2023 in 12 pictures

After finally getting back on the road in autumn of 2022 I got out regularly this year until the end of September but although I had “more material” it meant I had less time to actually blog not helped by family issues in summer. Also due to a difficulty with long car journeys, apart from a few butterfly trips to Lincolnshire, I only left Yorkshire once for the Northumberland Grey-headed Lapwing. Because of this I haven’t taken many rare bird pictures. However because of the above many pictures are new to the blog.

January After not seeing Brambling in Cottingham for many years for the second year I managed to see one twice in late January in KGV Rec by the BMX track.

Brambling-Cottingham KGV Rec-20/1/23

February This month’s bird is a Whooper Swan at High Eske NR the 5th.

Whooper Swan-High Eske NR-5/2/23

March 2023 was a great year for me locally for Bittern. One was seen at Tophill Low NR throughout the year, on 3rd May I hear one calling by Leven Canal, my first for the High Eske/Pulfin/Leven Carr super patch, I had one several times over Brough Airfield Marsh spring/summer suggesting nesting then on 11th September I had one at North Cave Wetlands.

Bittern-Tophill Low NR on South Marsh West-22/3/23

April This month again Tophill Low NR this my only Whimbrel of the year on South Marsh East on the 26th.

Whimbrel-Tophill Low NR on South Marsh East-26/4/23

May As mentioned above the Grey-headed Lapwing, which I saw on the 2nd, was my only rarity outside Yorkshire. However the pictures is rubbish and I aren’t yet convinced of it’s credentials. Therefore my picture is my first Slow Worm in Pickering Woods on the 18th. I also ticked two butterfly species that day. The full story here.

Slow Worm-Pickering Woods-18/5/23

June This month I go for a butterfly. Again in North Yorkshire at Farnham near Harrogate where the only [disclosed?] colony of Small Blue Butterfly in the county is. Being just on the outskirts of the village, a strange place to see such a rare insect. Full details here.

Small Blue butterfly-Farnham-16/6/23

July This month my second butterfly, a surprise find in Cottingham near Badger’s Wood, a White-letter Hairstreak on the 25th. Also seen the other known site in the village, on Snuff Mill Lane [see here] but I never got to see see them this year.

White-letter Hairstreak-Cottingham near Badger’s Wood-25/7/23

August On the 23rd I found the 2nd Blue-winged Teal for Tophill Low NR joined by the 3rd on following morning, but as I saw the first, this months picture is Willow Emerald Damselfly at the visitors centre pond, a site tick for me. Thanks to Pat Hoggarth for pointing at out for me. Considering the effort put in recording Odonata Tophill Low NR was late to the game.

Willow Emerald Damselfly-Tophill Low NR-21/7/23

September The month of the Yorkshire Brown Booby twitch but my photos were poor and it was only a county tick having seen one in Cornwall in September 2019. Even then it would take something very special to top my Clifden Nonpareil on the 14th. I had actually finished emptying the trap when I noticed a very large grey moth on the summer house railings. There was a good influx of this otherwise very rare moth but still something magic, the holy grail for moth enthusiasts.

Clifden Nonpareil-Cottingham-14/9/23

October What in the past would often be my best month was quiet with my bike laid up and not being up to long car journeys but a small flock of Egyptian Geese on my “green patch” at Carr Farm, Willerby on the 29th were a “Carrs” tick for my friends who saw them. I had seen the species at Tophill Low NR on the 16th February and there seems to be a feral population in East Yorkshire but whether from local non-self sustaining escapes or expansion from the population originating in East Anglia I can’t say. I personally witnessed the first wild breeding of Egyptian Geese at High Eske NR in the summer of 2004.

Egyptian Geese-Carr Farm, Willerby-29/10/23

November was very quiet for me and the best I can do is a Lesser Redpoll in Cottingham on the 29th at Millbeck Wildlife area where I had seen them in January.

