At Wheldrake Ings this morning, the first brood of Shoveler (9 juvs). 4 Cuckoo, 2 Corn Bunting, a male Pintail, a Great Egret, 4 Little Egret, 15 Grey Heron, a Barn Owl, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Garden Warbler, 10 Reed Warbler, 2 Little Grebe & 2 Common Tern @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

A Glossy Ibis at Wheldrake Ings this morning, left south east just after 8am. New for #PWC2026 & my first new bird @patchbirding.bsky.social this month Also 4 Corn Bunting, 3 Cuckoo & a Great Egret @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Wheldrake Ings 1 Crane 1 Great Egret 10 Little Egret 3 Cuckoo 1 Hobby 2 Corn Bunting 5 Snipe 7 Red Kite 9 Buzzard 2 Marsh Harrier 2 Cetti's Warbler 5 Reed Warbler 6 Garden Warbler @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

A Crane at Wheldrake Ings this afternoon, but no sign of the Red-footed Falcon at Bubwith Ings/North Duffield Carrs so far today @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

A first summer Red-footed Falcon still hunting along the river at North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings today @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Chiffchaff at North Duffield Carrs. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

A first summer Red-footed Falcon still along the river at North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings today. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Reed bunting and blackcap singing at North Duffield Carrs yesterday. Also reed bunting and sedge warbler perched close together plus sedge warbler catching insects. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Wildlife at North Duffield Carrs yesterday - hare and roe deer. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Thanks to local #LDV wildlife photographer Terry Weston for sharing these super images of our breeding Redshank and Lapwing from Tom’s Ponds at Bank Island recently – great to see them breeding there following our habitat improvement work, and showing so well in front of the hides 📸

You can also play a part in their survival by enjoying these wonderful breeding waders from the hides, and by keeping to the public footpaths and taking notice of our signs at this crucial time of year, when we need as many chicks to fledge as possible - thank you @yorkbirding.bsky.social

We're pleased to say good numbers of Curlew & Lapwing broods are hatching off at present throughout the #LDV, with our team of volunteers playing a large part in this by helping us to remove & reduce the taller trees & fence posts, & in doing so reducing predation/improving hatching success 🐦

It was also nice to hear a Corn Bunting singing on the edge of the meadow yesterday, with several singing males now holding territory on the Ings (in what is becoming an increasing trend) - good numbers also still present on surrounding arable land @yorkbirding.bsky.social

It’s no wonder the Red-footed Falcons and Hobbies were feeding up and down the river yesterday - making the most of this large hatch of mayflies - unfortunately our video doesn’t really show what a spectacle it was! 😄

Update - three Red-footed Falcons have now been recorded in the Bubwith/North Duffield Carrs area this week (inc. two males seen on several occasions over the last week & a female photographed there yesterday). Still good numbers of Hobbies also present in the area @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Roe deer walked through right in front of Geoff Smith hide at North Duffield Carrs this morning. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Very active and vocal pairs of Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler in front of Geoff Smith hide at North Duffield Carrs this morning. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

The first summer Red-footed Falcon still along the river at North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings today. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Two Red footed Falcon showing together hawking insects over Derwent with BH Gulls north of Bubwith Ings @nybirdnews.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Osprey circling over North Duffield Carrs at 10.50. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social

Pocklington Canal from East Cottingwith to Canal Head 79 Sedge Warbler 66 Reed Warbler 57 Reed Bunting 49 Chiffchaff 47 Whitethroat 42 Blackcap 41 Willow Warbler 8 Garden Warbler 4 Lesser Whitethroat 1 Cetti's Warbler 8 Cuckoo 1 Corn Bunting 1 Mandarin @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

First-summer male Red-footed Falcon still hanging out near the river at Bubwith Ings. Also, first summer Hobby. If anybody has photos of the other bird reportedly present, please share. @yorkbirding.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

The first summer Red-footed Falcon still along the river at North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings today @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

The first summer Red-footed Falcon still along the river at North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings Also a Garganey at Wheldrake Ings @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

The #LDV monthly sightings reports are now available online on our NNR blog - ldvnnr.blogspot.com/p/apr-26.html. Many thanks to those who contributed records and counts throughout the month, in particular to members of @yorkbirding.bsky.social and regular patch birder @duncbye.bsky.social

New @btobirds.bsky.social ringing recovery just in – a first-winter male Wigeon ringed at Bank Island in November 2020 was recovered at Komi, Russia last week – heading onto its breeding grounds 3,442 km east of the #LDV, and is our 85th Wigeon to Russia @yorkbirding.bsky.social

The first Emperor Moth of the year was recorded last week on the lowland heath of #SkipwithCommon NNR. It's always nice to record them each spring, such attractive moths – largely confined to the heathland in the Vale of York. Thanks to @darrenstarkey.bsky.social for the record and image 📸

Nice to find Adder's-tongue Fern whilst working in one of the Ings meadows yesterday evening – always a treat to see and probably widespread, but overlooked in the meadows throughout the site 🌿

It's looking like a great year for owls (Barn Owls are feeding small young and clutch sizes appear high) – presumably due to the high vole numbers present. Nice to have both breeding Barn and Tawny Owls in the same tree at Bank Island this year, with the Tawny young now branching 🦉

The Red-footed Falcon was still present in the #LDV at North Duffield Carrs on Wednesday evening with six passage Sanderling, Wood Sandpiper and Whinchat on the riverbank fencing. Two lingering Whooper Swans were amongst the 62 Mutes and a single White-fronted Goose was with the Greylag flock.

