Sadly not a great deal of birding in the last fortnight with a major project at work very much underway. The best sighting locally is a flock of 510 Golden Plover at Middletown on the edge of Studley.
Arctic conditions were waiting for me on Sunday for the WeBScount around the pits. When I arrived the White-fronts were in our old access field by the plantation but soon took flight. I discovered the reason why, as I crept round the plantation there was an individual in full shooting gear, binos and a rifle. Thankfully I saw him first so retreated and got access to main pit from Dunnington side. It was probably a poacher trying to score some easy partridges. The full count was as follows:- 8 Little Grebe, 15 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Mute Swan, 8 White-fronted Geese, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 410 Greylag, 270 Canada Geese, 4 Gadwall, 28 Teal, 220 Mallard, 21 Shoveler, 5 Pochard, 106 Tufted Duck 1 Goosander, 1 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, 1 Water Rail, 85 Coot, 6 LBB Gull, 3 Herring Gull, 25 Black-headed Gull, Green and GS Woodpeckers, 34 Lapwing & 7 Snipe. Large numbers of Redwings & Fieldfare. Geese were very on edge and mobile. When I arrived they were in our old access field by plantation but soon took flight. Big increase with Tufties. Other sightings from the pits submitted by the local group have included a top count of 21 White-fronts, 1 Shelduck, 1 Oystercatcher, 6 Wigeon, 12 Gadwall, Grey Wagtail, Cettis Warbler & 6 Goosander.
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