Very distant Cuckoo
Great white egret
1 of 3 Whooper swans
Another fabulous patch tick this morning with a male Whinchat. I've not seen one here in the past 25+years.✅️
And then a couple of hrs @ldvnnr.bsky.social Wheldrake ings. Where are very distant Cuckoo was calling, Sedge and Reed warblers also NFY
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Little Ringed plover
Chiffchaff
Whooper swan
Wren peeking out of a nest box
A great day @northcavewet.bsky.social 61 species
Highlights
Common Tern
9 Avocets
3 Little Ringed Plovers
Reed warblers and Booming Bittern heard
2 Redshank
2 Mediterranean Gulls
Pr Egyptian geese +3 goslings
Whooper swan
Black-tailed godwit
Blackcaps
Sparrow hawk
Kestrel
Common Sandpiper
Male Swallow returned to the wire outside our house.
Pair of Mandarin ducks. The male just chased off another male
The other male Mandarin fancying his chances
He's back on the wire for another year.
As he changed his nest site last year, I don't know how many young he produced!
Hopefully he'll come back to his old site, so we can keep an eye on him!
Also had 3 Mandarin ducks 2M 1F the Female was carrying leaves. Nesting?
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Stunning looking Black Grouse
Female Black Grouse, with perfect camouflage
A few Black Grouse showing off!
Distant view of the Black Grouse Lek with some of the 20+ Males
A new lifer for me with @yorkbirding.bsky.social on an outing to Langdon Beck.
An early start to see the fabulous Black Grouse lek, produced 20+ males and several females showing really well.
1 of 6 Yellow wagtails
White wagtail
Little Owl
1 of 5 Wheatears
Naburn
Finally the Yellow wagtails (6) have arrived back together with Wheatears (5) and a White wagtail in with the Pied wagtails.
Also just in on patch today 5 Swallows.
6 corn buntings
Grey partridge
3 Stock Doves
Little Owl
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
@northyorksbirds.bsky.social
Razorbill
Gannet with its eyes to the skies
Puffin ready for take off
5 Dolphins one of which is a juvenile (smaller and grey)
Bempton/Flamborough
Wheatear
Swallows
Sandmartins
Puffins
Gannets
Razorbills
Guillemots
Kittiwakes
Linnets
Meadow Pipits
Were the order of the day
And not forgetting Dolphins (pod of about 20)
Great white egret
Little egret
Swallow back on the roof of Tower hide
Little greeb with its own reflection
Also at Wheldrake @ldvnnr.bsky.social Whooper swans
Pink-footed Geese
Red kites
Buzzards
Marsh Harriers
50-60 Sandmartins
3 Swallows
F Scaup
Little greeb
Bullfinchs
Pintails
Curlews
Reed buntings
Shelduck
Lots of Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and a Comma butterfly
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Male Greater Spotted Woodpecker
Male Blackcap in full song
Pied wagtail
Sandmartin
1 of2
A morning on patch
Highlights
Pr of GSWoodpecker
3 Nuthatch
12 Sandmartins
Grey Wagtail
Blackcap
Then to Wheldrake @ldvnnr.bsky.social
52 Species
Missed the Osprey and Cranes but made up with my FFY Wheatear
GW+L Egrets
W Warbler
Blackcaps
Black-tailed godwits
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Wow!!!
Male Garganey
Garganey female type
2 Garganey in with Teal and Wigeon
Whooper swan in the evening sun
Third time lucky, and finally managed to catch up with not 1 but 2 Garganey at North Duffield Carrs @ldvnnr.bsky.social this evening.
Also 120+ Whooper swans
Black-tailed godwits
Curlews
Pintails
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Male Blackcap
Male Blackcap
First Blackcap on patch yesterday followed by 2 more today.
Don't normally ajust pics but had to lighten these as it was so dark today!
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
1 of 3 Black-necked greebs
Great Crested greeb trying to swallow a large fish
1 of 5 cattle egrets
Green woodpecker
Lin dyke and RSPB St Aidens
5 Cattle egrets
Willow warbler FFY
Sand martins
Green woodpecker
Swallow
Knot
2 C Scoters
Redshanks
Black-necked greebs
G C Greeb trying to swallow a large Tench?
