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.
“An adult at Plex Moss, Lancashire, from 5 December 1970 to 17 January 1971 becomes the first record for Britain. The same bird spent consecutive winters at the site until January 1974.
Ross’s Goose had been placed in Category D of the British List for many years, as there have been uncertainties about the origins of birds found in Britain because the species is kept widely in captivity and escapes are known to occur.
However, the species is a long-distance migrant in North America and there is much precedent for Nearctic wildfowl, including geese, to cross the Atlantic naturally and be found in Europe. Furthermore, the very significant growth and expansion of the population of Ross’s Goose since the 1950s has increased the probability of such trans-Atlantic vagrancy.
Part of the BOURC remit and procedure is to periodically re-examine species in Category D. Following published BOURC guidelines created to judge the status of wildfowl (British Birds 113: 46-53), BOURC considered a number of records of Ross’s Geese. Following these criteria, this 1970 Plex Moss record was found by the majority of BOURC (7:1) to be eligible for Category A. This record occurred during a period of rapid population growth of the species, and in circumstances highly suggestive of wild origin. Another important part of the process was to confirm the identification of this 50-year old record on the basis of the original field notes along with photographs. These documents were located and BOURC decided unanimously that the identification was secure. Hence the 1970 Plex Moss was accepted as the first British record and the species accepted to Category A.
Ross’s Goose breeds in northern Canada and migrates to winter in southern and western USA and northern Mexico. A significant and dramatic increase in the population has occurred since the 1950s, an estimated 8900% over the past 40 years, with the species now classified as Least Concern by IUCN.
Upon publication of these changes, the British List stands at 628 species (Category A = 610; Category B = 8; Category C = 10).”
Following the above BOURC statement that puts my British List on 499. Pre-Covid 19 I was realistically expecting to reach 500 for Britain by the end of 2020. However a combination of legal restrictions and a current lack of personal transport and lack of desire to use public transport or get a lift has seriously limited my twitching as well as avoiding crowds with only Long-toed Stint added since early 2020. My first Ross’s Goose was at South Ferriby Lincolnshire 10/11/02. This is assumed to be the same bird I saw in Norfolk at Wighton on 5/1/03 which had moved north because of bad weather in Norfolk. As far as I’m aware this is as close to Yorkshire as this species has got although there was a feral bird seen at several sites including Paull on 29/7/07 [the date doesn’t help!]. Also i’ve seen a Ross’s Goose hybrid on a later date at Tophill Low NR. Prior to my first record I attempted to twitch one at Caerlaverock WWT with RL [can’t remember the date!!] which was identified as a known escapee before we got there. I don’t remember whether we actually saw it but do remember fortunately taking the Brough/Scotch Corner route back despite a weather warning and avoiding major snow related delays on the M62. Yorkshire doesn’t have a good record for rare geese with the only good Lesser White-fronted Goose in early 1996 at High Eske NR then Hempholme as well as visiting Tophill Low NR, initially accepted by BBRC then removed in a later report, although still accepted by the YNU. A similar thing happened to a Red-breasted Goose seen at Tophill Low NR which was initially accepted in Cleveland but not at Tophill Low NR before BBRC realised the ambiguity and deleted the record. However a Red-breasted Goose in north Lincolnshire did do a fly past for the lucky few at Spurn Point. With the annual movement of Pink-footed Geese between Scotland and Norfolk there has to be the possibility of Ross’s Goose being picked up over flying the county and with large numbers commuting between the Wolds and the Humber maybe one will make it onto the Yorkshire List some time.
A full article on “The Ross’s Goose in Britain’ was published in British Birds Vol,116 p12-25. My sighting in Lincolnshire and Norfolk was included under “Potential wild birds in Britain” and presumably will appear in a future BBRC annual report.
Ross’s Goose near Paull Holme Strays
BOURC does seem to have taken a more favourable attitude to wildfowl in recent years. Hooded Merganser is given a sympathetic consideration although most records still are dismissed fortunately not mine at Barr Loch, Renfrewshire with GD on 21.1.17 which got through.
Hooded Merganser-Bar Loch, Renfrewshire
However still not made onto the Yorkshire List including a bird seen early this year at Hornsea Mere and Tophill Low NR which despite being considered the ringed bird seen at the first site in early 2019 gave many a false hope before it was confirmed to be the same bird at the latter site. Hornsea Mere is a plastic magnet not helped by the collection at nearby Strawberry Gardens with a earlier Bufflehead which, not helped by it being distance, was pencilled in before relocating to Bransholme sewage works where it’s ring was seen. This leads me to Baikal Teal which I twitched, more for the day out, at Minsmere RSPB on 25.11.01. This remained in Cat D until isotope analysis of a Baikal Teal shot in Norway made wild origin likely, led to BOURC upgrading it to Cat A with the more cautious not waiting long for one at Flamborough Head on 15.4.13. However this species has spoilt itself with one seen at various site including again Hornsea Mere in spring/summer 2019 deemed “uncertain or not to be wild”. I missed this bird as it clashed with a trip to Romania where my serious concern was it following the pattern of several previous rare ducks and moving Tophill Low NR. Another one turned up at Hornsea Mere [found by Dale Middleton] on 9/1/22 then relocated at Tophill Low NR by Roy Lyon at 12/1/22. It was seen on Swine Moor, Beverley on 13/1/22 where it was seen to be un-ringed and fully winged, then back at Tophill Low NR on 14/1/22. 15/1/22 was foggy and it wasn’t reported. For further updates check here.
Baikal Teal-Tophill Low NR
Falcated Duck has also been upgraded to Cat A but I’ve not seen this species with no good examples being seen in my active twitching time. The next will be popular.
Continuing with the more lenient attitude to wildfowl, BOURC are assessing records of White-headed Duck and Ruddy Shelduck. No Yorkshire records of the former and the BOURC review came out rather ambiguous with the likelihood of a wild birds not dismissed but none of the current records accepted [see here]. The latter has a habit of turning up with post moulting Shelduck, with several personal records on the Humber at Brough Haven. Also one seen at Tophill Low NR in 1995 at least. Whether this gets on the site list is questionable although as the current “keeper of the list” I may have to make the final decision. Two mobile birds have been around East Yorkshire since 2021 spending some time at North Cave Wetlands YWT as well as Pickering Park in Hull. I finally saw them in March 2023, initially on the 7th on Priory Road, Cottingham, but don’t have good credentials for me unless from a self sustaining Continental population [if such a thing exists!]
Ruddy Shelduck-Tophill Low NR by John Harriman [copied from Tophill Low Wildlife Group Annual report 1995]
However a lot of dubious records as well as other pure and hybrid Shelduck species about including Cape and Australian, but even if none pass the test in Yorkshire I still hold out for some I saw in Cornwall.
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