Showing posts with label Rare birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rare birds. Show all posts

Monday 2 March 2020

Springtime floods, Scottish views and rarities in Yorkshire.

Spring is almost sprung and its great to hear birdsong in the morning and at dusk again but really only one place to start - the flooding! York copped it mid Feb but just about avoided major hardship due to its flood barriers on the Ouse and the Foss but further downstream parts of Snaith and Cawood were submerged. The most extreme flooding I've seen has been across the floodplains of the Lower Derwent Valley  - where its supposed to flood but still quite a sight.

Flood water  from river Derwent at Bubwith, near Selby, North Yorks
Bubwith Ings in flood, 27/02/20

Flood water  from river Derwent at Bubwith, near Selby, North Yorks
Bubwith Ings in flood, 27/02/20


North Duffield, 27/02/20
All around me at the moment I see birds coming into full breeding plumage and getting on with it and on the few occasions the weather has allowed me to work I've seen lots of spring like activity at Askham Bog - excitable Great Spotted Woodpeckers, resplendent singing Nuthatch and a cracking pair of Sparrowhawks displaying over the bog.
Sparrowhawk, Askham Bog, 26/02/20

Nuthatch bird at Askham Bog, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve, York, UK
Nuthatch, Askham Bog, 08/02/20
Willow Tit bird at Askham Bog, YWT reserve, York, UK
Willow Tit, Askham Bog, 26/02/20

As I write, the future of Askham Bog is being threatened with a decision on whether to go ahead with a proposed new housing development on nearby land imminent. I hope the powers that be see sense otherwise sights like these may become even rarer than they have become since a nearby park and ride nudged up against its boundaries.

screenshot of YorkshiresWildlife.com website
Coming along nicely (Woodland Trust page)
When its not been raining or blowing a hoolie I've been  out and about taking location pics for my new website (nearly there 😊, another month or so and I'll unleash!) - mainly forests and other woodland areas, some I've never really explored before and find it kind of satisfying in a geekish sort of way to mark their presence on the site's maps as well as my own mind map!


woodland glade in Eastmoor and Riccaldale forest, forestry commission, near Helmsley, UK
Eastmoor & Riccaldale Forest, 12/02/20

bare winter trees in Raincliffe Woods near Scarborough, UK
Raincliffe Woods, 22/01/20
Allerthorpe woods, forestry commission, near Pocklington, east yorks, uk
Allerthorpe Woods, 25/01/20
Sands Wood, nr York, 20/02/20
New Covert & Park Wood, 29/01/20

Birch Wood, YWT nature reserve, near helmsley, bilsdale, uk
Birch Wood, 12/02/20
Pretty confidant I heard a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at that last one, Birch Wood YWT reserve near Helmsley (repeat visit definitely on the cards) and opposite New Covert & Park Woods near Melbourne I had a small group of the White Fronted Geese that have wandering about the Lower Derwent Valley

Lesser White Fronted Geese in amonst Greylags, near Melbourne, east yorkshire
 White Fronted Geese in with Greylags, nr Melbourne, LDV.



Sand banks at Solway Firth near Gretna, dumfries and galloway, scotland
Solway Firth, nr Gretna, 03/02/20

At the beginning of February I went up to Argyll & Bute in Scotland for a short break with good mate Rob to stay in one of the log cabins he gets for half price. Great weather for all 4 days we were up there and although we didn't exactly rack up the bird species (barely topped 50) there were a few highlights, the scenery uplifting, the air clean and always good to chill out with a few music evenings. We stopped off at the Solway Firth on the way up and probably saw more birds there than in the whole of Scotland - big flocks of Dunlin, Oystercatchers and Wigeon. 

sand banks on Solway Firth, near Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Sand banks on the Solway Firth, 03/02/20

flock of Dunlin catching the light on the solway firth near gretna, scotland
Dunlin flock, Solway Firth, 03/02/20
Once arrived, unpacked, fed and watered, this was the view that awaited us from the log cabin the next morning!
Loch Long from Ardgarten forest holidays log cabin
Loch Long from Ardgarten forest lodges, 04/02/20

We saw a Sea Otter in that very same loch but it didn't show again for a picture, unlike this splendid male Eider Duck
Male Eider duck on loch Long
Eider Duck, Loch Long, 06/02/20
The bright sunny days showed off the local scenery in all its Scottish splendour ...

Loch Long and Inverary Castle, Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Loch Long and Inverary Castle,  04/02/20

Loch Restil, Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Loch Restil, 04/02/20
Hooded Crow bird on shores of Loch Long, Scotland
Hooded Crow, Loch Long, 04/02/20
Like I said, the birds were in short supply but we did have a brief sighting of a Golden Eagle over RSPB Loch Lomand. Plenty of Hooded Crows around though and had to marvel at their intelect on more than one occasion .. saw them repeatedly tossing mussel shells up in the air and letting them drop to smash open their contents.

On the way back, on yet another gloriously sunny day, and driving down alongside Loch Lomand a mist came rolling down from the high tops and descended  over the loch - no doubt a common enough happening for the locals but to us spectacular enough to stop the car and take some pics ...






