Being back in Birmingham means not a lot of birding.
Have been looking at Google Maps eyeing up potential sites in the York Area to explore birding wise.
One area that looks to have bags of potential but as far as I'm aware isn't watched.
Birds that would be expected in the area in an average year but tricky to catch up with in a year, must be a lot easier down there. Birds like Grey Plover, Barwit, Spotshank, Turnstone, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Little Gull and Kittiwake must get concentrated and pass east down towards the humber from the west coast or be pushed up the humber and pass west depending on weather conditions.
Then there must be potential for birds that are pretty scarce in area like Shag, Sanderling, Hen Harrier, Gannet, RB Merg, Sandwich Tern, Skuas, Fulmar and the like as well as other species like Montagu's Harrier, Divers, Manx Shearwater, Eider, Auks, Phalaropes, Sabine's Gull and Little Tern.
However, am I just getting excited with all this potential. Is it too far along the humber for birds to come up this high? The area goes as far south as Hemingbrough, by this point there has been 3 bridges across the river, Humber Bridge, M62 and the A614. Will this put birds off coming this high up?
Anyone ever watched the Ouse this high up and had stuff move up or down it? Any tips for best weather conditions for stuff being forced up the humber?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Friday, April 06, 2012
General consensus on the pipit below seemed to be littoralis Rock Pipit, it was seen again the next morning by Chris but not since and all the pipits seemed to have cleared off! Bird number 124 for my York Area Year List, which will be taking a back seat for the rest of April as I'm not going to be back in area until two days on the 19th and 20th and then not back properly till the 30th!
After a good 2 days Sunday and Monday, the rest of the week was a lot quiteter, Twite still kicking about at Hes East, but very few other migrants. Highlights being 259 stunning Golden Plover in a local field whilst looking for a Crane!
Came back to Birmingham for Easter this weekend so here's hoping I don't miss too many good birds in the York area.
However more interesting was what happened on Wednesday on the local patch, Hes East.
After several emails to the Uni asking them if we could organise a work party on the site to try to encourage the breeding waders with some shingle and vegetation removal. After a meeting with the head groundsman on Monday, the first ever Hes East work party was organised on Wednesday!
The Uni ground staff were keen to do the work so along with me and a mate we got to work adding 7 tonnes of shingle in patches along the western scrapes, removal of low growing vegetation and improving of the fencing to try and deter the dog walkers.
Fingers crossed our hard work will be paid off with a productive breeding season!
After a good 2 days Sunday and Monday, the rest of the week was a lot quiteter, Twite still kicking about at Hes East, but very few other migrants. Highlights being 259 stunning Golden Plover in a local field whilst looking for a Crane!
Nice looking northerners as well!
Came back to Birmingham for Easter this weekend so here's hoping I don't miss too many good birds in the York area.
However more interesting was what happened on Wednesday on the local patch, Hes East.
After several emails to the Uni asking them if we could organise a work party on the site to try to encourage the breeding waders with some shingle and vegetation removal. After a meeting with the head groundsman on Monday, the first ever Hes East work party was organised on Wednesday!
The Uni ground staff were keen to do the work so along with me and a mate we got to work adding 7 tonnes of shingle in patches along the western scrapes, removal of low growing vegetation and improving of the fencing to try and deter the dog walkers.
Shingle on the only island on the site
4 patches like this added should encourage some breeding
Fingers crossed our hard work will be paid off with a productive breeding season!
Monday, April 02, 2012
Sunday, April 01, 2012
Record Shots
Ace day in the area today involved a morning at Hes East with Red Kite, Marsh Tit and TWITE! Being the highlights
Then onto Wheldrake for 2 Avocet and my 2nd Red Kite of the day flew over!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Hes East
Birding today involved a female White Wag on the Patch hoping from horse turd to horse turd, a raptor watch which failed to produce any Ospreys (but 6 Kestrel, 3 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk) and a return visit in the afternoon saw 2 Ringed Plover, me trying to string anything that flew as a Sand Mart! and too many dog walkers! Dead battery so no pics of White Wag but smart bird and my first of the spring.
Target of 120 by the end of March in area might still be reachable tomorrow with some local birding.
Still need;
Sand Martin, Blackcap, Garganey, Marsh Harrier, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Swallow, Osprey, Egyptian Goose and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which have all been in the area recently.
