Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[knocker7800]

Managed to sneak out and have a mad dash down to Pugneys CP in wakefield to twitch the black terns. 3 birds patrolling the near shore of the main lake and sometimers perching up on the bouys. Plenty of common terns about too.

Beautiful birds, definately worth the drive.

Mark.

 

[Andrew Tongue]

Blacktoft, North Cave today

Pleased to discover a Temminck's stint at North Cave at 1645 this afternoon. The bird was showing well amongst the avocets and LRPs and viewable from both East and Tower Hides.
Also at North Cave: Common sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Sand martin.

Earlier in the day at Blacktoft Sands: Drake Garganey, Common sand, Bearded tit, several Marsh harriers, Short-eared owl. At least one, possibly two Corn buntings at New Lane, between Reedness and Swinefleet.

 

[Hotspur]

Spent the morning before the wifes scan, at Tophill hoping for some black terns - no go on that score but got very lucky when a pair of Turtle Doves shot over my head out of south scrub. Also a couple of pairs of Grey Wags and a Common Sandpiper.

On the way back from the scan I called in at Swine Moor - 3 Whimbrel were the only noticable passage birds although i did get amazing views of a Reed Warbler on the bank.

p.s. the scan went brill:t:B

 

[Hotspur]

Managed to sneak out and have a mad dash down to Pugneys CP in wakefield to twitch the black terns. 3 birds patrolling the near shore of the main lake and sometimers perching up on the bouys. Plenty of common terns about too.

Beautiful birds, definately worth the drive.

Mark.

Castle Howard is always good for Black Tern Mark if you want to find your own mate - me and mike had 3 last year (twitched) and there were some there yesterday.

Spurn looking good for sunday...nightingale sp! and several ickies.

 

[BirdFlower]

I've just sent you a PM with my current mobile number - would appreciate a text. Not sure whether my work commitments allow an extended lunch hour, but will ask the question.

I don't get the chance to do ordinary relaxed birdwatching - FT job, 1 year old daughter, U11 Football coach .......... the hours just disappear

Good luck at North Cave

Mal Skelton

Rain & light conditions were appalling at North Cave, so kept to the hides, so didn't see the Garganey. However, there was some brilliant behaviour to watch with the courting Great Crested Grebes, Litte Ringed Plovers and Avocets. A Dunlin touched down briefly & a pair of Common Sandpipers were chasing each other round one of the lakes. I don't understand why, but I've been told to dedicate today's blog entry to Keith Dickinson! 3

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Ah Mike, I'll let you in on the secret....avocets are my least favourite birds, so I reckon either Jim, John or Marcus put you up to it.
I can't abide the stupid things, I long for the days of yore when you had to drive to Suffolk to see the blessed things. Noisy, irritating and they won't leave other birds alone.

 

[garry1366]

Ah Mike, I'll let you in on the secret....avocets are my least favourite birds, so I reckon either Jim, John or Marcus put you up to it.
I can't abide the stupid things, I long for the days of yore when you had to drive to Suffolk to see the blessed things. Noisy, irritating and they won't leave other birds alone.

Keith at last a man after my own heart!!!

G

P.S. Hotspur just been talking about your bogey birds with a friend, they surely aren't real bogeys are they? I think the correct term is tarts ticks, I can't imagine you've dipped on Little Tern and Twite that many times!

 

[Pete Mella]

Popped just over the border to Stanage Edge after work today. Got a flushed woodcock and a cracking ring ouzel, but they didn't compare with the target of the trip... there were three of these, and they were some of the tamest birds I've ever seen, mere feet away and actually trotting closer to us than running off. Unforgetable!

 

[Duckwoman]

this week's birding (so far)

At Pugneys on tuesday. It was great to see so many swifts. As dusk approached, the swifts were replaced by noctule bats. Lots of flying insects that night (possibly alder flies but not sure).

On thursday I had a fantastic walk in the Eccup area - had 46 species from 6.30 till dusk. Most notable was a singing yellow wagtail in a field off Eccup Moor Road (not far from the water works). How great is that for a Leeds bird.

 

[Hotspur]

Keith at last a man after my own heart!!!

G

P.S. Hotspur just been talking about your bogey birds with a friend, they surely aren't real bogeys are they? I think the correct term is tarts ticks, I can't imagine you've dipped on Little Tern and Twite that many times!

Little Tern was a tart but twite for county is a bogey as ive tramped all the right places in county for winter birds and not seen one (refuse to twitch em) - only had a flock up in durham. Considering going up to the West Yorks ones but would rather find my own at Barmston or the like. But then i have only been birding 5 years - crap bogeys to have but bogeys none the less.

