Went to Wheldrake Ings and Bank Island a couple of days ago. Lots of biting flies as my then sockless ankles testify. Whoops! No water at Bank Island and very little at Wheldrake made for a pretty slow afternoon. Having said that the site of 26 Herons on the main pool was quite impressive. Its the first time ive seen one on there! Also a numbers of Teal seem to have built up a bit. Saw a shoveller with ducklings and 4 pochard going into moult at bank island. Waders were few- a handful of curlew, 2 redshank and an oystercatcher plus the good numbers of lapwing. Nice day out regardless. My ankles itch like nobody's business today though.

Went down to Rodley today, not much new, but plenty of breeding success. The common terns have fledged three young and oystercatchers have fledged two - these represent the first breeding records for the reserve so I'm pleased!

Also common sand and kingfisher on the reserve today. Think a green sandpiper would make my year, and the mud i s looking just perfect fr waders at the moment....

Managed to get a pass out for a couple of hours on Friday evening - immediately set out for Blacktoft Sands.

I knew that it was near Goole, and that Goole is about 35 miles from me - what I didn't expect was that the journey would take me an hour each way !!!

Anyway, pulled up in the car park - busily trying to tell myself that the Spoonbills wouldn't be there and not to get my hopes up. Got to the information centre to discover it closed at 5pm - but the whiteboard said Spoonbills were visible from Townend hide.

Went straight there, opened the hide door and got an immediate view of 2 Spoonbills :D

Spent about 45 minutes in the hide working on my wader recognition skills - also added Spotted Redshank to my life list

A very enjoyable evening, can't beat seeing new lifers and old favourites like Snipe, Marsh Harriers, Teal, Ruff etc etc

Couldn't have asked for a better outcome

Mal Skelton

I see there is a lesser scaup at hornsea mere. Im tempted.

I see on Birdguides it was best seen from the 'members-only hide'. In my Hornsea days it was RSPB but not any more. What 'members' do they mean?

Steve

Decided to go to North Cave Wetlands and Blacktoft Sands today. Not been to North Cave before so it was a nice surprise to find it so stacked with birds. Not a great deal of really exciting stuff but 40 species in 2 hours is good. 2 lifers and a year bird produced;Lots of Little Grebesand Coots. Lapwings aplenty and some VERY loud Black-headed Gulls Plenty of Damselflies and Dragonflies but i have no ID skills in that area. Along the back edge 3 Ringed Plovers which when looking into the sun required a while to be sure of (Still need LRP).Hirundines everywhere. Got to the main lake eventually. As i stood there a Common Tern flew over my head. Year tick (embarrassingly). Only a very brief view. Got into the hide and the first thing i noticed was a small flock of pied wagtails landing on the tern island. All bobbing their tails. Got the bins on them, first four were juvs but something was different about the other 3. They were Common Sandpipers. Lifer. Without the bins their jizz was identical to the wagtails and the distance and colours seemed to aid the illusion. Scanning round the bays to the east end of the lake was another sign of return passage, a single Greenshank, which was another lifer. Don't seem to get these going through my local patch at Wheldrake. After this 4 Terns zipped over the lake but still no great views. Went round to the tower hide, finally getting some decent views of the Common Terns and along with hundreds of Lapwing was a single Black-tailed Godwit. The last bird of note (!) was a Kestrel trying to be a Hobby belting after Hirundines and failing miserably. Had me fooled as it zipped past until it banked and i saw its chestnut back and long tail.
Went down toBlacktoft Sands to see if i could find myself a Green Sandpiper. As i have failed so far this summer. As i got there i went to the wader scrape hide (cant remember what its called). Lots of waders! Another Greenshank (good things come in 2s), at least 6 Spotted Redshank despite what the bods next to me proclaimed (the biggest and best optics in the world compared to my broken cheap bins and still a spotshank needs to be in its summer plumage to qualify as one). Also loads of Ruff, an Avocet dropping in, a Snipe, loads and loads of Godwits, a scattering of Dunlin and the prize for most unlikely wader present goes to the juv Golden Plover that escorted the hordes of Lapwing down to the pools only to realise it didnt want to get its feet wet. Wandered up to first hide. A couple of Little Grebes a juv Great Crested Grebe thats it. Wandered up to the next hide (Townend?). Shock, horror! Spoonbill in none sleeping shock. Id seen this bird beforewith its partner in crime which wasn't present today. It was going for it BIG STYLEE. Little morsels being eaten left right and centre. A bow wave off its bill. Magic. Just in front of the hide were 3 snipe and another bird feeding in the reed fringes. The Snipe were doing their sowing machine bit very close to the hide. The 4th bird was a very scruffy juv Green Sandpiper. 'appy Man was I. Another year bird for the day. Was a few other bits and pieces on there including another couple of Green Sandpipers on the edges of the reeds which i hadn't spotted earlier plus a couple of Grey Herons and another scattering of Ruff. Good day!

