Monday 27th January 2014

Sightings today from John Olley and myself.

Eleven Dunlin hiding amongst these Golden Plover.


Castle Lake - 2 Shelduck, 6 Pintail, 26 Shoveler, 18 Pochard, 8 Goldeneye, drake Goosander, 2 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Oystercatcher, 300 Golden Plover, 240 Lapwing, 11 Dunlin ( a new high count for January beating the previous record of 6), 10 Redshank, 2 Great Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 4 Mistle Thrush, 40 Redwing.

Shelduck and friends.

Stoneybeck Lake - 160 Coot, 40 Tufted Duck, 2 Pintail and 6 Pochard.

Sunday 19th January 2014

A few sightings from yesterday;

On Stoneybeck Lake were 6 Pintail (4m2f), along Fourmarts Lane were 15 Tree Sparrow and a Little Owl, the A1 Flashes held 2 Grey Heron and singles of Shelduck, Little Egret & Oystercatcher, whilst Low Hardwick produced 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 150 Golden Plover, 500 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker & a Willow Tit.

Thursday 16th January 2014

Sightings from today with thanks to John Olley;

Castle Lake - 8 Pintail, 580 Teal, 400 Wigeon, 20 Pochard, 22 Shoveler, 120 Mallard, 7 Goldeneye, 130 Golden Plover, 820 Lapwing, 3 Oystercatcher, 14 Redshank, 40 Curlew, 2 Little Egret & 2 Sparrowhawk.

A1 Flashes/Low Hardwick/ Alan's Pool - 1 Buzzard, 1 Short-eared Owl, 5 Kestrel, 40 Teal & 50 Gadwall.

Tuesday 7th January 2014

Sightings today included the following;

Castle Lake - 115 Canada Geese, 2 Shelduck, 5 (4 drakes) Pintail, 24 Shoveler, 6f Goldeneye, 1 drake Goosander, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 2 Little Egret, 1 Oystercatcher (a very early bird), 380 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 6 Pied Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit & 15 Redwing.

Today's drake Goosander also made a short visit to Alan's Pool before heading back to Castle Lake.

Both of today's Little Egret also made fleeting visits to Alan's Pool.

New Year Resolution

Happy New Year!
Its time I pulled my finger out and resurrected the blog, so on with the show...

Sightings for Sunday 5th January 2014 included the following;

Castle Lake;
2 Shelduck, 20 Shoveler, 30 Pochard, 3 Goldeneye, 1 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine (circled the lake a few times without catching anything), 40 Golden Plover, 200 Lapwing, 1 Ruff, 1 Snipe, 220 Curlew (a new site record), 15 Redshank, 1 Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit.

Stoneybeck Lake;
3 drake Pintail.

July catch-up

Sightings for Castle Lake;

July 14th; 4 Avocet (1 adult with 3 juveniles) only the second record of Avocet at Bishop Middleham, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 4 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper & 2 Common Tern.

July 15th; female Shoveler with 10 juveniles, 3 Teal, female Pochard with 5 ducklings (pictured below), 4 Ringed Plover & 2 Common Sandpiper.

July 29th; 1 Ruff, 2 Dunlin, 4 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper & 2 Common Tern.

July 31st; 1 Little Egret (pictured below), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Redshank & 2 Corn Bunting.

Saturday 29th June 2013

A very good selection of birds present this Saturday including the following;

Castle Lake - 20 Mute Swan, 6 Shelduck juveniles but no adults, female Shoveler with 8 ducklings, 18 adult & 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe (present since the 23rd), 2 Cormorant, a male Marsh Harrier hunting the long grass near the south-east corner of the lake, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 2 Common Tern.
Also a Mink was seen chasing (unsuccessfully) Mallard ducklings in the flooded bowl at the north end.

Stoneybeck Lake- Continuing a trend in recent years of mid-summer sightings, a drake Scaup was present in the company of some Pochard, numerous Tufted Duck, 3 Teal and 4 Little Grebe.