Please Note:
We are now trying to maintain this area on a regular basis, after a gap of several months

April 2005
Summer visitors continued to arrive, but in small numbers. A Whooper Swan was at North Duffield on the 22nd, with a very pale bill, presumably a first summer bird. A small number of duck remained in the Derwent Valley, many Teal still present on the 8th, and two Shelduck, six Pintail, a few Gadwall, Wigeon and Shoveller. On the 15th, seven Shelduck were at North Duffield, with one Pintail. One Wigeon present on the 22nd. Two Long-tailed Ducks flew briefly over North Duffield on the 4th, then flew north. Black-necked Grebe were seen at Wheldrake on the 2nd and 5th April, from Swantail Hide, but not found later in the month, when water levels were dropping. A pair of Great Crested Grebes at the University raised three young, two of them fishing for themselves on the 19th. A pair was nesting at Rawcliffe Lake. A summer plumaged Little Grebe was on the river at Clifton Ings on the 15th. A White Stork seen on an RSPB walk round Healaugh on the 3rd was probably one of the free flying birds from Harewood House Bird Garden. A Marsh Harrier was feeding on the ground at North Duffield Carrs on the 22nd. A Red Kite was seen over Bank Island on the 2nd. A Common Buzzard was there on the 11th, and four over Pretty Wood at Welburn on the 29th. A Peregrine was seen at the Refuge at Wheldrake on the 17th, and another circling low over Strensall Common on the 30th. Three Sparrowhawks were seen migrating together over Naburn Bridge on the 18th, and two displaying at Clifton Ings on the 28th. A Common Crane was seen near Wressle on the 15th. An Avocet was seen over Hagg Bridge on the 27th. A Grey Plover was at Bank Island on the 5th. 60+ Black-tailed Godwits were in the Derwent Valley on the 2nd, 25 still remaining on the 5th, with 30-40 at Bank Island on the 11th, still 46 on the 19th, still some around at the month end. 20 Ruff were at Wheldrake on 5th April. Spotted Redshank and Ringed Plover were seen at the Refuge at Wheldrake on the 5th, the former seen again later in the month. There were also three Knot, an unusual bird for the Derwent Valley. Nine Whimbrel were present on the 19th, numbers rising to over 80 at the roost on the 27th. Snipe were heard drumming in the valley on the 22nd, and on Strensall Common on the 28th. Redshank and Curlew were at Wheldrake on the 22nd. A Common Tern was seen from Riverside Hide at Wheldrake on the 17th. The first Cuckoo was heard at Thorganby on the 15th.with two in Strensall on the 17th. A Barn Owl was seen near the Bailey Bridge on the 5th. A Little Owl was seen near the viewing platform at Thorganby. Swifts were seen from the 26th, with around 100 at Wheldrake on the 28th. Two very vocal Kingfishers were at York University Lake on the 19th, and three were seen on the river at Fulford Ings on the 29th. Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming on Strensall Common on the 3rd. Sand Martins were reported from Clifton Ings on the 1st, Fulford Ings on the 3rd, with 20 at Bank Island the next day, and at least 100 from Swantail hide on the 5th. The first Swallows were at Clifton Ings on the 6th, but birds were slow to return, with only one or two seen until 15th April, when there were five at Bank Island. Four were in West Lilling on the 12th, on wires next to there usual breeding barn. One was seen in York on the 15th, and a few in Riccall on the 17th, and 30 over Naburn sewage works on the 18th, and 500 at Wheldrake on the 28th. Four House Martins were at Thorganby on the 17th, numbers gradually increasing, with around 30 at Naburn Sewage works on the 23rd, and 100 at Wheldrake Ings on the 28th. Two Tree Pipits were singing on Strensall Common on the 28th.30+ Waxwings were seen in Cemetery Road in York on the 11th, still around on the 19th, at Rawcliffe, where 26 were seen four days later. A White Wagtail was at Wheldrake Ings on the 11th. Two Grey Wagtails were on Clifton Ings for most of April. One Northern Wheatear was seen from the Garganey Hide at North Duffield Carrs on the 8th, and two at Cornfield NR on the 27th, three on Towthorpe Common on the 28th and two on Strensall Common on the 30th. Several pairs of Stonechat were reported from Strensall Common. A Whinchat was near the wind pump at Wheldrake on the 30th. Two Fieldfares were still in a sheep-grazing field near Terry’s chocolate factory on the 25th. Song Thrushes were reported as more numerous than usual in Sheriff Hutton. A Redstart was in Yearsley Woods on the 29th, near the lake. A Grasshopper Warbler was reported to be singing in Fulford on the 19th. Sedge Warbler was heard there on the 27th. Five Blackcaps were on Fulford Ings on the 3rd, 22 there on the 25th, numerous in other areas also. Whitethroats reported from the 19th, and a Lesser Whitethroat on Fulford Ings on the 27th. A Garden Warbler heard and seen by Fulford Hall on the 29th. A Wood Warbler was seen at Fulford Ings on the 23rd, seen close up preening, then flew to tree top where it continued to call, but was not heard to sing, and was not seen again. Several Chiffchaffs were in the Healaugh area on the 3rd, and 14 counted at Askham Bog early in the month. One was heard at Osbaldwick on the 2nd, and eight on Fulford Ings on the 3rd. Numbers decreased there later in the month, presumably as some birds moved through. There were two Willow Warblers at Wheldrake on the 2nd, three at Fulford Ings the next day and one at Rawcliffe meadows on the 5th. Later in the month, many more were at Wheldrake, and Skipwith Common. A Spotted Flycatcher was seen in Wass Woods on the 29th. A Tree Creeper was seen nest building on Strensall Common on the 2nd. Nuthatch was seen in Wass Woods, also both Marsh and Willow Tits. Two colonies of Tree Sparrows were noted in the Selby area. Three Bramblings were in the car park on University Road on the 9th, heard calling from copse on the 13th, and three Lesser Redpolls were still present on the University Campus on the 13th. Corn Buntings were reported to be on their usual breeding areas at Lilling Bottom.