I think that the hide is only available to members of the Hull Valley Wildlife Group.

Thanks Mudman. They clearly have an odd idea of the Hull valley!

Steve

Anyone got any idea if the honeys have been seen at Wykeham this year?

Ok, bright sunny day and the obvious potential for colours to look different but driving along Canal Road in Bradford this afternoon I think I saw a kestrel which appeared nearly white. Unable to stop or take a better look due to traffic I asked my wife what colour the bird in the sky was, answer - really pale, nearly white. Anyone else seen or heard of this bird?

Yes they have. Not sure how often but ive been twice and dipped both.

Went down to Rodley yesterday. There was nothing there, should have just watched the garden!

Think i'll try somewhere else today

Wetherby Wetlands
 

First time posting so bear with me if it goes horribly wrong.

Like the idea of a Yorkshire thread. The new A1 has opened up access to some interesting small pools and channels just to the north of Wetherby. Not sure what life is in them yet for birds, but I'll be checking them out soon. Look like the kind of pools where you could find a Grey Phal swimming about.

There's a significant gravel pit about one mile north, but access looks difficult. You can just see it if heading south on the A1. With the Wharfe and Nidd nearby I'm hopeful for the future when life and plants become established.

Steve

Hi all,

I had a free afternoon yesterday, so thought I'd pay a visit to North Cave Wetlands. I was supprised to find the reserve almost free of people. Possibly too hot for some folk.

Highlights of my leisurely walk around the site are as follows:-

Summer plumage Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper and a fly-past by a couple of Oystercatchers.

Several singing Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and a Skylark.

A pair of Tree Sparrows on the boundary hedge.

A small party of Red-legged Partridge drinking from the lake shallows.

I was hoping to see Turtle Dove or Corn Bunting (would be UK firsts for me). I also failed to come across any raptors (not even the usual Kestrel, never mind a Hobby!!!).

However, without sounding soft, it was one of those days when it was just nice to be out in the countryside, watching our more common birds. I also got to practise my rather limited identification skills.

I returned to my car very hot, but with a great big smile on my face
(at least until I realised I had forgotten to bring a drink!)

Having said that, went back down to Rodley today again, there was abit more about including 5 common gulls, a tail bobbing common spiper, and a Rodley first for me - Grey Partridge. Woo hoo!!

And all wild to boot!

Steve, would be very interested to hear what you find out. i work in Wetherby so any newer sites up there would be well appreciated. Let me know the Grid references for what you know :t:

Wetherby isn't a million miles from me so if these places turn out to be gems i may have to take a look.

Went on my first birding expedition this weekend.... Well went with the (bird) camping to Robin Hoods bay with the idea to stop at the Raptor view point in Wykeham forest on the way back. Was there for a couple of hours without seeing much apart from what I thought were a couple of hawks fly past but I cant say what they are, being a complete novice.....

On the way back to Bradford we thought we would stop at Harewood house, while looking for the Kites from the balcony of the gardens we stotted a Buzzard soaring over the fields and woods. I noticed something in one of the trees when I got the binos on it, it was a Red Kite just sitting there looking at us. When I looked up to spot the Buzzard again there were 4 RK`s soaring. Watched them till they booted us out....

A good ending to my first (proper) birding outing.

Does anyone know what Eccup Reservoir is like for watching the RK`s?

Eccup is now only really any good for the kites during the winter when they tend to congregate in the woodland to the NE of the dam wall. At other times it is pot luck as during spring and summer the birds tend to disperse quite widely. A pair have nested in the woodland near Weardley, between Eccup and the Harewood to Pool road. The Harewood area is just about the best for them....I have travelled between Leeds and Harrogate about a dozen times this year and seen at least one bird every journey in the air over the Harewood estate.

