Yorkshire Birding (31 Viewers)

northernloon · Jan 1, 2011

Keith Dickinson said:
It won't be a flying start Jim... got to surface first. With luck it will be 10.00 to 10.30 when I'm setting out. Gonna nail that RBG at Mirfield then who knows where.

What RBG? They don't exist. It's a made up species by people trying to sell id guides

A good day out with Keith despite 2 freezing trips to Mirfield and my first (strictly second) visit to Swilly.

btw Keith my provisional tally came to 39. Thanks for the ride out. Nice to bump into Mark and partner. Also the laser-eyed Jim who put us onto the local Waxwings; nice bonus

Hotspur · Jan 1, 2011

Despite not going birding today I managed 27 species. Village pond was useful with Gadwall, Tufty but no Pochard as all 3 seem to have cleared off overnight. Off to Hinkley Point in Somerset tomorrow so hopefully gonna get some decent stuff there. Taking the new camera so will see how that goes.

Keith Dickinson · Jan 1, 2011

northernloon said:
What RBG? They don't exist. It's a made up species by people trying to sell id guides

A good day out with Keith despite 2 freezing trips to Mirfield and my first (strictly second) visit to Swilly.

btw Keith my provisional tally came to 39. Thanks for the ride out. Nice to bump into Mark and partner. Also the laser-eyed Jim who put us onto the local Waxwings; nice bonus

I reckon the ring bill is a common gull wearing contact lenses and today was it's day off wearing them. Did we see any of the commons bumping into things?
I can only get to 35 on my list...wonder what I've missed off.

Keith Dickinson · Jan 1, 2011

Ken, Jim and I were discussing the next Meet....like where and when. So I'm starting a thread on the subject HERE

John Bullfinch · Jan 1, 2011

Happy new year to everyone.

Had a bike ride out to Haw Wood/Anglers/Wintersett/Calder Wetlands today. Absolutely cycled out!!! Worth it though, managed 57 species with highlight being a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in Haw Wood, roaming around with a mixed tit flock that also included nuthatch, treecreeper and goldcrest (good to see some of the little fellas made it through the bad weather). Had lovely views of the woody for 10 mins till a family walked past. Also good numbers of lesser redpolls - nothing whitey amongst them. No sign of the red head smew on Anglers - possibly the same one turned up at Fairburn this morning. Signed off with the drake R B Merganser - had gone to roost on Calder Wetlands (usually on the river).

Not sure where to go tomorrow.......

northernloon · Jan 2, 2011

Sounds like a productive day John. More power to your thighs :t:

WACCOE · Jan 2, 2011

Had a pleasant walk round the local fields with the wife and kids this morning, had a mixed flock of Tits mainly Long-tailed other good birds were Kestrel ,Sparrowhawk and Yellowhammer with a few Redwing knocking about, hope to get out in next couple of weeks to do some proper birding.:t:

Keith Dickinson · Jan 2, 2011

Best bird of the year so far - any one of the 7 waxwings that have just graced the oak tree in my garden. And it's not even a year tick!

Chris-Leeds · Jan 2, 2011

Nice one Keith, don't even have them as a patch tick never mind garden one. Nothing special as yet this year (as young as it is) but the song thrush and red kite have improved the slow start.

joespy · Jan 2, 2011

Just had a walk down to the local fishery in Aketon, what a state...there's dead fish floating around the pond, big 'uns too 10+lbs, about 20 BHG hanging around the fish corpses that have been pulled out and 7 Heron in the adjacent field looking as though they've full bellies (are they ever full..?). An interesting new bird (there for me) was a Curlew in with 8/10 grey partridges, never know we may get the Lapwings back this time.
Joe

northernloon · Jan 2, 2011

Jammy beggar Keith. Are you going for day ticks this year?

