Mute swan (Cygnus olor)

Resident

Apart from when the reserve is fully ‘iced up’, this bird can be expected to be seen on any of the 6 lakes.

Although initially breeding when the pits were first dug, there was a gap in breeding until 2006, since then, a pair have regularly bred on the Reedbed

Year
2006	Pair reared 3 young
2007	Pair reared 2 young
2008	Pair nested but nothing hatched

The cygnets normally stay with their parents until November/December. Although the pair keep all comers off the Reedbed during the nesting season, this does not stop from between 2 & 4 other birds being resident on the reserve.

Numbers do build up during winter, with a maximum of 15 seen on the 25^th December 2005.

Ringing recoveries have shown the following:

Date seen	Type of mark	Place of ringing	Date of ringing	Additional details
3^rd June 1999	Red leg ring 143	Thorganby, Lower Derwent Valley	8^th August 1998	Ringed as a female cygnet 1 of brood of 4
3^rd June 1999	Red leg ring 254	Melbourne, Lower Derwent Valley	9^th August 1998	Ringed as a male cygnet 1 of brood of 6
7^th August 1999	Red leg ring FKS	Fairburn Ings RSP, North Yorkshire	20^th July 1997	None
7^th August 1999	Red leg ring FBK	Farnham GP, North Yorkshire	30^th July 1998	None

All these indicate the local movement of birds between the reserve & the Lower Derwent Valley

The graph below, shows that there has been a decline in the wintering population for reasons that are hard to define (especially as vegetation is now better than it was when the pits were being worked

Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)

Spring, Autumn & Winter Visitor

Not as uncommon as might be thought, this bird is a regular bird between October & April. Although most records consist of parties flying over (usually in the direction of or from Derwent Ings), there are times when family parties will spend several days with us.

Year	No. of records	Max. seen	Latest record	Earliest record	Comments
2003	4	6	7th January	6^th October	Family party of 4 stayed 4 days in November
2004	17	11	13^th April	9^th October	3 adults from the 13^th to the 14^th April. 5 adults, 6 juveniles 19^th to 22nd December
2005	20	28	19^th January	5^th October	11 from the 9^th to the 10^th January
2006	26	12	1^st January	22^nd October	Continuous records in January & last week in November
2007	8	29	16^th March	20^th October	Poor year
2008	2	19	28^th March		One adult on 11^th April, with a colour ringed left leg F7T

Monthly records

Year	January	February	March	April	October	November	December
2003	1				1	6
2004				3	3	7	7
2005	11				12	8	4
2006	10				3	9	4
2007			1		5	2
2008			1	1

From this it can be seen that we are strangely absent of birds during February, with October & November being the best month to see this bird. Obviously in the former these are mainly family parties orientating themselves to their winter quarters.

Bewick’s swan (Cygnus columbianus)

Rare Visitor

Single record of 1 on the 9^th March 1997

Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)

Regular visitor

This goose appears as one of three types of visitor:

i) That of overflying skeins from October to February

ii) As a rare wild visitor in flocks that may spend several days on the Central Plateau, usually in March

iii) As a feral bird accompanying the local Greylags & so bee seen at any time & stay for several months.

White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)

Rare Visitor

There have only been 2 records.

There were 2 from the 7^th to the 9^th February 1997

A single bird was seen to fly over & briefly land in the central scrape in on the 12^th February 2002.

Eygptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus)

Rare Visitor

A fully winged adult was on the Main Lake from the 13^th to the 15^th August 2003

Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Rare Visitor

The only record concerns 3 birds that were seen on the 30^th August to 9^th September 1996. It is possible that these birds were of wild origin, given that an influx was reported in the country at this time.

Mandarin duck (Aix galericultera)

Rare Visitor

Drake seen on the Main Lake on the 15^th November, & then on the Village Lake from 1^st to 15^th December 2003. During this time it tended to stay within the dead Ragwort on the islands opposite the East Hide & so took patience to see.

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Annual Summer Visitor

This is a bird that has changed in status recently from a very rare visitor, to one that is recorded on a fair number of occasions recently, mostly on the Island Lake, but occasionally on the Main, Village Lakes & Reedbed. This being probably in response to the development of suitable habitat on the reserve

Previous to 2003, the only record was of a male on the 16^th May 2001.

