- Lesser Yellowlegs flew in around 6.45am on to main lake but on the distant shore. Disappeared into a gulley with a Redshank, reappeared but was quite flighty, by 7.30am had flown off SE with 4 Redshank and was lost to view.
Nosterfield Nature Reserve and Nosterfield Quarry Reserve:
Little Owl x 1 Kestrel x 1 Avocet x 3 Common Tern x 1 Marsh Tit x 1 Little Egret x 5 Grey Heron x 7 Redshank x 1 Common Sandpiper x 3 Curlew x 45 Lapwing x 30 Shelduck x 3 Oystercatcher x 10 Gadwall x 4 Chiffchaff x 3 Whitethroat x 2 Willow Warbler x 5 Great Crested Grebe x 5 Little Grebe x 2 Wren x 3 Tufted Duck x 35 Greylag Geese x 400 plus Canada Geese x 100 plus Goldfinch x 1 Long Tailed Tit x 5 Mute Swan x 10 Black Swan x 1 Pied Wagtail x 1 Swallow x 7 House Martin x 10 Moorhen x 4 Coot x 3 Mallard x 20 Black-Headed Gull x 15 Great Tit x 2 Blackbird x 7 Crow x 10 Woodpigeon x 8
Nosterfield Nature Reserve and Nosterfield Quarry/Pits. Two cracking sites 5 miles north of Ripon linked together by path across field by-passing Nosterfield village. Also, near 'Black Sheep' brewery at nearby Masham.
Highlight - Red Necked Grebe (at Nosterfield Quarry) Whooper Swans x 23 Little Owl x 2 Avocet x 10 Goldeneye x 8 Willow Tit x 1 Tree Sparrow x 1 Curlew x 3 Wigeon x 75 Teal x 20 Ruff x 3 Dunlin x 3 Gadwall x 8 Pied Wagtail x 1 Redshank x 3 Redwing x 8 Shelduck x 10 Shoveler x 15 Great Crested Grebe x 12 Little Grebe x 3 Greylag Geese x 40 Canada Geese x 10 Mute Swan x 4 Lapwing x 50 Long Tailed Tits x 3 Blue Tit x 7 Great Tit x 4 Chaffinch x 1 Robin x 9 Blackbird x 4 Dunnock x 1 Wren x 1 Buzzard x 4 Kestrel x 1 Sparrowhawk x 1 Cormorant x 10 Black-Headed Gulls x 100 Lesser Black-Backed Gull x 1 Herring Gull x 5 Mallard x 10 Tufted Ducks x 20 Woodpigeon x 50 Carrion Crow x 10 Jackdaw x 15 House Sparrow x 1 Goldfinch x 3 Pink Footed Goose x 1 Magpie x 3 Feral Pigeon x 5 Moorhen x 3 Coot x 9 Pheasant x 1 Grey Heron x 3
Visited Nosterfield LNR this morning to look for the Woodchat Shrike that was initially reported last weekend. When I first arrived at about 08.00 there were no other birders present and I didn't fancy my chances of finding the bird in such a big area. Remembering a report about it frequenting a brash pile and scanning around, the bird was soon located. The brash pile is about half way between the West and East silt lagoons and about 100m from the footpath giving good scope views of this cracking little Shrike.
Was staying in the Nosterfield area over the weekend gone. 6 species of geese seen in less than an hour. Hundreds of Grey Lags, the feral flocks having now been joined by large numbers of wild birds. 4 or 5 Pink-feet, 1 Tundra Bean Goose (up to 5 in the area) 40+ Russian White-fronted Geese ( 62 counted in the area - the highest count for Nosterfield ) 1 Barnacle Goose (believed to be a wild bird by locals - a large flock had been recorded some days earlier following strong NE winds and this bird remained behind. Many Canada Geese. Large numbers of Lapwings, Golden Plover and Curlew with a few Dunlin and Oystercatchers. Peregrine Falcon also seen. Teal, Pochard, Tufted duck, Mallard, Wigeon, Gadwall, Shelduck and Shoveler. Bittern also seen by other birders. ( Common Crane was still believed to be in the area but elusive.)
-- Edited by vic chatterton on Wednesday 23rd of November 2011 06:22:54 PM
My first visit to this area which includes Nosterfield Nature Reserve and Nosterfield Quarry/Pits. making up a superb complex of habitats and birding opportunites which kept us busy for (nearly) the whole day.
We initially took a ride up there to check whether the Common Crane that had been present for well over a week was still around. Joining another couple of birders extensive searching of the 'new diggings' area opposite Ladybridge Farm came up with a blank. Luckily a passing birder said that it had been at the quarry from the viewing screen just an hour ago. We all headed there and Avocets showed well but no Crane. A cracking little visitor centre with leaflets, a toilet and a picnic area make this a welcoming place, all provided by the quarry owners for us birders, very refreshing We headed back to the new workings and luckily the stunning adult Crane flew in and gave excellent, if distant, views at the back of the field. Corn Buntings and Yellow Wagtails seemed numerous, both obviously breeding in this area.
We then popped down to Nosterfield Nature Reserve 'proper' and enjoyed a walk which although sparse on birdlife produced Emperor Dragonfly, Azure Damselfly, Ringlet Butterfly, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Common Blue and Small White, and Five-spotted Burnet Moth. Bee Orchids were plentiful whilst swathes of purple orchid spp looked superb although were in an innaccessible area for specific ID.
On a sweltering day what to do next? Our choice was a drive to nearby Masham and a visit to the Theakstons Brewery Visitor Centre, complete with bar We sampled the Black Bull Bitter - superb - and took home bottles of Theakstons XB Ruby Ale & Theakstons Lightfoot, which have already been consumed this evening
Highly recommended for a day out and really not that far, we logged fewer miles than a trip to Anglesey the other week which took in South Stack & Cemlyn.
We headed back to the new workings and luckily the stunning adult Crane flew in and gave excellent, if distant, views at the back of the field. Corn Buntings and Yellow Wagtails seemed numerous, both obviously breeding in this area.
We sampled the Black Bull Bitter - superb - and took home bottles of Theakstons XB Ruby Ale & Theakstons Lightfoot, which have already been consumed this evening 