Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[schiffornis]

Hi All

Had a good day year ticking in York and environs today, started with the Corn Buntings at Knapton, c25 present plus a shed load of Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Skylark. The on to Rufforth, no gulls loafing on the fields visible from the road so went 'undercover' and found 2 Juvenile Glaucous Gulls on the tip (there was a lot of gulls there loafing out of the wind, i could only see 1/3 of them (those feeding a lot closer to my spot) accurately with my bins - way too windy for scope), there was also an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the tip. By now it was lunch so i shot off for some grub and then on to Catterton, connected with the Water Pipit straight away on the flash in the bare field, plenty of Pied wags kicking about too and c400 Golden Plover and c30 Lapwing. The water pipit moved across to a wet field by the bend in the road a little further south as it was more out of the wind here i think, showed very well... By now it was 3.30 so off I went to York Uni, found somewhere to park, walked round the lake looking at the Exotics (can i tick Black Swan yet?) and almost walked over 7 Lesser and 2 Mealy Redpoll, great comparitive views of them all on the deck side by side. Watched these for about 20+ minutes before they got flushed by a student up into the trees, where again they showed really well before mincing off somewhere round the lake, by this point i'd connected with what i wanted so thought i'd go home before the rain came.....

Good day with all 4 target species ticked!

Cheers Andy (and what a double result in the FA cup!!!!)

 

[Lawts]

Hi All

Had a good day year ticking in York and environs today, started with the Corn Buntings at Knapton, c25 present plus a shed load of Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Skylark. The on to Rufforth, no gulls loafing on the fields visible from the road so went 'undercover' and found 2 Juvenile Glaucous Gulls on the tip (there was a lot of gulls there loafing out of the wind, i could only see 1/3 of them (those feeding a lot closer to my spot) accurately with my bins - way too windy for scope), there was also an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the tip. By now it was lunch so i shot off for some grub and then on to Catterton, connected with the Water Pipit straight away on the flash in the bare field, plenty of Pied wags kicking about too and c400 Golden Plover and c30 Lapwing. The water pipit moved across to a wet field by the bend in the road a little further south as it was more out of the wind here i think, showed very well... By now it was 3.30 so off I went to York Uni, found somewhere to park, walked round the lake looking at the Exotics (can i tick Black Swan yet?) and almost walked over 7 Lesser and 2 Mealy Redpoll, great comparitive views of them all on the deck side by side. Watched these for about 20+ minutes before they got flushed by a student up into the trees, where again they showed really well before mincing off somewhere round the lake, by this point i'd connected with what i wanted so thought i'd go home before the rain came.....

Good day with all 4 target species ticked!

Cheers Andy (and what a double result in the FA cup!!!!)

Nice day Andy. A shame it's not possible to comfortably watch the tip. Would be a good local patch for me.

The field you describe where the Water Pipit flew to is the one it has been spending the winter at.

I had decided to let these redpolls go, but I'm tempted again now for the morning!

I defo want to make sure I'm in the right spot. Is it the trees that actually run along the edge of the lake?

Cheers

 

[Martin Standley]

Had a good walk with the dog around East park this morning,37 species (a new walking the dog on East Park record!) also an East Park lifer-little grebe.
Other 'highlights' included goldcrest, displaying goosander,song thrush and grey heron.

 

[schiffornis]

Nice day Andy. A shame it's not possible to comfortably watch the tip. Would be a good local patch for me.

The field you describe where the Water Pipit flew to is the one it has been spending the winter at.

I had decided to let these redpolls go, but I'm tempted again now for the morning!

I defo want to make sure I'm in the right spot. Is it the trees that actually run along the edge of the lake?

Cheers

Hi Steve, yes i think there was a line of alders along the edge of the lake but then there was a lone tree in the centre of a grass area (small - imagine a quad in a school block only one side is water????) the birds were on the deck here, one bird preferring under the line of trees in the dirt, the others all happily out on the grass. I think i parked in car park G and walked round, went on instinct no map! Almost stood on them so walked back to not flush them, they seemed happy down to 8ft though...

The tip would be great if someone would build a viewing platform so you could look in..... a very good local patch too...

