Wheldrake Ings this evening 484 Black-tailed Godwit inc a @ldvnnr.bsky.social colour ringed bird 1 Peregrine 5 Red Kite 6 Marsh Harrier 4 Sand Martin 60 Pintail 5 Little Egret 11 Curlew @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Earlier this week our team of #LDV volunteers made the journey over to Humberhead Peatlands NNR, to help plant over 7,000 cotton grass plugs as part of restoring the bare peat areas (as part of the sites restoration project to increase biodiversity & locking up water & carbon) 🌱

Good to get out surveying Jack Snipe this week as numbers start to increase (now water levels have fallen & with the onset of spring passage) - 17 were seen across two sites, with four ringed & fitted with Motus Tags, as part of our joint project on the species with @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social

The Treasure has a new brother from a different mother ! They bond instantly and both are thriving. Love a baxger x

A Shelduck colour-ringed by our team (from a cannon-net catch at Bank Island on the 26th January this year) was photographed at Braunschweig, Germany last week – an interesting rapid easterly movement in contrast to most of our other resightings @yorkbirding.bsky.social

A large departure of Whooper Swans then took place in the evening on Tuesday and after dark, which resulted in over 270 birds heading north-west out of or over the #LDV @yorkbirding.bsky.social

This week new signs have been installed around the #LDV by our Responsible Recreation Officer, & with large numbers of wintering birds present & many breeding birds returning, keeping to the Public Rights of Way, controlling dogs & respecting sensitive areas is very important 🦆

This week our volunteer team have also been busy removing some of the boardwalk around the NNR Base Garden as we upgrade the access to a new surfaced path (ahead of the new access path opening from the car park to the new NNR Base) - apologies for any short-term disruption 🪚🔨🪛

The Treasure, 501 g this morning, doing well, lots of night feeds !! She will go back ,once reared. Xx

Thanks to @debalmer.bsky.social for the sighting of a c/r Shelduck at @wwtworldwide.bsky.social Martin Mere earlier this week - yet another movement between the #LDV & this site/the NW region - we're really starting to build-up a picture of movements now thanks to all the c/r-readers out there.

A Turnstone at North Duffield Ings A drake Scaup at Aughton Ings A Crane south at East Cottingwith 2 Tundra Bean & 50 White-fronted Geese at the pond along Langrickgate Lane near East Cottingwith 100 White-fronted Geese at North Duffield Carrs @nybirdnews.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

We’ve also just received news that an adult male Wigeon ringed in the #LDV at North Duffield Carrs in December 2019 has been recovered at Findhorn Bay, Moray, Scotland earlier this week – 2,262 days since ringing and 456 km to the north of the reserve @yorkbirding.bsky.social

It also turned out that this individual was ringed by our team as a nestling (from a brood of four) in a box near Melbourne in 2014 - making it 11/half years old. This is the oldest bird we’ve recorded from our study around the #LDV (from the 1,349 ringed here since 1989)🦉 @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Last night our ringing team were successful with two Ruff caught and colour-ringed in the flock by Bubwith Bridge (as part of our long-term study of the species) and one where climate change impacts are sadly driving a real change in status with numbers falling @yorkbirding.bsky.social

100% of the proceeds from this book will go to the Friends of the Lower Derwent Valley charitable trust, to help with conservation projects across the reserve - if you're yet to order a copy please drop in at our office or contact [email protected] 📖🪶 @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Last night we also had a surprise when this juvenile Knot found its way into our nets. This species is only just annual in the #LDV and is only the second ever to have been ringed on the reserve – one to look out for if you're visiting at the weekend @yorkbirding.bsky.social

🎉🤩 Whilst it feels like a long time coming, we're pleased to say that the rest of the copies of the 'Birds of the LDV' have finally arrived at our NNR Base and are now available for collection if you’re passing (anyone who has placed a pre-order will be contacted shortly) 📖🪶 @yorkbirding.bsky.social

86 White-fronted Geese NE over Derwent Cottage Farm between North Duffield & Bubwith Still at least 18 Tundra Bean Geese at North Duffield Carrs @nybirdnews.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

