Thanks for the tip on the walk, Chris. Will try it.

Interestingly, just back from St Aidan's which has 2 LRP but also several Ringed Plover, so I really don't know, sorry. Also 2 Black-Necked Grebes, 3 Garganey, 1 Common Scoter, 1 Glaucous Gull, 2 Blackwits, a ruff, dunlin, wheatear etc. Pretty good line-up.

Actually spent most of the day at Wheldrake. From quarter to seven until eleven I had the whole reserve to myself! 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 23 Willow Warblers presumably part of a sudden influx as I had only 1 before today, a few pintail left and all the regulars. Drumming snipe and a Barn Owl that nearly flew into the hide. What with the weather, too, a splendid day!

Graham

yesterdays Bird guides had a Spotted Flycatcher at Fairburn, so cancelled trip to Nosterfield and Loshpotts,(will save these for later).
Arrived at fairburn much later than I should have, but despite the place being as busy as Blackpool Pleasure Beach, logged up Blackcap-Grey Wagtail -Green Woodpecker and Spotted Flycatcher, 2 oystercatchers flew over, think Wheatear but not 100%sure so not counting it, just missed Little Owl on post in meadow behind centre
also missed Lesser Whitethroat.
Mandarin Duck and Garganey were on flashes in Lindyke area yesterday no sign of Avocets, but can't have everything,
pete

Sykes Wood - Destroyed
 

Sykes Wood, has been completey destroyed by the new farmer there. Is there someone I contact? The site is not a SSSI or anything so I assume he can do waht he like. A number of the Rodley regulars bird this as a second patch, and we only went down to check for spotted fly. lesser whites, and LSW that all breed there. However the main hedge which stretched for over 500 yards has been cut out, and the area is about to be cleared. there is a small copse left and another hedge, but we are all gutted.

Map below

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...=1&scale=25000

I went to Fairburn today and there was a Swallow on the telephone wires near Priory Cottage with a radio transmitter clearly visible. The cottage is on the road to Lindyke where there is a bend in the road. The bird was seen several times around the cottage and other buildings, but unfortunately I couldn't see a ring.

Does anyone know who might be tracking the birds?

Rodley, sat AM, not a lot - two singing blackcapsfirst there this year, and had a wheatear about 400 yards from the recording area! couldn't count it and the area is not visible from the reserve, that's why its abogey bird i guess.

Went up to the Stridd today and walked all the way up to upper Barden and back (practising for the summer walk). Good raptors up there as you would expect, no site of any of the Bolton Abbey specials, but did get dipper, grey wag and nuthatch. Considering the distance covered I didn't see one wheatear or rousel, even in a site where I normally nail them. Maybe its too early for our own birds to be back yet. Clocked loads of grouse, curlew and lapwing.

Peregrines
 

Just catching up with this thread...

Collating Yorkshire reports for the Rare Birds Breeding Panel for 2005 I identified 17 occupied Peregrine nests in Yorkshire, of which 9 successfully reared 17 young, 6 failed and 2 unknown outcomes. This is probably a minimum number, as quite understandably birders are sensitive about the locations of nests.

Saw an adult male Peregrine today hunting waders over the Outstray Farm managed retreat on the Humber near Patrington...my WeBS count....often there in winter so possibly a migrant? (they have apparently bred in the past on one of the bull forts in the Humber). Still one Pale-bellied Brent there with 60 Dark-bellieds, Short-eared Owl and Marsh Harrier.
Also on my wanderings today, Buzzard at Easington...ever expanding eastwards although prob. a migrant, Lesser Whitethroat at North Cave, Whimbrel along Market Weighton Canal near "Land of Nod" near Holme on Spalding Moor.....I was just exploring and simply had to go there...the name is so intriguing, then after a kip I went to Broomfleet where I saw a Common Redstart then for a Marsh Harrier show at Faxfleet.

Geoff

Whimbrel in Lower Derwent Valley
 

Just read Geoff's sightings from yesterday and noted the Whimbrel record from near Holme.
This is firstly to let people know that several local birder's/natural England/YWT have been running a research programe on the spring passage roost of Whimbrel at Wheldrake Ings. Seems topical to mention it now as birds are due to arrive at the roost anyday now - if fact, for the last three years birds have arrived on the 16th April. This has included counts, radio tracking birds and fitting one with a satellite tag in 2005 - the story of this bird can be seen on www.whimbrel/info

The project is continuing this year, with almost nightly counts of the roost, and one or two catching sessions in order to radio track another four birds and satellite tag another three - progress to be reported on the website. We will also be colour-ringing birds, and there are already 27 colour-ringed birds out there somewhere to be spotted. 7 of the 12 birds colour-ringed at this roost in 2005 returned to the roost in 2006, so with more marked birds outthere, it will be interesting to see how many return in 2007.

If members on this group could therefore check any whimbrel there come across for colour-rings that would be really helpful. For thos interested in attending the wheldrake roost, birds usually arrive about 30mins before sunset , building fro now to a peak (100+) in the last few days in April/early May. Roost site changes over time but best usually from swantail hide - there will be people in the best hide so should be easy to find.

Otherwise, public guided walk/whimbrel eve on friday 27th April - meet at the Wheldrake bridge car park for 7pm. Anyone interested in seeing the catching/ringing will have to pm me.