Hope this helps

Andy

 

[Hotspur]

Feel better now that Schiffornis has confirmed that there were definitely 2 Mealy's as I didn't get to see the rump on the second. And to think people are twitching my Corn Buntings

 

[schiffornis]

Feel better now that Schiffornis has confirmed that there were definitely 2 Mealy's as I didn't get to see the rump on the second. And to think people are twitching my Corn Buntings

Good gen!

This article is fairly useful...

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tracy.mann/Redpolls.htm

cheers

Andy

 

[Lawts]

Good gen!

This article is fairly useful...

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tracy.mann/Redpolls.htm

cheers

Andy

Interesting. Thanks for sharing that Andy. I re-visited York Uni. today along with Unclelawts, Hotspur, Martin Standley and ano (didn't get this birder's name).

I was first on scene and on and off viewed the repoll flock of 7+ birds for about two hours. In all that time, I didn't see anything that suggested a defo. Common Redpoll. There were two intersting birds.

The first was not unlike the bird on the top right hand photo in your article. Largely unstreaked underneath with an overall rosey wash. However on the upperparts it lacked any frosty tones, and the briefest of views indicated a brown rump (the Uncle and Hotspur agreed). It also wasn't noticeably bigger than the accompanying Lessers.

The second bird perhaps had a few more credentials. It did suggest a slightly bulkier paler bird. The back was still largely brown and lacking frosty tones, but the two mantle braces were very obvious. We never saw the rump. If this is the bird it isn't a classic.

We couldn't complain with the viewing conditions - sunny, no wind and at times the birds were just a few yards away. The sun on occasions made viewing difficult.

Martin took some shots of the second bird mentioned here and is posting them for debate. I may have some shots but haven't had chance to check yet.

Enjoyable morning but certainly I wouldn't claim Common Redpoll on what I've seen. If a Common Redpoll is amongst the birds I've seen today, then they are trickier than I have previously given them credit for. When I've seen them it has involved masses of them and to a bird they are frosty and obvious.

Clocked the Corn Buntings at Knapton, along with Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow and Skylark - just shows what a bit of setaside will attract.

Bottled a comando raid at the tip but clocked a GS Woodpecker here.

 

[Hotspur]

The things I would add to what Lawts has said are the Lesser size bird was had very little streaking and looked washed out and pale in colour but wasn't frosty. It did have pale edging to the primaries so that when held closed it looked like the bird had a pale rump but on prolonged views this wasn't the case. The larger of the two birds didn't give views of its rump and i believe that this is the bird whose rump i did get a view of yesterday. It had obvious mantle braces (as did the first bird) and the most obvious double wing bar. It was easy to pick out in good light but when sat in the direct sun with the lessers (which it often was) was difficult to tell. It appeared to have less streaking on theutc's than the adjacent birds and the pale shoulders(auricular coverts) that i was seeing the previous day. Funnily enough this bird kept breaking out into full song whereas no other bird would. My hunch is that this is a 1st w Common Redpoll but i wouldn't stake my house or yearlist on it. Couldn't complain about views.

 

[Lawts]

The things I would add to what Lawts has said are the Lesser size bird was had very little streaking and looked washed out and pale in colour but wasn't frosty. It did have pale edging to the primaries so that when held closed it looked like the bird had a pale rump but on prolonged views this wasn't the case. The larger of the two birds didn't give views of its rump and i believe that this is the bird whose rump i did get a view of yesterday. It had obvious mantle braces (as did the first bird) and the most obvious double wing bar. It was easy to pick out in good light but when sat in the direct sun with the lessers (which it often was) was difficult to tell. It appeared to have less streaking on theutc's than the adjacent birds and the pale shoulders(auricular coverts) that i was seeing the previous day. Funnily enough this bird kept breaking out into full song whereas no other bird would. My hunch is that this is a 1st w Common Redpoll but i wouldn't stake my house or yearlist on it. Couldn't complain about views.

Martin's third and fourth shot (separate thread) defo. depict the second bird I've described above. His shots certainly make it seem quite frosty now. Interesting that there's been quite a views on the thread and not a single posting yet.

 

[Hotspur]

perhaps it was the warm light making it browner than reality?

