Staveley YWT

A family trip to Staveley (a recently expanded YWT reserve near Boroughbridge) late this morning with the family was quite fruitful with views of Water Rail from one of the East Lagoon hides.



Water Rail

The other highlight was picking up a Marsh Tit when chatting with Maurice Local.

Surprisingly no Yellowhammer, Siskin or Redpoll before heavy rain put the dampers on things.

Foot It 2014 begins

We're off! The first bird of 2014 for me was a Woodpigeon...

Nothing earth-shattering, but the Foot It list is up and running and stands at 22 species:

Woodpigeon 

Robin

Blackbird 

Jackdaw

Great Tit

Collared Dove

Chaffinch 

Blue Tit

House Sparrow

Dunnock

Goldfinch 

Carrion Crow

Redwing 

Tree Sparrow

Mistle Thrush

Wren

Long-tailed Tit

Fieldfare

Rook

Starling

Greenfinch

Black-headed Gull

A mixed winter thrush flock gorging on my neighbours' apple windfall was good to see, but couldn't match the 26 Blackbirds present yesterday. There were Redwings and Fieldfares in the mix though.

Newburgh Priory today - Barnacle Goose

Numbers a bit different to my last visit in November, with today's highlight being a Barnacle Goose. Still no joy with Green-winged Teal or Ring-billed Gull etc. but you've got to try!



3 Mute Swan
30 Canada Goose
215 Greylag Goose
1 Barnacle Goose
116 Teal
2 Wigeon
142 Mallard
15 Moorhen
1 Pheasant
67 Black-headed Gull
8 Common Gull
1 Pied Wagtail
2 Redwing and 1 Fieldfare in a field towards Byland Abbey

Newburgh Priory, Friday

A quick visit to Newburgh priory on Friday afternoon on the way back from Flamborough was productive in terms of numbers of waterfowl and gulls:

3 Mute Swan
30 Canada Goose
48 Greylag Goose
93 Teal
12 Wigeon
252 Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
18 Moorhen
10 Pheasant
107 Black-headed Gull
153 Common Gull

Quite a sight and noise on such a relatively small lake!

Wader go!

Starting to see a bit of autumnal wader passage with a cracking moulting Curlew Sandpiper on the Tidal Pool today along with Bar-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Redshank, Avocet.

Thrush Nightingale, Hartlepool Headland

What a great bird. Possibly the South Gare bird from during the week?

Little Bunting, Elba Park

Great to finally catch up with this bird after missing out in November 2012!
It was hampered by strong gusting winds but showed well albeit briefly and occasionally.  Good to catch up with some Yorks birders including Nigel, Mark, Lawts and Justin plus Tees birders Peter, Michael et al.





Checked out the Jewish Cem at Hartlepool for migrants - nothing other than Mipits coming in off.

Jack Snipe still around on Seaton Common with pipits and Fieldfares and Redwings.



Saltholme had a taste of spring with Yellow and White wags, Sand Martins, Swallows, LRP present.  Lesser Scaup, Arctic Tern and House Martin across on Haverton too.