Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[James Thomas]

On the subject of Fairburn, now noticed that access to the riverbank (and by default that nice bank of gorse S of Spoonbill hide) has been prevented by a ditch dug parallel to the river and then a fence between said ditch and river. Locals not happy with RSPB at all! Apparently told to keep off because sheep are going to be put on the stacks.

The path that crosses the site from Hicksons to Newton Farm has disappeared from the site maps that have sprung up around the place and the physical signs indicating where that path is have disappeared full stop. Talking to a rambler at the weekend who had stopped off at the visitor centre asking directions back to Cas, he was told ' there is a path but we don't like people to use it' Glad its a right of way otherwise that would be shut sharpish.


And Lin Dyke itself, flowing freely 'cause it's dredged so deep that I wonder if it'll be able to sustain fish for the kingfishers in summer.

 

[NickPatel92]

Yesterday i went to Flamborough, and had a brilliant time! As soon as we got there Guillemots were flying around in their thousands! the most i have seen since spring/summer, and best of all, they were ALL in summer plumage. To add to this, 100's of Gannets were diving around and flocking with the Auks. We also went to see the Lapland buntings and got 4 of them straight away - good views! We also found an adult Peregrine on the north cliffs. On the cliffs tens of Fulmars were resting and flying around, as if it was peak summer! On the main road to flamborough, we also encountered a Barn owl, lots of Yellowhammers and a Roe deer cross the road. If anyone is thinking of taking a trip to Flamborough soon, i would seriously recommend it, the Thousands of seabirds around, are just a spectacular not worth missing, especially at this time of year.

 

[bitterntwisted]

We also went to see the Lapland buntings and got 4 of them straight away - good views!

I should be pleased for you, Nick, but I am too jealous. How/where did you get good views of the Lapland buntings? Still in the first stubble field north of the golf course? And whereabouts? And how did you see them in the stubble without flushing them? Sorry for the interrogation, but I have tried and failed on too many occasions to get a definite on-the-deck ID of a Lapland Bunting.

Thanks,
Graham

 

[NickPatel92]

I should be pleased for you, Nick, but I am too jealous. How/where did you get good views of the Lapland buntings? Still in the first stubble field north of the golf course? And whereabouts? And how did you see them in the stubble without flushing them? Sorry for the interrogation, but I have tried and failed on too many occasions to get a definite on-the-deck ID of a Lapland Bunting.

Thanks,
Graham

Hi Graham, thanks for your comments. The way that we got close to them without flushing them, was by creeping up very, very slowly. We had to, the Skylarks around it, weren't as shy, but The Lapland buntings were very shy and kept low in the grass. The exact location where we saw them was:
Just as the cliff turns in, and you can see the stubble field, and there is an area of longish grass just before you reach the stubble field, parallel to the golf course. A few were in here (well at least we could hear them clearly from here!), but our first views were from an even earlier point than that. Imagine that you are looking towards the stubble field, and you are parallel to the sea and golf course, and are standing around the area of the longish grass between the paths. If you look to your left, there is a clump of gorse, quite noticeable, and if you look just before that there is some more of that longish grass, but this time on the golf course side, but very close to the path, well this is where we first spotted them, and got the very good views, as they fed and moved along with several Skylarks. After several minutes, more and more walkers traveled along this path, so all 4 of the Lapland buntings flushed along with the Skylarks, and landed back down, but this time into the stubble field, where reported. We moved along to view them there, but they were so elusive in the cut grass of the stubble field, that we never saw them again. However we did see the Skylarks in this field, amongst a flock of about 20 Linnet which arrived shortly after the Lapland buntings and Skylarks.
Hope any of this helps,

Nick Patel.

 

[bitterntwisted]

Hi Graham, thanks for your comments. The way that we got close to them without flushing them, was by creeping up very, very slowly. We had to, the Skylarks around it, weren't as shy, but The Lapland buntings were very shy and kept low in the grass. The exact location where we saw them was:
Just as the cliff turns in, and you can see the stubble field, and there is an area of longish grass just before you reach the stubble field, parallel to the golf course. A few were in here (well at least we could hear them clearly from here!), but our first views were from an even earlier point than that. Imagine that you are looking towards the stubble field, and you are parallel to the sea and golf course, and are standing around the area of the longish grass between the paths. If you look to your left, there is a clump of gorse, quite noticeable, and if you look just before that there is some more of that longish grass, but this time on the golf course side, but very close to the path, well this is where we first spotted them, and got the very good views, as they fed and moved along with several Skylarks. After several minutes, more and more walkers traveled along this path, so all 4 of the Lapland buntings flushed along with the Skylarks, and landed back down, but this time into the stubble field, where reported. We moved along to view them there, but they were so elusive in the cut grass of the stubble field, that we never saw them again. However we did see the Skylarks in this field, amongst a flock of about 20 Linnet which arrived shortly after the Lapland buntings and Skylarks.
Hope any of this helps,

Nick Patel.

