[John Bullfinch]

Granted, not as exciting as the A Swift but for your info - Cuckoo in the parkland at Nostell Priory yesterday afternoon.

[AndyK]

Originally Posted by John Bullfinch

Granted, not as exciting as the A Swift but for your info - Cuckoo in the parkland at Nostell Priory yesterday afternoon.

Im interested! Do you mean in the woods?

[John Bullfinch]

Originally Posted by AndyK

Im interested! Do you mean in the woods?

Hi Andy

I suppose the best way to explain where it was is hopefully as follows:

from the car park head to walk to the right of the house and head down past the boathouse heading towards the obelisk lodge = the old northern gate house which they did up a few years back. Once you start to climb slightly uphill in open grassland/meadow the bird flew from the left - the wood where the caravans etc are over to the woodland area to the right. If you go keep an eye out for Green Woodpeckers around here, and also chance of a Spotted Flycatcher near the boathouse - well I saw one there last year. Also Kingfisher on the lake there.

Note - if you are not a National Trust member you have to pay to park but access to parkland is free and you can also use the cafe now.

Regards

John

[AndyK]

Originally Posted by John Bullfinch

Hi Andy

I suppose the best way to explain where it was is hopefully as follows:

from the car park head to walk to the right of the house and head down past the boathouse heading towards the obelisk lodge = the old northern gate house which they did up a few years back. Once you start to climb slightly uphill in open grassland/meadow the bird flew from the left - the wood where the caravans etc are over to the woodland area to the right. If you go keep an eye out for Green Woodpeckers around here, and also chance of a Spotted Flycatcher near the boathouse - well I saw one there last year. Also Kingfisher on the lake there.

Note - if you are not a National Trust member you have to pay to park but access to parkland is free and you can also use the cafe now.

Regards

John

Thanks John, im a NT member so good 'excuse' to fit in a bit of birding and managing to get the wife to come along!!

[AndyK]

Anyone know any decent birding spots in or around Escrick, York? I've heard its a pretty good spot in the past, one of my relatives has just moved back there so will be there more often.

[Ingsbirder]

Originally Posted by AndyK

Anyone know any decent birding spots in or around Escrick, York? I've heard its a pretty good spot in the past, one of my relatives has just moved back there so will be there more often.

The LDV & Skipwith NNR is 3 miles away, which is a pretty good place

Within 15 mins of there are Heslington East, Fulford Ings, Wharfe Ings, Bishop Wood plus any number of random sites that are never watched so plenty of potential to distract you on those visits to your relatives.

With a lot of luck Escrick itself is probably the last remaining site at which it is possible see Hawfinch in the York area!

[AndyK]

Originally Posted by Ingsbirder

The LDV & Skipwith NNR is 3 miles away, which is a pretty good place

Within 15 mins of there are Heslington East, Fulford Ings, Wharfe Ings, Bishop Wood plus any number of random sites that are never watched so plenty of potential to distract you on those visits to your relatives.

With a lot of luck Escrick itself is probably the last remaining site at which it is possible see Hawfinch in the York area!

Thanks, didnt know there was a reserve in skipwith, no wonder my grandma used to get such good birds in her garden!

[Chris-Leeds]

Skipwith is well worth a visit.

[Ingsbirder]

Originally Posted by AndyK

Thanks, didnt know there was a reserve in skipwith, no wonder my grandma used to get such good birds in her garden!

More info: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/our...r/1460432.aspx

[DOC REED]

Originally Posted by Ingsbirder

The LDV & Skipwith NNR is 3 miles away, which is a pretty good place

Within 15 mins of there are Heslington East, Fulford Ings, Wharfe Ings, Bishop Wood plus any number of random sites that are never watched so plenty of potential to distract you on those visits to your relatives.

With a lot of luck Escrick itself is probably the last remaining site at which it is possible see Hawfinch in the York area!

Fascinated re Hawfinches at Escrick;have any being reported in recent times?Paul.

[Ingsbirder]

Originally Posted by DOC REED

Fascinated re Hawfinches at Escrick;have any being reported in recent times?Paul.

Paul, several birds were in Gashouse Wood in the early part of the winter - they are elusive and presumably roam the mature patches of woodland either side of Queen Margaret's School/Escrick area - as much of this is out of bounds they are hard to pin down.