ladynasuada · Jan 2, 2011

Hello I'm Rosemary, just joined birdforum

At Fairburn Ings this afternoon have seen Teals near Lin Dyke, also female on platform nr car park. 3 shovelers nr Lin Dyke. 15-20 cormorants on electricity pylon (bzz!)
Also water rail under bird feeders near visitors centre, 2 great spotted woodpeckers in trees at back of centre. 4 waxwings next to visitors centre (yay!)
At Kingfisher hide a female smew and excellent view of kingfisher.

see ya, Rosemary

Keith Dickinson · Jan 2, 2011

Hi Rosemary welcome to the best bit of Bird Forum, you've a nice list for Fairburn, did you not venture round to look for the long eared owls when you were at Lin Dyke?

plane_crazy · Jan 2, 2011

re Fairburn 2/11/10

Hi - Just to add to Rosemary's post here are a few photos we (I'm Rosemary's Dad!) got during the afternoon, the light wasn't that good, bit cloudy and dull and nearly sundown by the time we were watching the waxwings.
Pretty impressed with the water rail around the bird feeders next to the visitors centre, makes a change from trying to find them at the back of ponds in amongst the reeds!
And the female smew - the visitors centre had this on the board as a "red-headed smew" which was a bit confusing really, but still it's not a common bird to see.
Have included the cormorant just for fun really as it's a bit of a tightrope act! There were about 15-20 of them balanced on the wires and the pylon.
bye for now
Michael

plane_crazy · Jan 2, 2011

Hi Keith - no we got as far as just past the hide, watched the teal and the shovelers for a bit and then drove round to visitors centre - that sounds like a reason for another visit!
regards
Michael (and Rosemary!)

James Thomas · Jan 2, 2011

These smews are referred to as red heads because 1st winter drakes look the same. Which is kingfisher hide? Am I right in thinking this is Pickup, the one near the centre?

plane_crazy · Jan 2, 2011

re Fairburn

James Thomas said:
These smews are referred to as red heads because 1st winter drakes look the same. Which is kingfisher hide? Am I right in thinking this is Pickup, the one near the centre?

Hi James,

No, it's not the Pickup Hide,
It's not a indoor hide as such, probably I should have said "Kingfisher Screen". Follow the path round the back of the visitor centre, bearing left and then straight on. Then left again (at the frog statue) and straight on to a sharp right bend and gate. It's there, a wooden fence with square holes overlooking a dyke. There are a number of sticking out branches on which the kingfisher perches, in decent range for a photo. The smew was pottering around behind the kingfisher.

Hope this helps
Michael

awhitehead2011 · Jan 2, 2011

Lower Derwent Valley...still frozen!

Just a quick line to say Bank Island, Wheldrake Ings and North Duffield Carrs are still frozen :t:

Martin Standley · Jan 2, 2011

North Yorks Coast

Had a cracking day out on North Yorks coast today.
first stop was Filey (sea was a bit rough!) highlights were purple sandpiper, common scoter and good numbers of common waders.
Then on to Scarborough-med gulls 9as ever) showing well at Holbeck, great northern diver and iceland gull in the harbour then Scalby to see the wigeon flock.
Full account and pics on the blog.

John Bullfinch · Jan 2, 2011

northernloon said:
Sounds like a productive day John. More power to your thighs :t:

Aye, cheers Ken!!! |=)| Surprisingly felt fine today so went on a 5 mile circular walk at Fairburnings!!!! 8-P Highlights were a Water Rail from the end of the boardwalk where the swans/ducks get fed, L Redpoll flock of around 20 birds (this included a few whiter birds but light was poor and I only had my bins with me, so if anyone else goes - check them all out - possibly a mealy (Common) amongst them). Saw the 4 Waxwings just before we went home so that was a very nice 'Brucey bonus!' Cant believe we missed the Smew at the kingfisher view point, we knew it had been seen there but when I got a chance to have a brief look (it was very busy there) saw a Kingfisher but not the Smew, maybe gone further down the beck at that point due to the crowd. If I get the chance will try and nip out for the Smew on Calder River.

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