Thanks for the tip, i`ll pay Eccup a visit in winter then..... Out of interest where is the viewing platform that Yorkshire water have set up?

It's not really a viewing platform....just an area on the otherside of the hedge that they have fenced off so that 'scopes could be set up. You'll see it at the dam wall, other side of the road to the wall. There's a notice board...or was last time I was there. You look across the valley from the dam wall for the birds.

Eccup
 

There's a nice walk from Eccup Reservoir which takes you into the Harewood grounds. I did it last Saturday and saw at least 10 Red Kites as well as Common Tern, Grey Wagtail, Cormorant, Curlew, Yellowhammer and Grey Heron.

Eccup is good for Goosander in winter.

Jon

Masham area
 

Hi,
We will be staying in Masham for a week from 19th August. Can anyone suggest good birding sites in that area? Also, what is the must see site in Yorkshire? Birding time will be seriously limited, alas.

All suggestions gratefully received.

I'd say the best site in yorkshire to see something is probably blacktoft sands. Of course the East Coast sites can be exceptional but you need the right weather conditions. From where you are nosterfield is pretty close and is worth a trip, but if you ask my opinion the best place in the world is Rodley Nature Reserve in well Rodley ;)

Blacktoft Sands today
 

Spent the morning at Blacktoft Sands - wonder if I saw any Forum members there. I did have my badge on but didn't notice any caps etc..

Highlight was 3 spoonbills from the Townend hide. There hadn't been anything of note there when we arrived but we went back just before we left for home and there was a completely different 'set' of birds. Green sandpiper, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, lots of herons, ruff, godwit, redshank & spotted redshank, yellow and pied wagtail. Someone had seen bearded tits along the reed edge and we had barn owl flapping over the reeds in the distance. It had rained heavily yesterday apparently so maybe it was making up for lost time and hunting in the daytime.

Lots of tiny frogs hopping on the path to the Singleton hide. Maybe there should have been a sign at the beginning of the track warning us to be careful. Mistook a rabbit turd for a frog at times (fancy going through life being mistaken for a rabbit turd!)

I'd be interested to know if any Forum members were at the reserve today. We arrived at 9.15 and left round about 12.15

Sandra

Good stuff Sandra,
I was there Friday, and saw all the birds that you did.

Then have spent the weekend down at Rodley Quite a few new birds down there including snipe and black tailed godwit. Good numbers of common sands, and some litlle grebes started a new nest - seems late to me...

Hi Sandra

A coach party from the north east will be visiting next Saturday - several BF members will be on the trip :-)

Hope the Spoonies hang around as would be most welcome and probably a life tick for some of the party.

Beardies too would be most welcome. Can you post a full list, or PM me the list so I can let the group now what is available as I have never yet visited this reserve. We were advised of Marsh Harrier, what of Bittern? Avocet? I believe they frequent the area too.

Steve

Hi Sandra,
I was at Blacktoft today from about 11am to 3pm, so we probably passed each other!
I missed the Spotted Redshank and the Yellow Wagtail, but saw most of the other species you mentioned. Did you see the Little Egrets? They seemed to fly about alot between the different pools on the reserve.
I was also lucky enough to see several small groups of Bearded Tit. I sat for ages in Marshland Hide with my bins trained on the reed edges and was finally rewarded with brief views. I also saw a large number of Sedge Warblers.
Come to think of it Sandra- if you left at lunch time- I was the bloke sat in the black pick-up truck, stuffing his face with sandwiches and crisps! :eat:

Marshland was the one hide we didn't go in . We left it until later then as we walked towards it we saw that huge group of birders advancing on it so we wouldn't have a chance of getting a seat. The whole crowd of them seemed to stick together instead of splitting up and going to different hides - can't blame them really because their leader sounded really knowledgable when he was explaining what was about.

Didn't get the egrets as, like you say, they were flitting about and we were never where they were!

Good day out though

Sandra

Hi Steve

Bitterns are certainly there regularly but I've only ever seen them in cold weather when the ponds were frozen over. Water rail had been seen today too. Peregrine regular. Many people today saw bearded tit briefly.