 

[BirdFlower]

Noisy, irritating and they won't leave other birds alone.

Ah, that explains it! So they are the equivalent of most gulls or Coots for you!

 

[BirdFlower]

twite for county is a bogey as ive tramped all the right places in county for winter birds and not seen one (refuse to twitch em) - only had a flock up in durham. Considering going up to the West Yorks ones but would rather find my own at Barmston or the like. But then i have only been birding 5 years - crap bogeys to have but bogeys none the less.

I had a class on Fraisthorpe beach towards Barmston in November a couple of years ago & we had a flock on the cliffs & Filey Carr Naze can be a good place some winters - if that's somewhere you haven't checked.

 

[Andrew Tongue]

Swinemoor this morning

Pleased to find a Temminck's stint here at 1100 this morning.

Also present:

Garganey: Pair
Greenshank: 3
Wheatear: 1
Cuckoo: 1
Curlew: 1
Pied wagtail: Adult feeding three fledged young
Lapwing: Nine sitting birds seen with two mobile broods of two fledged young each
Mute swan: 7 cygnets hatched in the nest along the industrial estate with one unhatched egg
Common gull: Three first-year birds flew south
Mallard: Three broods of 3,3 and 8 ducklings
Sparrowhawk: One, mobbed by Lapwings
Snipe: One drumming
Lesser whitethroat: 1 singing
Mute swan: 10 on Swinemoor common proper

 

[Hotspur]

Had a mixed day - just got in after a half 5 start. Old Fall still held a Wood Warbler which showed nicely and intermittantly the entire visit. Also two spot flies, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, a few Garden Warblers and Chiffies. 3 Tree Pipits touched down and flew. Most annoying was the Icterine Warbler did a couple of rounds of sub song and then shut up without being seen. Really frustrating. Heard about the sprosser down at Kilnsea so set off down there. Dipped three Icterines in that general area and heard a small amount of very lazy sub song from the Thrush Nightingale but no views. A male Pied flycatcher in the churchyard at Kilnsea was nice but brief. I also smashed the screen on my phone by dropping it but bumped into Darren Ward & 'Youth'. Gave it all up for a bad job and came back via Swinemoor where initially I could only see a couple of Greenshanks. A mixed group of 9 tiny waders dropped in half and half LRP and Ringo with tagging along a Temminck's Stint. Yay! Lifer. My phone is totalled though.

 

[James Thomas]

Went to look for the Pugneys Black Terns at stupid o'clock, no sign of them but had the place to myself pretty much. Willow tit and first Reed warbler of the year were the highlights there. Went onto a South Yorks site and found the scene below, Awww! Pretty much the full range of common warblers, a probable hobby, woodlark and quail - heard but not seen though I was in the car having a coffee and watching grey partridge at the time so not too bad. Stopped off at Fairburn on the return looking for their Black Terns but got soaked a few times and decided to call it a day and have a nap. Good day.

 

[andy hood]

Ring tailed Hen Harrier north over Kilnsea 1pm yesterday afternoon

 

[Andrew Tongue]

Swinemoor and Bransholme Sewage Works Sunday morning

Swinemoor 0730 - 0945 this morning:

Temminck's stint present for its second day, usually visible from the Corporation Farm viewpoint.
Greenshank: At least one
Common Buzzard: At least one bird
Wheatear: 1
Curlew: 1
Kestrel
LRP: 1
Reed warbler: Eight singing
Sedge: Only two singing this morning

Bransholme Sewage Works:

Mute swan: 2
Mallard with two ducklings
Tufted: 1

 

[Martin Standley]

Went to see if I could get a shot of the temminck at Swinemoor this morning.
Set up the bag hide and waited.
Then got lucky.

More shots on the blog.

 

[Jumpin 4 Joy]

Little Tern was a tart but twite for county is a bogey as ive tramped all the right places in county for winter birds and not seen one (refuse to twitch em) - only had a flock up in durham. Considering going up to the West Yorks ones but would rather find my own at Barmston or the like. But then i have only been birding 5 years - crap bogeys to have but bogeys none the less.

The little terns are currently breeding at Crimdon beach in Teesside. It is quite easy to see them and you can get quite close as well.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...=54.751972,-1.279221&spn=0.089162,0.2211&z=12

 

[Chris-Leeds]

For the second morning running I've failed to find a lesser whitethroat, maybe he moved on somewhere else. After a barren spell with local kestrels I've now seen them two days running. Heard the first local cuckoo of the year and something else that sounded like someone running their finger down a large comb very slowly after a soft squeaky call. Whatever it was it was close among the brambly undergrowth of a wood but went silent after that sound. A pair of buzzards soaring high up drifted North before disappearing from sight.