Pr of Kestrels mating
53 Species
A pr of Mandarin ducks, a Mallard and 2 little egrets
Mandarin ducks and a little egret
3 Little egrets and a pr of Mandarin ducks
Mallard with its duckling
Naburn
In't patch birding "Brilliant"
A little wander this afternoon and in one dyke there were 3 Little egrets, grey heron, Mallard with a single duckling and a pr of Mandarin ducks!!!
Also noteworthy
Red kite Buzzards Sparrow hawk Nuthatch
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Female Scaup
1 of the 2 Swallows My first of the year
Male Marsh Harrier hunting
Very distant female Common Scoter
Cold wet and windy @ldvnnr.bsky.social Wheldrake ings
Good to have closer views than normal of the Female Scaup.
Also 2 Swallows
2 Marsh Harrier
100+Black-tailed godwit
And a distant Common Scoter viewed from the centre
Goldeneye
Pintail
Teal Wigeon Gadwall Tufted Shelduck
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
And over Naburn at 21.54
Thanks for the heads up
It was struggling! The eel kept wrapping itself around its beak. I don't know if it was successful or not as it flew off with it over the river.
Drake Common Scoter
Drake Mallard "photo bombing" a Drake Common Scoter
Naburn locks today.
Drake Common Scoter.(day 4) His feathers now seem to be intact!
Hopefully ready to carry on his journey!
A Mallard wanted to be in on the photo actions too.
Grey heron with an eel
Treecreeper
Great white egret
Buzzard
Naburn ings
Another great year patch tick with a Great-white egret.
Treecreeper
Grey heron struggling with an eel
5 Buzzards
2 GSWoodpecker
Red kite
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Male Siskin
Chiffchaff
Corn bunting in the oilseed rape.
Nuthatch
Didn't expect to see a Redpoll and Siskin together on this mornings walk around Naburn.
Also lots of Chiffchaffs
6 Corn buntings
Mistle thrush
Jay
12+ Skylarks
6 LBBGulls
Stock dove
Calling Nuthatchs
Drumming GSWoodpecker
Prs of Kestrels + Buzzards
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
First patch Sandmartin this morning.
Had a closer look at the Tansy plants today and found a few of the stunning beetles.
Grey Wagtail doing it's usual thing, seeing off its rival!! It's the 3rd year it's done this, but usually goes on to find a mate.
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
The common scoter was still there late afternoon today and was constantly diving for food, so I don't think the feathers are causing it too much trouble.
I haven't seen any Tansy beetles but the Tansy plants are resly starting to grow on our side of the river.
Fab pic. Looks like you've had a great trip with some fantastic birds.
Pr of Marsh Harriers
Pr of Marsh harriers
Male Marsh harrier
Curlew
Book of the year!!!
Bean goose in with C120 Pink-footed geese
White-fronted geese taking flight from a flock of Pink-footed geese
Great White Egret
A few hrs at Wheldrake ings @ldvnnr.bsky.social
SpHawk
Kestrel
Buzzards
Red kites
Marsh Harriers displaying.
Peregrine
C120 Pink-footed
9 White-fronted
Self found Bean goose
L+GW Egret
Pintail Goldeneye Gadwall Wigeon Teal Tufted
Chiffchaffs
Picked up the book of the year!
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Nice to find this male Common Scoter on patch, but looks to have a few misplaced wing feathers
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
@northyorksbirds.bsky.social
My next course starts at the end of March, only a couple of places left! A brilliant way to learn more about #birds #birdwatching #birding . Book via @yorkscoastnature.bsky.social
Please share @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @bbclooknorth.bsky.social
2 Mediterranean Gulls 1 with a white leg ring
Great white egret
Treecreeper
A pair of Shovelers spinning together
Trip to @rspb.bsky.social St Aidans/Fairburn
52 Species
2 Med Gulls one with white leg ring
GW+L Egret
Treecreepers
FFY Sand martin
Chiffchaffs
Little Owl
Cetti's
2 Bitterns Booming
Goldeneye
Shovelers
Pochard
Shelduck
Oystercatchers
Buzzard
Reed buntings
Gadwall
B H, H, LBB Gulls
Hayburn Wyke!!!