Lower Ure Conservation Trust
Nosterfield Bird and Natural History Review September 2023
by Andrew (Andy) M Hanby
What a month, Myrtle Warbler, Canada Warbler, Yellow Warbler and Bobolink all too far away for many of us to bother with (except the keenest of twitchers!) and distract us from counting Lapwings at Nosterfield!
The first day of the month was busy with good birds, including five Pintail moving north, 32 Snipe heading south, Merlin, Greenshank, Whimbrel , Spotted Flycatcher and Common Redstart.
Five Pintail heading north over Langwith Photo: Andy Hanby
The Osprey was identical in plumage and therefore almost certainly the same bird as one photographed near Richmond in June 2021
Photo: Tim Jones
On 2nd, Lapwings were truly counted with numbers around 2000, a level they kept throughout the month, with small numbers of Golden Plover, a species that 15 years ago may have been present in similar numbers to the Lapwings. Mandarin was also seen intermittently and Little Ringed Plover lingered on.
Also on 2nd, a nice day out for some with five Greenshank, eight Goosander flew through and included a good spread of raptors, namely Hobby, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier. The latter three species then continued to put in appearances throughout the rest of the month.
As all who know me realise, I am a font of all (fake) knowledge. After pronouncing to someone that we tend not to get Osprey after August, one promptly appeared on 3rd heading south. The day was also notable for a count of 403 Curlew and 750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, plus a diverse background of warbler species still present.
Generally, throughout the North Yorkshire area Spotted Flycatchers seem to have had a good year and another one along the causeway on 5th kept our area aligned with this benison.
The next day brought another Caspian Gull, the first of four records for the month and probably involving four different individuals, making a total of six in this record-breaking year.
Two of the month’s Caspian Gulls on their favoured locale, Flasks Lake beach Photo: Tim Jones
By comparison Great Black-backed Gull was only seen on two dates, though this included four on 8th.
Massive kudos to the finder of the truly exotic female Red-crested Pochard at Ladybridge Lake on 7th, whose sporadic appearances into October brought literally no interest whatsoever (Canada Warbler pfff…. I’m not bitter!). On a more serious note, two Crossbill moving north-east was good and a count of 42 Grey Partridge stunning the following day. It is great to see species of genuine concern doing well in the area.
The highly popular Red-crested Pochard that had crowds of up to two looking at it (disdainfully) Photo: Andy Hanby
Very much a big September migrant - Meadow Pipit Photo: Tim Jones
The first Cetti’s Warbler since the spring announced itself in the reedbed on 9th, with it and probably another in the polytunnel/fen area, sporadically recorded into October.
Generally, visible migration hasn’t been undertaken as much this year and consequently, Meadow Pipit has generally been under-recorded. It was therefore nice to get an impressive count of 204 grounded birds in the Middle Henge area on 10th. The same observer, who has a taste for visible migration, reported the second Great White Egret of the year flying south-west past East Tanfield Quarry, as well as 128 House Martins. The visible migration theme continued the next day with 213 Pink-footed Geese moving south and 40 grounded on the reserve.
The eleven Common Scoter on Flasks Lake Photo: Tim Jones
Nothing breeds success like success and another visible migration watch from East Tanfield Quarry on 13th was rewarded by a veritable flock of four Great White Egrets flying south, one of which appeared to peel off and land in the region of the River Ure, where one was seen the next day. The 14th also produced a Curlew Sandpiper on Flasks Lake.
Cloud and drizzle can be a recipe for success at Nosterfield, but as often as not it is both proverbially and actually a damp squib. It was certainly damp on 16th, but its credentials for being contender for a squib declined as the day wore on and a good number of interesting birds ‘happened’, including 58 Snipe and 11 Pintail through, a Common Tern and a new-in female Common Scoter hanging around.
This rather lovely Little Stint put in an appearance on 12th Photo: Tim Jones
A Knot and an impressive eleven Common Scoter were present on Flasks Lake on 18th which was followed by a relatively quiet spell, although this did include sightings of Tree Sparrow and Marsh Tit in the area, both species of maximum concern.
Another Curlew Sandpiper was present on 25th, as well as a colour-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull (first ringed on 7 July 2021 at Zeebrugge, Belgium and seen there again in Aug 2021) but no further sightings until today!
The month trickled to a close with the report of a Little Stint on Flasks Lake mud via a birding news service on 29th September, the second of the month after one on 12th.
Little Egret, Flasks Lake Photo: Gareth Jones
Andy Hanby 6/10/2023