2003	Eclipse drake on the Village lake from 26^th to the 28^th August
2004	Female on the Reedbed from the 8^th to the 10^th October
2005	Drake on the 25^th April on the Island Lake Moulting male on the Island Lake on the 12^th June Female on the Reedbed on the 2 & 3^rd July
2006	Drakes on the 16^th, 21^st & 31^st May 2 Drakes on the 18^th May Female on the 10^th June Drake on the 15^th July Female on the 6^th September

Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

Rare Visitor

An adult female was discovered amongst the Tufted Ducks on the Village Lake on the 2^nd December 2002. She remained with us until the 13^th January 2003.

Scaup (Aythya marila)

Rare Visitor

A Drake was on the Main Lake with the Tufted ducks from the 6^th to the 8^th of February 2006

Eider (Somateria mollissima)

Rare Visitor

The only record concerns a female that spent about 30 minutes on the Main Lake on mid-day of 27^th December 2006. During this time it was seen to dive in the company of a Pochard, subsequently both of these birds flew off to the east never to be seen again.

Smew (Mergus albellus)

Rare Visitor

A rare visitor, only recorded on 3 occasions.

The first concerned a drake & 2 ‘red-heads’ on the Far Lake from the 18^th to the 25^th February 1996.

The second was of a ‘red head’ from the 14^th October 1997 to the 2^nd January 1998.

Lastly there was a female briefly on the Main Lake n the 29^th January 2006.

Red-brested merganser (Mergus serrator)

Rare Visitor

The only record is one concerning a male on the 12^th December 1998.

Quail (Coturnix coturnix)

Rare Visitor

This bird has never actually been seen on the reserve, only heard from the surroundings. Thus there were 3 birds heard in the west field by the Far Lake alders from the 29th June to the 7^th July 1997.

The next occasion was one heard from the turret hide on the 12^th June 2004. Lastly one was singing in the northern set aside field by the Far Lake on the 7^th to the 7^th August 2005.

Slavonian grebe (Podiceps auritus)

Rare Visitor

Our only record concerns a bird seen on the Village Lake on the 17^th December 2002. This bird had been seen previously at High Eske near Beverley before & subsequently spent the winter on Welton Waters.

Gannet (Sula bassana)

Rare Visitor

A single adult flew east over the reserve on the 28^th April 2005

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Regular Visitor

Regularly seen on the reserve, either flying over or roosting on the Main Lake, sometimes on the Far & Island Lakes early in the morning. Basically the birds use the reserve as either a roosting or resting site & so far have not been seen fishing. This means that they are seen in winter, spring & autumn, but very rarely in summer. It is noticeable that this has only recently occurred as shown by the WeBs count

Our maximum count is of 14 on the Main Lake on the 6^th & 7^th March 2004

The bird has been seen every month in 2006, which possibly sets a trend

Bittern (Botaurus stellaris)

Rare Visitor

Adult flushed by the Reedbed & flew west at 11am on the 2^nd May 2006, an unexpected first.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

A scarce annual visitor to the reserve, becoming more regular every year.

Our first concerned a bird that spent the 29^th August 2003 on the Main Lake, roosted overnight in the big tree by the gate & then departed the next day.

The next was a long staying bird that came in the evening of the 6^th August 2005 & was last seen on the 14^th September of the same year. During this time, it frequented all parts of the reserve & was seen to fly at times in the direction of Market Weighton. It’s favourite spot often being the Reedbed.

Lastly, there have been 2 records of single birds on the Main Lake on the 13^th of June, the 6^th August , with 2 on the Island Lake on the 20^th & 23rd September 2006.One bird being then seen intermittently until the 6^th of October.

M Ashworth 6/06/2006

Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)

Rare Visitor

Just a single record of an immature on the Central Scrape on the morning of 9^th may 2002.

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Rare Visitor

Just two records exist, one of what was presumed to be a feral bird from Harewood House on the Central Plateau from the 5^th to the 6^th October 2005.

The last record concerned a bird that was seen from the Turret hide to fly slowly south east over the reserve on the 4^th May 2006. It was felt that this bird may have genuine wild credentials.

Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus)

Rare Visitor

Almost entirely seen in winter & bar one period only as a ‘flyby’, the Hen harrier is a rare bird, with only 8 records.