Lesser Redpoll-Millbeck Wildlife Area, Cottingham-29/11/23

At least December brought a true rarity with a Black-throated Thrush being found at Tophill Low NR on the 10th which I saw the next day [full story here]. Not surprisingly new for the site list and although it could be elusive, not helped by poor weather, it remained into the start of 2024 by which time all who wanted will have added it.

Male Black-throated Thrush-Tophill Low NR-11/12/23-hopefully get the chance for a better image.

Ten most viewed posts of 2023

My highlights of 2022

2022 in 12 pictures

The Black-throated Thrush at Tophill Low NR

Black-throated Thrush at Tophill Low NR

Early 2023

Getting 2023 going

Two days in April at High Eske NR

A better day at High Eske NR

A trip to North Lincolnshire

10/7/23 Risby Warren and Alkborough Flats

A rare butterfly in Lincolnshire

16/6/23 Black Hairstreak at Chambers Farm Wood

A rare butterfly in North Yorkshire.

12/6/23 Small Blue butterfly in North Yorkshire

An updated version of my views on wildfowl being considered for addition to the British List.

Ross’s Goose added to Cat A [8/10/23 update]

A trip to North Yorkshire for rare butterflies

18/5/23 Appleton Le Moors and Pickering Woods

My first visit to Tophill Low NR after the shut down in 2022.

12/9/22 Back to Tophill Low NR

16/6/23 Black Hairstreak at Chambers Farm Wood

Black Hairstreak has only a short flight period so with them reported at Chambers Farm Wood, Lincolnshire, and with thunder storms forecast from Sunday Ricky and I arranged to go on Friday. A good hot clear morning and on arrival the first person we saw told us they were currently showing well so we had a brisk walk to the the ‘crossroads”. The first time I have hurried for a butterfly, instead of a bird, and on arrival had the feel of a proper twitch with numerous cameras pointing into the vegetation although admittedly in nothing like the number at a rare bird. Also a little more amenable? Hairstreaks in my experience are usually high up, mobile and hard to photograph but these were often low and static although often tricky to get a clear view. Counted at least half a dozen.

Black Hairstreak on Blackthorn

Went to the butterfly garden for lunch. A few Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth were on Red Valerian by the car park.

Broad-bordered Bee Hawkmoth on Red Valerian

By the drying up pond we had a Large Red Damselfly, one of a very few dragonflies we saw.

Large Large Red Damselfly

Also Mullein caterpillar on the food plant.

Mullein caterpillar

Swallow on wire above the Butterfly Garden

Went to the meadow to look for Marsh Fritillary. Late for them with only a few worn individuals but lucky found one not too bad.

Marsh Fritillary

We had seen a large number of small moths flying around tall oaks opposite the carpark and the smaller Oaks by the meadow allowed me to identify them as Green Oak Tortrix.

Green Oak Tortrix-a potential pest in large number

Like everywhere butterfly numbers were low with the only other species seen being Speckled Wood, a Brimstone, Meadow Brown and Large Skipper.

Meadow Brown [left] and Large Skipper [right]

Fortunately we left early as Humber Bridge was closed meaning a long diversion via the M180/M18/M62.

12/6/23 Small Blue butterfly in North Yorkshire

The cool spring has continue at least in coastal Yorkshire with an insect equivalent of the silent spring and lucky to see one butterfly a day usually Holly Blue in my garden. Things started to warm up on Friday afternoon and although still only a few butterflies it did include my first Large Skipper while walking the dog in Cottingham.

Large Skipper-Cottingham-9/6/23

With this in mind Ricky arranged to take me to Farnham for the sole tiny colony of Small Blue in Yorkshire on Monday. Working from a photograph Ricky copied from a fellow butterfly and orchid lister at Yatts Farm last year we managed to match the image to the verge at the entrance to the village on the Knaresborough road. The sort of verge many will envy with Pyramidal Orchid and Common Rose-rose as well as Small Blue food-plant, Kidney-vetch.

Pyramidal Orchid [left] and Common Rock-rose [right].

However although covered with damselflies we found no butterflies.

