5th February… After the holiday in Malaysia it was interesting getting my feet back on the ground and instead of listening for barbets, bee-eaters or sunbirds it was getting used to picking the calls up of Redwing, Golden Plover and far off skeins of Pink-footed Geese…. and of course putting on loads more layers!!
Mind you the weather has not been that bad it could be a lot colder !! Today I decided to have a look down Westgate Carr just west of Pickering …. and wasn’t disappointed. I clocked up about 15 new species for the year including both Little and Great White Egret.
A Great White Egret has now wintered in this area for the last 4 years. Usually from the 2nd Week in November until late February/early March. Whether it is the same bird or not it is hard to say as the bird[s] have no colour rings or wing tags to distinguish individuals.
6th Feb: the weather was really bright and sunny today … and at this time of year it means only 1 thing Goshawks!!!So I headed to Cropton forest … but after 3 hours watching no luck!! But I did hear my first Green Woodpecker echoing around the forest … however seeing it let alone photographing it – you have a better chance of seeing a purple unicorn ….
The morning got better when a Roe Deer came out of the forest edge and began to feed right in front of where I was standing, amazing!!! I think by accident I was down wind and therefore the deer was oblivious to my presence … or it was just been bloody cheeky!!! To cap the morning a couple of Buzzards were flying about … calling very loudly which was great to hear.
6th February ….Saw me heading up to Trousedale; a brilliant picturesque drive … so I set the scope up … got the camera ready and then I heard the distinct sound of a Goshawk calling .. then again but no sign. Literally the calling went on for at least half an hour and probably involved 2 or maybe 3 birds.
Then about 11:30 an unmistakable shape came across the valley; a very nice immature Goshawk then it drifted off … then another one … a mature female … and then a male giving its characteristic slow motion wingbeats …. then disappearing …. and so it went on for 20 brilliant minutes.
But unfortunately, no ‘switchback’ – well beggars can’t be choosers .. I’ll gladly take that!! As a side show a pair of Buzzards started to enjoy the sunshine calling as they circled in the warming air.
8th February… York Arboretum had re-opened after the the winter closure, so it was great to get out for a long winter walk. Even though there were not many birds to see it was still nice to get out. Then suddenly everything changed as a sharp and guttural KRONK cut through the still air – and then again!!
A Raven was passing through. Frantically I tried to find it but no chance and then another call – this time much fainter. First record for me on the low lying areas of Ryedale. It is always very encouraging to get records of Raven – especially in Ryedale’s lowland areas, as I traditionally associate these birds with the high moors- and up until now this is where I have seen them most.
9th February… I had a trip to Dalby Forest and it was great to catch up with some common birds such as Buzzard, Mistle thrush, Nuthatch, a very photogenic Robin and 30+ Brambling and some Crossbills were showing really well at Adderstone Fields.
11th February… On a ride out north of Pickering I came across a huge flock of nearly 1000 Lapwing and it was great to see an early afternoon Barn Owl hunting along the hedgerows.
15th February…. It was great to get out to the coast, I had ride over to Whitby today. I always find a winter visit to Whitby is much better than the summer – as in the summer there is hardly anywhere to park and the place is packed. It was nice to pick up a real Whitby speciality ….Purple Sandpiper and this time it didn’t take too long to find 20 birds in small flocks down by the breakwater – a great sight to see. On the way back to the car park, an added bonus – a drake eider in full plumage !! A great day!!
19th February… I had another walk down Westgate Carr today, it was the usual suspects nothing out of the ordinary until I crossed over to a stile – then there was a flurry of wings and I couldn’t believe it I had flushed a Woodcock!! Again a first lowland record in Ryedale for me .. !!
20th February ….With Birding, you never know what you will turn up with that bit of luck involved too. At the weekend, a birder had been checking some winter thrushes near to the Raptor View Point at Wykeham when he discovered a first winter Black -throated Thrush!!!
Needless to say when the news hit Birdline the forest was inundated with telephoto lenses, twitchers and a lot of anticipation!! I travelled up there today and got some pretty good views. But getting a photo – no chance!! Its a shame as the bird remained faithful to its initial location and therefore I couldn’t claim the bird for our local patch records!!
23rd February…. Today I visitedScarborough and Holbeck. A bracing walk along Marine Drive at Scarborough produced a very nice Peregrine ‘fly-by’. However, the light was rubbish for any good pictures. Then I had a drive over to Holbeck car park on the eastern side of Scarborough for some Mediterranean Gulls.The gulls put on a great show, great to see birds in their winter plumage: interestingly all the birds were immatures.
The month concluded with a ‘hooting’ Tawny Owl heard in Pickering on the 27th of February.
Another great month and we are now getting into Spring!!