Whilst the birding has been fantastic around the #LDV lately, access to Wheldrake/Bank Island is still ‘waders only’ 😆 Best to view the floods (and birds) from Thorganby Village Hall, North Duffield Carrs, Bubwith Bridge and the churchyards at Ellerton and Aughton @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Several Marsh Harriers and Red Kites have also been present around the #LDV since the turn of the year, with two Merlin’s lingering around East Cottingwith (good winter for this species - presumably attracted by some of the large mixed finch flocks wintering in the area) @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Great @yorkbirding.bsky.social field trip in the @ldvnnr.bsky.social today Ferry Lane: 30 White-fronted Geese Thorganby: drake Smew North Duffield Carrs: Slavonian Grebe, 20 Tundra Bean Geese, 3 Scaup North Duffield Ings: Spotted Redshank Aughton: 87 Black-tailed Godwit Ellerton 102 Whooper Swan

Shotgun shot Buzzard found nr Wigginton York. Reluctant to use shot leg , getting there, gently gently up,on a perch this morning. Any info to police and rspb investigations unit so it continues....

Some commentary on the conviction and sentencing of gamekeeper Racster Dingwall raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/30/s...

Statement from North Yorkshire Police on conviction of gamekeeper Racster Dingwall raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/29/s...

BREAKING NEWS....Gamekeeper Racster Dingwall pleads guilty to conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier on a grouse moor in Yorkshire Dales National Park ⚖️ New blog ⬇️ #RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/29/g...

Trial due to start for gamekeeper Racster Dingwall accused of conspiracy to kill a Hen Harrier raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/28/t...

This book is available at the price of £25 with all funds going to the Friends of the #LDV and towards supporting conservation/research projects across the reserve 🐦🦆🪶 If you'd like to pre-order yourself a copy please contact [email protected], thank you @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Cold unresponsive badger cub found on the golf course. Gemma vet and Amber vet nurse worked their magic and one and a half hours later she came round. THANKYOU This dry weather will be causing havoc with just weaned cubs.

Wheldrake Ings 1 Ruff 1 Grasshopper Warbler 3 Hobby 2 Common Tern 2 Cuckoo 1 Corn Bunting 6 Garden Warbler 9 Reed Warbler 1 Cetti's Warbler 9 Little Egret 13 Grey Heron 3 Little Grebe 3 Water Rail 5 Wigeon @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Cold unresponsive badger cub found on the golf course. Gemma vet and Amber vet nurse worked their magic and one and a half hours later she came round. THANKYOU This dry weather will be causing havoc with just weaned cubs.

"Why should wildlife lose to businesses underpinned by criminal activity?" - Mark Carwardine on driven grouse shooting, BBC Wildlife Magazine raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/05/06/w...

Wheldrake Ings 2 Greenshank new for #PWC2025 4 Hobby 1 Grasshopper Warbler 1 Lesser Whitethroat 2 Cuckoo 4 Garden Warbler 5 Reed Warbler 1 Black-tailed Godwit Bank Island 1 Common Tern new for #PWC2025 10 Swift 1 Grasshopper Warbler 2 Lesser Whitethroat @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Ringed and released big female Buzzard back home. Had infected leg wound. Yehaa !

Wheldrake Ings Drake Garganey & a Grasshopper Warbler new for #PWC2025 5 Black-tailed Godwit 1 Dunlin 8 Pink-footed Geese 3 Pintail 1 Barn Owl 1 Cetti's Warbler 60 Sand Martin North Duffield Carrs 7 Ruff 1 Peregrine 1 Egyptian Goose @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Wheldrake Ings 4 Whimbrel, 1 Corn Bunting, 10 Sedge Warbler & 2 House Martin new for #PWC2025 1 Black-tailed Godwit 1 Peregrine 100 Sand Martin 100 Swallow 26 Willow Warbler 5 Egyptian Geese 1 Willow Tit Bank Island 2 Whitethroat new for #PWC2025 @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social

