Local News

I’ve been rather neglecting reporting from the Ings for a while, I’ll start with a brief summary of the year so far, it was a slow start, I didn’t go down much due to the extensive flooding and with it being so mild there wasn’t much winter stuff around, the best bird from this period was a Grey Partridge at the top end of Rawcliffe Ings on February 11^th.  At the end of February and through March up to three Roe Deer  started frequenting the Cornfield NR and could be seen on an almost daily basis completely unconcerned  by people walking past, seen in the Flood Basin on a couple of occasions too.  Several Lesser Redpolls were around the Chapel in Clifton Park mid March, not particularly a common visitor to the area so it was nice to have these birds singing and displaying for a few days plus a big departure of Redwings was noted on the 22^nd, hundreds of them sat in the riverside trees all calling and chattering away then moving off in small groups. Raptors, apart from the usual Sparrowhawks and Kestrels there has been regular sightings of Buzzards this year, three together one day, also the Minster Peregrines have been over two or three times although I’m surprised I don’t see them more often, then I suppose it’s all about timing. Spring migrants started arriving late March/early April with a good number of Sand Martins returning this year although Warblers seem to be thin on the ground, three Oystercatchers flew over calling on the 1^st April but the best sighting of Spring and a patch tick were the two Common Cranes, already mentioned in a previous post, that came over the Cornfield NR on the 22^nd April. May has been fairly uneventful birdwise as everything has just gone about its business but some good weather attracted a few Butterflies out including Painted Ladies and a few Brown Argus on 9^th June, this week has been changeable weatherwise with a continued threat of rain but a walk of the full circuit mid-week got me a few extra species, plenty of Reed Buntings and Meadow Pipits on Clifton Ings which hasn’t been cut early for a change, Willow Warblers in the riverside vegetation, being strangely absent from the rest of the site, a Buzzard over before being chased off by the local Corvids but the most intriguing sighting was a pair of Curlew bubbling away as they dropped in, I’ve had a few pass over before now but it’s the first time I’ve seen them land, they then just disappeared into the long grass. On the 16^th I got another patch tick, whilst passing the mature trees in Clifton Park I heard the familiar call of Nuthatch, always thought it was a good area for them, nice to get them at last. Also a Fox in the Flood Basin this week and a Roe Deer over the river on Acomb Ings.

Reeds, Reeds and more Reeds

I was out yesterday (Saturday) and as a showery day was forecast I decided on Blacktoft Sands, up to six Cetti’s Warblers were holding territory, a few Bearded Reedlings were flitting about, there was plenty of Harrier action and a Barn Owl was out hunting but it was generally fairly quiet. I headed for home late afternoon via the LDV to look for Hobby, dropped into North Duffield Carrs first which proved quite fruitful (may be revealed later) but there were no Hobbies seen, then went on to Bank Island, none there neither but another Barn Owl was out hunting.

Blacktoft Barnie

Bank Island Barnie

a successful hunt

I was out again this morning and went to Old Moor to try for the returning Little Bittern, yet another Barn Owl was seen, it flew across the approach road as I turned in, I joined the assembled birders and learned the very early risers had had some good views of it in some willows before it had flown into the small reedbed next to the Bittern hide which was now being staked out, after a while it flew out but I was unfortunately in the wrong place and my view was blocked by some bushes although I did hear it “barking” a bit later and managed to get decent views of its larger cousin and then the morning was soon over, maybe I'll get another chance.

hiding in the reeds

it eventually popped its head up

A Day in the Dales

Day off today to enjoy the nice weather, decided on a proper session at Bolton Abbey Woods, parked up at Barden Bridge with Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Common Sandpiper showing from the off then at the next bridge a male Redstart put on a good show as he went about his business, the woods however proved hard work and although I saw and photographed Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher they certainly weren’t forthcoming and I didn’t get the photo session I had been hoping for, also of note were a female Mandarin with four ducklings that she was hard pressed to protect from the marauding Lesser Black Backed Gulls, a few Spotted Flycatchers were still around and a Garden Warbler was attending a nest near the parking area back at Barden Bridge.  Mid-afternoon I headed across to Kilnsey Park with a new Orchid in mind but it clouded up then started raining, it cleared after an hour however and I set off on my quest, I ended up with three new ones, Early Marsh, Narrow-leaved Marsh although the main one, Lady Slipper that was in cages anyway had largely gone over already.

on the look out for stray ducklings

Redstart in the bag at last

didn't see many of these this morning

Wood Warbler, although two were singing across the river this one was just calling but only hung around for
a couple of minutes

female Mandarin with her brood

Dipper attending its nest

Garden Warbler warbling

Flowers at Kilnsey Park included Water Avens

Marsh Marigold

Early Marsh Orchid

Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid

and caged Lady Slipper Orchid that had seen better days

this one was a bit yellower but in a bit of a state

tame Willow Warbler

Butterflies and Honey B's

After hearing a rumour of a Small Blue site in Yorkshire last year I discovered its locality this year and having a couple of hours free last Saturday afternoon I thought I'd go check it out, the likelihood is that has been a release site sometime in the past but they are doing well and at least 20-30 were flying around, also an early Painted Lady. In the evening whilst watering the garden I disturbed a little micro moth that promptly landed again in full view, a Diamond-back Moth, I know there has been quite an influx of this migratory moth along the East Coast they are obviously well inland too.

a mating pair

also some nice fresh Common Blues

and Common Blue Damselfly

the tiny Diamond-back Moth in the garden

On Sunday the 5th as it was forecast to be a nice day I thought I would head up to Wykeham Forest to try for the Honey Buzzards, it was a good start with a couple of Turtle Doves purring away near the car park but at the viewpoint it proved a bit slow at first however after a couple of distant Goshawks and several Common Buzzards eventually getting up a Honey flew across at around 10-30am, displayed a couple of times then drifted to the other side of the valley (a local Scarborough birder later informed me that was the first sighting of the year) I hung around into the early afternoon hoping for another sighting which never came but a Red Kite, a closer Goshawk and a pair of Peregrines entertained, passerine highlights included displaying Siskin, several Crossbills flying over and a Garden Warbler in the shrubbery in front of the seats. After lunch the intention was to try for Pearl Bordered Fritillaries before heading up into Bransdale but there had been a bad accident and the area was gridlocked so I just ended up going straight to Bransdale, a pleasant afternoon spent here with the usual culprits highlight were several Whinchats and a family party of Ring Ouzels in the usual area although I failed to connect with Redstart again.

Honey Buzzard flew past reasonably close but camera was on wrong settings

young Ring Ouzel hiding

then came out