We firstly had a male bird that was seen on the reserve from the 11^th to 14^th January 2002, it was also seen on the 3^rd March of that year.

A female was sighted flying south on the 16^th November 2003

A ‘Ringtail’ was seen flying south on the 25^th March 2005, with a female flying south on the 5^th April of that year.

In 2006, a female was flying west on the 3^rd February & 3^rd March, with 1 flying thro’ on the 19^th March. Lastly, one was quartering the Snipe Field on the 11^th September of the same year, making this the best year by far.

It is interesting that most of our records are of birds coming off the Wolds, & then flying in the direction of the Humber.

Goshawk (Accipter gentiles)

Rare Visitor

A male was observed sat in the big tree by the North western corner of the reserve on the early morning of the 30^th August 2004, before being disturbed & then circling away from the reserve towards Market Weighton. An immature was then seen nearby on the same day.

Our next record was of a hunting female seen on the North East ridge from the Turret hide on the 23^rd January 2005, with a bird reported over the reserve on the 6^th March of the same year.

Lastly a pair were reported ‘displaying & soaring’ distantly to the north of the reserve on the 26^th January 2006.

Spotted crake (Porzana porzana)

Rare Visitor

An adult was seen on the edges of the Village Lake sometime in September 2003

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)

Annual winter & spring visitor

Our first record occurred in the Alders in the North Eastern corner by the Far Lake, where one was disturbed & flew along the alders on the 22^nd March 2003.

The next record was seen in the same area on March 25^th 2005.

Lastly in 2006, came one in Black Dyke on the 4^th January & 5^th March, which was heard one or times in between, that gave the suspicion that it has wintered here.

Common crane (Grus grus)

Rare Visitor

The only record is of a bird that flew over the reserve on the 14^th May 2000. This bird was one of three that had been seen flying inland earlier from Spurn

Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Summer Breeder

This is the bird that really defines the reserve & was one of the first cases of inland breeding when they first came. Seen on all lakes bar the Far & carp Lakes

Our first record concerned an individual that was on the Central Scrape on the 26^th March 1998

There were no other records, until 4 birds were seen on a partially completed Reed bed Lake on the 13^th April 2003, which built up to a maximum of 10 birds on the 16^th of that month. The result was 3 pairs breeding & rearing 10 young. The birds have bred in subsequent years as below. Our birds are obviously an off shoot of the Reed’s Island population.

On first arrival, the birds will only spend a few hours at the reserve before departing back to the Humber. Maximum numbers are seen in March

Year	2003	2004	2005	2006
Pairs breeding	3	6	6	2
Young reared	10	6	14	2
Maximum seen	10	12	17	13
Earliest date	13^th April	17^th March	10^th March	10^th March
Latest date	29^th June	30^th July	23^rd July	11^th July

We seemed to have reached our maximum carrying capacity of 6 pairs at the present moment.

Nesting usually starts in the middle of April on islands on either the Island or Village Lakes. Hatching is usually between the third & four weeks of May, although if the eggs fail to hatch or the chicks quickly die, they will re-nest, which is what happen in 2006 with 5 pairs.

Upon hatching, we will try to lower water levels on the lakes to give the chicks fresh mud to feed on, as at first their bills are straight, so they can only probe & not sweep like their parents. We have had cases were excessive rain in July has meant that we have been unable to control the water levels on the reserve, which have been flooded out, resulting in the starvation of well grown chicks After a week or so the families will start to wander & then can be found on the 2 scrapes & Main Lake. Although when nesting & on early hatching, the adults can be very aggressive even to those walking to the Turret hide, after a week of so, they tend to be ‘dozy’ parents & so it is not unusual to see the parents a 100 metres or so away from the chicks, which accounts for our loses in 2006 due to Kestrel predation. When it is raining, it is quite endearing to see up to 4 chicks sheltering underneath their parents wings

Should a family wish to go from the Island Lake to The Village Lake, they will not go around the Turret hide, but will take the direct route & walk straight across the path, there have been times when a bewildered youngster has had to be picked up from the side of the path & put back on the lake.

After about 5 weeks the chicks will fledge & the adults will immediately leave. the chicks may stay on for a further week, but we will then be deserted until the next year.

Knot (Calidris canutus)

Annual Visitor

An annual visitor since 2004, which is increasing in the number of visits each year. As well as passage birds, we also get a small number visiting from the Humber in the winter months. During the autumn migration depending on the amount of mud exposed on the Reedbed, birds can stay for up to a week at in their spectacular summer plumage.