This area is going to contain a butterfly and bee garden, as well as a pond and swale with wetland species and a wildflower meadow – making it a great place for nature to thrive/visitors to enjoy, and hopefully inspiring more wildlife-friendly gardens in the local villages 🐝🦋🪲🐌🌼🌿

Our volunteer team have been busy planting up our new NNR Base garden at Bank Island again this week, kindly putting in more plants supplied by the @tophilllow.bsky.social nursey, inc. Greater Water Parsnip, Greater Fen Sedge, Yellow Flag Iris, Tansy, Marsh Marigold and Marsh Pea 🌿🌱

Flock of 6 Sanderling at North Duffield Carrs & a Wood Sandpiper. Also a Whinchat on riverbank fence with 2 Whooper Swan and a White-fronted Goose still @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

The first summer Red-footed Falcon still present & hunting along the river at North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Update on patch 2 pairs of Mandarin + 2 more drakes and 8 ducklings 😀 Also 2 Grey partridge @yorkbirding.bsky.social Another visit @ldvnnr.bsky.social NDC for more views of the Red-footed falcon. Also 2 Hobby Lesser Whitethroat 3 Yellow wagtails

The Red-footed Falcon did the decent thing at North Duffield Carrs & stayed around for me coming back from Extremadura. An @ldvnnr.bsky.social tick Also 2 Hobby hunting along the river this afternoon @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Brilliant to also see the work being done at the @tophilllow.bsky.social plant nursey by John and his team - a host of wetland plants are currently being grown, with the aim of helping to recover rare, scarce & declining species across Yorkshire 🌿 Many thanks to Richard and his team for hosting.

Great visit to @tophilllow.bsky.social yesterday by our @naturalengland.bsky.social Yorkshire/Lincolnshire NNR team – good to see all of the developments going on at this fantastic reserve, and to share thoughts and ideas on volunteering, funding models and visitor management.

Thanks to #LDV birder Neil Cooper for running a very successful guided walk along the canal at the weekend, on behalf of NE and PCAS (free for the local community to enjoy and learn from Neil's expertise) - highlights inc. Cuckoo, Marsh Harrier, Little Egret, Red Kite & many Sedge/Reed Warblers.

Other recent sightings in the #LDV inc. a summer plumaged Spotted Redshank, one or two Wood Sandpipers, a Spoonbill, several Hobbies & Cuckoos, a lingering Whooper Swan & White-fronted Goose, & a passage Nightjar was also heard briefly churring after dark last night @yorkbirding.bsky.social

The Red-footed Falcon is present again today & represents the 6th record for the site (second to have been recorded at North Duffield - first in 2002), & it is similar in arrival date to one on the 07/05/20 (this month's individual appeared on the 8th) although most records are late May/early June.

The Red-footed Falcon still along the river at North Duffield Carrs this evening. Please keep to viewing areas & observe access restrictions. Also 2 White-fronted Geese present @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Lone whooper swan at North Duffield Carrs this morning but plenty of mute swans both on the ground and in the air plus the reed bunting was on his regular post. @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Didn’t find the red- footed falcon at North Duffield Carrs this morning but pleased to see the summer plumaged spotted redshank and the pair of red legged partridge. @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

The Red-footed Falcon still present along the river from North Duffield Carrs or Bubwith Ings @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

The Red-footed Falcon still hunting along the river at North Duffield Carrs/Bubwith Ings @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

*Lifer Alert* - Red-footed Falcon at North Duffield Carr's today. Had great views of it hunting and sitting in this bush quite often to give me chance to phonescope some video footage! @ldvnnr.bsky.social #yorkshirebirding #ukbirding

Another video of the Red-footed Falcon at North Duffield Carr's today. Fantastic to watch it hunting insects, along with at times, Hobby. @ldvnnr.bsky.social #yorkshirebirding #ukbirding

The Red footed Falcon is currently in a hawthorn on north edge of Bubwith Ings @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Lin Dike Cuckoo 2 BKTGodwit LRP 3 Redshank 2Pk footed geese Bittern booming Shelduck, but dipped Wood Sandpiper and Spoonbill, made up for with Red-footed falcon ✅️lifer (a bit distant) @ldvnnr.bsky.social ND Carrs thanks to finder Chris Gomersall +L Whitethroat ✅️ @yorkbirding.bsky.social