@birdingdad: Stunning Staveley

Wednesday 3 July 2019

Stunning Staveley

Took some colleagues round Staveley NR today, one of the jewels in my work patch. Delighted to see the two Avocet chicks which hatched at the weekend and have clung on to life for a few days! The parents were very vigilant, driving off anything that came close.

Nearby, the Marsh Helleborines were coming into flower, providing a beautiful spectacle in the fen meadow. The site is buzzing, with dragonflies and butterflies everywhere, flitting over a multi-coloured riot of wild flowers while the songs of Sedge Warblers, Cetti's Warblers and Reed Buntings is a constant soundtrack. Gorgeous!

Gorgeous Marsh Helleborines

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Northern Latitude Birding Attitude

The views on this blog are my own and are nothing to do with my employers, family or friends past or present.

Header pic: Team Birdo on the Nene Washes. Pic by Mark Hawkes.

About me...

I am a birder/naturalist/ecologist from York, who became a Dad in April 2008 (and again in March 2010). I birded York until 1993 when I went off to the University of East Anglia in Norwich, where I secured a BSc Honours in Ecology. After spending some time working for BirdLife International and WWF in Madagascar and Indonesia, I ended up in Cambridgeshire. In May 2009 I moved away from one of the best inland birding patches, Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, to live in Norfolk. I birded the mid-Yare Valley NNR (Strumpshaw - Buckenham - Cantley) for 18 months, but have now moved back to York, where I'm from.

Besides birds, I am very keen on cetaceans (whales and dolphins), plants, moths, and pretty much everything else that nature has to offer!

I work for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust as North Regional Manager (since May 2017), having formerly worked as Director of Development (since September 2010). Before this, I worked at Norfolk Wildlife Trust (2009-2010) and Beds, Cambs, Northants Wildlife Trust (2001-2009).

I am a naturalist guide for Yorkshire Coast Nature and Wildlife Travel.

I am on the committee of York Ornithological Club where I am the Bird Recorder for the York Recording Area (see map).

If you see any scarce birds in the York area, please email me recorder@yorkbirding.org.uk

My old Indybirder website, as reviewed in Birdwatch mag no less!: http://indybirder.tripod.com

UK Pan List Total: 1,870 (Dec 20)

York Area (YOC) Bird List: 227 (Dec 23)

Yorkshire Bird List: 356 (Oct 23)

British Bird List: 454 (Oct 23)

British Self-found Bird List: 291 (Dec 22)

Check out some of my exploits from yesteryear: https://birdingdadrewind.blogspot.com/