Pfff, isn't it about time Yorks produced another 1st for UK :-O


Cheers,
Bob.

Hi Steve Done it a few times, best advice is here..

http://www.teesmouthbc.com/main.aspx

Go into the site guide tab and its there.

Good luck

PS - How did you not get one in the 1995 influx?
____________________
Darren

Back from deepest Norfolk, White Crowned Sparrow "ticked" well worth the trip.smoke:

A trip report here

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=105079

Hi could you give me any details where i could see red kites and bull finches in east yorkshire. would be most happy to view these spieces.

Hi Carl, Bullfinches all over East Yorks at the mo, check the hedgerows! Best winter i remember for em. As for Red Kites i believe there is only 1-2 pairs in east yorks around south cave but im not at liberty to give any more detailed information on a public forum. Your best bet is to head to north Leeds to Eccup reservoir dam, you should see a good number then.

Hi Carl
Bullfinches today at Old Moor feeder area near the shop. Stunning close views but with the day's weather, I could have done with a headtorch. To those photographers amongst us all I can say is 40th of a second at f4- ISO 800!!!!! Dimmmmmmmmmmmm

looking for all the winter raptors, tried worlaby carrs, blacktoft and swillington ings. trying to get good views of peregrine and merlin. also interested in seeing male hen harrier and rough legged buzzard.

does anybody know any good sites to see good views of above.

cheers mark.

Rough-legged Buzzard up at Sleddale i believe in Cleveland (think details are on previous page). No male Hen Harriers this year so far at regular roosts.

Anybody know if the Lesser Pecker is still showing at Fairburn?Thought I might give it a go on Sunday and go to Potteric.

Cheers Darren. It's always eluded me. Going to try a.m. tomorrow so hopefully will get it.

Yes Geoff, still showing well down "Cut Road", you might get snipe, chiff chaff and kingfisher from the hide as well,may be worth having a look on the Village Bay, the smew might be there, it moves between there and the Main Bay.
good luck,
pete

Was it seen recently - may try early doors...

Hi Mark

Try Flamborough for Peregrine and Merlin. Park at North Landing and walk along the cliff top towards the lighthouse. You should at least see Peregrine (look for sudden panic amongst the Doves and Jackdaws). The last two times I've done the walk I have seen Merlin hunting Snow Bunting in the stubble field next to the golf course. The path is nearly always muddy at this time of year.
Good Luck.

Should be able to get both Peregrine and Merlin at Flamborough

Thanks for that Pete.

juv Peregrine being very obvious at Wheldrake recently BUT its a bit flooded at mo.

Had a good day in Norfolk with James yesterday, good to see Lapland and Snow Buntings, even better to see the White Crowned Sparrow8-P

Went to North Cave this morning to "chill" after the trauma of yesterdays journey!! Damn Norfolk is tucked away!

Bird list

Female Scaup*
Mallard
Shoveler
Shelduck
Teal
Pochard
Tufted Duck

Greylag Geese
2 Pinkfooted Geese

Mute Swan

Green Woodpecker
Greater Spotted Woodpecker

Robin
Dunnock
Starling
Blackbird

Oyster Catcher
Snipe

Yellow Hammers++++
Reed Bunting
Siskins
Redpolls
Bull Finch

Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long Tailed Tit

Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe

Kestrel
Peregrine (flew through)

Black headed Gulls

=31

Have a look at the Redpoll photo, Mealy?? What do you think

I think this may be a lesser Dave.

Hi Marcus, totally agree, bill and head colour not right. Like your Blog, very "swish"
Dave

Thanx I have to have a look take a trek in me car up that way leeds as far as bullfinches go I'll have to look more detailed veiw with bins and scope still new to the subject so thanx for the info.
Carl

Just back from spending all day on the Rough-legged Buzzard.....without success.

Got there at first light, and gave it until 2:30, then just had to drive round for 15 mins. to thaw out, and returned to find nothing had changed. Gave up as it was getting dusk.

If you go for it, beware the pale Common Buzzard in the area as well.

What can I take from the day. Well, Snipe and Red Grouse on the yearlist about sums it up.

The birding lords will repay you Steve I am sure, always good to put in the hours. I went to Potteric today, and get some pleasing images of some tits (James not Jenna Jameson). Also got the usuals plus siskin and redpoll. Plenty of bullfinches around too Carl.

