[knotsbirder]

Originally Posted by bushycliff

female an juve male on river near carolina bridge today at swilly

Female and juv male what bushycliff?

[The Liverbirder]

Travelling north up the A1(M) this afternoon several miles south of the A59 turn-off. In a field on the west side, a flock of pink-footed geese and as I glanced up from my reading (I was, of course, the f/s/p ), I saw a single white goose. Not a dirty looking farmyard type, but a bright one. Couldn't say anymore. Sorry. Having viewed a map, I would suggest it was the field to the south of the River Nidd. I recall that having passed the goose flock, there was a reasonable river running W to E under the road a short distance further north.

[James Thomas]

Originally Posted by knotsbirder

Female and juv male what bushycliff?

Chav

[Chris-Leeds]

I assume it's the two scaup that are hanging around the bridge.

[bushycliff]

Originally Posted by knotsbirder

Female and juv male what bushycliff?

sorry its an age thing -SCAUP-
was at BLACKTOFT today.. kestrel-sparrowhawk - peregrine- merlin -4 hen harriers ( 1 adult male ) - 36 marsh harriers - 2 whooper swans (fly past) - barnacle - 70 plus white fronted geese-- AN AMAZING DAY- and two tornadoe jets

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by bushycliff

sorry its an age thing -SCAUP-
was at BLACKTOFT today.. kestrel-sparrowhawk - peregrine- merlin -4 hen harriers ( 1 adult male ) - 36 marsh harriers - 2 whooper swans (fly past) - barnacle - 70 plus white fronted geese-- AN AMAZING DAY- and two tornadoe jets

Had the same 2 Tornados over the house repeatedly today. None of the rest sadly... Numbers of Marsh Harriers roosting has shot up - was in the teens a couple of years ago. I wonder where these birds are from. One would assume they are from the northern edge of the range in the UK with additional birds that are staying put from the local population. 4 Hen Harriers seems pretty good as well - actually seem to be a decent few about at the moment with 2 at Tophill and a few on the outer Humber plus 2 at Worlaby earlier in the autumn. Must have had a good season up on the isles.

[schiffornis]

Originally Posted by Hotspur

Numbers of Marsh Harriers roosting has shot up - was in the teens a couple of years ago. I wonder where these birds are from. One would assume they are from the northern edge of the range in the UK with additional birds that are staying put from the local population.

It may not be as simple as birds coming down from the north of their range on its own, there appears to be a fair bit of movement in Marsh Harriers during the non-breeding season (mainly pre-migratory dispersal), for example at a site I'm working on in Lincolnshire we've had a wing-tagged bird recently, this was a juvenile tagged on the nest this year in Kent!

The movements of Marsh Harriers (especially pre-migratory dispersal) are fairly poorly known but it appears over half go between north and west first, before eventually going south and south west later in the autumn/winter. It may potentially be that with an ever increasing population in the south/east combined with the relatively mild few months we've been having that we are seeing more birds linger in our region.

Or it could just be all the local birds condensing since the weather has got more winter like?

There does seem to be a lot of Hen Harrier around this year!

Cheers, Andy

[schiffornis]

Keep your eyes peeled for this guy on your local patch and consider that he (and plenty others like him) are likely to trawl these forums to glean information on the next bird to target.

[HnehpetS]

Had a pair of Blackcaps in the garden yesterday, may have been another male too - didn't have long enough to check them out.

[iGUEST]

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the id of the Bean Goose at Lebberston that is being reported as a taiga?

Thanks

[gary1957]

Originally Posted by schiffornis

Keep your eyes peeled for this guy on your local patch and consider that he (and plenty others like him) are likely to trawl these forums to glean information on the next bird to target.

Given his history going back over 10 years I'm surprised he only got 6 months-do you know if this is the maximum sentence? Seems to me it would be best to lock him up between April and October every year!

[northernloon]

Magistrates have the power to impose maximum sentences of £5,000 fine and/or six month's imprisonment per egg. See this page

[liverpool_bob]

Originally Posted by northernloon

Magistrates have the power to impose maximum sentences of £5,000 fine and/or six month's imprisonment per egg. See this page

Though magistrates will look to past rulings for guidance and hence "a number of collectors have been sent to prison for up to six months" looks like what will happen in most cases.

