Originally planned to go up to Wykeham Forest with Ricky, for Goshawk and Crossbill, on Saturday but the forecast was bad so decided on Monday. Started cold and frosty but bright and although some fog over the Wolds it was clear at Wykeham Raptor Viewpoint. The Goshawk accompanied by several Buzzard were aways distant [I’ve had closer views later in the year when looking for Honey Buzzard] but having already heard them in the car park Crossbill gave good perched views at the viewpoint.
I am local so known my way about but beware entering the postcode YO13 9EB on a satnav as you could be dumped in the middle of no where, instead use the map ref SE 935887 to get an exact position of the parking area.
Male Crossbill at Wykeham Raptor Viewpoint
Had a flock of Pink-footed Geese flying over, surprisingly my 1st since New Years Day despite in the past having regular flocks throughout the winter commuting between the Wolds and the Humber or on migration.
Pink-footed Geese from Wykeham Raptor Viewpoint
Went to Forge Valley late morning. The main target was Nuthatch, a difficult bird in East Yorkshire although they do seem to be spreading with recent sightings at Burton Bushes, Beverley, which I’ve yet to check out, and at a private site near Welton.
Nuthatch-Forge Valley
Also a good site for Marsh Tit which is scarce elsewhere.
Marsh Tit-Forge Valley
Nice to get close views of common bird anyway.
Coal Tit, Coal Tit & Chaffinch, Long-tailed Tit-Forge Valley
Finally went to Bempton Cliffs. All the usual suspects were in with only Kittiwake still in small numbers.
Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin, Gannet on the arch, Gannet in flight, Fulmar in flight-Bempton Cliffs
No sign of any Short-eared Owls while we were there although one had been seen early morning. Finished at the feeders to see Tree Sparrow which has seriously declined in the areas I walked the dog. They kept to the distant feeders then walking back to the car had a very approachable bird in a puddle.
Tree Sparrow-Bempton Cliffs
I have noticed a serious decline in Collared Dove locally which from a recent BTO email is also a national issue so now make a “causal” report to Birdtrack of all I see including today two on the way home in Dunswell. West of the the village I saw the pair of Ruddy Shelduck that I have seen at various site around Cottingham the last couple of years. Don’t consider these have much credibility as wild birds but are of interest to some birders. Also as a potential breeding pair they need keeping an eye on.
Ruddy Shelduck recently on Priory Fields, Cottingham. Not safe to stop at the Dunswell flash.
5/4/22 Early Grey in the trap on Tuesday morning. Again an expected moth at this time of the year.
Early Grey moth
Finally had my first ‘migrant’ Blackcap this morning singing by the path north of Millbeck Wildlife Area.
6/4/22
Mistle Thrush-KGV Rec
I had a walk along Wood Lane early Wednesday evening. A few Blackcap had been heard by a friend on Saturday but not for me. I had a probable White Wagtail at Carr Farm and a pair of Wigeon.
White Wagtail-Carr Farm, Willerby
7/4/22 I had a male Blackcap in Millbeck Wildlife Area Thursday morning. In 2020/1 a flash at Lawns Farm had persisted well into the summer attracting Little Ringed Plover, Green Sandpiper and Yellow Wagtail but this year it is dry. However in recent days I’ve had decent flocks of Yellowhammer and Linnet. Today I had a Wheatear but disappeared when I went for my camera and as the weather was going off didn’t hang around. Had a few Redwing in Millbeck Wildlife Area, possibly migrants forced down by the storm I’d just walked through. These could be my last this end of the year.
9/4/22 After several inconclusive sightings in the Poplar/Wanlass Farm area finally on Saturday morning I had a good view of two Grey Partridge at Lawns Farm. No sign of the Wheatear and the Linnet and Yellowhammer flocks seemed to have dispersed.
10/4/22 With the return to more spring-like conditions on Sunday morning I had several Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone butterflies on Willerby Carr as well as my first Speckled Wood for 2022 on Wood Lane.
Speckled Wood-Wood Lane, Cottingham
Early evening I walked Park Lane. I had a female Brambling briefly in the field opposite White House then saw it again in flight showing a white rump so I could exclude an odd female Chaffinch. Settled in to photographing the other more cooperative finches until I relocated it much further away but at least settled.
Further up I had the pair of Oystercatcher again feeding in the paddock opposite Swallow Croft. Likely to nest in the same area as 2020.