I walked further out of the village until it matched the photo and soon found a Large Skipper and a few Mint Moth.

Mint Moth

I then had a small dark butterfly that in flight was similar to Brown Argus but once settled was a Small Blue.

Two different Small Blue on Kidney-vetch

I urgently hailed Ricky but fortunately the butterfly, although often deep in cover, remained in the same small area all the time we were on site. Found a second one nearby but only briefly. Their sedentary nature and likely small number made us realise how lucky we had been to even see one. Also had a few Meadow Brown, my first this year, but in general very few butterflies for this time of year.

Meadow Brown

No birds in this blog but many listers will recognise this view from the first Pacific Diver twitch in January 2007.

Farnham sailing club, opposite the Small Blue site

18/5/23 Appleton Le Moors and Pickering Woods

Up to the middle of May it has been generally cool and overcast and not good for butterflies however last Thursday was forecast to be brighter and warm so I arranged to go up to Pickering with Ricky to check a new site for Duke of Burgundy Fritillary. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t too good early and on reaching Appleton Le Moors it was mild but dull. Quickly got Small Tortoiseshell and Orange-tip as well as Brown Silver-line moth but no sign of Pearl Bordered Fritillary for which this site is the best known in Yorkshire.

Brown Silver-line-a moth and male Orange-tip butterfly

Had my first orchid of the year.

Early Purple Orchid-likely my first.

Wasn’t looking to brighten anytime soon so headed for the Pickering. Took some time, with some help, to find the site and had some rain as we parked up but soldiered on up the track but again only had a few commoner butterflies. However it did brighten for a while which brought out the Common Lizards. These were to skittish but Slow Worm lived up their name only slowly burrowing into the vegetation.

Slow Worm-a first for both of us.

It clouded over as we walked back but kept looking for the Cowslip on which the “duke” was supposed to feed but they seemed to have gone over. Eventually I found one and while Ricky was checking out a Bee-fly he saw a Duke of Burgundy Fritillary on a nearby flower. Eventually had four and few good shots.

Duke of Burgundy Fritillary

We headed back to Appleton Le Moors and met a couple of blokes who had just seen a few fritillaries.

The dell at Appleton Le Moors where the fritillaries are best looked for.

After a while we connected although saw only one or two.

Pearl Bordered Fritillaries-a new one for me

Yellowhammer-have to one bird but nothing unusual seen today.

Tophill Low NR-a little bit more

27/11/22 To understand my title best check the Tophill Low NR blog. Anyway Sunday morning I went to Tophill Low NR.

With the attitudes to the human pandemic relaxing we are now facing precautions against Bird Flu. The disease has been confirmed on site

Started in the D res members hide. Good numbers of wildfowl but couldn’t locate the Smew [last report I’m aware of was the previous Sunday but only yesterday’s records in the log book]. However I located a distance drake Goosander. My first since a pair over Cottingham on New Years Day and saving me a trip to East Park sometime.

Pied Wagtail on D res wall

Headed to North Marsh for my first visit since early this year.

The path through D Wood recently resurfaced.

I got to see the the new Middle hide mound and the ramp to it. Also had a Grey Wagtail. The hide erection is planned for March and the replacement for L-shaped hide [South Marsh West in the summer.]

Grey Wagtail feeding on the new Middle hide mound

The path still only goes as far as the North Marsh junction but at least the marsh is now viewable.

North Marsh

A Kingfisher had been seen intermittently and Water Rails were calling but didn’t stay long heading for the South Marshes instead. Checked O res on the way but nothing unusual.

Coot, Tufted Duck and Pochard on O res

Goats now grazing East Pond area

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Little Egret, Teal and Redshank on South Marsh East

The newly cut channel in the South Marsh West reedbed looked great for Bittern and wasn’t long before I saw one at the far end. Largely obscured and soon walked back into the reeds.

