Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[Andrew Gibson]

No birding today but just heard an amazing call.

Was it a scream

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Does anyone know if the Black Necked Grebes are still at the West Yorks site. I'v only seen one there and haven't seen any on recent visits.

 

[zacatzooba]

Does anyone know if the Black Necked Grebes are still at the West Yorks site. I'v only seen one there and haven't seen any on recent visits.

dipped on both of my recent visits Marcus.

 

[hcdavid]

Does anyone know if the Black Necked Grebes are still at the West Yorks site. I'v only seen one there and haven't seen any on recent visits.

Hi Marcus,I was at Potteric Carr on Tuesday.I got record shots of 1 pair of black necked grebes.I was told there were 2 more pairs on site.I really enjoyed the day as I hadnt been before.Nothing particularly rare but whitethroats and various warblers singing from the tops of trees.There were a few avocets which were a first for me.They were excited about a male whinchat which spent all day at willow marsh.Dave.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Hi Marcus,I was at Potteric Carr on Tuesday.I got record shots of 1 pair of black necked grebes.I was told there were 2 more pairs on site.I really enjoyed the day as I hadnt been before.Nothing particularly rare but whitethroats and various warblers singing from the tops of trees.There were a few avocets which were a first for me.They were excited about a male whinchat which spent all day at willow marsh.Dave.

Thanks Dave :t:

 

[knocker7800]

Dipped the dotterels on wednesday at about midday. I guess they had had enough of being twitched. Damn! Did martin mere (dipped the beaver) and leighton moss the next day(bearded tit (1/3 second view) and marsh harrier food pass). On way home wen't to a well known Peregrine site (heard the brooding bird have a go at a nearby raven) and found a raven nest with five nearly fully grown young. No-one else on site was interested in the ravens.

Mark.

 

[garry1366]

No I have friends (very dubious claim), who find birds and bother telling me, rather than trusting the pagers networks to put news out immediately. Your sort of remark is what keeps putting me off the 'Yorkshire Birding' thread!

Has anyone else noticed the lowest common denominator when there's any teddies out of the pram on this thread?

G

 

[John Bullfinch]

Does anyone know if the Black Necked Grebes are still at the West Yorks site. I'v only seen one there and haven't seen any on recent visits.

Hi Marcus

I only saw one at the sight I believe you are talking about - that was early April. Been down a few times since but not seen again. Saw a pair at Wintersett on 19/4/09. Cant recall where I read it but they are supposedly known to change from established breeding sites in a totally random way.

Good to see a good number are at Potteric though.

John

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Good workshop day out today. Went to Fairburn for dawn at just after 5AM. Gropper at Lynn Dyke, many sedge. Showing the group a whitethroat and a lesser whitethroat starts singing and showing well enough for photo's.

Went to snake site and we all got good views of a Grass Snake and at least three Cuckoo, Tree Pipit etc.

Quick dart to North Cave and one of the newbies finds a 'black chaffinch' turns out to be a cracking male Pied Fly (should I report this?)! We move round and a couple of Whimbrel bubble there way in.

Things came together well!

 

[James Thomas]

Patch walk early doors before DIY. Made some more recordings of my odd chiffers - on id thread, sat and watched battle royal between two pairs of whitethroat fighting over the same brambles. Found a pair of long tailed tits collecting food so obviously feeding young, as I watched they began to get very near and started to hover 6' in front of me. I then realised I was stood in front of the nest which was clearly visible, will be keeping an eye on that.

 

[BirdFlower]

Quick dart to North Cave and one of the newbies finds a 'black chaffinch' turns out to be a cracking male Pied Fly (should I report this?)! We move round and a couple of Whimbrel bubble there way in.
QUOTE]

There's a mobile phone number in the N.Cave hides to let Gary Dayes know about unusual sightings. I don't know offhand if they've had Pied Flycatchers before, but I supect it doesn't happen every year. You can send a PM to Gary, or hopefully he may read this. I think there's a North Cave Wetlands website now, so you could maybe contact him via that! Did you get a pic of the Pied Fly? A good record anyway.

