[Articuno]

Saw a Harrier on the A64 on the way to Scarborough today, can't remember exactly where but it was flying over some fields which were absolutely loaded with Rooks and Black Headed gulls!
Caught up with some ladies on the North Bay who had binoculars so I went and asked them about it, they said mostly likely Hen Harrier, can anyone confirm this please? :)

Saw dozens of Wigeon and a Peregrine amongst a million gulls, was only looking out for it because I got a tip off! Lucky!

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by Articuno

Saw a Harrier on the A64 on the way to Scarborough today, can't remember exactly where but it was flying over some fields which were absolutely loaded with Rooks and Black Headed gulls!
Caught up with some ladies on the North Bay who had binoculars so I went and asked them about it, they said mostly likely Hen Harrier, can anyone confirm this please? :)

Saw dozens of Wigeon and a Peregrine amongst a million gulls, was only looking out for it because I got a tip off! Lucky!

No way of ID'ing your harrier as it could have been either although most Marsh have pushed off to the estuaries or further afield at the moment they are far from unusual in that area. Plenty of Hen Harriers compared to usual around at the moment but that doesnt mean they are at high densities. Sorry

[skink1978]

Originally Posted by Articuno

Saw a Harrier on the A64 on the way to Scarborough today, can't remember exactly where but it was flying over some fields which were absolutely loaded with Rooks and Black Headed gulls!
Caught up with some ladies on the North Bay who had binoculars so I went and asked them about it, they said mostly likely Hen Harrier, can anyone confirm this please? :)

Saw dozens of Wigeon and a Peregrine amongst a million gulls, was only looking out for it because I got a tip off! Lucky!

Based on location and time of year my money would be on Hen Harrier, but you could never be 100% sure.

[Trystan]

Originally Posted by vwxyzen

The Bean Goose was still present today at Fairburn but very elusive.
The bird spent most of the time feeding in vegetation across the water in front of the hide. At one stage all the waterfowl were spooked out and pushed onto the water, the Bean Goose was more or less the last bird to show A few poor pics attached. I don't think the differences between the two races are as great as we are led to believe.
Other birds of note were redhead Smew and a drake Ruddy Duck.

Then I met you in the hide, I was the next one to show up after the bean goose had gone. I was in there about two hours, pretty much all the geese came back out of the grasses again but not the bean goose.

Nice to meet you!

[Neil Birdy]

Originally Posted by Jono L

I spoke with Carl Watts, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Staveley Community Officer yesterday who told me that the LEOs at YWT Staveley were roosting again until disturbed by photographers. These selfish people were not content with watching from the path like everyone else and went too close. This happened apparently before Christmas.
Shame.

Jono

Lets just say Mr Watts may have been a bit economical with the truth

[metcow333]

Had a very good day's birding on the birdrace today, drawing with Jono and Andy's team with 90 species in the York area (although I sadly didn't read Jono's post from yesterday til just now, which might have got us an extra couple of species.

The only downside was at the SEO's mentioned by Doc Reed, where a couple of 'birders' were seen walking out along foss beck, on to private land and dangerously close to the owls roost site. Hopefully the landowner didn't see, as they had previously been reasonably accommodating, but another very good reason why birds such as these in sensitive areas shouldn't be mentioned on national forums such as this, or the bird news services.

[BeadsbyClareScott]

Originally Posted by metcow333

Had a very good day's birding on the birdrace today, drawing with Jono and Andy's team with 90 species in the York area (although I sadly didn't read Jono's post from yesterday til just now, which might have got us an extra couple of species.

The only downside was at the SEO's mentioned by Doc Reed, where a couple of 'birders' were seen walking out along foss beck, on to private land and dangerously close to the owls roost site. Hopefully the landowner didn't see, as they had previously been reasonably accommodating, but another very good reason why birds such as these in sensitive areas shouldn't be mentioned on national forums such as this, or the bird news services.

I have photographic evidence... tsk! No wonder photographers get a bad name.

I spoke to Chris, a lovely gentleman from the shooting club who let me and a friend walk down the side of his Shooting Range... so we could view and photograph the birds with the light behind us. (from a photographers point of view, this is pretty important)
The birds were flying freely up and down the fields... two showing really well.

