Yorkshire Birding (2 Viewers)

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Went looking for twite today. First stop Whiteholme Res, where there were loads of waders - very odd! 1 Grey Plover, 1 Green Sand (year tick I think!) and 4 Little RP's. Got chatting to another birder up there and there had been a greenshank through today as well. Anyway Peregrne bosches through and we think it took out the grey plover. Certainly went for it, and then we find it on the edge of the res plucking... we watched it for another 30 mins and then it stands chasing possibly small insects around the edge of the res - it's running like a chicken -really interesting to watch. Gutted is was too far for the camera, as it then had a wash and a drink berfore flying off.

Tried Deer Hill and despite an earlier report there were only meadow pipits and a lone wheatear to keep me and the midges company.

Nice to have some sunshine for once.

 

[Mike Richardson]

I had a quick trip to Allerthorpe Common yesterday. Took girlfriend and her post op mum so wasn't expecting much. The area was very boggy and full of Common Lizards of all sizes. No Adders but didn't really have a good look for them.
A walk at nearby Pocklington Canal produced a Grey Wagtail and a huge Water Vole.

 

[Mike Richardson]

Any water stretch of water in the Scarborough area is worth a try for Otter Marcus if you're birding on the east coast, including ditches - I've even seen one on Filey Dams which doesn't have fish.

Filey Dams is one place I would never expect to see an Otter!
Having said that they are increasingly being seen in city centres such as York, Leeds and Newcastle.
I suspect the lack of fish at Filey Dams is the reason I have only seen a handful of Grey Herons at the reserve.

 

[Glaucous1]

A quick look around the local forests this morning gave some decent views of a juvenile goshawk - a couple of shots attatched.

Dropped into Hilla Green briefly - all of the gorse along the river bank has been taken out, and the banks strimmed right back to give no cover at all.

Are the lizards at Allerthorpe easy to see Mike from a photography point of view - is it the fenced off nature reserve area?

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Seems to have been a slow BHWeekend. No migrants or seabirds on the coast at all of note despite a few things in the South East. Lets hope it picks up.

 

[Mike Richardson]

Dropped into Hilla Green briefly - all of the gorse along the river bank has been taken out, and the banks strimmed right back to give no cover at all.

Are the lizards at Allerthorpe easy to see Mike from a photography point of view - is it the fenced off nature reserve area?

Called in at Hilla Green myself this afternoon as I was in the area. A Dipper and 4 Kingfishers wasn't bad for a 10 minute visit.

Yes, Allerthorpe Common is the fenced off reserve. Usually I see 2-3 Lizards as I look for Adders, but views are brief as they scuttle away.

On Sunday I saw double figures and at least two Lizards allowed prolonged views. I'm sure they would have been much easier to photograph than Otters and Goshawks.

 

[zacatzooba]

Had a walk along the Wharfe from Harewood Bridge towards Weeton this afternnon - a Sparrowhawk, a buzzard and at least 9 different Red Kites - one of which was extremely pale. Nothing seen on the river whatsoever.
rob

 

[mikejack82]

Had a walk along the Wharfe from Harewood Bridge towards Weeton this afternnon - a Sparrowhawk, a buzzard and at least 9 different Red Kites - one of which was extremely pale. Nothing seen on the river whatsoever.
rob

Nice to hear about another raptor-lover, instead of the chavs!
hahaha

 

[KnockerNorton]

Are the lizards at Allerthorpe easy to see Mike from a photography point of view - is it the fenced off nature reserve area?

a tip for lizards is to go early (before 9-10am), or on a blustery day with only sunny spells, when they'll be trying to warm up by basking. They're also more sluggish when cool. They bask on stones/logs or, if it's cool, dark surfaces like molehills in cover. You can always try and 'bait' them by putting a big dark rock somewhere that will be a good basking spot. Not out in the open, but in long grass/scrub or at the foot of a hedge. Immatures are particularly approachable if you get them at the right time.

On a warm sunny day, they're mega quick and alert.

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Oh, better be careful at Whiteholme Marcus - nearly in Lancashire you know?! We only live a mile or so from there - you could have called for a cuppa....... except we weren 't in 'cos we'd gone to Blacktoft. Lots of waders i.e.

Godwit
Redshank & spotted redshank
Dunlin
Green sandpiper
Greenshank
Lapwing
4 marsh harrier
Stunning dabchicks looking very bright in the sun
1 juv shelduck
3 avocet
gadwall
teal
c40 snipe
coot
moorhen

A dearth of little 'flitty' birds, except for a large flock of tree sparrows near the feeding station.

It was lovely to be out in the sunshine.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Oh, better be careful at Whiteholme Marcus - nearly in Lancashire you know?!

I met a local up there from Rochdale and he pointed out where Lancishire started. I'd have known from the smelll of course, but it was good to have it pointed out :t:

 

[liverpool_bob]

Had a cracking weekend on my patch, and while there weren't loads of birds the quality was high.

The fields are all waterlogged - more so than you'd expect to see in January, let alone August. Never seen anything like it. As a result much of the wheat is still standing and there's been very little ploughing yet. Found two different parties of 6 and 3 Greenshank using wet patches in fields - not bad considering my previous best was 2 in a day :eek!: A major bonus in the form of a juv Spotted Redshank - only my third one in the area. Four different Green Sandpipers would normally be very good, but seemed rather ordinary!

Generally quiet for passerines though, for me, a massive patch tick in the form of a party of 6 Crossbills. Just a shame it was only a moderately brief flight view but it's a good job they're so noisy or I'd certainly have missed them... also seen another Spotted Flycatcher, and a Wheatear stood on top of manure heap (only my third area autumn record).

Excellent tally of raptors - a female Marsh Harrier hunting up and down about a mile of fields kept appearing for over an hour yesterday. On Sunday had good views of a juvenile Hobby plus the briefest glimpse of possibly a second bird at the same time - most intriguing, never seen a bird in juvenile plumage in the area. The most spectacular sight of the weekend was a young Peregrine coming out of nowhere and taking out a flying Black-headed Gull. Awesome. Don't think I've ever seen one take out a gull before (though I know they do). I stood watching for 15 minutes and apart from feathers being blown across the field there were large chunks of flesh being ripped away... so it's safe to say it was a successful kill B

I've now reached my target of 110 species (111) for the year and it's only August. Having read there was an Osprey south over Tophill all I can think is 'I should have had that too' :-O

 

[Sandra (Taylor)]

Marcus -

The local wasn't called Alan by any chance was he? A pal of ours spends a great deal of his time up there.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

The local wasn't called Alan by any chance was he? e spends a great deal of his time up there.

Hi Sandra it was Dave Oosey - nice fella.

 

[Hotspur]

Black Stork on Cawood ings at the confluence of the Wharfe and Ouse.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Black Stork on Cawood ings at the confluence of the Wharfe and Ouse.

What now??

EDIT yep see it on birdguides

 

[Chris-Leeds]

Nice to hear about another raptor-lover, instead of the chavs!
hahaha

Saw some dodgy chavs walk past work today with a Harris Hawk. Must be the new "must have" and not Staffies anymore.:eek!:

 

[zacatzooba]

got to the black stork twitch about 4.30ish just in time to see it go up, head east, return, then head off north east - looked like it was going down again when it dissappeared behind trees (just been reported back in same spot on birdguides as I write) - good luck to anyone who goes.
cheers
rob

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Yeah I chickened out on the BS, fingers crossed for tom

 

[Keith Dickinson]

ah [email protected], isn't it always the bloody same...nowt when you're on hoiday...get back to work a lifer pops up!