Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[Lawts]

Cetti's

Does anyone know if either of the Cetti's at Old Moor are giving themselves up, or are just being heard? Any on site info. appreciated as well if they are showing.

Thanks.

 

[BirdFlower]

Does anyone know if either of the Cetti's at Old Moor are giving themselves up, or are just being heard? Any on site info. appreciated as well if they are showing.

Thanks.

2 weeks ago, it was a female showing occasionally. Not as easy to spot as a signing male bird

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Went to Potteric Carr today to pay my YWT subs and have a brief walk around the place. Not much around as it was bitter cold, like a prat I'd left my woolly hat behind so my ears were like ice blocks by the time I got back to the car.
I did manage a few good birds though, starting at Oakwood traffic lights in Leeds, were there were at least 30 pied wagtails feeding in amongst the leaf litter, and a very obliging jay that swooped down just before the lights changed. The red kite at Seacroft was on top form, it didn't seem to realise that the wind was blowing a gale and just nonchalantly glided across the open ground as though it was a balmy summers day. Notched up 4 kestrels by the A1 between Leeds and the M18 which was one of the best counts for an awful long time.
The reserve was very quiet, best bird was the female sparrowhawk that flew low across the pool at Piper Marsh hide, why do I not have the camera with me when those things happen. Did most of my birding by ear though, good counts of wren and blackbird, and I did find 2 pairs of bullfinches on call alone. The water rail at the feeding station performed well, although the fighting moorhens kept spooking it. Called in at the Cafe and the bacon butties are on top form. Final bird of the day was siskin, 3 feeding at the top of a tree across the water near to Decoy Marsh hide.

 

[northernloon]

Hi Keith, I remember you mentioning Kestrels on here previously. Just had a look at 'The State of UK Birds 2010' and the long-term trend is -36% (1970-2008) and the BBS trend (1995-2008) is -20%

The pdf can be downloaded from here

 

[Keith Dickinson]

yeah Ken, I had 3 birds I think it was, on the commute between Castleford and home about 2 months ago, again that was the best count I'd had for ages.
It was very much a spur of the moment thing this morning going to Potteric... I was staying in until the tiler started with the saw cutting the tiles, that high pitched whine was too much like a dentist's drill for me.

 

[Duckwoman]

This is just a fantastic time of year isnt it? No leaves on trees crisp clear days! Out on my local
Patch with flock of goldfinch

Hi Helen - I completely agree with you about the time of year. I walked into work this morning with an icy breeze in my face all the way. Got a few pied wags and long-tailed tits, a great spotted woodpecker flew over my head from woodhouse moor and found a goldcrest in a mixed flock of tits near the student medical centre on Back Woodhouse Lane. When I got into work all my colleagues were moaning about the weather. Their loss!

 

[northernloon]

Birdguides reported Waxwing in Headingley today. Anyone got further details?

 

[Hotspur]

Rough-leg at Millington. Bet there are a few on the wolds under the radar. Shame I'm stuck on the west coast for the next week. Will miss the Little Auks as well. Just have to find a black scoter in wales

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Cheers for that James, I'm going to have a pop at the RL next Wednesday hopefully.
BTW Ken if I'm going you'll have a seat in the car.

 

[James Thomas]

Cheers for that James, I'm going to have a pop at the RL next Wednesday hopefully.

Pre season training started already?

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Oh boy Jim, started on the Christmas Cracker jokes already?:-O

 

[northernloon]

Thanks Keith, definitely interested in next Wednesday.
Strong north-easterlies forecast from Saturday onwards. Who knows what might turn up on the coast?

 

[Duckwoman]

Birdguides reported Waxwing in Headingley today. Anyone got further details?

The details were that they flew over Moor Road in Far Headingley but I was home too late to go look.

Managed to catch up with around 200 waxwings on Leeds Road, Bradford today. Very easy to find opposite Yorkshire Bank on junction of Leeds Road and Killinghall Road. I also went to Pugneys for the LT duck and to Anglers for the GN diver. Both showing well. No sign of the Bewicks there though. Luckily, I managed to stay dry all day.

 

[naturenorth]

Anyone know if the Grey Phalarope at Cononley near Skipton is still about? Might be off to see The Pied-billed Grebe tomorrow and I was thinking about a detour?

 

[Richard G]

Had a nice interlude to the working day this afternoon when a flock of about 15 Waxwings landed in the trees outside my office window in Horsforth. Hung around in the trees for about 20 minutes.

Pity it was really murky & misty, I could have been tempted to have had a break & gone out with my camera!!

Richard

 

[vwxyzen]

I've just seen the photos of the female Long-tailed Duck at Pugneys on birdguides-

http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?r=1&contid=39047&off=276412

Seems odd that it's got white scapulars, I thought this was a male thing?

Otherwise fine for a a female.

 

[northernloon]

Anyone got any gen on the Desert Wheatear at Burniston? I'm gripped. Maybe it's the Northumberland bird moving south.

 

[vwxyzen]

Anyone got any gen on the Desert Wheatear at Burniston? I'm gripped. Maybe it's the Northumberland bird moving south.

first-winter male at dusk still, three fields north of seawatching hut at Long Nab TA025947. Strictly no access to farmer's fields, view only from the Cleveland Way


never mind this though, what about the long-tailed duck scapulars ?!!

 

[schiffornis]

Anyone know if the Grey Phalarope at Cononley near Skipton is still about? Might be off to see The Pied-billed Grebe tomorrow and I was thinking about a detour?

Hi naturenorth

According to birdguides the Grey Phalarope was still present today:

"Still on small flash south of river Aire, at Bradley Ings, close to footpath SD998469"

As too was the Pied-billed Grebe (which didn't come on until late today, almost 3pm!)

"Still at the southeast end of the lake; park only in the Visitor Centre car park and walk southeast along Rakewood Road and take path to the bay before the hide"

Cheers Andy

 

[joespy]

Here's my writeup: "Rough times"

Mmm..... interesting these pics of the RL. It's made me and 2 mates think again about the Buzzard we saw last Wed (17/11/10) as we were walking near the Chesterfield canal near Retford.. We were watching this pale faced/breasted ( couldn't see it's tail) bird walking around in the long grass.. we new it was a Buzzard but were surprised with it's colouring and the fact it was "searching/hunting" in the grass and thought ...that's different..! But not being top birders the idea of RL passed us by.......is there a chance it could have been...I know it's not much to go on and in that area.....? Cheers Joe :t::h?: