Fantastic Day in LDV

Had a great day birding round the Lower Derwent Valley with Lewis (off the RSPB Scotland) today.  Highlights included:

North Duffield/Bubwith/Aughton Area:

• Barnacle Goose (3 flocks: 11, 53 and 15)
• Bewick's Swan (2)
• Whooper Swan (80+)
• Greater Scaup (1 drake) - pics below
• Egyptian Goose (2)
• Black-tailed Godwit (2)
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (3 males drumming)
• Skylark - lots singing
• Sparrowhawk (3)
• Curlew (11+)
• Dunlin (200+)
• Lapwing (c2000)
• Golden Plover (600+)
• Great Crested Grebe (1)
• Little Grebe (2)
• Marsh Tit (2)

Thorganby/Wheldrake Area:

• Glaucous Gulls (2 1st winters)
• Greater Scaup (1 drake)
• Barn Owl (2) - pics below
• Peregrine (1 adult male)
• Black-tailed Godwit (2) - same 2 as at North Duffield Ings???
• Curlew (26)
• Lawing (c1500)

Plenty of other 'nice' birds around: Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Tree Sparrow, Grey Partridge etc etc...

Barn Owl © Andy Walker 2013

Barn Owl © Andy Walker 2013

Barn Owl © Andy Walker 2013

Barnacle Goose (flock of 53)

Barnacle Goose (part of the flock)

Scaup (Phone-scoped)

Lewis enjoying the Bewick's Swan

Me at Castle Howard at dusk (photo Lewis Davies)

Glonk in York

Had a really enjoyable dawn survey this morning which resulted in pretty much no birds, though a strong wind and general cold air gave for a windchill of about -12! Such fun!

On the way home I thought I'd at least get some reward for my early start with a trip to the York Area Gull Mecca - AKA Rufforth Tip. Only once reaching there the wind, and cold air also included snow which resulted in poor visibility.  I sat it out in the car for a bit to see if it would improve but no joy.  

Several observers had seen three 1st winter Glaucous Gulls and two Iceland Gulls (2nd winter and near-adult) this morning but it wasn't looking good - until a single 1st winter Glaucous Gull flew low over the car on its way back to the tip. A stroke of good luck! With that I called it a day and went home to sit by the radiator!