Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[bitterntwisted]

my highlight yesterday was seeing a BHG perched in a tree feeding on elder berries

And I've seen a Moorhen do that.

So yes, I think most birdspotters like birdwatching, too. And if they don't, so what? Chacun a son gout.

Graham

 

[loiner]

I see in the newly published BBRC Rare Birds report for 2009 that the Huddersfield Frigatebird and Nosterfield Upland Sandpiper didn't make it.

 

[lirta1]

Slav grebe

Anyone know if its worth a quick run out from Sheffield to Doncaster Lakeside for the Slav Grebe or as it flown?

 

[Pete Mella]

Anyone know if its worth a quick run out from Sheffield to Doncaster Lakeside for the Slav Grebe or as it flown?

Still there at lunchtime according to Birdguides. I saw it last night just before dark - it was quite close to the bank, on the western side of the lake (towards the stadium), but a guy I was talking to says it moves a round a fair bit. Loads of little and GC grebes around too, but this fella stands out a mile!

 

[Pie Face]

I see in the newly published BBRC Rare Birds report for 2009 that the Huddersfield Frigatebird and Nosterfield Upland Sandpiper didn't make it.

That is a surprise

 

[djprest]

That is a surprise

im quite shocked beyond belief

 

[lirta1]

Still there at lunchtime according to Birdguides. I saw it last night just before dark - it was quite close to the bank, on the western side of the lake (towards the stadium), but a guy I was talking to says it moves a round a fair bit. Loads of little and GC grebes around too, but this fella stands out a mile!

Cheers Pete got it tonight on my second lap of the lakeside, ain't a clue how i missed it first lap as you said stands out easily amongst the Little and Great Crested Grebes, still a lifer all the same after missing the last one at my local patch at Rother Valley

 

[Wawne Out Bob]

are novices welcome

Hi Folks,
I was a keen birder in my distant youth, eyes not as good as they used to be.
Couple of weeks back whilst out running between Wawne and Weel (just north of Hull) I put up a couple of very large raptors that were immediatly mobbed by gulls which looked small in comparison, never had my specs on but large light crescent towards primaries on underside of wings makes me think they were red kites, have they spread this far?
Had my specs on last Sunday afternoon when I saw a Great grey shrike to the east of Wawne no mistaking that one.
Having just moved out of the city the abundance of wildlife in the area has rekindled my interest.

 

[Hotspur]

Hi Folks,
I was a keen birder in my distant youth, eyes not as good as they used to be.
Couple of weeks back whilst out running between Wawne and Weel (just north of Hull) I put up a couple of very large raptors that were immediatly mobbed by gulls which looked small in comparison, never had my specs on but large light crescent towards primaries on underside of wings makes me think they were red kites, have they spread this far?
Had my specs on last Sunday afternoon when I saw a Great grey shrike to the east of Wawne no mistaking that one.
Having just moved out of the city the abundance of wildlife in the area has rekindled my interest.

Hi Wawne out Bob, your more than welcome here. Great Grey Shrike is a great inland find and ties up with an influx into East Yorkshire over the last couple of weeks. Red Kites are easily seen on the southern limits of the wolds so its not a great leap to imagine one near Wawne although it could easily have been Marsh Harrier, Buzzard or a passage Osprey as large birds of prey are quite a lot easier to come by these days and the first two reasonably common in East Yorkshire

 

[bitterntwisted]

Had my specs on last Sunday afternoon when I saw a Great grey shrike to the east of Wawne no mistaking that one.

Welcome to BF, Bob. That's an absolutely cracking bird to find inland. Nice one. As James said, there were possibly record numbers around East Yorkshire the last week or two, but most at the migration watchpoints, and people were travelling distances to see them. The county recorder should be notified of your sighting.

Because of the old VC system not following modern boundaries I never know which is which. Can anyone advise?

Graham

 

[Pete Mella]

Welcome to BF, Bob. That's an absolutely cracking bird to find inland. Nice one. As James said, there were possibly record numbers around East Yorkshire the last week or two, but most at the migration watchpoints, and people were travelling distances to see them. The county recorder should be notified of your sighting.

Because of the old VC system not following modern boundaries I never know which is which. Can anyone advise?

Graham

A great find indeed! Wawne appears to be well in VC61, which means the recorder would be Geoff Dobbs. (This is a great tool for finding VC's http://herbariaunited.org/gridrefVC/)

 

[Pete Mella]

Cheers Pete got it tonight on my second lap of the lakeside, ain't a clue how i missed it first lap as you said stands out easily amongst the Little and Great Crested Grebes, still a lifer all the same after missing the last one at my local patch at Rother Valley

Glad you saw it! Grebes can be slippery customers - if it had dived a couple of times while you were scanning you could have easily missed it!

 

[lirta1]

Glad you saw it! Grebes can be slippery customers - if it had dived a couple of times while you were scanning you could have easily missed it!

Thanks Pete,
And just to make you feel better was with the wife and dog walking around Kilnsea the day before yourself and also dipped on the Yellow Browed Warbler and Lapland Bunting despite visiting their so called favourite field, but great views of two Redstarts (still great birds to see) Grey Plover and then the following day onto Paull Holme Strays with Bar Tailed Godwits

 

[northernloon]

Hi Bob, welcome to BF. Well done on finding the GGS. You could try contacting the Hull Nats or maybe the Hull Vallley Wildlife Group. Incidentally their sightings page reports 4 Cranes over Tophill Low today :eek!:

 

[BirdFlower]

Hi Folks,
I was a keen birder in my distant youth, eyes not as good as they used to be.
Couple of weeks back whilst out running between Wawne and Weel (just north of Hull) I put up a couple of very large raptors that were immediatly mobbed by gulls which looked small in comparison, never had my specs on but large light crescent towards primaries on underside of wings makes me think they were red kites, have they spread this far?
Had my specs on last Sunday afternoon when I saw a Great grey shrike to the east of Wawne no mistaking that one.
Having just moved out of the city the abundance of wildlife in the area has rekindled my interest.

Hi Bob,

Yes, you are most welcome & great finds. Please also submit any sightings near Wawne to the Hull Valley Wildlife Group. Andrew Tongue is the recorder & you can send him a private message under that name on here. Alternatively, if you PM me I can forward you email details of both him & Derrick Venus, who updates the Hull Valley Website. I'm sure they'll want to know about your GGShrike! More easterly winds forecast for Sunday, so something else may turn up soon!

Cheers

 

[fletch618]

There is at least 1 Osprey (reports of 2) at a fishery near to York, it's been entertaining the fishermen for the last week or so. Good chance to see one catching fish.

The fishery has a cafe on site and is very birder friendly (The owner is a keen birder so it is actually welcome at the fishery)

If you call in at the cafe they will point you in the right direction.

 

[fletch618]

Oh yes the Osprey is at www.poolbridge.co.uk

 

[Hotspur]

Very close to where Doc Reed had his Ospreys last week

 

[liverpool_bob]

Couple of weeks back whilst out running between Wawne and Weel (just north of Hull) I put up a couple of very large raptors that were immediatly mobbed by gulls which looked small in comparison, never had my specs on but large light crescent towards primaries on underside of wings makes me think they were red kites, have they spread this far?

I'd put money on them being Common Buzzards. The Wolds kites don't like coming down into Holderness (not enough grassland?). One would be notable, two practically unheard of. Stranger things have happened though...

Buzzards on the other hand are pretty widespread in the Hull Valley now, and they show white in the underwings. Two together is still a nice sight!

 

[northernloon]

liverpool_bob, perhaps you missed Doc Reed's post #12054 on Monday. The fish farm is actually near Wheldrake.