Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[Keith Dickinson]

Went down to Swilly this aft for an hour, not too much of interest other than marsh harrier showing well. Something spooked the gulls and lapwings at Astley but didn't see if it was a raptor of any kind. A bit too windy for my liking, everything seemed to be lying low and I made a speedy exit when I saw the clouds gathering. I was pretty wet when I got home.

Must admit Chris, when I was driving home from Cas... the rain was a swine. I slept in this morning or I'd have been down there for the scaup that was there yesterday.

 

[Hotspur]

Keith, the RC Pochard has been on Birdguides for the last 2 days - in village bay. Gonna go for the north cave birds tomorrow.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

James, I am no longer a paying customer of Birdguides...I can only see todays birds...no longer able to go back on the site so couldn't look myself. Thanks for the info, I'll bomb down there tomorrow, if the bird has flown I'll keep going to N Cave. Might see you there.

 

[Chris-Leeds]

The RCP was reported on the RSPB's own sightings page. Just a shame the updates are a little slow at times. Thought about going to Fairburn yesterday but getting caught in that rain would have been harder to take. T shirt and shorts, good for the sunny times not when it turns bad.

 

[KnockerNorton]

yeah but they are cat cish and would fit in with the other southern ducks which reach britain at this time of year ie ruddy shelduck. I prefer the until proven guilty approach. If they were rarities they would be accepted unless there was proof they were escapes like the East Park bird last year. Why be negative about them? Yes they may be escapes but they may also be wild. To decide without rings is conjecture. Having said that if they come to bread I might have a rethink.

I'm not being negative - tick what you like, listing doesn't interest me. But it is nigh on impossible to know if any RCP or (even worse) Ruddy Shelduck is genuinely wild. There are so many feral birds around, and the chances of a bird having flown 10 miles rather than 1000 are obviously greater. You simply can't rule out feral birds, as the possibility is so high, so none can be confidently claimed as 'wild'. It's akin to ticking a Canada Goose at Fairburn and hoping it's a transatlantic vagrant.

The birds in East Park have been present and documented for years. the fact that people were prepared to 'tick' them shows how wishful thinking can override common sense (and a bit of research).

 

[Lawts]

I'm not being negative - tick what you like, listing doesn't interest me. But it is nigh on impossible to know if any RCP or (even worse) Ruddy Shelduck is genuinely wild. There are so many feral birds around, and the chances of a bird having flown 10 miles rather than 1000 are obviously greater. You simply can't rule out feral birds, as the possibility is so high, so none can be confidently claimed as 'wild'. It's akin to ticking a Canada Goose at Fairburn and hoping it's a transatlantic vagrant.

The birds in East Park have been present and documented for years. the fact that people were prepared to 'tick' them shows how wishful thinking can override common sense (and a bit of research).

Huge difference between RCP and Ruddy Shelduck. One is on cat. C one isn't. So for Ruddy Shelduck you can dismiss every individual if you don't think it's a genuine cat. A.

In contrast an RCP fully winged and unringed and not showing obvious signs of captivity can be ticked on balance as a cat. C bird given its new status. All the cat. C RCP's will have originated from feral birds rather than genuine cat. A birds. Once it has become a cat. C bird I'd be inclined to drop the term feral. I personally don't regard other established cat C. birds such as Canada Goose as feral. They are wild birds in self-supporting populations.

 

[Hotspur]

Went to North Cave but the RC Pochards have disappeared. No waders bar the lapwings & oycs. Finally found the Little Owl tree! Had one a a good distance. Also juv Common Tern being fed small roach at the feet of the east hide was brill as was a singing Corn Bunting at the west end of the reserve.

 

[knocker7800]

sorry, forgot to mention i saw the corn bunting halfway down the lane at north cave. Apparantly there are a family of five kingfishers at the far pond and i also saw (for the first time) 3 Great Crested Grebe chicks taking a ride with mum/dad. Hotspur can you PM me with the details of the little owl, tried to locate it for twenty minutes unsuccessfully on saturday.

mark.

 

[Chris-Leeds]

A pretty good report for Swilly yesterday on their sightings board. Being in the hide with a scope was the order of the day, not underdressed on a bike though I did see a few of the mentioned birds. Got closest to a green woodpecker on the path near the middle bridge.

 

[James Thomas]

Nice afternoon afternoon at Bolton Abbey,family of 11 Goosander on the Wharfe,woods very quiet but found adult and juv spotted flycatchers, blackcap.

 

[Hotspur]

Looks like the North Cave RC Pochards relocated to Fairburn as there are now 6 present there.

 

[bitterntwisted]

Nosterfield 1300-1530 - 2 LRPs, 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin (NR lake) 1 lovely sum plum Blackwit, 1 Dunlin (Lingham) 1 Sanderling, 1 Common Sand (Flasks) Stars were 2 (possibly 3) Turtle Doves straight through over Lingham. Also huge numbers of Lapwing, loads of Oiks, a few Redshank, but no ducks yet other than breeders and one male Pochard.

Graham

 

[liverpool_bob]

the fact that people were prepared to 'tick' them shows how wishful thinking can override common sense (and a bit of research).

Aren't ducks a complete pain... I might tick this lot >>>

 

[KnockerNorton]

Aren't ducks a complete pain... I might tick this lot >>>

Lee Evans probably think that's ok - as long as he's stood beside you

 

[liverpool_bob]

Quiet weekend, as expected, not especially helped by the weather. A couple of hours in the sunshine on Sunday afternoon was about as dead as it gets. Fortunately the rest of the weekend was moderately better...

Highlights as follows; another Hobby, though another typically brief encounter, a few waders beginning to pass through including 4 Golden Plover flying west, 3 Common Sandpiper and 2 summer pl Dunlin (surprise year tick, yay!), all three Wagtails, and a juvenile Tree Sparrow in my Dad's garden (usually only seen there in winter!).

Closing in slowly on the 110 target... 106 now.

 

[peter hill]

Had a trip over to yorkshire yesterday the highlights were green 2 green woodpeckers at potteric car 2 greenshanks and a greensandpipper at broomhill flash oh saw the spoonbill at old moor again

 

[loiner]

Two White Storks at Harewood yesterday - both unringed. Usually when I've seen two together one has been ringed, so this fits with the three free-flying bird scenario.
One bird there looked like a cross between a Shelduck and a Mallard, and there were over a dozen Canada x Greylag hybrids. Also another brood of Mandarins.
The Yellow-legged Gulls at Swillington are usually on the causeway in the main lake at St. Aidan's, though are often asleep, not showing their legs.

 

[canonman77]

HI Guys, Im new to this site & I must say, Im loving the YORKSHIRE thread. I live In Rotherham, South Yorkshire & Old Moor Bird Reserve Is pretty darn good.

Sean.

 

[Hotspur]

Hoopoe at Dunnington today. Had great views on my commute home. Very obliging little blighter feeding merrily in full view. Been present for 4 days apparently.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Hoopoe at Dunnington today. Had great views on my commute home. Very obliging little blighter feeding merrily in full view. Been present for 4 days apparently.

Just reading your text James, forgot my phone today. Please let it stay until Wednesday!!!! Could you PM me with the location please.