Big Boy

A quick look at Rufforth airfield this afternoon revealed this monster 1w/2cy Glaucous Gull. Sadly I didn't manage to get anything else before the flock was flushed by dog walkers. Presumably this bird is a male, he dwarfed the nearby Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and was close in size to many of the Great Black-backs present. Lots of adult Lesser Black-backs present (c100) a sign of spring despite the snow and freezing easterly wind. Another birder had had a 1w Iceland just before the flock flew.

Russell Slack

Tomorrow will be the funeral of friend and fellow birder Russ Slack. He died following a short but terrible battle with liver cancer. I will miss him and my thoughts are with his family.

I had known Russ since I was young York birder though didn't really get to know him until I had actually left York and was living in Cambridgeshire. In 2002 I started a birding website indybirder.com mainly to promote sightings at Grafham Water which I was doing as a patch at that time. One of my mates produced a parody of one of Russ's articles called 'The Whitby Brent'. I posted this on my website and shortly afterwards saw Russ at the Birdfair, where I expected an ear bashing. True to form as I would later find out, Russ thought this was hilarious and there began our friendship.

We kept in touch a little through helping proof read some of his pages of the first edition of his classic 'Rare Birds - Where and When' and our annual catch-ups about the York birding scene at Birdfair. A few years later and I was returning to York. Russ proved to be really welcoming and kind, giving us loads of advice about living in Wheldrake, how the local birding scene had evolved etc and got me straight on to the local grapevine.

Unbelievably, only a couple of short years later he is now gone. I will treasure the birding we shared together in those places I know are close to both of our hearts, such as Wheldrake Ings and Flamborough and his absence will be felt in these places for many years.

I remember heading east for a seawatch in October 2011 at Flamborough. As dawn broke, the conditions were great and I had a quick look from just past the lighthouse while waiting for Russ to arrive. 15 minutes later I had recorded over 100 Sooty Shearwaters (an incredible start) and was literally effervescing when Russ turned up, who shrugged and said "Well, let's hope it picks up a bit". Brilliant!

A particularly enjoyable and memorable day was the Mike Clegg Memorial Bird Race which we did together in the York area, with John Beaumont and Andy Walker last January. A day full of good humour, pragmatism, great local birding and the best company - one to treasure.

I miss you mate.

Above: The motley crew at Bank Island, Jan 11. L-R Andy Walker, me, John Beaumont, Russ Slack
Below: Russ in this shot is probably reminding us of how good his very expensive thermal wellies are.

Cold Sunday

Family visit to YWT Moorlands revealed singing Skylark in the field opposite the first I have heard this year. In the woods lots of activity, with Nuthatch about the best. On to YWT Strensall Common for a short visit. No sign of any Stonechats though c50 Fieldfares flying north was notable.

Later, went up to YWT Wheldrake Ings for an hour. Two smart drake Scaup were present among the hordes of ducks. The Peregrine I saw the other day was stirring things up and flushed most of the gulls which headed off south. A first winter Caspian Gull was present at 4.30pm, a different individual from that seen on Thursday, with more pale at the bill base and more worn upperparts. The tertials had quite white thumbnail marks. Other things of note included displaying Lapwing, 2 Oystercatchers and a Barn Owl.

Frostbite

Bloody cold today, especially the wind. Perfect for spending hours sitting still. Not.

Castle Howard first thing revealed the wintering Scaup, 40 Goldeneye and a sleepy Shoveler. As usual, no sign of any rare grebes and divers no matter how hard I imagined them being there.

On to Wykeham Forest where it was snowing and I revelled in the sight of a very distant Kestrel and not a lot else. Even Willow got bored. But the view was nice!

Dropping Willow off, I headed down the LDV which teemed with birds. Bubwith Bridge was fab with c200 Dunlin, 40 Ruff including three white-headed males, c300 Golden Plovers two of which had attained spanking summer plumage and lots of ducks. Nearby the herd of Whoopers and the wintering pair of Bewick's Swans were in the usual field. Not much from the hide at North Duff. 9 Oystercatchers at Thorganby hinted at spring on the horizon.

