December 2002
Wildfowl in the Lower Derwent Valley were again prominent despite most of the valley being inaccessible due to flooding. Whooper Swans peaked at 170 birds with 20 Bewick's Swans noted before Christmas. Unusual goose species included 27 White-fronted and 9 Tundra Bean Geese. Duck highlights consisted of a female Scaup at Bank Island on the 22nd with 6 Smew mainly visible from around Ellerton and Aughton and up to 100 Goosander at Wheldrake Ings.. A Buzzard was seen at Castle Howard on the 18th while Water Rails were seen at Allerthorpe Gravel Pits on the 1st and 8th. Waders were not well reported this month, possibly due to the flooding, but a Woodcock was at Allerthorpe Gravel Pits on the 1st and a Green Sandpiper at Clifton Ings on the 10th. The late national influx of Waxwings was represented by birds at Fulford and Askham Bar while up to 300 Pied Wagtails were reported roosting in the centre of York. Wintering Stonechats were reported from four sites while Rawcliffe Lake held 6 Mealy Redpolls on the 4th and a Chiffchaff on the 9th. Finally, 50 Tree Sparrows were at Riccall Grange Farm on the 13th and 20 Reed Buntings were roosting at Allerthorpe Gravel Pits on the 8th.

November 2002
Wildfowl numbers built up this month with up to 55 Whooper Swans present in the Lower Derwent Valley while 14 were at Terrington on the 4th. Movements of Pink-footed Geese were evident with up to 90 in the Forest Farm (Warthill) area and smaller numbers noted at Wheldrake Ings. The Forest Farm birds were accompanied by a Brent Goose (race not given) on the 7th. Duck counts included 3500 Wigeon between Ellerton and Bubwith on the 11th, 24 Shelduck at Wheldrake Ings on the 25th with 52 Pintail there on the 15th when there were also 78 Pochard and 21 Goosander on the 25th. Meanwhile 2 female Scaup were at Bank Island on the latter date with an immature at Castle Howard Lake on the 3rd while 4 Buzzards were together over Shaw Wood, also on the 3rd and one at Malton on the 25th and 26th. A Peregrine was seen at Wheldrake on three dates and a Merlin still at Forest Farm on the 7th while Water Rails were noted at Allerthorpe Gravel Pits and Wheldrake Ings. Wader highlights included good numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover at several sites, up to 20 Ruff in the Lower Derwent Valley, Jack Snipe at Forest Farm on the 26th, 90 Snipe at Strensall Common on the 20th, Woodcock at four sites, Spotted Redshank at Bank Island on the 11th and Green Sandpiper at Forest Farm on the 4th and 7th. The Wheldrake Ings gull roost built up, but there were no reports of unusual species. Green Woodpeckers were seen at Bishop Wood, Cawood and Warren Wood, Dunnington where a female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was found on the 22nd. Five late Swallows flew over Hassacarr NR on the 2nd while while good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare continued to be reported with a pair of Stonechats noted at Strensall Common on the 11th. Flocks of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll were noted in several areas and 20 Brambling were present at Castle Howard. There were good winter gatherings of Tree Sparrow, the best being 115 near Aughton on the 15th while 19 Corn Buntings were noted near Hassacarr NR on the 2nd.

October 2002
The popular Buff-breasted Sandpiper remained at Bank Island until the 5th. When trapped and ringed it proved to be an adult female and this bird appears to be the first for the YOC Recording Area. Its Nearctic cousin, the Pectoral Sandpiper, also remained in the Lower Derwent Valley until the 5th while 3 Little Stints and 10 Jack Snipe were at Bank Island the following day and Green Sandpipers were seen at three sites. A Marsh Harrier flew over Bank Island on the 3rd while other raptors included Peregrines at Dunnington Common, East Moor and Fulford and Merlins at Terrington, Forest Farm (Warthill) and along Malton Road (York). 15 Grey Partridges were at Forest Farm on the 22nd and 24th with 5 at Riccall on the 29th. Flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover were much in evidence as were Barn and Little Owls with a Long-eared Owl at Skipwith Common on the 24th and a Short-eared Owl high over Clifton Ings on the 13th. A Woodlark was with Skylarks at Forest Farm on the 15th while a Stonechat returned to its wintering site at Riccall on the 22nd. Redwings and Fieldfares were appearing in numbers with Bramblings noted at several sites while lingering summer visitors included Wheatear at East Moor on the 2nd, 2 Chiffchaffs (Hassacarr NR and Wheldrake Ings) on the 3rd and Swallows at Dunnington Common until the 18th. Up to 19 Corn Buntings were at East Moor late in the month.

