by about 1 hour
iceland gull at Fairburn Ings every time so far
osprey at fairburn by being at the wrong end of the reserve when it dropped into the village bay
white winged black tern at fairburn by being caught in the traffic of all the birders going for the marsh sandpipers.
I could go on but won't burden you with my woes

No please do, it cheers me up.

Got to share my worst national. It has to be the recent Belted Kingfisher. I was in the crowd in Staffordshire from dawn. I was just giving up when news of it in Yorkshire broke, so I was one of the lead cars. Having dipped in Yorkshire, I was elated when it was re-found in Aberdeenshire. I agreed to wait until the weekend to go with my brother, rather than make separate trips. Just got over the Forth road bridge on the Saturday morning when news came through that it had gone.

Hey ho.

What others said, it's probably just too early in it's development. OTOH, lifelessness could be an indication of some residue toxic chemical problems - perhaps from it's former commercial use, or even from the road development?

Keep at it though!

Cheers,
Bob.

I solved that little problem by giving up twitching (last biggie was the Marmora's at Spurn in 92)... much better for the soul ;)

Cheers,
Bob.

Had a mixed day today. Spent the morning at Tophill Low where I finally nailed the long staying American Wigeon, with the help of some local birders. Can't say I was too impressed with the bird. Also got great views of a trio of Smews, including two close up males.

The afternoon was spent looking for the White Stork in Ebberston, North Yorks (last reported on Saturday). Looked for over an hour with no success. It is the third time I've dipped W Stork so I wasn't supprised.

If the Yank Robin is still around this next week I might make the trip to see it. Is it easy to find for someone with no knowledge of the area?

Hope you all had a good weekend.

This is the first mega in the region since I have been mobile. Two years ago I was at Spurn when there were 16 different Wrynecks - it is still my bogey bird! I was also there when The lesser gey shrike wasaround but didn't connect with it. Didn't feel like a miss tough. In the early 90's I ticked a Sard warbler on South Landing which has since been taken my list off although I am assured it was one. I only saw it in flight.

Growing up I missed a fair few birds but they weren't in Gods County so don't count here. I think the birds I missed the most were those bee eaters that bred and I couldn't get to. Were they in county?

I found with yorkshire that the coastal megas just don't stick long enough so I have avoided the temptation to go for them. Still there's time...

Not too difficult to find Mike, the directions on the Yank Robin thread are best.

Marcus
The bee eaters were in Durham, I thought long and hard about going but stuck to my rule about staying in county.

Dipped White's Thrush-was there but had to go and play football. Rubbish. Also Bonelli's and Arctic Warbler at Bempton by an hour.

Ps-seen the Robin, nice bird but it was marred by a woman stood looking into a garden from the only vantage point shouting i cant see it until it flushed, then some prat with a long lens put it down into undergrowth. Peregrine thing with jesses was attacking Rooks. No sign of Firecrest when i looked or Mandarins.

Cheers Keith. Might try Tuesday if its still around.