[Hotspur]

Had a Crossbill flying north overhead in the village today which was a pleasant surprise.

[garydayes]

The Yorkshire List increased by one today (now 447) with Siberian Stonechat officially added to the British List with immediate effect.
A couple of links below with more details.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...184.x/abstract

http://thebritishlist.blogspot.com/

[Q@Spurn]

Good evening all. No reports of the Desert Wheatear for a couple of days at Bempton (that I've seen). Anyone know if it's still there just not reported?

Cheers, word up.

[BirdFlower]

Originally Posted by Q@Spurn

Good evening all. No reports of the Desert Wheatear for a couple of days at Bempton (that I've seen). Anyone know if it's still there just not reported?

Cheers, word up.

When I was there on Monday they were telling people in the shop that it hadn't been reported that day, but I'd just seen it, so was able to put them right. It may be going unreported.

[garydayes]

Originally Posted by iGUEST

I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the id of the Bean Goose at Lebberston that is being reported as a taiga?

Thanks

Not seen the bird myself 'in the flesh' so to speak but a reliable source told me that an experianced local had reservations over it, most notable the bird appears to have a short thick neck (not the long thin neck which Taiga would be expected to show) which appears to me to be case in the photos i have seen (see link below), but as this can change with the birds posture prolonged views in real life would of course be able to confirm or deny this.

See thread below of the North Cave Wetlands 'Taiga' which has some useful photos and comments particularly post #19 by Geoff Dobbs.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=217125

Compared to photos of the Lebberston bird as seen in birdguides link below,

http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictu...778902&v=0&q=0

[knotsbirder]

Anybody know if the GW Teal is still present at Fairburn Ings?

Cheers, Sam

[aythya_hybrid]

Originally Posted by knotsbirder

Anybody know if the GW Teal is still present at Fairburn Ings?

Cheers, Sam

I had a quick scan through the teals at Lin Dike whilst at Fairnburn today and no sign of the GWT. All the teal were huddled quite close together on the only patch of open water. Fairburn was fairly quiet overall: shedloads of redwing and fieldfare, maybe about 40 Redpolls (2 of which were borderline Mealy but not claiming them) and usuals like goosander, goldeneye, willow tit...

[trappeddownsouth]

i take it the grey phal was in scarborough harbour today? was it present at dusk?

[johnnymac]

Taiga Bean

Gary looking at the latest photo by Terry Hobson this shows the classic taiga bill structure as described By Geoff. It has a long bill which creates the long sloping swan goose like appearance combined with the thin grinning patch therefore I would be happy that this is a Taiga.

Even when watching the flock of Taiga Beans at Coxwold in North Yorks a couple of years ago until I got closer views it was hard to determine which form they where and at times i thought there where both Tundra and Taiga in the same flock. So it is easy to understand the differences in opinion.

We have all mis ID pinkfeet as bean geese in the past as well!

[arthur heaton]

Could anybody tell me if the Derwent has flooded yet? Fancy a day out with my photographer mate-but eveything's a bit distant when it's dry---

[liverpool_bob]

A CATTLE EGRET was at Kelk (E.Yorks), first seen flying north toward Burton Agnes late afternoon Saturday. It dropped briefly in two different pasture fields but not for more than a couple of minutes either time. This morning it was seen again, flying south over Kelk village at 10am eventually disappearing out of sight somewhere near Foston-on-the-Wolds (roughly in a line to Tophill).

Almost made me forget the biting cold weather

[bushycliff]

Originally Posted by arthur heaton

Could anybody tell me if the Derwent has flooded yet? Fancy a day out with my photographer mate-but eveything's a bit distant when it's dry---

AH - i was at north duffield carrs on friday... no water , but a stunning view of a barn owl. i was in the garganay hide and it flew on to a post only about 12to15 feet away. it was looking at me looking at him for about 2mins , truly brill