Caught up with the Namaqua Dove at Akrotiri on our last day in Cyprus. Also present were Little Bittern, Marsh Sandpiper, Knot, Little Crake, Bonelli's Eagle, Honey Buzzard, 9 Turtle Dove, Black Francolin, Collared Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, Night Heron & Purple Heron. Final trip list of 133 species

A good day at Pafos headland, Cyprus today with Nightgales, Pied Flycatchers, 100 Yellow Wagtails, a Wryneck, a Redstart, a Spectacled Warbler, Hoopoe, Tawny Pipit, Turtle Dove, Cyprus Wheatear, 5 Stone Curlew, a Honey Buzzard, a Black-eared Wheatear & 4 Purple Heron & 18 Night Heron in off the sea

A report of White-tailed Eagle circling between Elvington & York at midday @nybirdnews.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

At Anarita quarry in Cyprus today, caught up with Cyprus Wheatear & Warbler while also present we're Tawny Pipit, Isabelline Wheatear, Collared Flycatcher, Roller, Woodchat Shrike, Fan-tailed Warbler, Long-legged Buzzard, Great-Spotted Cuckoo & Ortolan Bunting

As well as the Grey Plover at Wheldrake Ings this evening #PWC2025 12 Ruff 130 Black-tailed Godwit 1 Peregrine 5 Swallow 2 Sand Martin 43 Pintail 1 Goldeneye 1 Willow Warbler 1 Cetti's Warbler @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

Ringed and releazed rta Barn Owl back to Olivers Mount, Scarboro. Yehaa !

Wheldrake Ings 7 Sand Martin new for #PWC2025 1 Great Egret 338 Black-tailed Godwit 12 Ruff 40 Dunlin 117 Shoveler 17 Pink-footed Geese 223 Pintail 1 Cetti's Warbler 1 Marsh Harrier 11 Chiffchaff Bank Island 12 Grey Heron 100 Fieldfare 30 Redwing @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

Bank Island 1 Tree Sparrow new for #PWC2025 26 Golden Plover 130 Fieldfare Wheldrake Ings 277 Black-tailed Godwit 9 Ruff 45 Dunlin 6 Redshank 254 Pink-footed Geese 2 Marsh Harrier 4 Red Kite 247 Pintail 117 Shoveler 3 Little Egret 10 Chiffchaff @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

At Wheldrake Ings this evening 1 Kingfisher new for #PWC2025 6 Ruff 299 Black-tailed Godwit 7 Redshank 8 Dunlin 20 Curlew 4 Oystercatcher 240 Pintail 120 Shoveler 120 Pink-footed Geese 4 Goldeneye 4 Little Grebe 3 Little Egret 4 Water Rail 1 Willow Tit @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

In the @ldvnnr.bsky.social today East Cottingwith Drake American Wigeon 700 Pink-footed Geese 2 Egyptian Geese North Duffield Carrs 35 Black-tailed Godwit 6 Ruff 300 Pink-footed Geese 57 Dunlin 10 Redshank Ellerton 3 Goosander North Duffield Ings 1 Jack Snipe @yorkbirding.bsky.social

𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐮𝐦 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐮𝐛𝐬 Mum moved her cubs. She does this as seen here by gently scruffing and carrying them in her mouth. @badgertrust.bsky.social

A Hawfinch reported from Bubwith, in trees behind Mounfield butchers @ldvnnr.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social

Wheldrake Ings this evening 745 Black-tailed Godwit 13 Dunlin 2 Marsh Harrier 1 Cetti's Warbler 4 Pochard 13 Whooper Swan 4 Water Rail 1 Barn Owl 2 Little Egret 1 Grey Partridge Into roost were 32 Curlew, 34 Cormorant, 70 Pied Wagtail, 11 Oystercatcher @yorkbirding.bsky.social @ldvnnr.bsky.social

At Wheldrake Ings this evening 16 Whooper Swan 14 Pink-footed Geese 4 Little Grebe 2 Pochard 154 Tufted Duck 14 Goldeneye 53 Shelduck 1 Marsh Harrier 3 Red Kite 1 Chiffchaff 2 Little Egret 1 Otter 5 Goosander & 29 Cormorant into roost @ldvnnr.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social