Mid-March

The Great Grey Shrike is still around on the airfield, and showed well on Wednesday in the early evening sunshine. It was hunting from saplings and bushes on the east side of the road.

Today, I led a guided walk at Wheldrake Ings followed by a drive round the eastern side of the LDV. Signs of spring in the air with several Chiffchaffs singing along with many Curlews back on territory. A flock of 18 Curlews at Wheldrake were presumably on their way further north. Always good to see these birds.

32 Whooper Swans at Wheldrake were undoubtedly migrants, with a further six at Aughton along with the wintering herd at Derwent Cottage. Four drake Scaup were still on the refuge at Wheldrake Ings, but little else of note apart from a Mink by Swantail Hide, a juvenile Peregrine and a very confiding Willow Tit by the Bailey Bridge by Wheldrake car park, which posed long enough to be phonescoped.