2002	Adult on the Village Lake on the 18^th May 2002
2004	Adult moulting out of summer plumage from the 19^th to the 22^nd July Winter bird on the Village Lake on the 28^th October
2005	One on the 31^st March on the Island Lake Winter plumaged bird from the 27^th to the 28^th April One on the Reedbed on the 15^th May Summer plumaged bird on the Reedbed on the 24^th June 2 birds on the 3^rd December
2006	One on the 17^th March One on the 22^nd April Summer plumaged bird on the 3^rd August One bird on the 6^th August One flying north on the 18^th August Winter plumaged bird on the 24^th & 27^th December

Purple sandpiper (Calidris maritima)

Rare Visitor

One on the 16^th September 1994

Little stint (Calidris minuta)

Annual Visitor

Not as regular a visitor, as we would like, there were up to 2003 one or two spring & autumn records. Since then, the following have occurred:

2003	3 on the Village Lake on the 9^th April Adult in winter plumage on the same from the 12^th to the 19^th April
2004	Winter plumaged adult on the Village Lake on the 3^rd April One briefly on the Island lake on the 5^th August One on the 8^th October One on the 1^st November
2005	One on the Reed-bed on the 15^th May
2006	One on the Village lake on the 22^nd May Two on the 5^th to the 7^th September (with a juvenile Temminck’s) Juvenile on the 13^th to the 18^th September

Pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotus)

Rare Visitor

There have been 3 records of this bird.

The first concerns a juvenile on the Village Lake for a few hours on the 9^th July 2002.

The second was of an adult on The Reedbed from the 12^th to the 14^th July 2004.

The last was of a very confiding juvenile that was seen on The Reedbed, Island & Village Lakes from 10^th to the 25^th August 2005. If you sat on the benches by the Reedbed, this bird allowed very close views down to 2 to 3 metres as it fed on a mud bank.

Curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)

Annual Autumn Visitor

A wader that is seen annually, but in varying numbers. It’s appearances being dependant on how low the water level of the Reedbed is. The lower the level, the more mud is exposed & the greater the chance of seeing a bird in August & September. Given it’s regular occurrence over the other side of the Humber the rarity of the Curlew sandpiper is perhaps surprising.

One other item of note is how wary the birds tend to be on the reserve, with most of the records being of birds disturbed.

2003	One on the 13^th September
2004	One on the 3^rd August Juvenile on the Island Lake on the 10^th September One on the 9^th & 10^th October
2005	Nine briefly on the 1^st, 5 on the 14^th, Single on the 15^th September
2006	Juvenile briefly on the Reedbed on the 15^th August

Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola)

Annual Winter Visitor

First seen by the Western Hedge on 18^th January 2002, the Woodcock is invariably flushed during an early morning walk around the reserve. Evidence shows that it is perhaps commoner in winter than perceived (probably roosting on the sections of the reserve that are not regularly accessed.

The next record concerned a bird flushed out of Black Dyke on the 23^rd November 2005. This was followed by 2 birds flushed of Dryham Lane, during a freezing spell & in driving snow on the 29^th December of the same year.

One of these birds evidently stayed as a bird was flushed by the Far Lake on the 1^st January 2006 & a single in similar circumstances on the 3^rd February of the same year.

Finally a bird was seen to fly into the divide between the Main & Carp lakes & settle down on the 2^nd November 2006

Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica)

Rare Visitor

A very rare visitor to the reserve, possibly due to the main numbers of this bird being concentrated further down the Humber. There are only two records in total.

The first is of one on the 17^th March 1996.

The other record concerns a winter plumaged bird that was with 4 Black-tailed godwits on the Snipe Pool on the 26^th April 2005

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

Rare Visitor

Considering the number that winter on the Humber, there are surprisingly few records of this bird on the reserve. Probably the mass of wintering birds is more to the mouth of the estuary, than where we are.

The first record, concerns an individual moulting into winter plumage on the Village Lake on the 18^th May 2002

Then followed a single individual on the 22^nd September 2004

There was an individual in winter plumage, in flock of Golden Plover by the Reed-bed that flew off towards Brough when disturbed.

