Yorkshire Birding (1 Viewer)

[Zarapito]

Thanks for the info Florence. Maybe the waders have preference for the next valley along.

As a local do you have any top tips for the immediate area and around the Wharfe or Ribble valleys?

The best site on the Upper Wharfe is probably Strid Wood which has a good mixture of upland, river and woodland birds. Park at Barden Bridge and walk by the river towards Bolton Abbey, cross at the Cavendish Pavillion and return on the other side. Hellifield Flash is also probably worth a quick visit on your way down from Settle.

Graeme

 

[Lawts]

Strensall Common

Can anyone give any pointers re. how to work it, where to park etc? From memory last time I went, there was no obvious place to park, and no obvious footpaths. I either seemed to be walking across ground where birds could be nesting, or coming up against red no entry flags.

Maybe I was in the wrong place?

Thanks

 

[northernloon]

Can anyone give any pointers re. how to work it, where to park etc? From memory last time I went, there was no obvious place to park, and no obvious footpaths. I either seemed to be walking across ground where birds could be nesting, or coming up against red no entry flags.

Maybe I was in the wrong place?

Thanks

Interesting question Steve. It's not a site that I have visited (yet). Some details can be found here, including parking. Perhaps one of the Yorkistas can provide some advice about the best areas.

It looks like a good site for chats. FWIW I did a bit of trawling on t'interweb last year and AFIAK it is now an open access area and is no longer used as a firing range. Can't put my fingers on the details ATM.

(That's quite enough abbreviations for now).

 

[timmyjones]

Can anyone give any pointers re. how to work it, where to park etc? From memory last time I went, there was no obvious place to park, and no obvious footpaths. I either seemed to be walking across ground where birds could be nesting, or coming up against red no entry flags.

Maybe I was in the wrong place?

Thanks

Best place to park is accessed off the road at SE648612

From here best to head on the path that heads north east out of the side of the car park nearest the road then follow this out into the open and take the path heading south east across the common, have been several pairs of Stonechat kicking around and a female Hen Harrier seen irregular in the winter. Historically it has been good for Great Grey Shrike and Whinchat (bit early)

Best of luck

 

[John Bullfinch]

Wasn't sure what to do today so ended up painting the shed. Busily doing that when all of a sudden I heard the call - looked up and at least 10 Waxwings dropped into the trees around me - we are talking 10 feet away. Fantastic, and just rewards for getting some 'man points' by painting the shed!!!

Birds were there for a few minutes at around 3pm this afty, and then moved on further down the street - birds were flighty but may be still be in the area - on the streets behind the New Inn pub at Durkar, Wakefield. Probably the same birds that were reported near calder Wetlands this morning.

 

[Hotspur]

Kumlien's & Mediterranean Gulls at Barmston today plus 5 Scandinavian Rock Pipits

 

[timmyjones]

Kumlien's & Mediterranean Gulls at Barmston today plus 5 Scandinavian Rock Pipits

Any photos of the Iceland Gull recently James? 8-P

 

[Hotspur]

Any photos of the Iceland Gull recently James? 8-P

It's quite pale now... Got my first pics with the new camera today. Will have a look later but they were at 100x so probably not flash

 

[andy hood]

Flamborough

Found a flock of 6 Twite while watching a male Snow Bunting in bird cover crop south of the Lighthouse this afternoon

 

[yorkshire83]

Swilly - Black Redstart

Presumably the same bird as last week, relocated at Caroline Bridge this morning. Still present at 17.50 this evening.
Caroline Bridge is the 3rd bridge down stream from the hide. Best parking either at Station Rd in Methley, crossing the river & walking down steam, or parking at the drag line on Astley Lane in Great Preston & walking down from there

 

[loiner]

Presumably the same bird as last week, relocated at Caroline Bridge this morning. Still present at 17.50 this evening.
Caroline Bridge is the 3rd bridge down stream from the hide. Best parking either at Station Rd in Methley, crossing the river & walking down steam, or parking at the drag line on Astley Lane in Great Preston & walking down from there

The previous bird was an immature male, today's was a female. They must be heading somewhere, it's probably worth checking out suitable sites in Leeds or Bradford in a month or so. One was reported singing from the roof of Leeds Market a couple of years back.
Also a pair of Peregrines blogging about over Sheepscar interchange a couple of days back - another potential breeding species for the City Centre.