Bittern on South Marsh West

A Bittern had been booming during the closure in spring joined by a second bird which over-summered so probably the sites first breeding attempt. However mine was the first sighting since the reserve reopened. Water Rails were very vocal so it was no surprise when one emerged on a pile of dead reed near the front of the channel.

Water Rail on South Marsh West

Also had a Marsh Harrier hunting the river bank.

Moorhens on South Marsh West

Agonopterix alstromeriana-a micro moth-South Marsh West Hide

Decided not to walk Barmston Drain to view Watton NR.

28/11/22 Went to Tophill Low NR with Roy on Monday afternoon. Added Chiffchaff and Siskins in D Wood and a Jay calling near East Pond. No sign of the Goosander on D res.

Siskin in D Wood

The south end of the reserve will fully open from Saturday [3/12] including Watton NR hide but we’ll have to wait a while longer for the L-shaped hide replacement.

14/7/22 Chambers Farm Wood

Thursday morning didn’t start too well. First the dog, for a change, wanted to go out early but meaning I would be tight for time. It was surprisingly cool even starting to rain lightly but becoming quite heavy as I got ready to go out. I checked the BBC Weather app and things did look better further south but still expressed my concern when Ricky picked me up. Fortunately we left the rain behind and the temperature kept rising but it was still overcast and cool for butterflies when we reached Chambers Farm Wood. When we’d last visited two months back there had been warning notices about closure of the road in.

As you can see above this had supposed to have finished late June and but as I’d already read on Facebook the work was still going on but fortunately we were waved in along a diversion through a field. Had a quick look at the butterfly garden where there were a few commoner species on the wing.

Large White

Gatekeeper

Small Skipper

Ringlet

Speckled Wood

Drove to the other car park and set off into the woods. Initially quiet except for a few more small butterflies and for a time the cloud got thicker. Eventually though we got a break in the clouds and first saw a Brown Hawker-the only dragonfly seen-then a Silver-washed Fritillary and White Admiral. Got a few shots off although not the best, before the clouds closes over again. We headed back in the direction of the car but came across another butterfly enthusiast as the sun came out again. Had the same species but this time got better views. Also saw a Volucella pellucens hover-fly but kept in cover.

White Admiral

Silver-washed Fritillary

After some partial success we headed back to the car looking out for Purple Emperor. While we were eating, a large butterfly flew by. Eventually it settled in a skip on a pizza box, a Purple Emperor. This species has a habit of feeding on carcasses and dog dirt so maybe it was feeding on grease. In fact this one had an attachment for human things as the only other shots we got were on tarmac rubble and the door of the road workers “comfort station”.

Purple Emperor

We ended our trip back at the butterfly garden. On arrival I was faced with two possible targets. I went for a quick distance shot of the Painted Lady then the Comma but as the latter lingered I should done it the other way round.

Painted Lady

Comma

I had a look at the currant bushes where we’d seen Currant Clearwing moth last year then the flowers nearby where I had a Mint Moth/Pyrausta aurata, that and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the garden only, the moths of the trip.

Mint Moth/Pyrausta aurata

Small Tortoiseshell

7/7/22 Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit and Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham-updated version

Finally after several days of cool, cloudy and often windy weather Thursday was warm so Ricky and I decided to go Kiplingcotes to get pictures of Marbled White.

Plenty on the wing as well as several other butterfly species.

Marbled White

Meadow Brown

Ringlet

Common Blue

Small Heath

Also plenty of skippers including at least one Essex, my first in many years. Unfortunately couldn’t get a sharp picture. Six-spot Burnet were also abundant, my first this year.

Six-spot Burnet moth

We had been too early on our last visit but there were now a large number of Pyramidal Orchid and a past its best Common Spotted Orchid.

Pyramidal Orchid

Common Spotted Orchid

Carline Thistle

Moved on to Rifle Butts to check the nearby stream for dragonflies. None seen so decided to return to Cottingham and have a look at the private pond on Snuff Mill Lane. A Emperor Dragonfly was patrolling the pond but never settled in sight but a Black-tailed Skimmer was more obliging.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Also plenty of damselflies.