Mist rolling down onto Loch Lomand, Scotland
Mist rolling in, Loch Lomand, 07/02/20







Mist rolling down onto Loch Lomand, Scotland
Mist rolling in, Loch Lomand, 07/02/20

Rough Legged Buzzard bird, Stainforth, south yorkshire, uk
Rough Legged Buzzard, Stainforth, 30/01/20
Earlier in the year I decided to 'twitch' a couple of rarities that had been hanging around Yorkshire for a while - the Lesser Yellowlegs, an american wader, at Nosterfield and the Rough Legged Buzzard, a near arctic hawk, at Stainforth. Both had their appeal and since they'd both been around for a while most birders had already seen them and moved on, in fact I was the only birder on top of that slag heap at Stainforth taking pic after pic of the buzzard!

Lesser Yelowlegs, wading bird, rare, Nosterfield, north yorks, uk
Lesser Yellowlegs, Nosterfield, 29/01/20

Rough Legged Buzzard bird, Stainforth, south yorkshire, uk
Rough Legged Buzzard, Stainforth, 30/01/20

Lesser Yelowlegs, wading bird, rare, Nosterfield, north yorks, uk
Lesser Yellowlegs, Nosterfield, 29/01/20
The light was just perfect that day at Nosterfield and looking back at my pics makes me realise how important good light is when you don't own a £10k lens!

Oystercatcher bird, nosterfield, north yorks, uk
Oystercatcher, Nosterfield, 29/01/20

Wigeon duck, pair of, close up at Nosterfield, north yorks, uk
Wigeon, Nosterfield, 29/01/20

Sparrowhawk perched on a mound at Nosterfield Quarry, north yorks, uk
Sparrowhawk, Nosterfield, 29/01/20

Yellow Flag Iris stems poking through the water at Askham Bog nature reserve, near York, uk
Yellow Flag Iris stems poking through, Askham Bog, 23/02/20
Well its not exactly blooming out there yet, a few crocus, celandines and daffodills is about all the flowers I've seen but give it a few weeks and it'll all start kicking off and the woodland floors will be awash with anemones and the first of our summer birds will be returning - there's already been been Chiffchaff seen in Yorkshire (they get earlier every year!). Here's a few more of my pics from the last month or so .....

Male Goosander, Elmfield Terr. brickyard pond, York
Male Goosander, Elmfield Terr. brickyard pond, York, 01/02/20

Grey Heron over Loch Fyne, Argyll & Bute
Grey Heron over Loch Fyne, Argyll & Bute, 04/02/20

Short Eared Owl over Thorne Moors, south yorkshire
Short Eared Owl over Thorne Moors, 19/02/20

Brightly coloured Goldfinch bird in a tree
Goldfinch, Elmfield Terr. York, 20/02/20

Common Kestrel perched on sapling protector, Bubwith Ings, near Selby, uk
Kestrel, Bubwith Ings, 27/02/20

brightly cloured mosses and lichens on rock face, Glenbranter, Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Lichens & Mosses, Glenbranter, Argyll & Bute, 04/02/20

Starlings coming in to roost over Aughton church, nr Selby, uk
Starlings coming in to roost over Aughton church, 18/02/20






Monday 18 September 2017

A reminder of Summer, Duke of Burgundy butterflies, uncommon wild flowers, wild camping and a Greenish Warbler 'lifer'

Can't remember such a personally 'low key' summer as this for many a year and although I've never felt much 'get up and go' when it comes around to July & August (too much cricket on the radio for one thing!), this year my get up and go just got up and went! Not helped at all by the fact that my passport to midweek breaks away in the UK - the camper I bought last year, turned into a right money pit and certified vehicle from hell!👹...Completely lost faith in the old thing in the end and sold her for a song. Its a Hymer for me next methinks, a bit pricey but completely reliable I'm told and that's what we want.

Giant Bellflower, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17


Anyway, net result is that I haven't been out of Yorkshire since Mull in the spring so not a great deal to crow about (hence the lack of blog posts recently), so just local bits and bobs. A lot of wild flowers and butterfly pics that I've only just got around to sorting (how slack am I?!😞)....Ah but we keep on snapping away, so as the first autumn storms begin to blow in, here's a little reminder of sunnier, warmer days....










Clustered Bellflower, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17













 2 Bellflower species at one site, both new to me and had to get the id book out for both and then on the way out of the reserve and kind of growing by the roadside I see this strange plant which at the time I took for some kind of hybrid Sunflower / garden escape. Turns out to be Elecampane and it is indeed a member of the Sunflower family, and a well known remedial herb. Quite unusual for the Yorkshire Wolds I think.

Elecampane, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17

Selfheal, Bolton Percy Station, 30/06/17


Another medicinal plant and another reserve I hadn't visited, the rather more common Selfheal at Bolton Percy Station, along with Musk Mallow and then a few other pretty blooms that caught my eye in the summer that's now well on the way out ...



