• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Yorkshire Birding (21 Viewers)

Hmm. Wheatears local - saw my first nearly 3 weeks ago now! Chiffchaff everywhere round here so I think I'll save the fuel money for next week. Thanks Andy.

Probably stick local then, Bearded tit for starters I think. Give us a call when you're heading out Keith.
 
Has anyone been to see the Bearded Tits on Calder Wetlands yet ?

1 reported yesterday and then 2 today .. Hoping they hang around until Sat so that I can take a trip up there.

Hi

I went down after work tonight - was on sight around 5:50pm, no sign around the small bits of reed/bush near the pub (where it/they had been reported) so was moving around to the larger area of reeds next to the path in between the lakes, but then the heavens opened, then came the end of the world sky and then hard driving hail, it was extreme birding - I gave it up as a bad job!!!! Next chance ive got to get down there is Friday. Good luck to anyone going.
 
Had a great days birding in suffolk yesterday, got good but distant views of the kestrel, great grey shrike was showing very well on the heath too, green woodpecker on the heath, went to minesmere afterwards, saw marsh tit, avocet, cetti's warbler, 1 bearded tit, 4 marsh harrier, 1 flyover bittern, dipped the penduline tit's though, saw 1 of the alpine swift's roosting in lowestoft, dipped on the pallid ,
101e0183.jpg
101e0173.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back at work after a long weekend birding though in the end Monday/Tuesday had little to offer except poor visibility and damp clothes. Bah!

Osprey north over Harpham on Saturday lunchtime being mobbed by a local pair of Buzzards. After waiting for twenty years that's now two in two years!

A single Swallow on Saturday was the earliest one I've recorded locally.
 
Never got to Calder Wetturds today, luckily I got Jim's text as I was waiting at traffic lights to turn on to the M1. No sign of beardies and he was heading off, so I did a quick lane change and headed off to Swillington Ings where I found the road flooded just after the railway bridge. One hell of a big puddle covering the entire road for maybe 50 foot or so. I couldn't even get to the car park on the left and didn't want to risk getting stuck in the puddle trying to get to the canal bridge, 206's don't have a great deal of ground clearance. Finished up going for a walk round Temple Woods, not a huge amount around - handful of blue tits and great tits with a few chaffinches is all.
 
Any better today, Andy? Came down Tuesday for the morning but was quiet, 4 Jackdaw u-turned and a Chiff up Beacon Lane being the best of it!
 
Last edited:
Trawled Calder Wetlands and couldn't find the Bearded Tits (hear they are turning up at Minsmere in droves), did have a couple of highlights though;

First was a movement in the reeds in the sluice gate outfall. Decided to stake it out and see what it was causing it. Soon after the weeds at the bottom moved violently and I realised whatever it was was under the water. Out came two pike, each about 12" long. They then proceeded to move round various clumps of weed, presumably spawning.

Second was a courtship display by a pair of Great Crested Grebe including the full weed dance - ace!

Four swallows were in with the sand martins.

Was going to check Pugneys but by then I'd had enough of dodging dog shit so went home.

A couple of pictures atached from the weekend - snakes at Hatfield, Kestrel and Goldies on J27 patch.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9308.JPG
    IMG_9308.JPG
    89.8 KB · Views: 59
  • IMG_0083.JPG
    IMG_0083.JPG
    34.4 KB · Views: 68
  • IMG_9841.JPG
    IMG_9841.JPG
    41.6 KB · Views: 59
  • IMG_9649_1_1.JPG
    IMG_9649_1_1.JPG
    47.7 KB · Views: 64
  • IMG_0196.JPG
    IMG_0196.JPG
    39.8 KB · Views: 75
Last edited:
Any better today, Andy? Came down Tuesday for the morning but was quiet, 4 Jackdaw u-turned and a Chiff up Beacon Lane being the best of it!

caught a firecrest at Kew, 2 Wheatear, great northern, hen harrier, a few chiffs, most of day spent working on the Warren hopefully open from next week!
 
Luckily I missed your text Keith. It doesn't sound as though you had much joy on Weds. Unfortunately the door on my washing machine sprang open mid-cycle and flooded the flat downstairs :eek!:
 
Last edited:
Had walk around Calders Wetlands this afty or should I say Calders Dogturd land Keith!!!;)

Came across 3 Egyptian Geese there - no rings, birds were wary of us and moved onto the lakes when we were coming towards them. What do you think - birds from the wild/feral population or possible escapes???

Still around 7 Goosanders down there and a few Goldeneyes & Wigeon. Few swallows and 10+ sand martins. Also a Kingfisher on the river. No sign of the beardies - long gone I think, oh yes, it was absolutely bitter cold down there - biting wind..........
 
I heard a bit of a rumour today that the LDV records over the the last few years should be taken with a pinch of salt. Anyone got any feedback on this?
 