The water had dropped at Wheldrake Ings so I managed to wade round to the Tower Hide in my wellies. A good candidate for a first winter Caspian Gull dropped in early and absolutely hordes of large gulls arrived from 4pm onwards and were still streaming in as I drove home. Sadly, apart from a few Lesser Black-backs, I couldn't pull out anything better before I had to head home to defrost my frozen toes at 5pm. A big scary Peregrine was terrorising everything as I walked back. She particularly seemed to enjoy scaring a trio of crows, repeatedly stooping at them; they rolled on their backs putting their feet up in the air and screaming their heads off. She was only playing luckily for them.

Looking good for a Caspian Gull, though very distant so difficult to get plumage features clearly, though tertials look reasonable as does jizz and colouration.

YWT Potteric Carr

A quick look for Bitterns mid-meeting today revealed none of the streaky blighters, despite four being present currently. Turns out Low Ellers Marsh may have been the wrong spot as 3 were seen on Pipers Marsh later on. c20 Shoveler were present, plus Gadwall, Tufties, Pochard etc.

The Living Seas Centre, Flamborough

Two very fine Woodcocks in South Landing valley today prior to a lovely visit to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's new Living Seas Centre. Good coffee too!

Having had some advice, the Poppleton Iceland Gull probably was a second winter, the regular bird, after all.

Quality gull action

A quick visit to Rufforth airfield revealed a man walking his dog and no gulls, so I headed round to Poppleton.  A staggering number of large gulls were in the fields north of the Red Lion and viewable distantly from the road west of the field. I soon picked up a sleeping Iceland Gull. It was very white and I assumed it was the regular second-winter bird that has been reported. However, on second thoughts despite having not seen the bare parts I think this is actually a first-winter. There are certainly no newer feathers on the mantle showing. Thoughts?

Further scanning revealed a good candidate for a first-winter Caspian Gull. It was a bit distant for a reasonable photo, but the jizz, structure and plumage all worked pretty well. I really could use a better camera! Also, several Corn Buntings along the road here.

After 20 minutes the gulls took flight and so I headed to the park with Sol who had been very patient.
Later on I popped down to Wheldrake Ings to see if I could get on for the roost. The place was very flooded and I was anxious about driving through the water to the car park but thought I would try. Bit neverwracking but I made it ok.

This site was still very wet so I will unable to get further than the bridge. Fortunately a pack of large gulls were loafing on a near spit and after a few minutes a cracking adult Iceland Gull dropped in and began preening. A little later it took off and flew right to the back of the flood near Swantail where I struggled to see it. Craig Ralston arrived and said he has seen a second winter Iceland flying over Bank Island a few minutes ago. A little later, I picked up a lumbering first-winter Glaucous Gull coming in. It settled on the water but was too distant for photos. My first of the winter. Shortly, I picked up another white winger, this time a first-winter Iceland Gull. This was clearly a first winter, being dark-billed and with plenty of brown on the upperparts. Not much else of note, apart from half a dozen Goldeneye, some Pintails, 30 Fieldfares flew north, calling Little Owl and Water Rails and a fine Barn Owl on the way home. Not bad for a total of 80 minutes birding!

By the way, one Waxwing seen this morning feeding on rosehips by the river near the Bishopthorpe allotments. Also, three Bullfinches.

Med Gull NDC

A couple of hours down at a very flooded North Duffield Carrs revealed a dapper first winter Med Gull among the hundreds of Black-headed Gulls gathering to roost. Andy W turned up 30 seconds after it had flown out of sight, but fortunately having changed position it was visible among the roosting gulls on the floodbank.

Not much else about, save 225 Pochards which was a good count. 8 Golden Plover, 5 Ruff and c25 Dunlin were present though finding little land to sit on. One Buzzard and a cruise-through Sparrowhawk noted.

First-winter Mediterranean Gull (videograb). Hardly big news, but surprisingly scarce round here.

More birding - steady on!