Musk Mallow, Bolton Percy Station, 30/06/17








Yellow Loosestrife, Askham Bog, 25/06/17

Bethany, Newton Dale, NY Moors, 18/07/17



Pyramidal Orchid, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17


Marjoram, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17
Common Cranesbill, Fangfoss Park, 07/07/17


Bloody Cranesbill, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17
Marbled White, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17
Gorgeous colour on that Bloody Cranesbill at Rifle Butts Quarry, a great little YWT reserve that I hadn't been to before. At the same reserve and at nearby Kiplingcoates Chalk Quarry I was treated to some delightful views of Marbled White butterflies, most I've ever seen in one day with 15- 20 all told. Some pics here along with a few other choice butterflies..
Kiplingcoates chalk quarry, 05/07/17


Marbled White, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17

Marbled White, Kiplingcoates, 05/07/17

Ringlet on Field Scabious, Askham Bog, 25/06/17

Large Skipper on Bloody Cranesbill, Rifle Butts Quarry, 05/07/17

Small Skipper, 03/07/17, Fangfoss Park
Red Admiral, Askham Bog, 20/08/17

Gatekeeper, Askham Bog, 16/07/17

Brimstone on Purple Loosestrife, Askham Bog, 13/08/17

Brimstone, Askham Bog, 13/08/17
Campsite, Sutton Bank, 01/06/17
 Back in June I went overnight camping with a couple of mates nr Sutton Bank. This has become an annual event for me - a spot of wild camping, wildlife watching and midnight music, this year we took in one of the few places in the north of England where you can still see Duke of Burgandy butterflies. All pics courtesy of Jez Ballantyne....


Wood collecting!

Duke of Burgandy, Hawnby, 01/06/17

Duke of Burgandy, Hawnby, 01/06/17
A 'lifer' butterfly for me and I want to see some more so lets hope this little North Yorks stronghold continues to thrive.... oh and the tea room at nearby Hawnby is a little slice of heaven to die for on a sunny afternoon in the NY Moors!

Corn Bunting, Fangfoss Pk, 26/06/17
Very local to me here at Fangfoss I was very pleased to add bird species number 92 to my patch list, a single Corn Bunting perched on telegraph wires just outside the campsite.

Granted they're not the world's most attractive bird but they get scarcer every year and along with Turtle Doves and Yellow Wagtails they seem to be the least able to cope with modern day intensive farming methods.

Not so my local Common Buzzard population, loads of them around here and its rare for me to lift the lens to them anymore but this one was carrying a big Brown Rat back to the nest!




Common Buzzard with Brown Rat, Fangfoss Pk, 21/06/17
Not a heap load of other decent bird records / pics over the summer but with our resident and summer visitors all preoccupied with breeding, feeding and raising young there's always something going on!

Redstart (male) feeding young, Newtondale, 13/06/17
I volunteer to do a Turtle Dove survey every year in the NY Moors and although we drew a complete 'nil point' in our section we did record a successful breeding pair of Redstarts. Rubbish pic, shady light and felt shady intruding in there, but here's the male who was continuously bringing grubs back to a couple of Redstart fledglings.
















Spotted Flycatcher, Strensall  Common, 23/08/7
5 Spotted Flycatchers all together in one little feeding group on Strensall Common was a non too shabby record, wasn't sure if these were early passage or local 'young 'uns' spreading their wings ...nice to see either way.

Spotted Flycatcher, Strensall  Common, 23/08/17
Juv Common Whitethroat, Newtondale, 18/07/17
And here's a few more young birds from earlier in the year that happened to find themselves unwittingly photographed!


Juv Grey Wag being fed by parent, Thornton le Dale, 12/06/17
Same juv G.Wag having a fight with a feather ..aw bless!
Juv Reed Bunting, Thornton Ings, 25/06/17























Juv male Common Kestrel, Fangfoss Park, 18/08/17


This young male Common Kestrel terrorized the living daylights out of the fledgling Barn Swallows that were hopping about in the trees next to my caravan, as well as every other living thing in the field opposite .. here he is on a hay bail after catching a mole.







Juv male Common Kestrel, Fangfoss Park, 18/08/17










Common Swift heading south, Fangfoss Park, 23/08/17

No idea to be honest if this is a youngster or not but a later than normal departure of Common Swifts seems to have been a theme within local birding circles this year. This one was late Aug but I had odd ones up until Sept 7th and other birders around here are still seeing them. Climate change .. blah blah blah!


















Greenish Warbler, Bempton, 01/09/17


All set now for Autumn migration on the east coast; it's already underway after a slow start with a good smattering of good birds turning up on the Yorkshire coast - Red Necked Phalarope, Pectoral Sandpiper, Long Billed Dowitcher, Icterine Warbler, White Winged Black Tern, Wryneck & Rose Coloured Starling at Spurn and Greenish Warbler, Great Shearwater, Barred Warbler and an early Lapland Bunting on the headlands around Flamborough and RSPB Bempton. I made an effort for the Greenish Warbler as I'd never seen one and got a 'so so' pic