As well as finding potential with Black-necked Grebe, Crane, Hawfinch, Long-eared Owl and anything else, it is spring afterall!!!
Stonechat would be nice though!
Wouldn't say no to a Ring Ouzel.
Black Red at Hes East would be sweet.
Missed Avocet this week so a grip back would be good!
Target of 120 by the end of March in area might still be reachable tomorrow with some local birding.
Still need;
Sand Martin, Blackcap, Garganey, Marsh Harrier, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Swallow, Osprey, Egyptian Goose and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker which have all been in the area recently.
As well as finding potential with Black-necked Grebe, Crane, Hawfinch, Long-eared Owl and anything else, it is spring afterall!!!
Stonechat would be nice though!
Wouldn't say no to a Ring Ouzel.
Black Red at Hes East would be sweet.
Missed Avocet this week so a grip back would be good!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
HES EAST RAPTOR WATCH POINT!
Nice days birding around the LDV in glorious summer time weather that wouldn't be out of place in the middle of July!
Female Red-crested Pochard on the pool at Wheldrake was a good start and my 118th sp in the York area so far this year. Definite bonus species and not expected at all! Only other records I can find in the York Area in the last 14 years are of 2 at Castle Howard in 2009 and 2 a Bank Island in 2004 so not regular at all!
A Merlin and plenty of sum plum Black-tailed Godwits were the other highlights here, just wish one of the Blackwits would fly up to Hes East!
Onto Skipwith where I saw my first ever Adder! Stonking! 5 Grass Snake and a Common Lizard made for nice reptile selection!
North Duffield was quiet until Chris picked up a distant Red Kite, second time we've both been in the hide and second time we've had a Red Kite here!
Although the report of 2 Black Kite in the log book from last week seems a bit suspect...
Finishing off at Hes East where we've got 2 new tern rafts and a Sand Martin bank and a new path that leads upto an awesome 360 panorama of the York area!
Looks like this new area of the site could produce some good raptors and vis mig in the not to distant future hopefully!
You can see right up to Helmsley and the White Horse in the North, Drax Power station at Selby in the South, the Wolds to the East and across the city to the west!
A 'continental' looking alba/yarelli wagtail was on the main lake along with the Green Sand and 2 Redshank, a new pair of Oystercatcher on site meant for a lot of disputes between them a noisy pipping.
Still no Sand Martins! Where are they all? Answers on a postcard
Female Red-crested Pochard on the pool at Wheldrake was a good start and my 118th sp in the York area so far this year. Definite bonus species and not expected at all! Only other records I can find in the York Area in the last 14 years are of 2 at Castle Howard in 2009 and 2 a Bank Island in 2004 so not regular at all!
A Merlin and plenty of sum plum Black-tailed Godwits were the other highlights here, just wish one of the Blackwits would fly up to Hes East!
Onto Skipwith where I saw my first ever Adder! Stonking! 5 Grass Snake and a Common Lizard made for nice reptile selection!
North Duffield was quiet until Chris picked up a distant Red Kite, second time we've both been in the hide and second time we've had a Red Kite here!
Although the report of 2 Black Kite in the log book from last week seems a bit suspect...
Finishing off at Hes East where we've got 2 new tern rafts and a Sand Martin bank and a new path that leads upto an awesome 360 panorama of the York area!
You can see right up to Helmsley and the White Horse in the North, Drax Power station at Selby in the South, the Wolds to the East and across the city to the west!
A 'continental' looking alba/yarelli wagtail was on the main lake along with the Green Sand and 2 Redshank, a new pair of Oystercatcher on site meant for a lot of disputes between them a noisy pipping.
Still no Sand Martins! Where are they all? Answers on a postcard
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Iconic Upton
Nice trip home this weekend and a quick visit to Upton Warren produced in air acrobatics from these two
What spring migrants await in the York Area this week? Andy Walker reports a singing Willow Warbler in his garden today!
imm female (3cy?)
ad male
Friday, March 23, 2012
Holes
Reckon you know your Greater from Lesser nest holes?
Comments welcomed on these, I know scale is hard to judge but guess!
Comments welcomed on these, I know scale is hard to judge but guess!
1.
2. Smaller one underneath larger one
3.
quite low down
4.
5.
6.
not quite finished/feeding hole?
7.
same as above?
Answers on a postcard
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