Thanks very much for this, Nick. I know exactly where you mean and this was exactly where I had some possibles a couple of months ago. Latterly approaching from North Landing and not going past the end of the field may be part of my problem, then. I just cannot see anything in the stubble. Interesting that your count was 4 - the same number of birds as separated from the Skylarks for me and flew off towards the lighthouse. I'll have to be more patient, stealthy and persistent - I think half the problem is I always combine searching for Laps with looking for other things and never leave enough time - this combined with an utter conviction I will never see one!

 

[Lawts]

Saw an odd looking bird this evening in Leeds as I left work. I didn't see enough to put it out on Birdguides. It may be a wintering Ring Ouzel. I only saw it briefly as I pulled up at traffic lights. It was generally dark with what appeared to be white scalloping on the breast/belly, (as per Ring Ouzel). There was white in the wings as it flew, (also like Ring Ouzel). It flew in front of the car into a line of cotoneaster bushes at the bottom of Grafton Street to the left of the building college. Frustratingly it wouldn't fully show itself before the lights turned to green.

It did strike me that it might actually be a bit smaller than Blackbird/Ring Ouzel with long legs and possibly a cocked tail; like a large dark Robin. It wasn't a Starling, which you might think would be a candidate. It could have been an abberant Blackbird I suppose.

I'll walk down and have a look tomorrow lunchtime. I think 1st winter Ring Ouzel is a good bet. I had a male that wintered in my garden in Bradford several years back.

Some rare thrush from Siberia to keep the Yorkshire rarities going? I'll do my best.

 

[bitterntwisted]

Nice spot, Steve. Hope it is one and you get a better look. Did you get anywhere with your fossil? Not sure where you'd find expertise on that.

Graham

 

[schiffornis]

Nice spot, Steve. Hope it is one and you get a better look. Did you get anywhere with your fossil? Not sure where you'd find expertise on that.

Graham

It might be worth taking it to the Harrogate and District Naturalists' Society, they have a lot of fossils there... Only joking of course

 

[Lawts]

Nice spot, Steve. Hope it is one and you get a better look. Did you get anywhere with your fossil? Not sure where you'd find expertise on that.

Graham

Yes, I'm seeing someone from Leeds Natural History Museum with it. I'll let you know when I know.

 

[Ben M]

Yes, I'm seeing someone from Leeds Natural History Museum with it. I'll let you know when I know.

I'm interested in this too. Just after we moved to Knaresborough (when I was about 5), I went down to Hay-a-Park for walk with my uncle, who's up on fossils. As we were walking over the big dam of boulders he spots one that looks odd to him, nips back to our house for a hammer and stone chisel, and a few smacks later he has a large fossilized tree trunk. I think it went to a local museum for a while.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

I'm interested in this too. Just after we moved to Knaresborough (when I was about 5), I went down to Hay-a-Park for walk with my uncle, who's up on fossils. As we were walking over the big dam of boulders he spots one that looks odd to him, nips back to our house for a hammer and stone chisel, and a few smacks later he has a large fossilized tree trunk. I think it went to a local museum for a while.

Wow thats pretty interesting! Reckon I may head down to the river at lunch to see wat has been turned up.

 

[Lawts]

Saw an odd looking bird this evening in Leeds as I left work. I didn't see enough to put it out on Birdguides. It may be a wintering Ring Ouzel. I only saw it briefly as I pulled up at traffic lights. It was generally dark with what appeared to be white scalloping on the breast/belly, (as per Ring Ouzel). There was white in the wings as it flew, (also like Ring Ouzel). It flew in front of the car into a line of cotoneaster bushes at the bottom of Grafton Street to the left of the building college. Frustratingly it wouldn't fully show itself before the lights turned to green.

It did strike me that it might actually be a bit smaller than Blackbird/Ring Ouzel with long legs and possibly a cocked tail; like a large dark Robin. It wasn't a Starling, which you might think would be a candidate. It could have been an abberant Blackbird I suppose.

I'll walk down and have a look tomorrow lunchtime. I think 1st winter Ring Ouzel is a good bet. I had a male that wintered in my garden in Bradford several years back.

Some rare thrush from Siberia to keep the Yorkshire rarities going? I'll do my best.

No sign in a brief search. Plenty of berries and Blackbirds though.