March 2005
Over 30 Whooper Swans were at North Duffield Carrs on the 12th, with twelve still there on the 24th, when a Black Swan seen amongst the Mute Swans. 70 Pink-footed Geese were at Wheldrake on the 1st, with four at North Duffield Carrs on the 14th. Around 200 Wigeon were there on the 12th, and 29 Pintail on the 15th. On the 24th, some ducks remained, including four Shelduck, eight Shoveller, six Pintail and six Tufted Duck. A Mallard at the University was seen with seven ducklings on the 23rd, and eight or nine ducklings were on the Foss in York on the 31st, but not apparently with an adult. 15 Goosanders were at Wheldrake on the 1st. A male Scaup was present at Bank Island at the month end. A superb summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe was seen from Swantail hide on the 25th. One or two pairs of Great Crested Grebes were breeding at the University, one pair with three young by the 23rd. A Red Kite was seen on the 28th at Wheldrake. A lot of waders remained in the Lower Derwent Valley at the month end, with up to 70 Black-tailed Godwit, of the Icelandic race, also a Spotted Redshank and 20 Ruff. A Grey Plover was at North Duffield Carrs on the 24th, along with three Knot. Also there on the 24th were three Curlew, two Redshank, two Oystercatchers, and a Lapwing flock. Two Oystercatchers were at Bank Island on the 23rd. Two flocks of Golden Plover, around 50 in each, were at the North Duffield Carrs on the 12th. Around 120 Dunlin were at West Cottingwith Ings on the 12th. 30 Curlews were at North Duffield Carrs on the 14th. Green Sandpiper and Ringed Plover were seen from Swantail Hide, Wheldrake, on the 25th. Elsewhere, nine Snipe had been seen on Fulford Ings; no Jack Snipe had been found there this year. The gull roost at Wheldrake gave good numbers early in the month, but nothing unusual was reported. A Barn Owl was in front of the first hide at North Duffield Carrs late in the afternoon of the 14th. Three Great Spotted Woodpeckers were chasing each other around the tall trees near the large Norwich Union building in York, on the 29th. A female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was in the alders by the first stretch of boardwalk at Askham Bog on the 21st. An escaped Amazon Parrot was heard near the Rugby ground in York. The first summer visitors arrived in March, with two Swallows at Wheldrake on the 28th. A Water Pipit was reported from Garganey Hide on the 1st. 15 Waxwings were in Rowntree Park on the 2nd, at noon. A Ring Ousel was seen on the York bypass and later in New Earswick, from the 20th. Around 100 Fieldfares, with ten Redwing, were at West Cottingwith Ings on the 12th. The first Blackcap was heard singing at Bishopthorpe on the 23rd. The first Chiffchaff was heard at York University lake on the 22nd, with one at Bishopthorpe the next day, also one at Wheldrake and two at Askham Bog, and another singing at Clifton Park on the 31st. Marsh Tits were singing at Askham Bogs on the 23rd. Tree Sparrows were seen at the car park at North Duffield Cars. A flock of around 20 Lesser Redpolls were regularly seen at the University, feeding in alders by the lake, early morning, adjacent to the Biology Department. A male Brambling, coming into breeding plumage, was seen in the Central car park at the University on the 21st. A flock of Reed Buntings, five males and several females, had been seen in Acaster Lane, with Reed Buntings also seen at the recycling site at Strensall.

February 2005
There were around 3000 Wigeon visible from North Duffield. Also in the Derwent Valley, Bank Island now held water, and around 80 Pintail were there earlier in February. At Clifton Ings, Pochard were seen on the 4th, a female Goldeneye and a pair of Goosander on the 24th, also 20 Teal seen on melting snow. A Little Grebe had been seen there on the 14th, and a Cormorant of the sinensis race on the 8th. Four Cormorants were seen over Claxton one morning. Two Buzzards had been seen near Melbourne, one over Thixendale and two south of York. A Merlin was regularly seen around Dunnington, feeding off Linnets. An Oystercatcher was at Skelton on the 20th, and six Curlew at Rufforth. In the Derwent Valley, there were around 2000 Golden Plover, also thousands of Lapwing. 30 Snipe were flushed on Clifton Ings. There were still large numbers of gulls at Rufforth tip, and several sighting of Iceland Gulls had been reported. A Little Owl was apparently using a box intended for Barn Owls, at Hassacarr. A Kingfisher had been there on the 28th. A Green Woodpecker had been seen at Clifton Ings. There had been a number of sightings of Water Pipits, one at North Duffield Carrs, and one on Strensall Common. A Black Redstart was present at the Central Science Laboratory from the 22nd to the 24th. 50 Tree Sparrows were regular in Dunnington, with around 20 in Bishopthorpe. Two were seen in Osbaldwick. The flock of 300 Linnets at Dunnington was now reduced to 60 – 70. 60 Siskin were near Kexby, and a large flock of Siskin and Redpoll near Terrington. 15 – 20 Yellowhammers were at Dunnington. 50+ Corn Buntings were roosting at Clifton Ings.