We spent about half an hour there then walked back to the track. You are just as 'close' to the birds here as you are on the track, so if anyone in the future thinks you are getting 'closer' to the birds, you`re not. It`s all about luck really. Stand in one place for long enough and you`ll get lucky once or twice.

It was awesome to see these birds out today after spending a few hours down there yesterday in the wind and not seeing any.

I`ll be definately going again, in better light, and its great to meet new faces.

[andy hood]

Drake Green-winged Teal at The Bay ponds near filey this aft as per RBA, Smew there also,

[lirta1]

Hi Everyone,
Could anyone please help with advice as to where the Great Grey Shrike, Whooper and Bewick Swans are at Wroot and where is the best place to park a car as i don't know this area at all

[schiffornis]

Really enjoyable day doing the birdrace around the York Area (well really ours was the LDV area I guess) - we broke the past record of 86 species racking up a total of 90 species - a total matched by Tim, Ollie, Chris and Jacks team (well done guys!!!).

I've just put a bit on my blog... may help anyone interested in year-listing in the local area.

Was great fun to take part in it... Who fancis a May bird race...

Cheers, Andy

[James Thomas]

Originally Posted by lirta1

Hi Everyone,
Could anyone please help with advice as to where the Great Grey Shrike, Whooper and Bewick Swans are at Wroot and where is the best place to park a car as i don't know this area at all

Shrike is on the hedge north of the ditch, here http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x...ay=404124&lm=0

Whoopers last week were in the field on the south side

[lirta1]

Originally Posted by James Thomas

Shrike is on the hedge north of the ditch, here http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x...ay=404124&lm=0

Whoopers last week were in the field on the south side

Thanks Jim

Steve

[andy hood]

Drake Red-crested Pochard showing well on Scarborough Mere today, also Black Redstart and Male Stonecaht at the bottom of castle cliff on the rockfall tween lamposts 54 & 55, Pair of Peregrine on the cliff too

http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...d003edited.jpg

[DOC REED]

Originally Posted by metcow333

Had a very good day's birding on the birdrace today, drawing with Jono and Andy's team with 90 species in the York area (although I sadly didn't read Jono's post from yesterday til just now, which might have got us an extra couple of species.

The only downside was at the SEO's mentioned by Doc Reed, where a couple of 'birders' were seen walking out along foss beck, on to private land and dangerously close to the owls roost site. Hopefully the landowner didn't see, as they had previously been reasonably accommodating, but another very good reason why birds such as these in sensitive areas shouldn't be mentioned on national forums such as this, or the bird news services.

I don't subscribe to this;I would never see anything if news was never put out.I don't condone the behaviour of these people.I gave strict instructions in my 3 pms not to enter shooting club or fields.

Claire obviously gained appropriate permission, but would like to know who others were.If they were people I had PM'd I would seriously regret posting.These owls could be seen by many without disturbing them, I'm sure Claire would confirm that.

[lirta1]

Thanks too Dave, Clare and Jim for the information on the Great Grey Shrike at Wroot, manage to find the bird today, the Shrike was quite flighty along the hedgerow and fencepost moving on whenever anyone walked along the top of the enbankment, Whooper Swan were still in the field to the South of the River Torne but the Bewick Swans had flown

[Q@Spurn]

Evening all. On a jaunt tomorrow, filthy twitching really. Does anyone know of any Bean Geese towards the coast? Believe there was a report from Barmston? Also the Green W Teal at Watton? Still there? Any info appreciated. Cheers.

[Dint See It]

Went to see desert wheatear yesterday. Spent a couple of hours in the morning searching for it, not a glimpse. decided to have a look on filey brigg and try my luck later. Got some decent birds from the brigg, red throated diver, common and velvet scoter plus usual waders. Was told there was a red necked grebe in the bay but couldn't find it. Back to bempton, was told wheatear had been seen in the field near staple newk 20mins before. Searched all the fields on the way to the view point, nothing! Got to the view point looked over and it was sat right on top of the stack! Got some decent views, it was feeding in the old nests, also got excellent views of short eared owl aswell. A bonus on the drive home was a barn owl which flew across the road. Added 22 birds to my year list, a very enjoyable day.