September 2002
Highlight of the month for many was the Buff-breasted Sandpiper present at Bank Island from the 25th into October - it had been claimed briefly on the evening of the 24th. Occasionally it was seen together with a Pectoral Sandpiper which also appeared at Wheldrake Ings on several dates. Several other waders were present at Bank Island during this period including Little Stint, Ruff and Jack Snipe. Raptors this month included Marsh Harrier at Wheldrake, Hobby at Dunnington Common on the 1st, Melbourne on the 14th and over Bishopthorpe on the 11th with a Merlin at Wheldrake late in the month. Coveys of 8 Grey Partridge were seen at Sutton Farm (Sutton upon Derwent) on the 5th and East Moor near Sutton-on-the-Forest on the 20th. Green and Common Sandpipers were seen at several sites as were Barn and Little Owls. Up to 6 Woodlarks were at Sand Hutton late in the month while a Swallow/House Martin hybrid was caught and ringed at East Moor on the 19th. An impressive 3000+ Swallows roosted in a maize field at Dunnington Common on the 1st with numbers tailing off quickly thereafter. Late Yellow Wagtails were at Riccall on the 4th and Clifton Ings on the 7th while Whinchats were at the latter site on the 10th and East Moor on the 19th and 20th. A Stonechat was also at East Moor on the 19th with a Wheatear there on the 18th. Reed Warblers were seen at several sites up to the 10th while a few Chiffchaffs were noted late in the month and a Redstart was seen at Clifton Ings on the 19th.

August 2002
Wheldrake Ings was again the best place to be this month with the main pool attracting at least 13 Wigeon and 2 Pintail on the 31st, Garganey on the 10th, Black Tern on the 7th and a selection of waders including Golden Plover, Dunlin, Ruff, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, up to 5 Wood Sandpipers and Green Sandpiper. Up to 6 Marsh Harriers were noted around the Lower Derwent Valley while a Corncrake was heard on the 21st. The YOC trip to the Melbourne area on the 6th produced 2 Green Sandpipers, 4 Barn Owls and 3 Corn Buntings as highlights. 26 Greenshank were at Bank Island on the 20th where 20 Snipe were seen on the 24th as well as 3 Dunlin and a Sacred Ibis flew from Wheldrake Ings towards Bank Island on the same date. Records from the Dunnington area included 340 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flying over the common on the 27th, a juvenile Cuckoo from the 23rd-25th and good numbers of hirundines with up to 4000 Swallows roosting in a maize field on the 30th. Flooding early in the month attracted 400+ Black-headed Gulls to Clifton Ings with a Greenshank there on the 7th while Goldfinch numbers built up to 400+. The wet conditions at the end of the month resulted in a very muddy field churned up by pigs on a farm near Sutton-on-Forest and this attracted a variety of waders including Ruff, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank and Curlew Sandpiper.

July 2002
Pick of the month was a Pectoral Sandpiper at Wheldrake Ings from the 14th-16th. Other waders there included Oystercatcher, Little Ringed Plover, Ruff, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper. A juvenile Cuckoo was seen along the River Derwent at Wheldrake on the 17th and several Barn Owls were seen regularly. Two Common Terns were watched over the main pool on the 25th where the drake Pintail was still present. The YOC trip to Skipwith Common on the 2nd produced 2 Nightjars, several Woodcock sightings, Green Woodpecker and at least 8 Tree Pipits. A pair of Turtle Doves flew over the Ouse at Riccall on the 4th and almost certainly bred in the area while an adult Little Ringed Plover was seen with 3 juveniles on a pool by the Ouse at Barlby on the 23rd. Grasshopper Warblers bred at Fulford Ings as evidenced by at least 2 juveniles seen well from the 15th and a bird was 'reeling' at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th. 2-3 Lesser Whitethroats were at Fulford Ings on the 29th while highlights from the Dunnington area consisted of Hobby flying over the common at the end of the month, breeding Barn and Little Owls and Green Woodpecker. 26 Mistle Thrushes were on the common on the 18th with up to 50 feeding on freshly-cut meadows at Clifton Ings throughout the month where an unseasonal Grey Wagtail was seen on the 20th.

June 2002
Wheldrake Ings provided the most interest this month with lingering Wigeon and Pintail, 2 female Marsh Harriers, Water Rail and 3 singing Garden Warblers noted early on. Falling water levels on the main pool attracted a selection of passage waders at the month end including Wood and Green Sandpipers, Spotted Redshank and Ruff. A Rose-coloured Starling was present at Stillington for a few days around the 14th - part of a national influx - and Hobbies were reported from three sites including Dunnington where the highlights were Grey Partridge, breeding Barn and Little Owls and a good season for Tree Sparrow. Along the River Ouse south of York Common Sandpipers were seen on the 2nd and 29th, 3 Cuckoos heard in the Bishopthorpe area on the 4th, 3 Grey Wagtails seen on the 2nd, Reed Warbler singing at Fulford Ings on the 4th, 3 Spotted Flycatchers at Bishopthorpe Palace on the 1st and Corn Buntings singing south of Bishopthorpe early in the month. Highlights from the YOC bird race on the 8th/9th (see here for a full listing of what was seen) - apart from those already mentioned for Wheldrake Ings - were Common Tern at Marston Moor Station, Green Sandpiper at North Duffield Carrs, Turtle Dove at Brayton Barff and Grasshopper Warbler 'reeling' at Skipwith Common where a Long-eared Owl was seen hunting on the 15th but Nightjar records were few and far between. Highlights from the Riccall area consisted of 2 Arctic Terns passing through on the 6th and Turtle Dove calling on the 1st. There was little of interest in the Clifton area, but a Redshank was at Rawcliffe Lake on the 25th and 2 Common Terns flew upriver at Clifton Ings on the 27th.

May 2002
A female Red-footed Falcon reported from North Duffield Carrs on the early morning of the 19th was the most unusual bird seen this month. Otherwise the Lower Derwent Valley was relatively quiet apart from 2 Avocets at Wheldrake Ings on the 5th and 6th while the Whimbrel roost there reached 92 birds on the 5th. Garden Warblers were noted singing along the riverbank at Wheldrake Ings and Crossbills in Wheldrake Wood. Many birds were breeding early as evidenced by a pair of Great Crested Grebes incubating their second clutch at Wistow on the 31st. A Turtle Dove was 'purring' from wires at Barlby sewage works on the 26th and 8 Yellow Wagtails were seen at Riccall on the same date with 2 pairs noted at Dunnington Common. Other records from the latter site included Grey Partridge on the 14th, 3 Cuckoos on the same date and good numbers of Skylarks while there were 30 Swifts flying over the village on the 16th. 2 Swifts were at Bishopthorpe on the 12th with 3 over East Mount Road, York on the 15th. 2 Grey Wagtails (possibly young birds) were along the River Ouse at Bishopthorpe Palace on the 12th and a Grasshopper Warbler was 'reeling' at Fulford Ings from at least the 1st to the 23rd. 9 Sedge Warblers were singing at this site on the 16th with single Reed Warblers singing there on the 31st and by the Millennium Bridge, York on the same date. 4 of the latter species were singing at pools by the River Ouse at Riccall on the 26th with 2 singing at a pond at Wistow on the 31st. 6 Corn Buntings were singing at Riccall by the end of the month with one also singing at Dunnington Common on the 20th. Lesser Whitethroats seem to be thin on the ground this year with singles singing at Naburn and Middlethorpe on the 12th possibly just passing through. An Egyptian Goose was at Rawcliffe Lake on the 3rd with 2 Common Sandpipers at Clifton Ings (River Ouse) on the 2nd and at least 400 Sand Martins over Castle Howard Lake on the 6th.

April 2002
Bird of the month - for those who saw it - was a Hoopoe which visited gardens in Knapton on the 1st (no fooling!) and 2nd at least. A Great Crested Grebe first seen at Rawcliffe Lake in February was noted on and off until this month. With the breeding season well underway after a warm dry spell, there were 71 Cormorants at the Wheldrake Ings colony on the 19th and 44 Shelduck at this site on the 10th. Also at Wheldrake, 2 Egyptian Geese flew over on the 21st - possibly accounting for a bird seen at Rawcliffe Lake - and Water Rail was heard on the 25th, Peregrine seen on the 10th, 2 Avocets on the 25th (at least) and the Whimbrel roost reached 64 birds on the 26th. Meanwhile, a pair of Little Ringed Plovers was at Bank Island on the 19th where 12 Ruff were feeding on the 16th. Other wader records consisted of Oystercatchers breeding at Old Earswick, Huntingdon and Naburn, a Greenshank at Wheldrake on the 25th and a Woodcock 'roding' at Skipwith Common on the 17th. Barn Owls were seen carrying prey at Wheldrake on two dates with a Tawny Owl hunting in the open there on the 24th and Little Owl seen at Wistow on the 29th while a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was along car park lane at Wheldrake on the 14th. Summer migrants were now starting to flood in with Cuckoo at Wilberfoss on the 3rd, Wheldrake on the 25th and Skipwith Common on the 27th, Swift at York University on the 22nd, Sand Martin at Fulford on the 6th, 2 Swallows at the same site on the 7th, Tree Pipit at Wass Wood on the 28th, Grasshopper Warbler 'reeling' at Wheldrake on the 21st, Reed Warbler there on the 12th, Sedge Warbler on the 19th with one singing at Fulford Ings on the 27th, 3 Whitethroats singing there on the same date with birds noted at Wheldrake on the 29th, Garden Warbler there on the 27th, 12 Blackcaps singing along the River Ouse between York and Naburn on the 6th, up to 10 Chiffchaffs singing there on the 7th with 14 Willow Warblers singing on the 27th and the first of this species at Skipwith Common on the 2nd. Green Woodpecker was heard calling near Fulford Ings throughout the month and departing winter visitors included 42 Whooper Swans flying over the River Ouse at Clifton on the 3rd.

March 2002
Records from the Lower Derwent Valley included 2 Black-necked Grebes at Wheldrake Ings on the 27th, 41 Whooper Swans near North Duffield Carrs on the 7th, 4 Pink-footed Geese at Wheldrake on the 4th, 57 Teal at Bubwith Ings on the 22nd, 15 Goldeneye at Wheldrake on the 29th, 42 Goosander on the 8th, Peregrine at Wheldrake on the 4th and 11th, 46 Oystercatchers at this site on the 10th, Little Ringed Plover at Bank Island and Wheldrake on the 27th, 200 Dunlin, 35 Ruff and 90 Redshank at Aughton on the 2nd, 3 Black-tailed Godwits at Wheldrake on the 30th, a first-year Little Gull on the 23rd, adult Mediterranean Gull at Wheldrake on the 2nd with a first-winter Iceland Gull there on the 8th and 11th and first-winter Glaucous Gull on the 2nd. In the Dunnington area, 130 Pink-footed Geese flew over Hassacarr Nature Reserve on the 3rd, a Little Owl was seen on the 12th, 75 Fieldfare were at Dunnington Common on the 28th with 17 Redwing there on the 12th, a Chiffchaff at Grimston Wood on the 12th with 7 singing in Giants Hill Wood on the 22nd, 8 Willow Tits in Grimston Wood on the 12th, 27 Tree Sparrows at Dunnington Common on the 3rd, 12 Lesser Redpolls at Hassacarr NR on the 3rd and 54 Corn Buntings at Dunnington Common on the 28th. 2 Woodcocks were at Skipwith Common on the 6th with a Green Woodpecker calling there on the same date. Summer migrants included Sand Martin at Wheldrake on the 23rd, Wheatear at Linton-on-Ouse on the 24th, Blackcap at Bank Island on the 30th, Chiffchaff at Skipwith Common on the 13th and Wheldrake on the 19th with 3 singing at Fulford Ings on the 23rd. A Jack Snipe was flushed at Rawcliffe Bar Country Park on the 28th. In the Clifton Ings area, an early Chiffchaff was present on the 6th with 25 Corn Buntings there on the 8th while the wintering Jays were last seen on the 20th. 6 Siskin were at Rawcliffe Lake on the 4th and a Grey Wagtail was seen there on the 18th.

February 2002
An exhausted Leach's Petrel was picked up near Malton on the 6th, but later died in care. In the Lower Derwent Valley, wildfowl counts included 43 Whooper Swans at Derwent Cottage Farm on the 20th, 36 Shelduck at Wheldrake Ings on the 17th, 2500 Wigeon at Bubwith Bridge on the 20th, 16 Pintail at Wheldrake on the 17th with 100 Shoveler there on the 27th and 6 Goldeneye on the 17th. A pair of Peregrines was seen displaying on the 1st and wader counts included 800 Golden Plover at North Duffield on the 4th, 2500 Lapwing at Wheldrake on the 8th, 370 Dunlin on the 4th, 65 Ruff at Aughton on the 14th and 61 Curlew at Wheldrake on the 23rd. Woodcock sightings included 2 at Skipwith Common on the 26th and one at Askham Bog on the 9th. 42 Snipe were at Wheldrake on the 8th while Jack Snipe records consisted of 2 at the latter site on the same date and one at Fulford Ings on the 12th. Meanwhile, a female Scaup was on floodwater near Acaster Malbis from the 20th-23rd. Flooding at Fulford Ings attracted good numbers of gulls which came down to rest and bathe in the evening before going elsewhere to roost. Highlights included a first-winter Iceland Gull from the 6th-11th which was joined by a third-winter bird on the latter date while there were reports of a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull on the 6th and a first-winter Kumlien's-type Gull on at least the 7th. Counts of commoner gulls there on the 11th consisted of 250+ Black-headed Gulls, c.30 Common Gulls, c.300 Herring Gulls, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and c.30 Great Black-backed Gulls. A second-winter Glaucous Gull was also reported near Alne at this time. Elsewhere, a Stonechat was near Riccall on the 13th while records from Askham Bog on the 9th included 3+ Marsh Tits, 4 Willow Tits, c.5 Siskin and c.30 Lesser Redpolls accompanied by at least one Mealy Redpoll. 12 Tree Sparrows were at Riccall on the 15th, with 370 Greenfinches at Barlby on the 3rd and a flock of 14 Crossbills at Yearsley Wood on the 24th when both Marsh Tit and Willow Tit were also present. A Grey Partridge was at Clifton Ings on the 7th.

January 2002
Highlight of the month was undoubtedly a Great White Egret which remained in the Riccall area from the 8th to at least the 15th and was seen by many observers. Wildfowl counts at Wheldrake Ings included 76 Shelduck and 16 Pintail on the 27th with 32 Goosander on the 18th, while 375 Wigeon were at Bubwith Bridge on the 4th. Meanwhile, 2 male Pochard and 4 male Tufted Ducks were on the River Foss in York on the 21st. Raptors included Peregrine at Wheldrake on the 18th, a male Merlin near Cawood on the 29th and Barn Owl hunting over Wheldrake Ings on two dates. Wader highlights consisted of c. 800 Lapwings at Middlethorpe Ings on the 27th with 400 passing over Wheldrake on the same date, Curlew back at the latter site by the 18th and a Woodcock seen feeding in a fallow field at Cliffe on the 6th. Records from the Dunnington area included 3 Snipe, 200 Skylarks, 42 Meadow Pipits, Grey Wagtail, 90 Fieldfare and 100 House Sparrows - all on the 1st, with 25 Tree Sparrows noted on the 5th. Clifton Ings was rather quiet, although at least one Jay was still present and a flock of 300 Starlings was seen on the 17th with 200+ Pied Wagtails flying in to roost at Rawcliffe Sewage Works the same day. Rawcliffe Lake was frozen early in the month, but still managed a Snipe on the 7th and the site held 12 Siskin and 4 Lesser Redpolls on the 9th. A Great Crested Grebe dropped in on the 21st, staying for several days and the Siskin flock increased to 25 by the 23rd when they were accompanied by 6 Mealy Redpolls. A flock of 60 Meadow Pipits was near Terry's chocolate factory, York on the 27th.