Lastly one was on the Main Lake on the 13^th October 2006

Redshank (Tringa totanus)

Resident breeder

Generally a resident bird that can be seen by all the lakes bar the Far Lake.

Our highest numbers have occurred in winter, with 47 on the 15^th January 2005 being the maximum seen on the reserve. Numbers peak in winter, show another small peak in spring & then settle down to just the breeding pairs. After fledging it becomes rare or not present in August & September, when the first wintering birds start to come ion towards the end of the month.

We usually have two breeding pairs that nest on the Central reservation, rearing between two & four chicks each year. On hatching the families will either spend the time by the two scrapes if they have water in them or the far side of the Reedbed, where the mud is soft & cover is readily available

Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus)

Rare Visitor

An adult dark phase bird was watched from the South hide, to come from the direction of Brough, swoop over the Main Lake, do the same twice over the Reedbed & then fly off over the ridge in the direction of Sancton on the early afternoon of 13^th August 2006.

Iceland gull (Larus glaucoides)

Rare Visitor

Our only record is of a 2^nd year immature feeding with other gulls on the exposed island on the Village Lake, that was put to flight by a visiting party on the 12^th May 2002.

Kittewake (Rissa tridactyla)

Rare Visitor

Our first record concerned a bird on the 24^th March 2001. Our next records followed on the resting on the Village Lake on the 3^rd May & 18^th June 2002.

There then followed a lull, before a series of records in 2005 on the Island Lake. The first was of an adult on the 30^th April, the same bird or another was on the same spot on the 14^th May. Lastly there was the extraordinary record of 6 birds bathing in the Lake on the evening of 5^th June.

These records are probably non-breeding birds from places such as Bempton.

Sandwich tern (Sterna sandvicensis)

Rare Visitor

Adult starting to moult to winter plumage on the Island Lake on 15^th July 2004

Common tern (Sterna hirundo)

Summer breeder

This bird has been a regular passage migrant since the pits were dug, however in recent years it has begum to breed in increasing numbers.

Before breeding began, the reserve was used as a feeding post by pairs breeding elsewhere. This began in 2003 on the Reed-bed & since has occurred in the Island & Village Lakes, with an unsuccessful attempt in 2004 on the ‘tern’ raft that was specially put up for these birds on the Main Lake. The pair that were successful on the first attempt did so in spite of disturbance by contractors working nearby.

Our birds feed off the reserve, as well as on it & can often be seen flying in from the direction of probably the Newport canal via the Carp Lake. Arrival is usually early may, with the pairs taking a few weeks to settle down. Unlike other areas, our birds avoid nesting within the gull colony & always chose an island away from them. After fledging the young will usually congregate on the east shore of the Main Lake as this is usually the first landfall for any returning fishing parents. Departure of the adults is normally by the third week of August, with only a lingering juvenile being left after this.

Year	Earliest date	Latest date	No. of pairs nested	No. of young fledged
2003	22^nd April	25^th August	2	1
2004	18^th April	5^th September	1	2
2005	30^th April	2^nd September	3	8
2006	22^nd April	3^rd September	6	10

Little tern (Sterna albifrons)

Rare Visitor

2 birds flew south straight through the reserve on the morning of the 21^st May 2006, at about 9am, being missed by everybody bar 2 people

Black tern (Childonias niger)

Rare Spring & Autumn Visitor

Very rarely staying more than one day at a time, this is a bird of the spring & autumn only.

Our first record concerns 5 seen on the 21^st April 1996

After a long interval, then came 2 adult birds seen hawking & perching on the tern posts on the Village Lake on the 9^th August 2004, with 1 on the 14^th of the same month.

On the 10^th September 2005, came the extraordinary record of a flock of 13 circling the Reed-bed for 10 minutes, before flying south.

Lastly there were 2 records of single birds on the Reed-bed & Main Lake on the evenings of the 2^nd & 8^th May 2006.

White-winged black tern (Childonias leucopterus)

Rare Visitor

Immature seen from the 21^st to the 23^rd October 1994

Feral Dove (Columbia livia)

Resident

Probably a visitor from village pigeon lofts, but there is usually a flock of up to 100 birds, either on the Main Lake islands or on the Central headland. recently they have started foraging with other pigeons on the far side of the Reedbed Lake. Occasionally they provide either sport or a meal for passing Peregrines. Should the flock ‘spook’, always look in the air for a potential raptor.

