A Lesser Yellowlegs was found on Swine Moor, Beverley by Garry Taylor on the afternoon of 10/11/23. I was already out with Roy at Tophill Low NR looking for a Barred Warbler along Barmston Drain. Not surprisingly this turned out to a single observer birds with only a Stonechat as compensation. By the time we got down Weel Road the light was poor with little chance of locating the yellowlegs among a distance large number of Redshank. This wasn’t a site tick so not too disappointed. Roy and I found an earlier bird in 2008 on 22nd April which stayed until the 26th, during which time it was very popular. The early 200O’s were a good time for the species two records at Tophill Low NR one at Paull Holme Strays At the time I was “out of action” but had a vague promise I would get to see it. However by April this hadn’t happened but on the 3rd I was in Beverley for an MOT. Not expecting a poorly maintained 22 year old bike to pass I only had my bins but with an hour to waste I had a fast walk from Flemingate to Grovehill Road. Walking along Barmston Drain towards the moor I had a large shape dive near a large tangle of vegetation which could only be an Otter but couldn’t relocate. It was very muddy especially the bit from the drain to the river bank but my current dryware Doc Martin’s are the first pair in over 40 years to be truly water proof. Unfortunately I haven’t seen any more on the Doc Martin website since. The weather wasn’t good, murky with regular heavy drizzle and there wasn’t much hope anyway just with bins. The best I managed was a good flock of Golden Plover and a few Dunlin at the northern end. Walking back I got the call from RM Motorcycles and somehow it had got through with only a warning about the rear brake. However the weather was too poor to stay out.
Went to Tophill Low NR on Thursday[4th] morning where I had a pair of Scaup and a found a female Common Scoter on D res and had a male Smew on Watton NR but everything too distant to photograph.
The next few days I didn’t get out due to commitments or the weather. On Monday [8th] morning I had an unusually early dog walk when I had my first Willow Warbler this year in Millbeck Wildlife Area. In line with national trends, in Cottingham Willow Warbler is now rare and the above and Middledyke Fields are the only reliable sites. The weather was better than excepted so I got off to Hull Bridge mid morning.
Swine Moor looking very wet from the river bank
No sign of the Golden Plover as I got onto Swine Moor but a good number of mobile Redshank [I later counted over 50] due to a female Sparrowhawk regular flying over. Despite the water level seeming higher there seemed fewer wildfowl [Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall and Shoveler with a small number of Mallard] and didn’t find the hope for Garganey. Also no sign of Little Ringed Plover yet. Further south where the Lesser Yellowlegs has been usually reported there was even more Redshank and eventually I located it although distant feeding among sedge clumps. Tried to photograph it but nothing worth keeping. More photogenic were two Avocet swimming in a nearby pool.
Avocet on Swine Moor
I can’t remember if I’ve even seen one here before but certainly a good find. Walking back the yellowlegs appeared a bit closer and less obscured.
Lesser Yellowlegs on Swine Moor
Continued north towards High Eske NR. The river was very high [Blacktoft Sands RSPB is closed all week due to tidal flooding so not just the recent rain] and I can’t remember having to go via Crown & Anchor carpark before.
River Hull by Crown & Anchor, Tickton showing the submerged walkway.
The pub is closed but not aware whether due to flooding or economics. Reaching High Eske I wasn’t surprised it was fairly quiet as in the past there is usually little wildfowl when water levels are high.
High Eske NR showing the main island
Only single figures of Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Gadwall and Cormorant. There was a Marsh Harrier holding territory over Pulfin NR. Plenty of Willow Warbler, a few Cetti’s and only one Chiffchaff singing although I choice not to circle the pond incase the path was too flooded. Also a few House Martin which I already seen last week at Tophill Low NR. The water level means I have little hope of the yellowlegs roosting here currently as other wader have in the past. A nice surprise was a Red Kite bothering the nesting Rooks at High Eske Farm. Still not a common bird in the Hull valley.
Red Kite over High Eske Farm rookery
I had said with such an old bike I needed to get breakdown cover as soon as I got back on the road but had put it off until next month. Therefore I had serious concern when it died and initially refused to fire up at Swine Moor road about. Fortunately it did restart but no idea what the cause was. In the end though I would have only had had a fairly easy push to RM Motorcycles. My readers who live locally will know about the updating of the main road south of Beverley which could cause major hold ups until late 2026 so I am trying to avoid times of heavy traffic. However despite settling off before the schools emptied I found the traffic static at Morrison’s roundabout. Fortunately on a bike you can get past some of the traffic and it was clear beyond Jock’s Lodge.
A Red-breasted Merganser was on the watersports pit at Welton Waters which I hoped to look for on Tuesday but the weather was too poor.
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