Oystercatcher-Park Lane, Cottingham
Successfully added the Burn Park Farm Little Owls to the April List.
Little Owl-Burn Park Farm, CottinghamRed-legged Partridge-Park Lane, Cottingham
11/4/22 Had my a Blackcap singing in Millbeck Wildlife Area on Monday morning and a good number of Tawny Mining Bees between there and Creykebeck.
Małe Tawny Mining Bee-CottinghamFemałe Tawny Mining Bee-Cottingham
12/4/22 Finally heard a Blackcap on the Willerby Carr Patch along Wood Lane early Tuesday evening.
Blue Bells-Wood Lane, CottinghamStitchwort-Wood Lane, Cottingham Roe Deer-Wood Lane, Cottingham
13/4/22 Had my first Swallow of the year Wednesday morning appropriately at Swallow Croft, Park Lane. Also several Blackcap singing in the area.
Ransoms
14/4/22 Had my first decent moth trapping Thursday morning with Common Plume, Double-striped Pug, Light Brown Apple Moth, Early Thorn, Hebrew Character and Twenty-plumed Moth.
Light Brown Apple MothEarly ThornDouble-striped Pug Hebrew CharacterTwenty-plumed Moth
I had my first Willow Warbler this year singing on Middledyke Fields early afternoon. Pete Scot had Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat on Willerby Carr so looks like migrants are at last arriving in numbers. Willow Warbler used to be more common locally than Chiffchaff but in very recent years they have become rare in my “green birding” area.
Recently burnt area of Middledyke Fields. The sort of habit were Willow Warbler and other small birds nest.
Two Ruddy Shelduck were found on Priory Road early evening by Harry Witts. I was walking back from Creykebeck at the time but even if I’d been at home I couldn’t have got there before they flew west. Likely the same birds seen at Noddle Hill recently and subsequently at North Cave Wetlands YWT and on the Humber off Hull. Currently not on the official British List but they are being reassessed by the BOURC, however these two are likely not truly wild or from a Continental self-sustaining population. I have a recent blog post covering Ruddy Shelduck and other wildfowl also under consideration for addition to Cat A or C [wild or from an established feral population.] Had a look mid evening with Roy on Priory Road then Carr Farm, Willerby.
15/4/22 As others had already looked for the Ruddy Shelduck on Friday morning I decided to walk up to Lawns Farm.
Male Brimstone butterfly-Cottingham Dead Weasel near Creykebeck
18/4/22
My first Nettle-tap-a micro moth-of 2022 on Park Lane, CottinghamBrown Hare off Park Lane, Cottingham
19/4/22
Field Horsetail-Middledyke Fields, Cottingham
20/4/22 Had my first Orange-tip Butterfly of the year near Creykebeck on Wednesday but too mobile to photograph.
25/4/22 A walked on Willerby Carr on Monday morning added three species to the patch year list with Lesser Whitethroat at Southwood Farm, Sedge Warbler singing by the flood prevention scheme and Swallow over Priory Road.
Male Whitethroat-Haltemprice Farm, Willerby
A pair of Oystercatcher on Priory Road on Monday were presumably the same as those at Carr Farm on Friday.
Oystercatcher-Priory Road, Cottingham
26/4/22
Grey Partridge-Burn Park Farm, CottinghamYellowhammer-Wanlass Farm. Cottingham “Mallard on the roof”-Tinley Close, Cottingham
28/4/22
Linnet-Southwood Farm, Cottingham Brown-tail moth caterpillar-Millbeck Wildlife Area. A moth I have only trapped last year. [see here]. This caterpillar is considered a pest due to allergic reactions to its hairs [see here}.
30/4/22
Moth numbers remain low with nothing new recently but a Dor Beetle was trapped on the last day of April.
This post is a bit nebulous largely due to the lack of anything too interesting to provoke me to write anything earlier but by covering most of April I have covered the arrival of most migrant birds and the early butterflies. This spring has been slow with most migrants late but now most of the regular birds are now present in good numbers and starting to breed. What is missing so far is Swift, which I usually get by the end of April but my first in 2021 was very late on the 13th of May. Also not seen Yellow Wagtail, Little Ringed Plover or Green Sandpiper in the area which usually turn up either on passage or as with the first as a rare breeder.
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