Dunno about all the records but I saw an awful lot of good birds thanks to the LDV posts in this forum and on birdguides. Black stork and yank wigeon being lifers that I would have missed but for posts on BF.
 
I think it's more about the numbers of birds being reported over the last few years eg. Corncrake, Black-necked Grebe & Spotted crake etc rather than the odd bird here and there.


Dunno about all the records but I saw an awful lot of good birds thanks to the LDV posts in this forum and on birdguides. Black stork and yank wigeon being lifers that I would have missed but for posts on BF.
 
I think it's more about the numbers of birds being reported over the last few years eg. Corncrake, Black-necked Grebe & Spotted crake etc rather than the odd bird here and there.


Don't often come on here now but feel this one needs addressing as 'rumour's like this on a public forum can end up being damaging - and there is a long history of issues re bird numbers/counts/rares/records in the LDV.

Firstly, no issues re getting rare breeding info/Webs counts accepted by all the relevant bodies - YNU, BTO and RBBP over recent years, due to the detailed nature of records submitted by Natural England staff and a handful of dedicated volunteers - so unless i'm unaware of an issue, this seems to be just an individual 'birder' who might not know the full picture rather than any official line.

Secondly, the LDV is a hard place for the dedicated locals to cover let alone the 'public'. Most people visit bank island, wheldrake and North Duffield carrs, possibly with a look from thorganby viewing platform and Ellerton Churchyard - this only allows you to see c30% of the whole LDV - the rest being private land with no or very limited access. With regards to corncrakes for example, it is well know that 10 singing males were in the area this year. Some were out of bounds in terms of access but we did make public the 3 at North Duffield carrs infront of the hides. Given these 3 used c 10hectares at this site and there is another 1000 hectares elsewhere in the valley of very similar of even better habitat, then is another 7 that surprising?

Spotted Crakes - again covered well by the locals, many of whom spend many hours undertaking long detailed survey work and ringing projects. Indeed, when the Spotted Crakes first arrived and were calling well (most away from public earshot) they were found by ringers after dark during an 8 hour ringing session colour-marking and radio tracking whimbrel. It seems some 'birders' expect to turn out at the hides at bank island or Wheldrake Ings and see them sat there infront of them during the day!

Anyway, a few pointers re these comments - perhaps it would be better just to let such issues lie but as i say it has caused issues in the past when it comes to trying to conserve the site. eg - if a site with spotted Crakes on it is threated by development nearby which may have an impact, trying to object to it when there are 'public' doubts flying around over records doesn't help. Some best to clear up the issues. There is as a result of some issues going to be a new website for LDV and Skipwith Common NNR's which may help spread some extra detail.sightings from LDV and make it more open (obviously with sensitivities around rare breeding bird info)

Hope that helps
 
Had walk around Calders Wetlands this afty or should I say Calders Dogturd land Keith!!!;)

Came across 3 Egyptian Geese there - no rings, birds were wary of us and moved onto the lakes when we were coming towards them. What do you think - birds from the wild/feral population or possible escapes???

Still around 7 Goosanders down there and a few Goldeneyes & Wigeon. Few swallows and 10+ sand martins. Also a Kingfisher on the river. No sign of the beardies - long gone I think, oh yes, it was absolutely bitter cold down there - biting wind..........



Three Egyptian in LDV recently - been displaying and looking for nest sites but moved on recently with re-flooding of the site. Appeared fairly wary so probably feral but who knows. We did however catch one (a large male) with a whoosh net on grain and BTO ring it - it certainly didn't respond like a captive bird!- how well did you see the legs and worth looking at them again - its only a small metal BTO ring so doesn't always get picked up a first sight. The number and timing just seems interesting - one pair and a single bird which takes a bit of a rough time of it.

cheers
 
Hi Birdflower where did you go to get shots of those beautiful birds and how close were you? I once managed a not very good photo of a male kestral though I have been back to the same spot many times I have not seen him again.My only other achievements I feel are getting acceptable photos of the sparrow hawk that visits my garden and a Hoopoe whilst on holiday in Cyprus about 3 weeks ago
 
Hi Birdflower where did you go to get shots of those beautiful birds and how close were you? I once managed a not very good photo of a male kestral though I have been back to the same spot many times I have not seen him again.My only other achievements I feel are getting acceptable photos of the sparrow hawk that visits my garden and a Hoopoe whilst on holiday in Cyprus about 3 weeks ago

The one last Friday was in the South Cave area, and I suppose I was about 20 feet away. He's been round there for nearly 5 years that I know about. Can PM directions if you want to look for it. The one attacking a Barn Owl on my blog was in the Sunk Island area, and the one eating a Kingfisher (also on the blog) was near York.
Cheers
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top