Our full list :

Swift
Swallow
House Martin
Sand martin (100s)
Mallard
Teal
Gadwall
Coot
Moorhen
Little Grebe
House sparrow
Tree sparrow
Chaffinch
Collared dove
Wood pigeon
Marsh harrier
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Pheasant
Barn owl
Sedge warbler
Green sandpiper
Ruff
Godwit (Iceland race) blacktailed?
Spotted redshank
Redshank
Spoonbill
Grey heron
Yellow wagtail
Pied wagtail
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Snipe
Avocet
Lapwing
Reed bunting
Dunlin

Think this is all but I may have missed something. Not bad really as we just went for spoonbill. The godwits looked beautiful with their rusty-red plumage.

I'm sure your Group will have a good day out next week. Please post a report or e-mail me with how you went on.

Sandra

In addition to Sandra's list and my above thread, I also had Dunlin (think you forgot to add it to your list Sandra!), Reed Bunting, Greenshank and possibly Peregrine.

The Peregrine was identified as a speck in the sky by a group of 'regulars' who seemed to know their birds (Do I add Peregrine to my list or not?)

I will also be interested to know how your trip next Saturday goes Steve. Perhaps you can write a report on this Yorkshire thread?

If I was looking at a speck in the sky and someone was certain it was a peregrine, I'd put it on my list.

Thanks for those omissions - reed bunting as well as dunlin.

I really should carry round a notebook and jot names down as I see them.

Sandra

Thanks for all info - nice and varied list. It is a local RSPB trip and I'm sure there will be something for everyone.

Of course I will post a report on here - especially as it is my first visit.

Of course x2 you can count the Peregrine, Skink. These "regulars" (like seawatchers) are reliable ;)

Thanks.

Steve

Great idea Sandra - wonder if it will catch on?

3:-)

Not likely we cant get coins out of our pockets down here let alone anything bigger. Went to bank island today nr Wheldrake Ings. Nothing there. At all, saw a fox and heard a tawny owl. Best of the rest was a sedge warbler and a heron very close so i could sketch it (badly, cant draw) in my notes!!

Went for a walk on skipwith common and by the bird tower saw what i assume to be Green Sandpipers on one of the drying up pools. I say assume the were small tringa with not red legs. Thats all i could glean from them in my 2 second view before my fiance shouted "its sooo quiet here!". I may have mentioned it was until she pitched up. Also got a nice male Bullfinch which is a patch tick i believe.

Yorkshire lifer for me today Honey Buzzard flying low over copses Sicklinghall nr Wetherby/Harewood.

Popped into blacktoft after work 5 spotted redshank, 3 Greenshank, 8 Green Sands, 2 little egrets, whimbrel and yellow wags moving through plus marsh harrier and the spoonbills chilling out

Did a long old walk round Wheldrake ings. Very little water on the pools. Quite a few common passerines and loads of cool butterflies, plenty of commas, painted lady plus some dragonflies which i have no idea about. There were red ones! Got mobbed by sedge, reed and garden warblers in the reedbed. Was amazing with all these very loud skulking birds suddenly 3 feet from my head. Must have been 20 birds in total (with my first good view of a garden warbler, clear as a bell). Great fun. Went down to swantail and got a patch tick in the form of Green Sandpiper. Also loads of snipe sowing machining it up round the edge. Only 1 cormorant present (the rest must be at filey). Virtually no water on the main pool which led to lots of lapwing and not a lot else. Lovely day for it!

Jimmy I'm assuming you were the bloke who heard/saw the Corncrake at Sicklinghall earlier this year. I tried the same day without success. I'm intrigued to know the circmstances of the find if it was you. For example were they before or after the buildings at the bottom of the road?

Yes that's me.

If you head down paddock house lane you come to a barn (where they burn the willow), and a building called Prog Hall (this is where I work). One of my colleagues had been working late the night before and told me about a noise they'd been hearing late at night - knowing I'm a naturalist. He said it was really annoying. Anyway as he was telling me it started up again, and I immediately knew what it was. It was calling from the horse paddock which is next to the public footpath that heads roughly west from paddock house lane. I heard it intermittently until around lunchtime at which point the local farmer (Gareth) moved his horses into this field. The next morning my colleagues told me they had heard the noise again, but from the east, and I thought I could here it too in the distance. It was much further away though, and at the time couldn't go looking.

Most of birds reported in that area are made by me. For example I've also had whimbrel in the area too. Fustratingly there are wondering winter geese in the area, but I haven't pinned them down as yet. There's loads of other good stuff - bullfinch, y'hammer, little owl, lesser whitethroat, quail, and of course all the red kites.