Great to have Froglife back in the #LDV again this week running another Great Crested Newt training course, held between our NNR Base at Bank Island (theory session) and #SkipwithCommon NNR at dusk for the fieldwork - nice to see both NNRs being used for training and learning.
Thank you to East Yorkshire #RSPB group for hosting us this week in Bridlington – a fantastic turnout and tremendous support for the work that we do, and very generous donations and sales of our new book 'Birds of the #LDV' and our greetings cards/children’s books 📖📚✉️
Only a handful of White-fronted Geese now remain in the #LDV, but it was nice to record a colour-ringed bird recently - ringed in 2018 at Skarsterland, Rottum (Netherlands), & seen in Poland, Lithuania & Germany (present there 07/01) before reaching the UK in February @yorkbirding.bsky.social
The number of Whooper Swans moving through the #LDV has increased dramatically over the last 4/5 years, with 2,400 birds having been logged through the site so far this month, whilst the wintering herd has averaged 200 in recent years, & peaked at over 500 this winter @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Nice to record one of @kanebrides.bsky.social tagged Whooper Swans in the #LDV on spring passage – it arrived at Wheldrake Ings at 23:00 on 20/03, where it remained for 24hrs before departing, then arriving at the Scottish Borders at 02:00 on 22/03 – travelling at an average speed of 36mph.
Sightings from the #LDV over the last few days inc. 23 Whoopers Swans lingering at North Duffield Carrs (Thursday) and a single Tundra Bean Goose at Wheldrake Ings yesterday with several White-fronted Geese also present @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Thank you to Howden Rotary Club for inviting us to attend & speak about the Friends of the #LDV at their meeting on Monday, with an extremely generous donation made in exchange for copies of our children's books, with the money to be used to help fund a new Corncrake book next year 📖
Many thanks to our volunteer team for attending & helping with our ever-growing talk programme this year, & in doing so spreading the word about the #LDV - all made possible thanks to the invitations & those who have come along to listen & supported our work through purchases & donations 💰
It's been a busy few weeks of late giving talks around Yorkshire, with Whitby the location at the weekend to speak to the naturalists society, where many books & cards were sold & kind donations made, to help further our work - nice to also have inspired members to visit the #LDV
Great two days with Froglife last week between our #LDV NNR Base and #SkipwithCommon - as part of their annual Great Crested Newt training courses, which involved a classroom/theory session first, followed by an evening and early morning fieldwork session on the Common 🔦
Great to see 500+ Black-tailed Godwits present in the #LDV this week at North Duffield Carrs.
Tundra Bean Goose still present in the #LDV yesterday morning at North Duffield Carrs – thanks to @chrisgomersall1.bsky.social for the record 📸
Another great couple of days in the #LDV at the weekend with sightings inc. the first returning Garganey, 7 Common Cranes, 16 White-fronted Geese, a single Tundra Bean, 2 Scaup, LRP, Spotted Redshank and 500+ Black-tailed Godwits @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Great to welcome another team from Aviva UK to the #LDV on Wednesday - to help with the final willow coppicing of the winter/spring, with time also spent exploring the contents of moth trap and watching a Robin and Long-tailed Tit being ringed - all adding to the experience 🐦🦋
Many thanks as always to our fantastic team, who help us to achieve so much in the #LDV, as well as further afield at other sites across Yorkshire 👏👏
Earlier this week our team of #LDV volunteers made the journey over to Humberhead Peatlands NNR, to help plant over 7,000 cotton grass plugs as part of restoring the bare peat areas (as part of the sites restoration project to increase biodiversity & locking up water & carbon) 🌱
The moth season is now really picking up in the #LDV with an incredible catch of 497 moths of 16 species last night (possibly a March record for the reserve) inc. 148 Small Quakers. Nice to also see Pine Beauty, Early Thorn, Oak Beauty and Twin-spotted Quaker in the mix 🦋
With the water levels now settling down in the #LDV, it was nice to get a sample of Wigeon & Teal ringed in a cannon-net catch yesterday. Suitable water level windows have been hard to find this year, but 400 Teal & 20 Wigeon have been added to the @btobirds.bsky.social waterfowl totals 🦆
Other sightings from the #LDV today inc.
71 Whooper Swans and 9 White-fronted Geese at Wheldrake Ings.
20 White-fronted Geese at East Cottingwith.
3 Ringed Plovers and a Little Ringed Plover at North Duffield Carrs.
2 Crossbills and a Raven at Skipwith Common NNR.
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Whooper Swan passage is really underway at present in the #LDV, with both nocturnal and early morning/evening herds passing through the reserve (total of over 2,000 have now moved through the site this spring) inc. 650 in the last 24 hours @yorkbirding.bsky.social
The #LDV February sightings are now available to read online on our NNR blog - ldvnnr.blogspot.com/p/feb-26.html. Many thanks to everyone who contributed records and counts throughout the month, in particular to members of @yorkbirding.bsky.social and regular patch birder @duncbye.bsky.social
Other highlights across the #LDV yesterday included six Great White Egrets, drake Common Scoter, six Marsh Harriers and a Great Crested Grebe @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Lapwing numbers have fallen in the #LDV as birds continue to disperse, with just 246 remaining at the weekend (after 10,000 for most of the winter). 300 Black-tailed Godwits were also recorded along with the long-staying Spotted Redshank, & Curlew numbers are building up (82).
A full count throughout the #LDV with @duncbye.bsky.social yesterday produced 272 Whooper Swans, 200 Pink-feet, 93 White-fronted Geese, 7500 Wigeon, 3100 Teal and 659 Pintail + 296 Shoveler represented an increase as breeding birds start to return @yorkbirding.bsky.social
We're on the road again tonight with a talk for Airedale and Bradford RSPB group in Shipley, where Senior Reserve Manager Craig Ralston will be talking all things #LDV related, with copies of the 'Birds of the LDV' also on sale - looking forward to spreading the word about our unique reserve 🐦
Yesterday our team were working on a new site (gifted to Natural England) which includes two meadows and an old orchard off the Pocklington Canal. It's long been neglected, but has huge potential for #naturerecovery and opportunities for public access and engagement in the #LDV.
Earlier this week regular patch birder @duncbye.bsky.social spotted one of our colour-ringed Oystercatchers back in the area at Storwood. This individual breeds in the #LDV (back for its fourth breeding season) and winters at Dawlish Warren in Devon – 402 km to the south @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Recent sightings in the #LDV inc. two Cattle Egrets and five Great White Egrets (present in the Storwood area yesterday,) and whilst goose numbers have reduced since the peak 10 days ago, 47 White-fronts and a single Tundra Bean remain at East Cottingwith @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Llega el viernes y lo que importan son los links que vas a ver durante el finde, Links de Viernes! #LDV
www.fabio.com.ar/9895-links-d...
Thanks to your fantastic support and the sales, this money will help the Friends of the #LDV to deliver more for birds (and other wildlife) that use the reserve. If you're yet to purchase a copy but would still like one, please contact Lucy.Murgatroyd@naturalengland.org.uk 📖 @yorkbirding.bsky.social