Azure Damselflies

Common Blue Damselflies

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Also several “red-eyed” damselflies on the lilly-pads. Later at home found the majority were Small Red-eye Damselflies, my first [and maybe the first] record in the village.

Small Red-eye Damselfly

Red-eye Damselfly

Also had a few butterflies.

Small Skipper

Gatekeeper

We then went across the tracks to check the Wych Elm for the recent White-letter Hairstreaks.

White-letter Hairstreak

11/7/22 After a message from Mac on Twitter, too late for me to respond, on Sunday I cycled up Snuff Mill Lane late afternoon Monday and almost immediately got a Purple Hairstreak in the large oak just south of the crossing. Came low a few times but only ever settled high up but slightly easier to photograph than the other hairstreak.

Purple Hairstreak-Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham

Went back across the tracks but couldn’t locate any White-letter Hairstreak but the even light make the area I’ve previously seen them difficult to view.

Red Admiral-Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham

Speckled Wood -Snuff Mill Lane, Cottingham

30/6/22 Risby Warren and Crowle Waste/Thorne Moor

Headed to North Lincolnshire with Ricky on Thursday morning.

Risby Warren

First call was Risby Warren and although fairly overcast we had plenty of butterflies but nothing new initially.

Ringlet

Small Skipper on Viper’s-bugloss

Meadow Brown

Small Heath

Small White

Also my first Cinnabar caterpillars on Ragwort but only one moth found.

Cinnabar caterpillars on Ragwort

Also had Brown Silver-line.

Brown Silver-line moth

We headed to the sand hummocks where we saw Grayling last year and I put up a butterfly which I couldn’t immediately say was one but which looked different from anything I’d seen that day. Fortunately it landed nearby and its id was confirmed.

Grayling

Only saw one other but mission accomplished and managed to see in Yorkshire.

Walking back through longer grass we put up a few large orange butterflies. We had seen Dark-green Fritillary here last year and eventually found a few, including a pair, on the ground and confirmed our initial suspicion.

Dark-green Fritillary

Grasshopper species, possibly Mottled. Any suggestion appreciated.

Walking back we came across a pair of Stonechat, presumably feeding young.

Male Stonechat

Headed to Crowle where fortunately Crowle Waste is well signed as the route was like a maze. Cloud had built up and rain looked likely but there were still plenty of butterflies on the wing but again the usual fare.

Green-veined White

Having only seen Common Hawker at time when I wasn’t too interested I was on the look for dragonflies. Had two darters which on closer inspection were both Ruddy rather than Common.

Immature male Ruddy Darter

Male Ruddy Darter

Had a few damselflies including Blue-tailed.

Also a few moths including Common Carpet and my first Clouded Border of the year.

Clouded Border moth

Eventually made it to Thorne Moors. Had a look on a large area of water where there were a good number of “hawker-type” dragonflies. Likely Emperor but too distance to identify. Only bird seen was a Tufted Duck. Leaving the hide Ricky picked out a butterfly on the path which then flew to nettles. Our only Large Heath of the day as well as my first since I took a serious interest in butterflies.

Large Heath butterfly.

We tried to get closer to the water to try and get closer to the dragonflies but didn’t manage. Decided to retrace our route before we got lost. Had a Black-tailed Skimmer on the Crowle Waste boardwalk.

Black-tailed Skimmer

Xylota sylvarum-a hover fly

22/6/22 Ellerburn Bank and Fen Bog

Although plenty of butterflies at Ellerburn Bank YWT there was nothing unusual.

Painted Lady

Common Blue

Small Heath

Small Tortoiseshell

Red Admiral

Also large numbers of Common Spotted Orchid and a few fenced off Bee Orchids.

Common Spotted Orchid

Bee Orchid

Greater Knapweed

At Fen Bog YWT it was nice see on the breeding ground birds I usually only see as migrants or winter visitors including Stonechat, Whinchat and displaying Siskin.

