Birdwatch
| NORTH YORKSHIRE |  | | | CLEVELAND | | | COUNTY DURHAM | | |
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November 23rd, 2007
OCTOBER'S most interesting
sighting was a young gannet that
dropped in at Nosterfield midmonth.
Although they breed in
good numbers on the Yorkshire
coast, they are rarely seen inland
and this was one of only a handful
of local records. The bird was present
for three days allowing good
numbers of birders to add this
species to their local lists. Nosterfield
also attracted one, or possibly
two, pectoral sandpipers, continuing
a remarkable run of
records of this American wader at
the reserve.
Other wading birds were not particularly
notable, although both
little stint and curlew sandpiper
were recorded at Nosterfield,
along with a long-staying grey
plover. A spotted redshank was
seen over Ainderby Steeple and a
bar-tailed godwit and up to a
dozen ruff were at Bolton on
Swale.
Mention should also be made of
an excellent flock of golden plover
at Nosterfield, which peaked at almost
3,000 birds.
Last winter was particularly disappointing
for thrush numbers, with
Waxwing: happy shoppers?
the mild conditions and high food
stocks in Scandinavia meaning
many birds did not need to make
the risky crossing of the North
Sea. Things seem very different
this year with reports of both redwing
and fieldfare passing
through the area in high numbers.
In my own village, I have seen
larger flocks of fieldfare than in
any previous year, but all have
moved through quickly. At one
point, I was watching a group of
500 thrushes in Ainderby Steeple
when they suddenly whirled up
with a cacophony of alarm calls.
The cause? A superb peregrine falcon
which flashed across the
fields, scattering birds left, right
and centre.
Other peregrines were also seen at
Nosterfield, Thrintoft and over
County Hall, Northallerton.
Other records of note during October
included a bittern, which
was seen in the reedbeds at Bellflask.
This was the first local
record for a number of years of
this scarce heron.
The Nosterfield area attracted up
to three whooper swans, a scaup,
hen harrier and a yellow-legged
gull as well as the two long-staying
black-necked grebes, which remained
at the reserve for much of
the month.
An even rarer slavonian grebe was
seen on the gravel pits near Cleasby.
This month, the bird to watch out
for is the waxwing. This charismatic
species has been very scarce
in recent winters but with a handful
of reports already received, and
indications that the Scandinavian
berry crop is quite poor, then this
might be a good waxwing year.
The species derives its name from
the "sealing-wax" red tips to some
of its wing feathers but this feature
is actually quite hard to see in the
field.
Instead, look for a buff-pink "starling"
with a bandit mask and crest
and flashes of yellow in the
plumage. They can be looked for
wherever there is a concentration
of berries and, from personal experience,
supermarket car parks
seem to hold a particular fascination.
Just the thing to brighten up
that Friday shopping trip
12:40pm Friday 23rd November 2007
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