An epic post covering a very enjoyable day. Thanks as usual to Rob for the driving. Swillington Ings was great, we should acknowledge the very friendly local birders we met who shared lots of local knowledge; we'd have spent a fair while longer trying to cover the site without having had the pointers we received.
On the point of the second Iceland Gull, which Rob brilliantly spotted while we were looking around Woodlesford Lock, to me this bird was the doppelganger of a couple of 2nd Winter birds in the Birding Forum photo gallery; the Pete Berry shot from Heaton Park 18/03/15 and the Ian McKerchar shot from Richmond Bank 14/03/15. Ours had a grey mantle which showed in the same way as the photos when the bird was on the ground and stood out clearly when it was flying. It was otherwise almost completely white or very pale, presumably faded after the winter. So for me that is what it was. The lads got photos which should allow it to be checked out by the expert gullers. Definitely not a Glaucous Gull, which Rob and I are still desperate to see, but a cracking bird nonetheless. I thought it looked like the same one when we went back to Swillington Ings, but who knows.
Another quality day in the company of Simon Gough and Steve Burke produced another Wildfowl bonanza and Gull fest with a whole host of species providing a top quality supporting cast. 73 species seen on the day, including 1 Lifer for me, 6 heard only, and 2 that I missed, so day totals could vary slightly.
Firstly to Normanton. American Wigeon (Drake) - a Lifer for me. We picked this bird up within minutes of parking up. It was literally on a small lake by a field, at the side of the road, near an industrial estate and a massive Police Station. He had 2 female Wigeon keeping him company on the lake. Other birds of note... Tufted Duck 10+ Greylag Geese 2 Grey Partridge - flushed from side of path Few Skylark 3 Meadow Pipit Few Long Tailed Tits 1 Coal Tit Blue Tit Great Tit Yellowhammer reported by another birder - we could hear it faintly in the distance
Swillington Ings. If you've never been to this place then you need to. Well worth a visit, it's a wide open wetlands area with very little obscuring vegetation. Reedbeds, marsh, lakes, spits, islands, and with access paths enabling good views. Mute Swan Canada Goose Greylag Goose Pink-footed Goose - 1 single then small group over Mallard Wigeon Pochard - plenty around Tufted Duck Goldeneye Gadwall - lots feeding in fields and on water Teal Shoveler - most I've ever seen Shelduck Goosander - I missed 2 flying over whilst looking for Glaucous Gull Great Crested Grebe - 4 or 5, 2 close up flyovers Little Grebe - 2 Black-necked Grebe - 2 splendid adults in breeding plumage Cormorant Bittern - heard only, constant booming all afternoon Grey Heron Red Kite - 1 drifting over edge of reserve (we weren't far from Harewood House) Sparrowhawk - 2 Buzzard - probably 5 Kestrel - 2 Water Rail - heard only Green Woodpecker - 1 flew up off the ground infront of us and into the scrub at the riverside Golden Plover - at least 700 total in 3 quick succession groups Oystercatcher Lapwing Dunlin - 1 Redshank Common Snipe Black-headed Gull - everywhere Common Gull Herring Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Great Black-backed Gull - only 1 or 2 adults around (possibly more juv) Juvenile Iceland Gull - well picked out Simon Possible Yellow-legged Gull candidate (unconfirmed as yet, not counted in total) Sand Martin - approx 25 through in total Water Pipit - 1, I missed this one! Pied Wagtail Song Thrush - 1 on kerb at side of the lane down to reserve Plenty of Robin Jay - 2 feeding with Gadwall and Canada Geese Goldfinch - I had 1 singing on traffic lights near reserve Bullfinch - 3, 1 pair together calling, another female flew in Linnet - 1 Chaffinch Reed Bunting - lots of them Starling - a few groups around totalling a few 100 Chiffchaff - 1 seen, 2 more heard Cetti's Warbler - heard only on way back to hide Lots of usuals around
Quick visit to Woodlesford No sign of reported Garganey but I did locate a huge Iceland Gull in a field opposite the supposed Garganey location. It flew off and landed in another field nearby which we located again for better views. Seemed to be near adult but just not as clean looking. Curlew - 5 Chiffchaff - 1 up close Mistle Thrush - 2 Pheasant (white) - 1 in field near Iceland Gull Tree Sparrow - heard only in tree near car park Great Spotted Woodpecker - heard only, same location
Quick stop back at Swillington Ings Steve picked up another Iceland Gull in the field on far side. Was it the a ame one as earlier...who knows??? I made it 1 a piece! No sign of Glaucous Gull in any roosting groups after extensive searching.
Fantastic day mainly on a new reserve for me that's gone on the 'must go again' list.
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 01:13:42 AM
-- Edited by Rob Creek on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 01:16:42 AM
