I have been spending a fair bit of time in the Lower Derwent Valley, both birding for fun but also leading some guided tours for Yorkshire Coast Nature. Flooding last month inundated the ings either side of the Derwent, resulting in an influx of wildfowl and waders, bringing spectacular sights and sounds to the winter landscape. The floodplain meadows under their covering of water now hummed to the wheeling flocks of Golden Plovers and Lapwings, constantly nervous from the occasional appearance of a Peregrine or Marsh Harrier. Vast flocks of Wigeon and Teal, looking resplendant in their winter plumage fed in the shallow water and here and there the Clark Gable of ducks, the Pintail, sailed serenely through the crowds.
There have been some scarcities around too, with a regular juvenile Hen Harrier appearing at North Duffield Carrs and Wheldrake Ings, providing some fantastic views, sometimes in close company and sparring with some of the Marsh Harriers. Hen Harriers have had a good breeding season in England this year, so hopefully we may see more of these wonderful birds over the next few months.
A Great Egret has been hanging out along the river at North Duffield Carrs, occasionally straying on to the ings, where I watched it hunting voles; it caught and swallowed two while I watched. There are still several Cetti's Warblers around the valley and a couple of wintering Chiffchaffs, with Willow Tits still prominent in some spots.
As I write, temperatures have plummeted and the ings have frozen, so I expect some hard-weather movements among birds, perhaps resulting in some more interesting sightings in the LDV.
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