Had a good look for yesterday's Bishy Waxwings this morning to no avail, though a Mistle Thrush in our tiny garden sitting on the bird table I erected yesterday was quite cool. A few Fieldfares around and Grey Wag over the sewage works calling.

Went up to Askham Bog for a brief visit with Sol. Lots of activity here - punters and birds. Not much doing though one calling Willow Tit was a yeartick, plus Sparrowhawk, a few Marsh Tits, Siskins and Treecreepers. Oh, and a Jay.

On to North Duffield to see if the gulls would roost. Whilst waiting, had a look through the ducks: the Aythya hybrid was showing well with the Tufties and the drake Scaup was still asleep with the Pochards. An immature female Peregrine stirred things up a bit late on and plenty of large gulls came in. I couldn't pick out anything better than a first winter Lesser Black-back sadly. The regular pair of Bewick's Swans came in on cue at 4pm and spent a bit of time on the flood before flying over to the river to roost.

Snowy

Snow overnight left a world softened and monochrome. Headed down to North Duffield Carrs which I had to myself for a little while. A Barn Owl greeted my arrival and sat Christmas Card like on a snowy post. 52 Whooper Swans fed close in to the flooded Garganey Hide which I attempted to reach by wading through freezing water, without success.

A huge number of wildfowl covered the large area of open water. Soon Chris, Ollie and Andy turned up and together we sifted through the hordes of birds. The Lesser Scaup-like Aythya hybrid was present and exhibited a good LS wing pattern, though the black bill end and Tuftie head and bill shape spoiled a good bird. A Marsh Harrier patrolled up and down the Derwent flushing lots of stuff. Good numbers of Pochard, Pintail and Goldeneye were present, with a muddle of Ruff, Mippits, Fieldfares and Redshank feeding along the muddy river edge. A Chiffchaff called near the hide but we couldn't locate it. Later, C and O rang to say there were 23 Waxwings in the car park, so we nipped out for a look - a good record for NDC. Back in the hide I located a sleeping drake Scaup with the Pochard. The bird looked too big and Scaup like for the smaller hybrid and after a bit of searching we refound the more active hybrid, confirming that I wasn't stringing one bird into two! Another Barn Owl and a Brown Hare were the only other species of note. Aythya hybrid below and the Barny.

Birding in the dark

Got up a bit too early and arrived at Castle Howard in the dark and in a snow shower. A little later it was light, and I braved the icy dawn in the hope of a Great Northern Diver or Slavonian Grebe. The lake was covered in a frosting of gulls, which headed off in noisy strings as the sky lightened. The whistles of Wigeon pierced the cold air and the increasing light revealed a lake full of birds.The female Scaup appeared as if by magic, and was followed by a handsome male Pintail escorting three females. Nearby, a pair of Goosander dived in the shallows, watched by a pair of Mandarin hunkered down under the willows on the far bank. A large immature Peregrine was having a crack at gull for breakfast, but I didn't see her succeed. No sign of any divers of rare grebes, a Little Grebe would have to do. About 35 Goldeneye were present, groups of males getting a bit frisky and head tossing and kicking, despite the decreasing temperatures. I contemplated the LDV, but headed for Rufforth airfield to check out the gulls. A first winter Lesser Black-back consorted with it's larger cousins among a flock of c250 large gulls, but sadly nothing rarer dropped in before I had to head home for Dad duties.

Last of the herd

A single Waxwing in Keble Park this morning, possibly the one I saw on Boxing Day. Two Golden Plovers on the Knavesmire floods the other day - I need to keep a better eye on this place. A lovely Red Kite soaring over Leeds this afternoon on the way to visit YWT Adel Dam, where the highlights were a pair of Kingfishers and a pair of Mandarins.

2012 is so last year!

Visited the NY Moors today-  very fine in lovely sunshine!
Not much of note at Fen Bog or Little Beck Wood YWT nature reserves, but very enjoyable nevertheless. At the latter noted Nuthatch, GS Woodpecker and Marsh Tit.

Popped in to Moor Lane Pond, Dringhouses on the way back. 38 Tufties and a smart drake Goodsander present.