YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER IN YORK! MEGA!

A great day in the Lower Derwent Valley, York today. Lets start with the major highlight:

Yellow-browed Warbler. A great find by Duncan Bye at Bank Island, Wheldrake Ings at lunchtime today (6th October). I managed to get there 10 minutes or so after he found it and after about half an hour or so of searching managed to connect with it. Craig and Chris also managed to get across in time to see it but was not seen by anyone else as far as I know. It was seen at c.1230, c.1330 and c.1405. I stayed around till about 1700 as I wanted to get a picture of it but there was no sign of it after 1405.

The status of YBW in York is tricky/muddy...

There has been 1 accepted record in the YOC area: one on 4th October 2009 at Central Science Laboratory (Sand Hutton Laboratory) - a bird seen by two people.

Prior to 2009 there are three records not accepted by the York Ornithological Society: one at Askham Bog on 1st November 1996, one at Copmanthorpe (date unknown) and one at Askham Richard 5th-9th October 2004. As far as can be determined none of the above 3 records were ever submitted, though it is likely that the two dated records (at least) would be acceptable if descriptions were submitted...

Therefore, today's record equates to the second YOC area record (officially), but most likely the 4th or 5th record, and more importantly, the first record for the LDV - awesome!

Yellow-browed Warbler (from Malaysia in the spring, not todays bird!)

On to the other highlights of today:

Hobby - 1 over Bank Island

Red Kite - 1 over Wheldrake Ings

Marsh Harrier - 1 over Bank Island, 1 over Wheldrake Ings

Pink-footed Goose - 3 flocks: 155 NW and 95 SE (at the same time), then another 120 SE

Blackcap - 2 females at Bank Island

Chiffchaff - 1 North Duffield village, 4 Bank Island

Golden Plover - 1 west over North Duffield village

Grey Wagtail - 2 at Bank Island

There was a steady light passage of Meadow Pipit and Skylark south over North Duffield this morning.

Today certainly goes down as one of the most memorable days birding in the York Area!

Nice Hobby

Had a few decent birds over the last few weeks, got a nice look at a Hobby this morning, though unfortunately there was a branch in front of its head so the picture (off my phone) is not great!

You kind of get the idea (phone-scoped)

On this day last year I found an Osprey!

Almost there with my Malaysia trip report now, though I've not really had the time to write it hence why it's taking me so long to do! 

Raptors Keep On Coming...

Had a busy day in the office today but my dog walk this morning was great, clear and obvious Meadow Pipit  passage with the odd Yellow Wagtail in with them, also plenty of hirundines heading south.  A flock of 8 Lesser Redpoll zipping through was cool, though my attention was soon pulled away and skywards as I picked up 2 Hobbies (an adult and a juvenile) coming together right overhead.  It was almost as if they spoke to each other as after a short time together they formed a pincer movement and shot off into the sun, presumably to nail one of the aforementioned species! For the first time since about late-July it felt freezing this morning, however this didn't stop at least 3 Chiffchaff singing, maybe they thought spring had finally arrived?

I didn't get to the roost tonight but heard at least 7 birds were present early on (before the roost watch was aborted for something more interesting - to the year-listers!).

We had some really heavy rain showers this afternoon so it will be interesting to see if it has dropped anything of interest tomorrow.  I'll be doing the roost tomorrow night so looking forward to some more harrier action!