Sunday 31st March 2013

A good selection of birds seen this Easter Sunday around Bishop Middleham;

Castle Lake (about 75% frozen); drake Pintail, 5 Goldeneye, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Woodcock flushed from the north end of the lake and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull.

A1 Flashes/River Stell; 2 Pintail, 2 Shoveler and a Kingfisher.

Fishburn Lake; 1 Goosander, 1 Jay and 2 Bullfinch.

Low Hardwick; 1 Common Buzzard and a Little Owl (pictured below)

Stoneybeck Lake; 5 Shelduck, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Common Buzzard, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Redshank, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 2 Mistle Thrush.

Tuesday 26th March 2013

Today's sightings included the following;

Mute Swan - 3 on the River Stell and a pair on Alan's Pool.
Canada Geese - 78 on the A1 flashes with more at Low Hardwick.
Shelduck - a pair on Castle Lake and 3 more on Stoneybeck Lake.
Pintail - a pair on Castle Lake, later seen flying towards the A1 flashes (south).
Shoveler - a pair on the A1 flashes and a single drake on Castle Lake.
Pochard - apart from birds on Castle Lake and Stoneybeck Lake, four were also on Alan's Pool.
Goldeneye - five including one drake on Castle Lake.
Goosander - a pair flew onto Castle Lake late morning (pictured below).

Great Crested Grebe - at least three on Castle Lake.
Cormorant - one on Castle Lake.
Grey Heron - two were at the Moto-x pools, Low Hardwick.
Common Buzzard - two together at Low Hardwick.
Kestrel - one distant bird at Low Hardwick.
Oystercatcher - 23 were frequenting Castle Lake and the A1 flashes with two more at Stoneybeck Lake.
Golden Plover - a flock of 150 including many in summer plumage were in a field at Low Hardwick.

Lapwing - at least fifty at Castle Lake.
Snipe - two at Castle Lake.
Curlew - c150 moving between Castle Lake, the A1 flashes and Low Hardwick.
Redshank - 11 birds seen at various locations.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - one at Low Hardwick.
Meadow Pipit - birds starting to return to breeding areas with 5+ at Low Hardwick.

Fieldfare - 15 feeding near the Castle Lake hide and another six at Low Hardwick.

Tuesday 12th March 2013

Today's sightings included the following;

Castle Lake - 30 Greylag Geese, 95 Canada Geese, 2 Shelduck, 2 Pintail, 2 Shoveler, c20 Pochard, 1 Goldeneye,  2 Grey Partridge, 1 Little Grebe, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 24 Oystercatcher, 2 Ringed Plover, 10 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Great Black-backed Gull and 2 Mistle Thrush.

Low Hardwick - 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 drumming) , 2 Willow Tit and a Jay.

Stoneybeck Lake - 3 Shelduck, 2 Goldeneye, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Golden Plover in with Lapwing's, 1 Redshank and another Great Black-backed Gull.

Winter still refusing to relinquish it's grip.

Thursday 7th March 2013

Sightings today, with thanks to John Olley.

Castle Lake - 22 Oystercatcher, 10 Redshank, 1 Ringed Plover, 150 Lapwing, 40 Curlew with 120 on the A1 flashes, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Goldeneye, 1pr Shoveler, 250 Wigeon, 3 Shelduck, 12 Pochard & 44 Tufted Duck.

Stoneybeck Lake - 10 Shelduck, 14 Pochard, 30 Tufted Duck, 100 Lapwing, 2 Goldeneye, 30 Curlew, 12 Wigeon, 2 Oystercatcher & 300 Common Gull.

Another record today for Curlew with a combined total of 190 from the three sites.

Tuesday 5th March 2013

Sightings from the last couple of day's;

Monday 4th February 2013
Castle Lake - 33 Whooper Swan

Tuesday 5th February 2013
Stoneybeck Lake - 8 Shelduck, 6 Shoveler, 2 Oystercatcher.

Castle Lake - 60 Canada Geese (1 pair copulating), 1 Shelduck, 2m Pintail, 1m Shoveler, 1f Goldeneye, 3 Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 19 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, Lapwing displaying, 3 Snipe, c10 Redshank, 1 Willow Tit.

A1 Flashes - 1 Green Sandpiper, 142 Curlew (a new site record).

Sunday 3rd March 2013

Sightings from today;

Stoneybeck Lake - 3 pair Shelduck, 5 Pochard, 34 Tufted Duck, 2 Goldeneye, 1 Oystercatcher, 130 Lapwing, 300 Black-headed Gull and 200 Common Gull.

Castle Lake - 3 Shelduck, 3 Pintail, 26 Pochard, 35 Tufted Duck, 1 Goldeneye, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 5 Oystercatcher, 1 Dunlin, 2 Snipe.

A1 Flashes - 2 Grey Heron, 9 Oystercatcher and 1 Green Sandpiper.

Dunlin is species no.91 for Bishop Middleham this year.

And finally....

...rather them than me.