Blown Away

That was hard work at the weekend. So. Much. Wind. Aaargh.

A pretty light set of sightings due to the challenging conditions, but as ever, some gems. The Whooper Swans from February are still present. Six this time, despite being convinced there were five last month. I either missed one (possible, they were distant and with Mutes) or one has joined them. Other sightings included a drake Shoveler and a Jack Snipe - both useful year ticks!

Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th March

Mute Swan - 48 (43 together near Wansford)
Whooper Swan - 6 in the same spot as Feb
Greylag Goose - 44
Canada Goose - 24
Wigeon - 110
Gadwall - 4
Shoveler - 1 at Wansford
Teal - 30+
Tufted Duck - 17
Little Grebe - 2
Cormorant - 66 (new record - see previous comment)
Little Egret - min 5 but probably 7
Grey Heron - 8
Sparrowhawk - 1
Buzzard - 25
Kestrel - 4
Oystercatcher - 2
Lapwing - 56
Jack Snipe - 1 at Kelk Beck
Snipe - 11
Green Sandpiper - 3
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2 adults flying NE
Herring Gull - 170+
Woodpigeon - flock of 1000+ at Lowthorpe
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Meadow Pipit - 2
Fieldfare - 6
Goldfinch - flock of 26
Bullfinch - 1
Yellowhammer - flocks of 28+30

Also Frog spawn noted at Lowthorpe.

I'm not going to apologise for more egret shots. I love 'em!

Little Egret again.

Tame Red-leg just emerging from a garden in Lowthorpe.

Drake Shoveler at Wansford. Hard bird to find locally.

Out of focus Whooper Swans (it was dusk!)

Additions to the year list - a modest three.


075 Lesser Black-backed Gull
076 Jack Snipe
077 Shoveler

Post-February

Review for visit two weeks ago. The previous visit was icy cold but since then there's been a blast of summer with June-like temperatures and even a couple of Swallows appearing at Bempton (the earliest ever in Yorkshire).

The Whooper Swans were still in the same oilseed field. Most previous records are birds flying over and of the handful that have been on the ground I can't recall any staying for more than a day.

Another highlight was an unprecedented count of 51 Cormorant (double figures is unusual). Having said that, it appears that up to 20 birds have been flying east and west over Kelk at various times of the day, usually together, for several weeks now, i.e. in the direction of Wansford.

Note that Flamborough have recorded some big counts recently (e.g. check 27th Jan here). Birds seen over Kelk are thought to be almost exclusively of the nominate 'carbo' suspecies. It would be interesting to know if this 'influx' are these or continental 'sinensis', or both. Intriguing.

Also noted, 'only' 4 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine (together!), 2 early Oystercatcher.

Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th February

Mute Swan - 27
Whooper Swan - 5
Pink-footed Goose - 100+ heading N
Greylags - 120
Canadas - 42
Wigeon - 180
Gadwall - 8
Teal - 44
Tufted Duck - 8
Little Grebe - 4
Cormorant - 51 at Wansford (+3 over Kelk later)
Little Egret - 4
Heron - 19
Sparrowhawk - 2
Buzzard - 16
Kestrel - 5
Peregrine - 2 together
Oystercatcher - 2 are possibly the earliest recorded
Lapwing - 180
Snipe - 1
Woodcock - 2
Green Sandpiper - 4
Redshank - 2
Herring Gull - 60
Collared Dove - flock of 18
Kingfisher - 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 4
Meadow Pipit - 2
Fieldfare - 400+ in several flocks up to 250
Redwing - 14
Jay - 1
Jackdaw - 800+ flying to roost
Linnet - 40
Bullfinch - 2

Also,
Bat (Pippistrelle?) - 1 at Kelk at dusk on 17th is an early date
Roe Deer - 23

Crocus at Lowthorpe. Spring!

Lovely close view of Dunnock. Much overlooked and overrated.

Fieldfares in tree. A good winter for them.

Arty shot of geese with the evening moon.

Redshank at Wansford. Two together represents a good record these days.

Yearlist up to 73, with Grey Wagtail reported since making 74. Not bad.

065 Pink-footed Goose
066 Redshank
067 Canada Goose
068 Tufted Duck
069 Gadwall
070 Coot
071 Skylark
072 Oystercatcher
073 Bullfinch
074 Grey Wagtail

Buzz

Running late again. Visit report from 16-17 Feb to follow. In the meantime here's a picture of a Buzzard that landed on the hedge right outside houses in Kelk. Picture taken from an upstairs window.