 

[Martin Standley]

perhaps it was the warm light making it browner than reality?

Just been going through my photos again and whilst these are not the clearest they do offer some comparisons.

 

[KnockerNorton]

I've had a look at the other thread and I'm not massively convinced, to be honest, but not sure why.

I was thinking that the greater covert wing bar wasn't pale and obvious enough, but I think the bird is a first winter. It seems to have paler (they look almost white) tips to the inner coverts, which will be moulted and 'adult' while having a thinner browner tips to the outer ones, which may be older juv feathers. If it had moulted the whole lot, then that wing bar might well be a convincly stonking pale whitish bar. But it hasn't, and it doesn't, and I'm not too clued up on 1st winter Mealies.

Maybe it's an intergrade...?

 

[Lawts]

Just been going through my photos again and whilst these are not the clearest they do offer some comparisons.

On your second shot is this the unstreaked bird or the bird with the double mantle braces? I don't recall the "mantle brace bird" to be as rosey underneath.

 

[Lawts]

I've had a look at the other thread and I'm not massively convinced, to be honest, but not sure why.

I was thinking that the greater covert wing bar wasn't pale and obvious enough, but I think the bird is a first winter. It seems to have paler (they look almost white) tips to the inner coverts, which will be moulted and 'adult' while having a thinner browner tips to the outer ones, which may be older juv feathers. If it had moulted the whole lot, then that wing bar might well be a convincly stonking pale whitish bar. But it hasn't, and it doesn't, and I'm not too clued up on 1st winter Mealies.

Maybe it's an intergrade...?

I have to say the shots actually make the bird look more obvious than it was in the field.

 

[Martin Standley]

On your second shot is this the unstreaked bird or the bird with the double mantle braces? I don't recall the "mantle brace bird" to be as rosey underneath.

Its the 'double mantle bird' these shots were take just after we discussed 'the bird to the left of the mud mound'

 

[Mike Richardson]

I had two wildlife highlights from a non-birding day.

Firstly I called in at Holbeck, Scarborough for some great views of Summer plumage Med Gulls taking advantage of the piles of bread on offer. First time I've seen these beautiful birds in Summer Kit.

Secondly, I was driving away from the feeders at Forge Valley towards Hackness when I spotted a Mink at the side of the small bridge. I stopped the car and watched it cross the road in my rear view mirror. I know these creatures are invasive and don't belong here, however, it was still an exciting addition to my day.

 

[Ingsbirder]

Its the 'double mantle bird' these shots were take just after we discussed 'the bird to the left of the mud mound'

I haven't been to see this bird yet, but based on the pics posted here I see no reason why it's not one. Mealies cover a range of plumages, some more obvious than others - ie the big, pale, frosty ones through to the more subtle birds. Anyway, this bird shows a clean, lacking buff, base colour to the flanks, has nice greyish head sides and the upperparts (if the picture reflects the true colour tones of the bird) show a nice 'cold' tone (ie lacking the warm browns of Lesser). Add to that the obvious stockiness of the bird and I wouldn't have a problem with this as a Mealy - I'd presume that if were to be seen in flight then the 'white' rump would also show.

 

[Hotspur]

I'd presume that if were to be seen in flight then the 'white' rump would also show.

That was the thing, nobody noticed a white rump whilst we were there, although i'm sure i did the previous morning. It would be good if we had pics of the other pale Redpoll as well for opinions.

 

[liverpool_bob]

Panic over?

Falcon sp. E Yorks Spurn 15:45
hybrid falcon perched on telegraph pole at The Warren this afternoon

There's a piccy on the Spurn website... strange looking thing!


Cheers,
Bob.

 

[Ingsbirder]

That was the thing, nobody noticed a white rump whilst we were there, although i'm sure i did the previous morning. It would be good if we had pics of the other pale Redpoll as well for opinions.

Yep, but there's still enough in the pics posted to be fairly confident that this is a Mealy without having to see the rump? I could be wrong as I'm only passing comment on a set of pics as I've not yet had time to get to see the bird(s) in question - must try to get down to do so. However, I would be surprised if the bird in the photos flew and did not have a 'white' rump...