 

[Mike Richardson]

Yesterday i went to Flamborough, and had a brilliant time! As soon as we got there Guillemots were flying around in their thousands! the most i have seen since spring/summer, and best of all, they were ALL in summer plumage. To add to this, 100's of Gannets were diving around and flocking with the Auks. We also went to see the Lapland buntings and got 4 of them straight away - good views! We also found an adult Peregrine on the north cliffs. On the cliffs tens of Fulmars were resting and flying around, as if it was peak summer! On the main road to flamborough, we also encountered a Barn owl, lots of Yellowhammers and a Roe deer cross the road. If anyone is thinking of taking a trip to Flamborough soon, i would seriously recommend it, the Thousands of seabirds around, are just a spectacular not worth missing, especially at this time of year.

Glad you enjoyed Flamborough Nick. Just got back from a hour or two there this afternoon.

First I went in search of the bunting flock at Thornwick Bay where after much searching through the Yellowhammers, the best I could come up with was 3 or 4 Reed Buntings.
While talking to some friendly locals about Flamborough wildlife I couldn't help but notice a flock of birds that flew out of a stubble field and landed on a nearby gorse bush. Looking quickly through my scope I was supprised to see the birds were in fact Corn Buntings. After a minute or so the Corns joined the Yellowhammers and Reed up the powerline, allowing me to compare all
three species. Great stuff.

Pushing my luck a little, I walked up to the Lapland Bunting site, despite the icy temperature and poor late afternoon light. I stupidly forgot to change into my walking boots and it wasn't long before cold mud started to seep through the hole in my work boots. All I could manage around the stubble field was a flock of about 40 Linnets, a Meadow Pipit and a small party of Skylark. I flushed a Hare the size of a small donkey out of the grass near the golf coarse so I suppose anything could have been hidden out of view. On walking back past the stubble field I did see a funny Skylark but by this point I was getting really cold and grumpy. When I started to mumble 'go home trash bird!-Your not a Lapland Bunting!' to a nearby Barn Owl I realised it was time to go home.
I WILL get to see the Laps. On Sunday I will be on site at the crack of dawn and I am NOT leaving until I see them! (Not getting obsessive or anything!)

 

[Hotspur]

Griffon Vulture-WTF? Cant be right

 

[Keith Dickinson]

It will be an escape James, I know the falconry centre out by Settle had a griffon which they used to fly a couple of years ago and I think there's one near Pickering if not mistaken. Or it might be a buzzard being mobbed by mistle thrushes, and the person got a bit carried away....LOL

 

[Lawts]

Quick visit to Losh tonight. First chance since the weekend. For the avoidance of doubt, (not that there was any) the Pacific Diver isn't there.

I picked up 2 Oystercatcher, (Losh. tick), 2 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag, 1 Shelduck, and several Mallard.

 

[bitterntwisted]

No sign in a brief search. Plenty of berries and Blackbirds though.

I was passing so had a quick check, too. Singing Redwing was my excitement.

14 Woodcock at dusk at Timble Ings. Do they roost communally by day as they all seemed to fly out of the same small area of woodland in ones and twos over the space of twenty minutes?

Graham

 

[liverpool_bob]

When I started to mumble 'go home trash bird!-Your not a Lapland Bunting!' to a nearby Barn Owl I realised it was time to go home.

hehehe, know the feeling :-O

Best Lap Bunts I ever seen were at Barmston - maybe late autumn 90. I was sat on the cliff top leaning against the caravan park fence, munching a bag of crisps I'd bought from the village shop when some wee birds flew in off the sea and landed on the short grass about 30 feet away along the path. Assumed they were Linnets or something common but got my bins up and bugger me if they weren't Lap Bunts. I watched them for several minutes in which time they got too close for bins and must have been within 3-4 feet at one point - incredible! A dog walker came along and flushed them, not to be seen again.


Cheers,
Bob.

 

[Mike Richardson]

hehehe, know the feeling :-O

Best Lap Bunts I ever seen were at Barmston - maybe late autumn 90. I was sat on the cliff top leaning against the caravan park fence, munching a bag of crisps I'd bought from the village shop when some wee birds flew in off the sea and landed on the short grass about 30 feet away along the path. Assumed they were Linnets or something common but got my bins up and bugger me if they weren't Lap Bunts. I watched them for several minutes in which time they got too close for bins and must have been within 3-4 feet at one point - incredible! A dog walker came along and flushed them, not to be seen again.


Cheers,
Bob.

I keeping checking Barmston out from time to time, especially as I enjoy the walk passed the caravan park along the cliffs early in the morning. I always hope I will stumble across a Shore Lark, but the best I've come up with so far are Snow Buntings and Stonechats. Often some good birds on the sea, including very large rafts of Scoter. Will try leaning against the fence with a bag of crisps. Any particular flavour?

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

07/02 13:29 WEST YORKSHIRE : Waxwing, Leeds [A]
4+ in Wortley in mature trees by the footpath leading from Oldfield Lane towards the bowling greens (12:30)