Yorkshire Birding (2 Viewers)

[Keith Dickinson]

Trip out to Rievaulx Abbey today and I was amazed at how many house martins were nesting on the ruins, gave up counting after 20 nests. Managed to get some crappy shots with my camera, but reckon Marcus could have got some beauties with his gear.
Spent ages trying to get a flight shot with my camera and managed 1 that shows a bird, not that you could id the species from it...just that it was a bird.
The weather in the morning was a bit wet and we'd swifts feeding just above us, almost close enough to grab one out the air.
Was also fun watching a couple of pairs of kestrels having a territorial dispute above the ruins, they were wheeling around like a WW1 dogfight. Never seen that sort of behaviour before, mind I've never seen 4 kestrels together before either.

 

[tophillbirder]

Tophill Low
Little Gull 7 [6 ad 1s]
Ruff
LRP 2
Common Tern 10 juv several now flying
Grass Snake
Watton NR
Quail calling
Hornsea Mere
Little Gull 43
Common Tern juv
Black Swan with 2 chick

 

[BirdFlower]

No sign of Grey Phalarope while I was at Spurn this morning, but had 2 Curlew Sandpipers (one very brightly plumaged) [record shot only on blog], Whimbrel, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Stonechat - lots of Whitethroat still in full song.

Some colourful insects, and a strange "satanic mills" one on blog

 

[Chris-Leeds]

Had a walk around Scar house Reservoir and Angram Res today. Had very brief views of short eared owl and ring ouzel. The bird watching walk book came in useful but missed out on merlin which was the main target. Nice scenery but took a detour that left me feeling nervous high up above the car park, had I seen the better path I'd have taken that.

 

[darrenward]

Off topic, but Mike might like it, +8 hrs at Wykeham RVP on Saturday with Goshawks, Crossbills Peg et al, the star for me was this..

 

[Mike Richardson]

Off topic, but Mike might like it, +8 hrs at Wykeham RVP on Saturday with Goshawks, Crossbills Peg et al, the star for me was this..

Great pic. The Wykeham lizard is becoming quite a celebrity.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Great pic. The Wykeham lizard is becoming quite a celebrity.

Great shot :t: - is it a female?

 

[darrenward]

Great shot :t: - is it a female?

Guess so..

 

[Andrew Tongue]

Hornsea Mere & Bewholme Hall Monday pm

Hornsea Mere 1600 - 1820 today:

Garganey: One eclipse drake
Little Gull: 99
Great-crested Grebe: 18
Shoveler: 7

Bewholme Hall 1835 - 1850:

Green Sandpiper: 4
LRP: 3 juvs, 2 adults
Ruff: 1
Little Gull: 1 adult
Shelduck: 9 juvs, 2 adults

 

[DOC REED]

Long Marston

Still regularly showing Little/Barn Owls.Tawny now quiet,and Quail stopped calling.Corn Buntings showing ,Shelduck have bred locally,and had juv Grey Wagtail this evening.Photos attached.

 

[Chris-Leeds]

Had a runout on the bike this afty and got two corn buntings singing in the area Loiner mentioned in an earlier post. Heard some in the same place last year but didn't see them that time.

 

[Andrew Tongue]

Bransholme SW and Paull Holme Strays Tuesday pm

Bransholme Sewage Works 1530:

Little Grebe: 6 adults
Stock Dove: 2
LBB Gull: 4

Paull Holme Strays 1640 - 1845:

Black-tailed Godwit: 7
Little Gull: 1
Avocet: 2
Stock Dove: 1
Dunlin: 2
Golden Plover: 2

 

[tophillbirder]

Tophill Low NR 10.20-13.20
Little Gull 1s
Ruff
Green Sand 2
LRP 2
Also Southern Hawker, Black-tailed Hawker, Common Darter.

 

[Lawts]

The adult female and three juvenile Goosanders are still showing well on the river at Wetherby.

Sometimes they show incredibly well on rocks by the weir, but usually swimming against the flow in the middle near the island.

Kingfisher and several Grey Wag's. knocking about as well.

Quick look at Losh - bins only. Guess what...quiet! Little Grebe present of note.

 

[mikejack82]

Holderness Road, Hull 1600-1815

Sparrowhawk (1)
Kestrel (1)
Woodpigeon (3)
Collared Dove (2)
BH Gull (2)
Common Gull (1)
LBB Gull (6)
Herring Gull (2)
Swift (12)
House Martin (4)
Swallow (1)
Starling (c.30)
House Sparrow (Quite Alot)
Feral Pigeon (Millions!!!)

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

The adult female and three juvenile Goosanders are still showing well on the river at Wetherby.

Sometimes they show incredibly well on rocks by the weir, but usually swimming against the flow in the middle near the island.

Kingfisher and several Grey Wag's. knocking about as well.

Quick look at Losh - bins only. Guess what...quiet! Little Grebe present of note.

Glad you got them Steve, most settled Goosander I have seen in the bridge area. They nested nearby and came close to being washed out so a relief they got through. I noticed one of the ducklings being chased by a rat but the camera was not to hand :-C

 

[BirdFlower]

Strayed into the Selby area today to a reserve new to the classes. Seems to be a stronghold of Green Woodpeckers, Bullfinches & juvenile Blackcaps, but is probably stronger for birds during the height of the dawn chorus. Great place for insects, saw this when I did a recce, never seen one before, but what a cracker!

 

[Hotspur]

Strayed into the Selby area today to a reserve new to the classes. Seems to be a stronghold of Green Woodpeckers, Bullfinches & juvenile Blackcaps, but is probably stronger for birds during the height of the dawn chorus. Great place for insects, saw this when I did a recce, never seen one before, but what a cracker!

Ive driven past a few times and wondered what was there - was it any good?

 

[BirdFlower]

Ive driven past a few times and wondered what was there - was it any good?

Welcome back! Seems best of all if you like wild flowers - very attractive display. But also good if you want to start on butterflies, there's a nice range of species on display at the mo & may be Purple Hairstreaks in the Oak trees. Looks promising for warblers in the spring & may be a good place to get photos of elusive Green Woodpeckers - there was one flying without a tail, and at least 2 or 3 others around. Was given bird list, butterfly leaflet & nature trail leaflet, which I'll dig out of car & have a look at. I was told to cross off Bittern from site list - over zealous volunteer! It is somewhere I'd definitely want to go back to, which isn't something I could say about the place I'm due to visit tomorrow...

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Just back in from a trip round Doc Reed's patch, got my corn buntings at last! Thanks Paul! Great night and the barn owls to end it were brilliant.