Stonechat-Fen Bog YWT

We headed for the bog to look for Large Heath but although different from those we see further south all that I photographed were identified as Small Heath.

Small Heath-Fen Bog YWT-different from those I usually see including earlier at Ellerburn Bank.

Juvenile Meadow Pipit on the track of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Had a single Keeled Skimmer in the exactly the same spot we had seen them last year but the water level was very low.

Keeled Skimmer-Fen Bog YWT

Walking back to the carpark I saw a strange “stick” on the path between me and Ricky. Looking closer I saw it was an Adder, a first for me. Initially I thought it was dead but showed no sign of injury and hadn’t been there earlier. Shortly though after presumably playing dead it slivered off into cover.

Adder-Fen Bog YWT

Nearby we had a Common Lizard in deep cover.

Plenty of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries near the carpark but very mobile and hard to get a good photograph.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary-Fen Bog YWT

Went across the road to check the stream for Golden-ringed Dragonflies but none were present. While looking though I located a Spotted Flycatcher on a fence over the stream before flying to trees further away. Another bird that I now usually only see on migration.

Spotted Flycatcher near Fylingdales RAF

Also a very smart singing Whinchat.

Whinchat near Fylingdales RAF

Found a Brown Silver-line moth, a species I’ve previously seen 3 times in Cottingham.

Brown Silver-line near Fylingdales RAF

Managed to see both Large and Small Skipper in the area for the first time this year.

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

Orchids, Butterflies and Moths in Yorkshire

It all started early afternoon Tuesday 7th June 2022 when Ricky rang to say he had found some Common Spotted Orchids in Cottingham.

Common Spotted Orchid-Cottingham

Moved on to another site in the village where I had seen a single spike of Southern Marsh Orchid.

Southern Marsh Orchid-Cottingham

Nearby were several Fox-and-cubs, an naturalised garden plant

Fox-and-cubs-Cottingham

At a third site, where I’d seen orchids last year, we failed to find any.

On Wednesday afternoon see went to Kiplingcotes Chalk Pit YWT where we failed to find Early Purple Orchid but plenty of butterflies and moths. See the account here.

On Friday we went further afield starting at Fordon Chalk Banks, a top Yorkshire Butterfly site. A very steep valley and hard going. Had two Marbled Whites, early and the first record on site this year, but too active to photograph but got several other species including my first Brown Argus and Painted Lady this years.

Small Heath

Brown Argus

Common Blue

Speckled Wood

Painted Lady

Also a few moths including my first Silver-ground Carpet this year and Mother Shipton which I’d seen earlier this year at Chambers Wood Farm.

Mother Shipton

Silver-ground Carpet

Nothing unusual bird-wise but there were a good number of Lesser Whitethroat and Yellowhammer.

Lesser Whitethroat-Fordon Chalk Bank

Yellowhammer-Fordon Chalk Bank

We had hoped to see Frog Orchid but despite getting directions from two people including one doing a survey of butterflies we failed to find the site.

Common Rock-rose. Found plant of Brown Argus.

Moved to Yatts Farm hoping for better luck. This time fortunately there were people already looking at the Greater Butterfly-orchids. Good thing as small, inconspicuous and we off the track.

Greater Butterfly-orchid-Yatts Farm

Also Common Twayblade nearby which I managed to locate independently! Previously seen this orchid at Tophill Low NR.

Common Twayblade-Yatts Farm

Initially failed to self find our main quarry-Fly Orchid-eventually locating them at the beginning of the valley we’d walked well done. Again small and inconspicuous.

Fly Orchid-Yatts Farm

Also had a few butterflies including Brimstone and Dingy Skipper.

Dingy Skipper

Brimstone

Back in Cottingham I took the dog out and check the site of my Southern Marsh Orchid where I had my first Meadow Brown for the year as well as Large Skipper and a likely Brown Argus. I had seen several on this site last two years although the land-owner had moored the area shortly after finding them last year.

Large Skipper

Meadow Brown

Red-tailed Bumblebee