Bean and gone

My November visit was 19/20th so I am catching up! Still no photos but with confidence of a coalition government I will deliver. The weather was lovely and mild but Sunday was almost impossible for birding with a dense blanket of fog that only part-lifted in the afternoon.

A large influx of wild geese had taken place across the region in the previous week and Kelk dragged in some representatives - 11 White-fronted Goose and 25 BEAN GOOSE. Remarkably quiet otherwise.

Saturday 19th November

AM - Harpham/Lowthorpe: 9 White-fronted Goose flying west from Little Kelk with 50+ Greylags, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Woodcock, 18 Collared Dove, 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 30+ Skylark, 1 Grey Wagtail, 16 Mistle Thrush (a good local count), 2 Golgcrest, 20+ Linnet, 2 Bullfinch.

PM - Gembling/Foston/Cattleholmes/Millingdale: 2 Mute Swan, 7 Wigeon, 36 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 3 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Grey Partridge, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 12 Grey Heron, 2 Buzzard, 9 Coot, 13 Stock Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, two parties of Long-tailed Tit. A remarkable record of 16 Curlew were together in a field at Brigham - will have to check but possibly my first 'winter' record.

At dusk approx 3000 Corvids were attending the roost - the largest number for a while. Although it was practically dark the balance appeared to be about 2-1 Rook-Jackdaw.

Sunday 20th November

AM - Kelk Beck: 30+ Mallard, 60+ Teal, 'white-front/bean' goose flock heard through fog heading toward Foston, 2 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Grey Partridge, 1 Woodcock, 150+ Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 11+ Long-tailed Tit, 4 Reed Bunting.

PM - Little Kelk: 1 Buzzard, 14 Grey Partridge, 1 Kingfisher, 25+ Skylark, 2000+ Corvids, 60+ Linnet, 30+ Yellowhammer.

With good timing we approached Green Lane as the fog was lifting (it came back down again by dusk) and into view came a flock of geese - "Whoa, they're not Greylags". No they weren't, if fact it was 11 White-fronted and an amazing 25 Bean Goose. Actually, that's a wee lie, there were 2 Greylags with them. I have some pictures when I finally get around to sorting them out but to me all the Beans looked like the 'Tundra' race rossicus, which are the commoner of the two in Yorkshire. I have seen two Beans in the local area before but never more than one at a time.

My best recent year-list was 117... it's going to be close.

114 White-fronted Goose
115 Bean Goose