Grey Partridge Project
The Grey Partridge has long been known to be a common resident of the Lower Derwent Valley and surrounding area. The mix of summer pasture, unimproved meadows and the mixed farming landscape surrounding the 'Ings' has until relatively recently held good numbers of this species.

Smith (1912) in his chapter on the 'Birds of the Lower Derwent' stated that 'the district is exceptionally favourable to this bird and during the shooting season as many as 200 have been sent over the guns in one beat'.

Of the Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Smith wrote ' the species is not common, probably because it is not encouraged by the proprietors of the various shooting; its well known habit of running instead taking to the wing causes it to be out of favour'. He went on to add 'As driving becomes more restored to, the bird may come into favour, offering as it does a fine sporting shot, once it gets fairly into flight'.

It would appear that Smith's prediction has become a reality with most shooting in the surrounding area being by organised beats. Several hundred red-legged partridges have been released annually over recent decades and this competition is thought to be one of the main reasons for a dramatic decline of the Grey Partridge throughout the area.

English Nature have therefore taken this species as another key flagship species on which to target and again work closely with the local farming community to bring wider gains. One element of this project has been the release of 100 birds over four sites in the valley. Although released game stock do not always act as true wild birds and breeding success is limited it is hoped that this will, in conjunction with several other schemes, increase the profile of the species in the area. Birds have been colour-ringed with a yellow ring over the metal BTO ring on the right leg (indicating release in 2001) with a single colour on the left leg (indicating site of release). Any sightings of ringed or unringed birds are welcome.

Escrick Duck Decoy
During the early 1800's three commercial duck decoys operated around the Lower Derwent Valley with another in the vicinity of Escrick. This latter example still survives in its form on the ground and has just been leased by English Nature who hope to restore this historical archive. These decoys lost favour during the second half of the nineteenth century with the appearance of gun powder and gradually gave way to the art of wildfowling, and therefore this decoy bridges a historical gap in the exploitation of wildfowl prior to the famous wildfowler, Snowden Slights.

An account given in the 'Birds of Yorkshire' (Nelson) states that the decoy near Escrick was one of two. Of the one ' in the small wood lying not more than 100 yards to a high road'; that it was constructed in 1830 by a George Skelton, and operated until 1860. The appearance of a small island in the middle of the pond had lead to decreased numbers of 'fowl' using the lake and catches had declined. However during its best years in excess of 2000 fowl were often taken. This account appears to have been taken directly from 'The Book of Duck Decoys' (1886).

Although the main aim is to secure the preservation of this site and to use the site area as educational resource, it is also hoped to restore this site to a new role of a ringing station as with the few other surviving decoys left in the county. This will add to the information gained from English Natures wildfowl ringing on the Lower Derwent on behalf of WET.

Colour-ringed Shelduck - Sightings wanted
On the theme of wildfowl ringing many people will be aware of the long running Mute Swan colour-ringing project which has been taking place since 1992. Over 340 Swans have been ringed to date and have provided a fascinating insight as to their movements, conservation and breeding ecology, as well as allowing English Nature to develop an adopt-a-swan project with local schools.

During the summer of 2001 a total of 46 Shelduck ducklings were colour-ringed as part of a study on this birds in the valley. While coastal Shelducks have been well studied there appears to have been little investigation into inland breeding birds, perhaps as a result of their dispersed nature away from the coast or estuarine site. Birds have been marked with Black darvic rings with two white letter, eg DA, DB, DC and so on.

It is hoped that this will give us a better idea of how many pairs breed in the Lower Derwent (estimated at c100 pairs) and how they use the site throughout the breeding season. Several young ringed this year walked 6Km from Aughton to Breighton on their trip to the Humber before fledging. One three week old duckling achieved this is just three days.

[ Home | Recording | Sightings | Where to watch | Events & Diary ]
[ Organisation | Web Links | Bookshop | Contact Us ]

York Ornithological Club email: info@yorkbirding.org.uk

Carefully crafted by Ian Traynor of Traynor Kitching & Associates We are pleased to sponsor this web site