Saturday 1 December 2012

Back at North Duffield

I popped across to North Duffield Carrs this afternoon to check out the floods. They seem to have decreased slightly (only slightly). A few more previously submerged bushes were just about visible. Garganey Hide was still fully underwater and the flood still lapping at the bottom of the Geoff Smith Hide.

There was a lot of wildfowl however they were difficult to count accurately as they were very flighty, mainly due to the presence of wildfowlers/shooters on the edge of North Duffield village.

I met a guy in the car park who informed me that there was a Bewick Swan at North Duffield/within the LDV according to an article within the Yorkshire Post. I've not seen the article, but none of the local birders that I've spoken to know anything about it so not sure how reliable the report is - would be interested to know who's claimed it... where/when etc...

There is a large flock of Mute and Whooper Swans in the valley at present, but these were far to distant today from the Geoff Smith Hide to look through properly. May be best to look off Thorganby viewing platform.

The best I could manage today was 1 Little Grebe (possibly the same bird seen distantly last weekend? This time it was 6 ft in front of the hide! A bonus of the flood!), 1 drake Goldeneye which swiftly flew off, 5 Shelduck, 1 female Tufted Duck, 2 Pintail, 4 Shoveler, 500 Teal, 300 Wigeon, 100 Mallard, 10 Gadwall. I didn't see any raptors/owls of note as far as I can remember. A few flocks of Lapwing flew southeast, one flock had a single Ruff in with them.

This morning a walk round the local area produced lots of Redwing and Fieldfare and a mixed finch flock contained Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and some Brambling.

13 comments:

  1. nice one Andy if only i could get to the hides.

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  2. Haha, I thought it might have been you Zing, saw your pictures on Birdforum, still looks quite deep your side of the bridge! Will send a boat for you if something good turns up!

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  3. Cheers,going to in laws tomorrow so will get to see said yorkshire post article,will report back tomorrow, all the best!

    zing!!!!

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  4. There used to be a ferry before the bridge apparantly, if only eh zing!!

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    1. A set of waders would do at the minute.
      Cheers

      Zing

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  5. Can you post brambling location Andy? I'm getting greenfinch & chaffinch regular in the garden now on broadmanor

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    1. Hey Andy, sounds good. The lane is called Blackwood Lane, it goes south out of North Duffield. The finch flock can be anywhere along the first 500m of that lane, either in the trees/fields between the roads and the stables, or in the trees between the stables and the glasshouse you come too.

      http://binged.it/TBN1BR

      I'm on Willow Drive.

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    2. Thanks Andy will give it a go on Friday when I have the day off!

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  6. yorkshire post article states that one Bewick's was seen within a flock of Whoopers.Also seen was a european dark breasted barn Owl at Melbourne.Is this in the York area? maybe get Tim onto it?

    zing.

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    1. Cheers Zing. Let me know if there's a contact email as I'd like to know where they've got the gen for the swan from!
      Cheers

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    2. tealebill48@yahoo.co.uk

      writes the birdwatch column in the saturday edition of the yorks post he seems to be aware of any sightings at NDC .

      zing

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    3. Thanks Zing, will drop him an email!

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