 

[vwxyzen]

The previous bird was an immature male, today's was a female. They must be heading somewhere, it's probably worth checking out suitable sites in Leeds or Bradford in a month or so. One was reported singing from the roof of Leeds Market a couple of years back.
Also a pair of Peregrines blogging about over Sheepscar interchange a couple of days back - another potential breeding species for the City Centre.

I think today's bird looks the same as the earlier bird. If you look at the pics on the swilly website, the pale wing patch is particularly obvious, indicating a young male.

 

[zing]

Ldv

Still got a lot of Fieldfare and Redwings hanging about. Also Linnet, Yellowhammer and Corn bunting plus all the other usual stuff.


More details here.....

http://zingsldv.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[zing]

Ldv

Three garden ticks from today (well from the living room! does that count?)


More here later....

http://zingsldv.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[John Bullfinch]

Well it took to the 31st March but I finally had a singing Chiffchaff down at Pugneys CP by the river!!! Of interest to some local patchers may be the sighting of two Willow Tits at the back of Pugneys by the uprooted boardwalk path.

 

[arthur heaton]

Redhouse

Had a wander down to to Redhouse Wood this morning( thanks to Doc Reed for the directions)-of course,with my luck-everything interesting took cover! Plenty of Long Tails about, nice Treecreeper and a Willow Tit ,though:I think the Buzzards (calling well ) may have kept a few heads down.There was however a nice little group (c10) of Goosander on the Lagoon by the river.A friendly dog walker(and rare goose breeder!) told me that there had been as many as 30!

 

[DOC REED]

Had a wander down to to Redhouse Wood this morning( thanks to Doc Reed for the directions)-of course,with my luck-everything interesting took cover! Plenty of Long Tails about, nice Treecreeper and a Willow Tit ,though:I think the Buzzards (calling well ) may have kept a few heads down.There was however a nice little group (c10) of Goosander on the Lagoon by the river.A friendly dog walker(and rare goose breeder!) told me that there had been as many as 30!

Its pot luck,but time of day can help.Willow tit is a good record....I only manage 1-2 per year!(Whereas Marsh tit is regular).Buzzards puttting on a fine show at moment,displaying with sprawks doing same.
This evening, had displaying siskin,green woodpecker ,rutting roe deer and barn owl.But still very cold,no sign of sand martin yet,though had kingfisher yesterday(1st for ages!)

 

[Lawts]

Thanks for the info. on Strensall.

 

[camper9110]

Finally connected with Lesser spotted Woodpecker at Worsbrough, on April fools day of all days, this was my fifth attempt and around twelve hours, standing looking up with a stiff neck in all weathers, then went along with wife,daughter,son in law and grandson, for an amble about, with bins of course and there they where, male elusive but female showing really well, smug satisfation all round, so much for all fools day.

 

[plane_crazy]

Potteric Carr Tuesday 2nd April

A very pleasant stroll in the sunshine through part of Potteric Carr this lunchtime while my wife took my younger daughters and their friends ice skating at Doncaster Dome (I can't ice skate anyway, though they do good lunches there!)

A note to anyone visiting, there's roadworks and diversions all around that area of Doncaster Lakeside, and they seem to have taken almost all the signs away for Potteric Carr and for Doncaster Dome as well. There's just a small yellow sign for the reserve just off what looks likely to be a new or refurbished roundabout but you can see the YWT logo on the building from there anyway. There also seems to have been a building frenzy in the area since last time I went...Good luck....

Anyway, first ever Cetti's Warbler seen today, flew across the reeds at the first viewing platform on Decoy Marsh, a brief burst of call and then disappeared. (I've heard them at Attenborough before but never seen one) The bird feeders at Willow Marsh were a bird version of Piccadilly Circus, male and female reed bunting, one willow tit, plus all the other common tits and finches in abundance. (my eldest daughter, who also can't ice skate and is also better at birds than me saw four other reed buntings and lots of goldfinch outside the visitors centre as well)

On the way back to the visitors centre along the footpath near the main road and entrance was a blackcap singing happily, first one this year.

Unfortunately we didn't have time to go down to the larger lakes where the warden had told us there were avocet, little egret and kingfishers, and he also mentioned goldcrests in the trees near the visitors centre but of course not while we were there....

Michael