Hope thats of use/interest

Had a short trip out to Strines Moor yesterday. It was in the afternoon, with loads of people enjoying the sunshine, so I didn't see that much. Watching and listening to the Red Grouse was a joy though, there were loads of them about. Also quite a few Meadow Pipits, Curlews calling in the distance, and a Swallow overhead.

Had a walk round Warley reservoir and found a small flock of twite with orange leg rings. Assuming its part of a study, anyone need this reporting?

Also saw male Peregrine, stonechat, wheatear, curlew, meadow pipits etc

Caught up with the Red-necked Grebe at Weel. Not a happy bird-looked very disressed.

Thanks Graham, I guess it will have to remain a mystery. Next time I'll take bigger binocs and have my big backpack with me.
Ta, Chris.

Local birder informs me Hebden Ghyll has held upto 9 Ring Ousel and Raven over the past fortnight.

Might be worth a look in for you Lawts.

2 Little Gull at North Cave and minimum 4 LRP

Red necked Grebe
 

RSPCA informed today and they visited the site this afternoon. Not sure of the outcome but the bird obviously in need of assistance.

Ldv
 

The first whimbrel arrived back at the Wheldrake roost at 8.22pm last night - from swantail hide. Numbers should pick up quite quickly now. What was presumably the same bird was present during the afternoon at Bank Island.

American Wigeon still there with good numbers of migrants now present - 3 cuckoo's showing well from swantail and 15+ sedge warblers in the reedbed.

We also went out last night before the whimbrel roost to monitor the cormorant colony (well someone has to do it). Some of the young are quite big now so BTO ringed the first 18 young. The last nest we got to held one normal bird and one pure albino- its probably as close to a cute cormorant as you can get.
Once its fledged and flying about it's going to cause a few confused moments when its seen flying in or over somewhere!!!! However, it should be fairly easy to track so any sightings welcome.

cheers

Too right! Crikey!

Are the movements of Cormorants from the colony well understood? Just trying to think where they would do all their fishing... surely they don't fly out to the coast each day?


Cheers,
Bob.

Not totally sure but there is also a cormorant colony at Castle Howard and im sure there is plenty of fishing there, plus there are many private fishing lakes in the vicinity which could be utilised. I have seen a number of cormorants at North Cave and i dont know where the nearest colony is. I have seen Cormorants use the A1079 as a flyway from York to Hull so maybe this could explain something.

I've often seen adults flying between Bridlington bay and Driffield/Tophill (either direction) in spring and hadn't thought they could be making flights over the top of the Wolds toward LDV. Intriguing...


Cheers,
Bob.

There's quite a healthy cormorant population at Fairburn Ings, I see birds most mornings flying west (inland) towards the South of Leeds.

Cormorants in LDV
 

re [quote=LDVbirder]




What type (subspecies) of Cormorant were they? or is colony mixed?
Many inland colonies are continental race sinensis.

Geoff

Thanks Marcus. Just been down in Bristol for a couple of days with work so out of touch with the thread. Didn't get chance to do any birding down there. Going to Losh tonight as I haven't been for a bit. Hoping for a Lesser White. or something along the road.

May be London for me on Friday depending how news goes today.

Did the first of the BTO ringed plover/little ringed plover surveys today, I drew the Knotford Nook area near Otley. Nice walk round the gravel pits but no plovers, did have my first sand martins of the year though. At least a dozen moving up the valley, hawked over the water for a few minutes then went on their way. Could only find 1 house martin though, and no swallows
The footpath that runs along the river there was very productive with at least 3 singing willow warblers as well as a couple of chiffchaffs. Also a very obliging treecreeper that fed on a willow right in front of me, took no notice of me, just kept on shuffling around and up the trunk.
On the way back to Leeds, Weardley came up trumps, not only 3 red kite in the air but also a superb pale plumaged buzzard.
All in a very nice couple of hours, just a shame there were no plovers, but there isn't really any suitable habitat for them in that area, so it looks like I'll be submitting a negative survey.

Got my first Lesser Whitethroat of Spring between canal and river near Woodlesford in the Aire Valley this morning. Whitethroat has also arrived in last couple of days and a Swift was seen today.

Graham

Spoke to my old man this evening... a mate of his (a farmer) says there's some talk of reintroducing Bustards onto the Yorks Wolds - not clear where, but somewhere northish, possibly near Sledmere.

So, is this right or is me Dad's mate on crack? To be honest I'd believe either equally.

Oh and there's four Swallows flying around over his house this eve - following the first on Monday. I'm getting itchy feet for a visit.......

Cheers,
Bob.

Potentially two new ticks today by the office. Firstly a super lesser whitethroat singing from the brambles at the corner of paddock house lane. Secondly and perhaps more exciting I had what I am 95% convinced was a Montagu's Harrier over the top fileds. I was in the MD's office and obvilousy he has the best windows when I looked out and thought I saw a Hen Harrier. That in its own right would represent an office tick so I was pretty excited and ran out onto the drive to get a closer look. The Harrier loafed around for another minute. I have seen Monty's before in this country and more recently last summer in Andalucia. Basing the description on jizz alone I am confident that it was structured much more subtly and also had that more slim floaty flight I associate with monty's.

A very exciting few minutes, and when I get home I'll check my notes with some books to see if there are any correlations with the plumage features I picked out to confirm this.