Kronk Kronk

As usual, when my mate Duncan Bye finds a good bird in the York area, I am somewhere else! This time, Duncan's efforts had revealed an amazing find of a family party of five Ravens at Castle Howard. A much-desired York tick for me, I was gutted to be at Potteric Carr all day, helping at a work event. Duncan kindly accompanied me up there this morning to see if the birds were still around, and sure enough, as we approached, the characteristic croaking of young Ravens could be heard from a small wood. After a few minutes an adult flew past and landed in the top of a fir tree, where it stayed for ten minutes, kronking away. A little while later, we refound the three young birds happily bouncing around in a pasture. Their napes were quite brownish in the strong light. The other adult flew in from the west, possibly with the food. This is a great record and possibly one of the first modern breeding records of this species in the York area. Nice find Duncan!

Also noted were a Cuckoo, Marsh Tit and Grey and Yellow Wags.