Coastal Wader Realignment

 With cold northwesterly winds and heavy, thundery downpours, it was no surprise that coastal waders passing overland on migration were getting dumped on wetlands around the county. With little wader habitat visible in the LDV, I have been visiting the flood at Church Ings and the flash on Acaster Airfield as regularly as possible in recent weeks, and besides the ever-present Little Ringed Plovers, and the Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper mentioned in a previous post, things have been pretty low key. Tonight, I went out hoping to find a Sanderling, that very coastal wader which seems tied to breaking waves on sandy beaches. There had been a couple elsewhere in the county, mainly at the well-watched big wetland sites, so it was with surprise and delight in equal measure to put my bins straight on one as I arrived at the airfield flash. It was hanging out with one of the local LRPs, and feeding happily along the water's edge. This is my 17th species of wader on this tiny flash, which is remarkable, but indicates what is moving up and down the River Ouse corridor near York. These birds would really benefit from a safe refuge along the valley here. I left the Sanderling busily feeding and wandered home.

 

My first rather obscured view of the Sanderling

 Slightly better!

 

Red-foot Dash

On the 8th May, Chris Gomersall found a first-summer male Red-footed Falcon at North Duffield Carrs. There had been several found in the country beforehand so it seemed on the cards, but so often we miss out on the action, so this was great news. Withour transport, I was resigned to not being able to get there, but James Byatt offered me a lift, and we were soon down at the platform looking expectantly north up the river. To our delight the Redfoot was immediately in view, perched on a roadside willow. A smart bird as always, with a surprising amount of ginger plumage on the nape and breast, with white on the face. 

Most of the first-summer males have been more advanced than this bird, looking very much like an adult male, save the chequered underwings, so this was interesting. The bird was associating with a Hobby, and the two were making repeated sorties along the river channel to catch emerging mayflies. These little falcons are always a joy to watch and it is only my second in the York area after the long-staying first-summer female back in 2020. 

 

 9th May - Saturday

Went back to Duff at lunchtime following 'no news' on the Red-foot. I felt the morning had been chilly so perhaps it would reappear when the weather warmed and insects began to emerge. My hunch was correct, and I picked up the bird not long after arriving at the hide. It was feeding actively over the river again, associating with two Hobbies. 

 

East Coast YOC

On Sunday, I led the York Birding trip to the East Coast. Eight of us had a lovely morning in brisk northeasterly winds at Spurn, followed by a gentle, sunny walk at North Cave Wetlands in the afternoon. 

The fresh winds had all but stopped migration, with very few passerines around, besides a handsome male Greenland Wheatear at Sammy's Point, and over ten Whimbrels scattered across the wider site. The large flock of Brent Geese that dropped in to Beacon Ponds as we arrived, held the wintering Black Brant which took a bit of picking out, as the flock bobbed in the rough water mostly facing away from us. Waders along the rising tide included a single Knot among large numbers of northbound Bar-tailed Godwits and Oystercatchers. Several Yellow Wagtails in the paddocks by Sammy's Point car park held a pale, grey-headed female, which looked good for a Blue-headed. 

 

 

 

Early afternoon, we began our journey west, calling in at the busy North Cave Wetlands for a change of scenery and birdlife. The skies were filled with hirundines, interspersed with scything Swifts. We soon picked out five pairs of Mediterranean Gulls among the throngs of Black-headeds, Common Terns and Avocets on the islands. Four noisy Whimbrels circled, whistling excitedly, before dropping on to a spit to rest and bathe and giving great views. 

 

A Tawny Owl was roosting in a barn, whilst a Cuckoo gave itself up on a distant tree. Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper fed along the shingly shores of the islands and an unexpected Raven cronked overhead. Plenty of butterflies were seen in sunny, sheltered corners today, including Wall, Orange-tip, Painted Ladies and Red Admirals.

 

 

Wood Sand Wonder

The continued easterly wind has brought chilly weather but also an influx of Scandinavian migrants driftd into the UK on their way north. Heading the throng was a couple of days of impressive Black Tern passage, which managed to avoid me completely, in fact, the York area only had two records, one at Castle Howard (annoyingly a few hours after I'd checked the site for that species) and two at Allerthorpe GP. The lack of water in the valley perhaps was the issue, with long vegetation and weeks of no rain meaning there was little to attract passing birds. More evident, however, were Wood Sandpipers. Always a scarce bird in York, we have enjoyed a bumper crop, with at least five in the Wheldrake area at the start of the month, commuting between Bank Island and the Ings, plus a number of birds elsewhere. On 1st May, three graced Wheldrake Ings along with a sooty-black Spotted Redshank in the grass out from Tower Hide. Best of all, was my first at Acaster Airfield Flash on the 3rd, which has held water despite the drought. It is a decent walk to the flash and most times I get there and it holds a solitary Shelduck or Yellow Wagtail, so this was great, as was the Greenshank the same day. 

 Greenshank at Acaster Airfield

 Wood Sandpiper at Acaster Airfield

 

A late Wheatear at the airield.

A Ringed Plover on a random wet corner of an arable field north of York was my first of the year and added to my growing York yearlist. 

 

Brown Hare, Acaster Airfield. Good numbers of these lagomorphs are present at the Airfield.

Crane again

It has been a good spring for Cranes locally, with this individual hanging around in the LDV a little while and occasionally dropping in to feed and roost at Wheldrake Ings.