Collered dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

Resident

Although termed a ‘Resident’, virtually all our sighting are of single birds flying over the reserve, between the North Cave & neighbouring farms. very occasionally one will alight on Dryham Lane, or be perched on one the trees but that is as far as sightings of this bird go. They have never been seen either feeding on the Bird Tables or the Maize Field.

Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

Summer Visitor

This is an annual visitor in summer to all parts of the reserve, often heard rather than seen, but has been seen calling in the reserve. So far there is no evidence that it has actually bred with us, although increasing numbers of breeding warblers make it likely in the near future.

There is one record of two together on the 9^th May 2005.

Number of Cuckoo sighting per year

2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
8	5	12	7	9

This shows that we are not ideal Cuckoo territory yet.

Tawny owl (Strix aluco)

Rare Visitor

Our first record concerned a bird flushed in morning of the 4^th May 2000 from the West hedge.

The second followed on the 6^th February 2005.

Then an immature was reported on the evening of the 26^th August of the same year. This bird was subsequently seen on the 3^rd December & then found dead on the Cliffe Road by the East hide on the 17^th of the same month.

Obviously, with breeding birds in the village, this was a displaced immature that settled down in the reserve. Similar birds probably occur in the same circumstances from autumn onwards, but do not stay on as they have not been heard or seen on late spring & summer ‘moth nights’.

Long-eared owl (Asio otus)

Rare Visitor

One was seen roosting in the trees on the west side of the Main Lake on the afternoon of the 3^rd May 2005

Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus)

Rare Visitor

The first record concerned a bird seen hunting over the Snipe Field on the 16^th October 2004, which was then seen again over the same spot from the Reedbed on the 28^th of the same month. This was repeated on 3 dates in November (the 12^th, 13^th & 22^nd). Obviously we had a bird wintering within the locality. In response to this, an owl post was put up in this same field, but only a Buzzard & no owl as yet as used it.

Lastly, in April 2005 (5^th, 11^th, 15^th & 18^th), perhaps it was the same bird that was seen on the Snipe field & central reservation

Lesser-spotted woodpecker (Dendrocropus minor)

Winter Visitor

This may not now be strictly true, but at one stage this bird was one of our winter specialities,

The first record concerned a female seen on the dead tree by the entrance on Dryham Lane for over 30 minutes on the 30^th December 2003. Nothing was then seen until the winter of 2004, when both a male & female were seen (although not together). In the case of the female this continued into 2005, with finally a report of a bird on the 27^th October 2005.

All birds have been seen either on Dryham Lane, near Cliffe Road, or in the shelter belt of trees that line the East Path, alongside Cliffe Road. They were seen near the Dryham Lane feeding station, but never actually feeding on it.

Given the close proximity of breeding pairs, more occurrences should be expected.

	2003	2004	2005
February			Female, 6^th, 7^th, 12^th & 27th
October		Female, 9^th & 11^th Male, 18^th, 19^th & 26th
November		Male, 19^th & 27th
December	Female, 30th	Male, 14th

Rock pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

Regular spring migrant

Our first record was of an individual on the Island lake as it was being constructed on the 19^th October 2003.

There was a bird on the Village Lake on the 9^th April 2004

2 birds were then seen in the next year on the 3^rd & 8^th April 2005, of which one was definitely of the ‘Scandinavian’ race ‘littoralis’

In 2006, there was a very early bird on the 4^th March, followed by another on the 1^st & 10^th April, with 2 on the 6^th & 11^th of the same month, all on the eastern shore of the Main Lake or Central plateau. These last birds consorted with Water Pipits that were present at the same time & lead to some confusion at times.

Lastly there was a single bird on the Reed-bed on the 15^th October 2006.

All this shows that early April is the best time to see this bird on the reserve.

Tree pipit (Anthus trivialis)

Rare Visitor

The first bird was a flyover identified by it’s call on the 24^th April 2004, as it flew

over the Snipe Field.

Our next two records concerned an individual that was identified in the hawthorn hedge by the side of the Snipe Field on the 29^th & 30^th May 2005.

Lastly in 2006, an individual was seen either in the same place or further up towards the road on four dates, from the 19^th to the 28^th May & the 15^th June, all of which indicated potential breeding nearby.

