December 2011

Quick write-up from last month - a couple of frosty days with a light but still biting breeze.

Saturday 17th December

Harpham/Lowthorpe: 2 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, 2 Golden Plover, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3+ Skylark, 6+ Goldcrest, 2 Redwing, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Treecreeper at New Road (photo below). A squirrel was in the Church yard at Lowthorpe.

Green Lane / Kelk Lake: the CATTLE EGRET aside... 2 Mute Swan, 7 Tufted Duck, 3 Teal, 1 Gadwall, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 12 Lapwing, 700+ Woodpigeon, 3 Stock Dove, 6 Yellowhammer.

Sunday 18th December

Green Lane / Kelk Beck: the Egret was seen again over Little Kelk as it flew toward Foston. Otherwise the morning saw 1 Little Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron plus 15 over the heronry, 11 Greylag Goose, 5 Mallard, 6 Teal, 2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 12 Grey Partridge, 2 Snipe, 1 Meadow Pipit (scarce in winter), 1 Grey Wagtail, 9 Redwing, 120+ Fieldfare, 40+ Chaffinch, 5 Reed Bunting. A group of 4 Roe Deer were feeding happily toward Millingdale.

Foston / Gembling: 13 Teal, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel.

Tree Sparrow, Blue Tit and Starlings on feeders at Lowthorpe. There's a reasonable sized colony of Tree Sparrows here but they're a devil to see as they keep to the gardens and hedges.

A not quite in focus Redwing by Kelk Beck. This is the first one I've managed to get a picture of.

Starlings in the morning light. Noisy buggers.

Spot the Treecreeper competition!

And that was my final view of Kelk for 2011. Here's to 2012.