More pictures (including a bittern) on the blog

Fairburn Ings
 

May be of use to someone.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guid.../sightings.asp
pete

Thanks Pete....but I'm not going for the 'pecker....don't want to rick my back again...LOL. I'll keep that page bookmarked though, if they are updating it regularly it will be useful

Ah Potteric....what more do you need to say.
That rail is a showy monkey, Marcus, I've got about a dozen shots of it and indeed one of them made it's way onto BF as my avatar. The only bittern shots I managed are of just a birds head...it was too close for digiscoping, they were from the Piper Marsh and the stupid autofocus on the camera picked up the reed just in front of the bird so the bittern is slightly fuzzy. Couldn't find lesser 'pecker last time I was there in Dec either but we did manage to get both green and great spot. Got to get down there soon to renew my pass.

Was in York this afternoon and thought I might have a peek at the Water Pipit at Catterton. Unfortunately, due to one thing or another, I didn't get to the site until 4pm. On the lane there were two areas of water. The first one was on the right hand side and looked quite established. The second 'pond' was on the left a bit further up the lane. Which one has the WP?
The light was almost gone when I had a brief sighting of a pipit at the first pond although I couldn't rule out Meadow.

Paid a quick visit to Fairburn Ings this afternoon:-

No sign of the LSW - it appears to have gone on a weekend break (!) - lots of people seeking it though.

However, excellent views of the drake Smew on the main lagoon. Also close-up views of a pair of Snipe from the Cut hide plus Goldeneye, Scaup, Kingfisher, Redshank plus a good variety of all the usual suspects.

Couldn't stay in one place for too long however as accompanied by 10 week old daughter who tends to start shouting when I stop.

rob

Starting her young eh Rob? Just think of the tick list she'll have when she can read...LOL

It was on the first patch on the right of the road. At the back of this patch (from the ebor way path) with meadow pipits when i first saw it and then the other day close to the wooded area near the path on its own (no other pipits present) before moving round the field. Would put a tenner on your pipit being the bird but ...

Thanks James. I woud put money on my bird been the Water Pipit but if it went on my list I wouldn't sleep at night.
Having got Lapland Bunting, Turtle Dove and Brambling all in Yorkshire last year, I'm considering Water Pipit or White-fronted Goose for the position of Bogey. Have been for both a numer of times over the last few weeks and still don't have a tick from either.

Definitely WFG for me at the moment but it can all change.

If you do try Leeds then give East Leeds a try. I saw 2 pairs and a group of about 6 or 7. There does seem to be more of them around lately. The area is between Barnbow, Garforth and Scholes. The larger group were hanging around by Manston lane close to where the printers factory is just beyond the old Vickers factory. The farmland in the area is very swampy at the moment and there has been a cross country race on today so that won't help the conditions underfoot.
Chris.

Just got back from a visit to Fairburn and Potteric.Managed to get the Smew at Fairburn then total bonus managed the lesser pecker as well :-O great a lifer,thanks for the info :t:.On to Potteric next,no Bitterns showing but did manage Redpoll,Water Rail,Jay and Willow Tit.

Nice pecker shot. I am gonna have to try and get down there again. Was there a crowd? How well did it show?

No crowd,just 4 other birders,bird was about 20 foot away a one time at eye level.

Also went to fairburn today, had great views of the Lesser Pecker and Smew.
Quick visit to Blacktoft on the way home and was lucky enough to see 2 Bearded Tits

All parking full at Cut Road at 0900, so went to visitors centre, saw 2 Treecreepers in adjacent trees, first time I've seen 2 together, was told they bred there last year, Little Owl not in attendance, then down to Lin Dyke, just the usual, with 2 Stonechat and a few Curlew amongst them, rather quiet really .
Should have gone to Swilly to pay my dues, or Potteric for the Rail
pete

Hi to any Scarborough birders on this thread.

Was just curious to know if anyone regularly birds the tip at Seamer?! I was there over the Xmas period and enjoyed sifting through all the gulls...didn't have anything decent, but looks good for finding your own Caspian! Can't have been many records of those for the Scarborough area can there? Just surprised that there seems to be very little news from it during the winter months...

Also checked out Burton Riggs NR; nice little site, had myself a Scaup there...only to see when I got back home to Staffs that I'd been totally outdone by someone having B-t Diver there! Nice work! Has the site had any other decent records over the years?! I can imagine it turning up a decent aythya.

Cheers

Went to Scalby Lodge pond and finally nailed a White-fronted Goose. Unfortunately I stupidly managed to flush the Teal off the nearby pond while trying not to scare the Goose flock. I felt like a proper numpty! It's a better idea to approach the birds from the Scarborough side of the track so the hedge can act as a screen.

Had a walk up to Cromer Pond to dip the Water Pipit again. Wheatear still about, along with several Stonechat.