This is the general location:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X...2677&A=Y&Z=115

[Dint See It]

as anyone been to wykeham forest rvp lately, are the honey buzzards showing and which other raptors can be expected?

Thanks Paul

[BirdFlower]

Originally Posted by Dint See It

as anyone been to wykeham forest rvp lately, are the honey buzzards showing and which other raptors can be expected?

Thanks Paul

I was there all day Tuesday. It was very disappointing. Only distant Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk & a Kestrel. Best thing there was a Golden-Ringed Dragonfly: http://www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.c...reen-gold.html

[pete seaman]

Originally Posted by Dint See It

as anyone been to wykeham forest rvp lately, are the honey buzzards showing and which other raptors can be expected?

Thanks Paul

We were there last weekend,3 Common Buzzard was the best we got,Peregrine at Sutton Bank on way home was a bonus

[northernloon]

I'm a bit puzzled. Since putting up some feeders earlier this year I have noticed a change in activity. At first it was adult birds presumably taking food back to their nests. Then it was adults collecting food for the fledglings in the nearby tree. Eventually the fledglings cottoned on and started coming to the feeders.

The puzzling bit is that only juvs are visiting now. The parents are probably busy on their second brood. But this begs the question, why aren't they coming to the feeders?

Any thoughts?

[super-silly-um]

[quote=northernloon;2484348]I'm a bit puzzled. Since putting up some feeders earlier this year I have noticed a change in activity. At first it was adult birds presumably taking food back to their nests. Then it was adults collecting food for the fledglings in the nearby tree. Eventually the fledglings cottoned on and started coming to the feeders.

The puzzling bit is that only juvs are visiting now. The parents are probably busy on their second brood. But this begs the question, why aren't they coming to the feeders?

Any thoughts?[/QUOTE

Greater abundance of natural food available now ?

[northernloon]

That could be the answer as the nearest nesting sites are some way away. I'll keep looking

[BirdFlower]

Originally Posted by northernloon

That could be the answer as the nearest nesting sites are some way away. I'll keep looking

Aren't parents which have finished breeding, now hiding away as they moult? This seems to happen in our garden every year for a few weeks. Robins & Blackbirds have just finished with their 3rd broods here.

[AndyK]

Originally Posted by northernloon

That could be the answer as the nearest nesting sites are some way away. I'll keep looking

Probably because they are collecting natural foods for their chicks, and because of the wet weather I guess there is plenty to go around with enough to feed themselves too. I've noticed my blue tits have dissapeared, but my goldfinch numbers have increased (to my delight) from 1 to 3!

[DOC REED]

Originally Posted by Ingsbirder

Paul, several birds were in Gashouse Wood in the early part of the winter - they are elusive and presumably roam the mature patches of woodland either side of Queen Margaret's School/Escrick area - as much of this is out of bounds they are hard to pin down.

This is the general location:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X...2677&A=Y&Z=115

Thanks for that;if we ever get a clear evening might have a go for them;have seen hawfinch in Poland but major bogey bird for me!

[AndyK]

Called in at Stanley Marsh Tuesday evening but it was very quiet other than a couple of grey herons, little grebe, possible gadwall calling, blackcap, chiffy, 20 odd canada geese (mostly juvs), moorhen, 3 coot, mallard. Large areas of the circular path are underwater so wellies are a must, and fly spray too - i've got the bites to prove it!

[woodhornbirder]

Q@Spurn, answer yer email :P

[Keith Dickinson]

Ken and I had a drive down to Potteric today, didn't see the wood sandpiper that had been reported yesterday but did see 3 green sands. The dry spell and then the rain have had an unfortunate effect of covering most of the mud with vegetation, so there could have been a wood sand present but it was hidden in the greenery.
Following a bacon butty and a short time watching squirrels at the feeders we headed up to North Cave and had a short walk around the reserve, Ken finally bagging a yellow-legged gull as a county tick.

[John Bullfinch]

Does anyone know if the G Phalarope is still at Old Moor - not seen any reports since 1pm??? If its still there is Old Moor open till 8pm?

Cheers

John

[Lawts]

Does it currently stand at 447?