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulous)

Rare Visitor

This bird has never actually landed in the reserve, so that our sole two records, consist of 6 seen from the South hide, flying in a North West direction on the 25^th of October 2006, and then 10 seen from the same hide that flew over & then turned back towards the village on the 30^th of November 2005

Ring Ousel (Turdus torquatus)

Rare Visitor

In November 2005, a male was seen on the 4^th, with a female on the 8^th & 9^th. They were by the hawthorns at the Far Lake, feeding with Fieldfares, of which there had been an influx of that week.

Grasshopper warbler (Locustella naevia)

Rare Visitor

One was heard ‘reeling’, but not seen on the north west corner by the Far Lake on the 3^rd May 2006.

Reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)

Summer breeder

The first record concerned a bird seen by the Far Lake on the 8^th June 2002. There was then a gap of a year, before a bird was heard singing in the south east corner of the Main Lake, from the 23^rd to the 26^th May 2004. Subsequently it was heard during June with 2 on the 21^st, we had been well & truly colonised!

Since then, with the establishment of blocks of Bull Rushes & Phragmites, although never proved to breed (by the sighting of a nest, young or feeding parents), there have been at least 2 singing birds at opposite end of the reserve, so that it is a reasonable assumption to make that they do breed.

	Earliest date	Latest date	Latest singing
2004	23^rd May	4^th August	30^th July
2005	4^th May	8^th August	8^th August
2006	6^th May	13^th September	31^st July

Location of pairs

Lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca)

Summer breeder

Having been seen on the reserve for a long time, it was in 2002

3 that the first evidence of breeding was obtain in the Alders by the Far Lake, where a parent was observed alarm calling & carrying food in July. Since then this has been repeated in the same area annually, with an additional pair nesting at the other side of the reserve.

In early May the males are especially prominent as they sing in bushes next to the paths.

Year	Earliest sighting	Latest sighting	Comments
2003	27^th April	26^th July	Pair bred
2004	29^th April	1^st August	Pair bred, juveniles seen
2005	17^th April	6^th August	Family party of 4 seen
2006	25^th April	12^th August	2 pairs bred

Location of pairs

Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

Rare Visitor

Despite breeding nearby, this bird has only been a very rare autumn migrant.

The first record concerned a bird at the end of Dryham Lane on the 30^th July 2003.

After this, came records in the same vicinity on the 31^st August & 10^th September 2004, which may have been the same bird.

Bearded tit (Panurus biarmicus)

Rare Visitor

Seven flew over the Reedbed Lake towards Market Weighton on the 8^th October 2004

Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)

Rare Visitor

Adult flew over the North Western corner by the Far Lake on the afternoon of 26^th July 2003

Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris)

Rare Visitor

One was seen feeding on the hawthorn trunks by the Far Lake North Western corner on the evening of the 18^th March 2005

Great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor)

Rare Visitor

The only record is of a bird seen from the 23^rd to the 25^th October 1994.

Raven (Corvus corax)

Rare Visitor

The only record concerns a bird seen well over the Village Lake on the the 14^th August 2002. There is also a possible sighting of a bird (or the same to the east of the reserve) on the 27^th of the same month.

Jay (Garrulus glandarius)

Rare Visitor

Very much a rare having never actually been seen to alight on the reserve.

Our first record was of one in April 2005, being seen from the Turret hide to fly west & then north over the reserve.

Next came one in flight over Dryham Lane going towards the village on September 4^th 2005.

Given it’s regular occurrence nearby, we would expect to gain more records of this bird in the future.

Twite (Caruelis flavirostris)

Rare Visitor

Our first record concerned a party of 7 that were feeding on the Reedbed Lake, before it was flooded on the 12^th December 2001

The only other record has been of 4 birds on the Island lake on the 17^th January 2005..

Mealy redpoll (Carduelis flammea)

Rare Visitor

As part of the invasion in 2006, in March 2 were seen on the 2^nd & 5^th, with 1 on the 4^th. All were seen in the North Western corner feeding with a flock of Redpolls.

Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

Rare Visitor

The first record was of a winter plumaged female that was seen on the east shore of the Main Lake from the 16^th to the 24^th of February 2006, feeding on the shore’s edge & giving some very good views. Remarkably it was joined by a second individual on the morning of the 19^th.

M Ashworth 19/02/2006

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