[Lawts]

Still being reported fairly regularly - does anyone know the best place to look for the bird? Also, is it calling regularly?

Thanks.

[clairey]

Re Cetti's Warbler, from the Reedbed screen down towards the Bittern hide was the best areas last time I went.

Hope this helps Claire

[captaincarot]

Originally Posted by Lawts

Still being reported fairly regularly - does anyone know the best place to look for the bird? Also, is it calling regularly?

Thanks.

don't get too excited about this when i saw it, there was a bloke there who got it the same day, he had done 4 days looking for it without a result. it didn't call at all the day i looked for it. so it looks obliging but in reality it's a bit of a bugger to see. but hang around the screen area on the way to the bittern hide for best chances of finding it

[metcow333]

Originally Posted by DOC REED

I don't subscribe to this;I would never see anything if news was never put out.I don't condone the behaviour of these people.I gave strict instructions in my 3 pms not to enter shooting club or fields.

Claire obviously gained appropriate permission, but would like to know who others were.If they were people I had PM'd I would seriously regret posting.These owls could be seen by many without disturbing them, I'm sure Claire would confirm that.

Hi Doc,

Bit last resort I know, but surely you could try finding birds like this yourself?

The problem with giving instructions on a national website is that you don't know who you are dealing with necessarily, plenty of people on here are less than the ideal birder; well honed in fieldcraft, ethical and willing to obey instructions.

Look, I posted some vague directions on here to the birds before it became clear they were lingering, but in hindsight I think that was a mistake. It just seems that with the advent of affordable and easy to use DSLR's, all and any photogenic bird species that get reported to a wider audience get disturbed, or habitat around them gets damaged. For proper rarities that have no real conservation significance, or birds that are passing through and are unlikely to stay for a long period, I would hate to see any news being suppressed. On the other hand, potentially overwintering birds of quite a high conservation significance, I feel should not be widely publicised. The york email group that they were being reported on previously seemed to be an appropriate platform, where most people are known to someone else.

The fact that, despite it being a very good year for SEO's, very few are being reported, seems to suggest that a lot of the people out looking for them would perhaps agree with this point of view.

[BeadsbyClareScott]

Originally Posted by lirta1

Thanks too Dave, Clare and Jim for the information on the Great Grey Shrike at Wroot, manage to find the bird today, the Shrike was quite flighty along the hedgerow and fencepost moving on whenever anyone walked along the top of the enbankment, Whooper Swan were still in the field to the South of the River Torne but the Bewick Swans had flown

Absolute pleasure Steve.

You can see Daves fab pic here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/4781398...in/photostream

[BeadsbyClareScott]

Originally Posted by DOC REED

I don't subscribe to this;I would never see anything if news was never put out.I don't condone the behaviour of these people.I gave strict instructions in my 3 pms not to enter shooting club or fields.

Claire obviously gained appropriate permission, but would like to know who others were.If they were people I had PM'd I would seriously regret posting.These owls could be seen by many without disturbing them, I'm sure Claire would confirm that.

I`m afraid some people are 'do as I say, not as I do...' Stay off private property, at least it`s good manners.

And, yes, like I said I gained permission not to get closer to the birds, but for lighting purposes.

I happen to appreciate Doc letting us know, some people work and don`t have a great deal of time to go out looking for hotspots so I can use my 'easy to use DSLR'

The SEO`s can be seen hunting close to people. Dog walkers use the track down there very often, human impact does not seem to bother them too much, as can be seen at a well known North Lincolnshire site.... they have huge fields to hunt on, yet they seem to favour areas closer to people....

[schiffornis]

Does anyone know anything about the 3 'Northern' Long-tailed Tits reported at Luddenden, West Yorkshire today?

Cheers, Andy

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by schiffornis

Does anyone know anything about the 3 'Northern' Long-tailed Tits reported at Luddenden, West Yorkshire today?

Cheers, Andy

Try this Andy:

http://calderbirds.blogspot.com/2012/01/luddenden.html