Pleasant Valley Sunday

An evening walk at Wheldrake Ings was simply superb. A stonking Short-eared Owl was hunkered down on a snag in the refuge allowing great views and a bit of video to be taken. It was later flying about round Swantail Hide. An adult male Peregrine was causing chaos on the refuge, later moving to the main meadow, where it flushed 25 Curlew. Also present this evening was a first winter Iceland Gull in the roost (which sat alone on an island), 12 Black-tailed Godwits, c25 Ruff, c30 Dunlin and a Barn Owl. Also, my first bat of the year was hawking along the riverside path at dusk and my first 'chipping' Snipe were getting frisky over the ings.

Where did a month go?

Not much birding done recently due to other stuff going on. Occasionally checked the gulls out at Poppleton but otherwise not been up to much.

Today enjoyed a very sunny and warm walk round Allerthorpe Common with the family, in the hope of seeing an Adder. Sadly, we dipped, but nice views of several Crossbills, loads of Siskins, Green Woodpecker and Buzzards, plus frogs and several Brimstones and Small Tortoiseshells. Intriguingly, a bird flew across the road near Dunnington into a veteran oak which could have been a Lesser pecker...I jumped out but couldn't relocate the bird...

In the afternoon nipped up to Poppleton. Three or more Iceland Gulls present, 1-2 adults (middle photo), a third calendar year (bottom photo) and a second calendar year. Also a mad looking bird (top photo) which I assume is a partial albino second calendar year Herring Gull. Got me going for a bit! Also here a Peregrine and a Buzzard.