 

[Andrew Tongue]

Bits and pieces from today

Hello,

I've been woefully slow in getting involved in BF. Here's hoping I make amends in coming months...
Here are some bits and pieces from Swinemoor and High Eske / Pulfin early this morning:

Swinemoor 5.10am - 8.20am

Swift: 3
Sedge warbler: 8 territories
Wheatear: At least 6 birds
Ruff: 1
Redshank: 9 birds seen
Gadwall: pair
Golden plover: 1
Whimbrel: 1
Yellow wagtail: 3
Cuckoo: Male in song
LRP: Only one bird in evidence, a male in display-flight
Kingfisher - At least two. Breeding suspected along central drain
Shelduck: Two pairs
Whitethroat: One territory
Stock dove: One territory
Skylark: At least one territory
Lapwing: 11 sitting birds counted and two fledged chicks (from different broods) counted
Greylag goose: 4
Mistle Thrush
Sand martin: 1
Tree Sparrow: 8
Willow warbler: 8 territories
Curlew: 1
Tufted duck: pair
Pied wagtail: 3
Black-headed gull: 1
Mallard with brood
Immature seal (no seal ID skills but everyone seems to agree it's a Grey) seen on riverbank - approachable

High Eske and Pulfin 8.45am - 10.00am

Marsh Harrier flew south along river then headed east, soaring leisurely
Barn owl hunting in broad daylight (chicks to feed, no doubt)
Goldeneye: 1
LRP: 1
Cuckoo: Male in song
Wigeon: 1
Shoveler: 3
Gadwall: 2
Sedge warbler: Around 15 territories in Pulfin Bog
Whitethroat: one territory
Blackcap: three territories
Willow warbler: three territories

Thanks

Andrew

 

[Martin Standley]

had a nice morning at Spurn today, lovely weather but the birding was a bit slow.
The day was saved by this cracking black redstart.
There was also quite a few common migrants and a nice clouded yellow.
The nightingale was reported after I had gone.
sammy's Point also quiet with a few wheatear and pied wags.
More shots on the blog.

 

[stuartg]

Pied Fly is a first for NCW. No note has been made in any logs. Further details would be really helpful. Gary D will be reading this later (he's out looking for the bird now).

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Pied Fly is a first for NCW. No note has been made in any logs. Further details would be really helpful. Gary D will be reading this later (he's out looking for the bird now).

The bird was in the far South West Corner on the corner of carp lake. Feeding from the hedge and flitting to the trees. I will see if any of the group got shots. We watched it for a few minutes before it flew in to cover.

This was at c 1:45. One of the group had to be back in Leeds for 3 so we rushed round the rest NCW bagging the whimbrel on Reedbed Lake and then not really stopping and didn't visit any hides.

It was ironic because we moved the day from Bolton Abbey at the last minute.

I ruled out Collared (you never know) and then tried to get them all on it. I would say we watched it for a total of five minutes in that corner before we all got distracted by a more obliging blackbird. It was a photography workshop and they were much more interested in getting shots of that I'm afraid to say.

 

[Ben M]

Might be worth reminding and making newer members aware that it's best not to publish breeding sites of schedule 1 species.

 

[garydayes]

Quick dart to North Cave and one of the newbies finds a 'black chaffinch' turns out to be a cracking male Pied Fly (should I report this?)! We move round and a couple of Whimbrel bubble there way in.

Things came together well!

Hi Marcus, excellent find of the Pied Fly at North Cave Wetlands today and as stuartg says a new bird for the reserve :t:; this brings the reserve list up to 197 species give or take the odd suspect Goose/Duck species. (Getting ever nearer the 200 species figure)
Had a look round the area for an hour or so this evening with no luck, plenty of normal 'pink' Chaffinch's, but no 'black' one!:-C

 

[andy hood]

Flamborough

had a couple of hours birding this afternoon at south landing / thornwick bay ,
3 male Blackcaps,
3 Willow Warblers,
2 Chiffchaffs,
1 Lesser Whitethroat,
1 Stock Dove,
2 Sedge Warblers,
1 Whinchat ,
1 Barn Owl,
lots of Linnets
A Ringtail Hen Harrier was also seen up at the golf course earlier today

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Just a word of warning to all Tyke birders.... I've a days pass for birding on Monday so be warned it's gonna rain, snow, sleet and chuck everything at you, However, I'm cutting down shrubs and other domestic [email protected] tomorrow so I'd get out there then if I were you as the weather should be champion.

Back on line again after reinstalling windows for the second time in less than 7 days.... sometimes things just do not go the way you want them to!

 

[johnsulli]

Ripon Ravens

Hi Guys
Visited family down near Ripon yesterday and took the chance to get out in new territory. I only had the camera with me having left the bins at home in the N.E.
I spotted what looked like a pair of Buzzard soaring high above and about 1/2 mile off so took a picture (record shot) but to my suprise when I got home and checked them on the PC saw they were Raven and wondered if anyone from the area has knowledge of them.

Regards
John