Tigers and Great Whites in the LDV?

This last week there's been a bit of movement through the local area, almost making me want to get out birding. Almost.

Jack and Ollie found two Bean Geese at Bubwith on Sunday, Ollie forced me into his car at gunpoint so I was forced to look at them. They were very distant and then flew out of view onto some arable fields. Pretty certain they were Taiga's based on several of the features we could see, however better/closer views would have been preferable. (Ollie and Chris had found Tundra Bean Geese at Castle Howard the day before and these looked very different but we were all wary of how messy the whole 'Bean Goose' issue is). There has certainly been quite a bit of Pink-footed Geese/Whooper Swan movement over the last week or so so there may well be other 'interesting' geese/swans dropping in.

Mid-week and I got an email from a local birder alerting me that he'd just seen a Great White Egret along the Pocklington Canal after a tip-off from another local who had seen the bird the day before. Presumably the bird that was knocking about the local area for some months last year. One to try and catch up with again.

More Geese and Swans

I managed to get the dogs walked before the rain came but didn't see many birds (that I can remember) - Bullfinch, Chaffinch and quite a few Redwing. Big flock of Greenfinch and Goldfinch in/around the garden (c45+) but no sign of yesterdays Waxwing.

Then the weather came, increase in wind and rain. Not the day for birding! So I decided to go do my weekly shop. On the way I thought I'd take a quick look for yesterdays Tundra Bean Geese. Lots of swans were in the usual field about 600 m back from the road (Whoopers, Bewick's, Mute and Black) then I noticed 2 large 'grey geese' and 5 small 'grey geese' even further back, about 1 km back from the road. I was very happy when the 5 smaller ones lifted their heads - European White-fronts. The two larger ones were Greylags. I was happy with the White-fronts as they were year ticks!

The field was stacked out with birds, loads of Golden Plover and Lapwing, c150+ Dunlin, 5 Ruff and a handful of Snipe. A decent flock of Linnet were mobile, mainly due to two Barn Owls that were flying around. All the waders and passerines got up as a female Sparrowhawk flew through and buzzed everything, though that was nothing compared to the total pandemonium caused by two fighting Peregrines that shot through! 

After my shopping trip I called in again. Still no Tundra Bean Geese but the above geese/swans were still present, along with 2 Egyptian Geese.

I took a drive up the LDV, connecting with a few more Whooper Swans and called in at the gull roost at Wheldrake but I didn't hang about as the rain was pelting down into my face!

Whooper Swan

Whooper Swans

European White-fronted Geese etc. (phone-scoped at 1 km range!)

Waxwings at Home

Spent the day visiting new areas around the north of the York Recording Area, but first up was a small flock of five Waxwing that were at the end of my street.  They flew over and landed above me as I was walking the dogs and luckily they were still there a couple of hours later when I got back! I got a couple of quick photos (below).

Waxwing - Andy Walker

Waxwing - Andy Walker

Waxwing (all five) - Andy Walker

I then took a drive north visiting Ampleforth, Gilling, Nunnington, West Ness, Castle Howard. A good selection of birds but nothing ground-breaking!

The farmland and woodland in the Howardian Hills held Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, 8 Bullfinch, 3 Little Owl, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jays, lots of Buzzard, a couple of Sparrowhawk and Kestrel and plenty of much commoner birds.

Male Bullfinch (phone-scoped)

Castle Howard was packed with birds, most noteworthy was the female Scaup that's still present and 4/5 Goosander.

The Scaup (photo taken a few weeks back)

On the way home I came across a field with 120+ Greylags and in with them five Pink-footed Geese (record shot below).  I called in at North Duffield in the hope that the two Tundra Bean Geese would still be present from earlier in the day - no joy! Did have a drake Greater Scaup again on the floods.

Pink-footed Geese (phone-scoped with no tripod!)

Pink-footed Geese (phone-scoped with no tripod!) 

Tundra Bean Geese - North Duffield

Today was a pretty decent day! Most of the snow from Saturday had gone due to some very heavy rain and an increase in temperature. Started off at North Duffield Carrs (Geoff Smith Hide) during a very heavy shower - the theme of the day.

Lots of the usual, Whoopers c80, Mutes c60, Black Swan, Pochard 97, Tufted Duck c80 - no sign of the 1st winter drake Greater Scaup or the Aythya hybrid - lots of Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard and a noticeable increase in Gadwall, c15 birds. A flock of 75 Dunlin and 1 Ruff flew SE - presumably to Bubwith.  There was a handful of Greylag and Canadas on the water but nothing special. Buzzard, Kestrel and 2 male Sparrowhawks (displaying) were the only raptors I remember seeing. A very very distant speck delayed me from leaving the hide - I'm glad it did for what happened next. Two geese flew in from Bubwith, right in front of the hide and at eye level - two Tundra Bean Geese!! Great birds! They were really low and for a moment I thought and hoped that they were going to drop down but they carried on. Then the dreaded moment - the thought that these birds have just flown straight past my house! What a garden tick that would have been!

A short sharp shower!

Next stop was Bubwith Bridge: 12 Redshank, 15 Ruff, 85 Dunlin, 4 Golden Plover, 60+ Lapwing, little else of note. Then Aughton: 1 Curlew (flew north) and a good range of duck.

The afternoon then got interesting as I headed across to Wheldrake Ings, the water was just starting to flood the Ings but I thought I'd have a quick look from Tower Hide. Glad I did as there was two stunning drake Scaup on the floods (record shot from phone below taken through the vegetation), along with more of the same as North Duffield - with the addition of Little Grebe (on river), Shoveler and Water Rail.

Just as I was leaving Wheldrake I got a message that there was a Knot at Heslington, so I took a quick detour on the way home and manage to find the bird, along with Tim. I was very pleased to connect up with the Knot as I missed the last one last year. I got a record shot on my phone, by this point it was about 5pm and dark!

2x Greater Scaup (phone-scoped)

2x Greater Scaup (phone-scoped)

2x Greater Scaup (phone-scoped)

2x Greater Scaup (phone-scoped)

Knot! (phone-scoped in the dark!)

Knot! (phone-scoped in the dark!)