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Post Info TOPIC: Wheldrake Ings N.N.R & Fairburn RSPB 14/5/2022


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Wheldrake Ings N.N.R & Fairburn RSPB 14/5/2022
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After all the excitement surrounding the Spotted Sandpiper seen at Elton Reservoir, Bury yesterday it was back to an unusual Saturday trip out, due to end of football season etc. On a warm and sunny morning me and Kevin C set of to visit Wheldrake Ings nature reserve that lies south east of York. All went well until we reached the A1M going north then all the traffic ground to a halt and we spent the next 1.5 hours crawling along, the reason was a small van had crashed into the central barriers! We soon arrived at Wheldrake with the news that the 2 Glossy Ibis had been seen, albeit distantly a little earlier. On our 1.25 mile walk down to the Pool & Swan Link hides the dawn chorus was still very evident with Chiff-Chaff, Willow, Sedge, Cetti`s & Reed Warblers all in fine voice. Behind Pool hide a couple of birders pointed out where the 2 Glossy Ibis had been seen and we began to search. Little Egret, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Mallard were seen moving around the small creek/pool but no Glossy Ibis! At this stage Kevin C decided to have a look into the Pool Hide, 2 minutes after he left, you know what comes next, yes both Glossy Ibis were flushed by a Little Egret flying a few yards along the creek! Kev was alerted but the birds promptly disappeared. This story has a happy ending with one of the birds being seen by a stationery Kevin C about 15 minutes later. Whilst we waited there 3 Hobbies were seen chasing there main food, dragonflies, a very welcome springtime sight. As we set off back to the car we called in at The Andy Booth Hide named after one of our birding friends who tragically died a few years ago. From the hide we counted at least 6 more Hobbies in flight, such a privilege to witness this true spectacle. A few Cuckoo`s had been heard, one really close, but we could not see any of them. A welcome drink back at the car then off to Fairburn Ings RSPB reserve, about 30 minutes away. It was our plan to try to see the Spoonbill`s that are there without having to endure the long slog from the reserve centre. We walked along to the Lin Dyke area and found the hide to be closed, due to some of the local graffiti using it for other purposes. We met a man who told us that Spoonbill Flash was not named after the species being there but the shape of the flash from the air, I wondered why we never saw one! A Peregrine Falcon was seen perched high up on a pylon waiting for its next meal to fly past. A nice trip out on a very warm day and lots of nice birds seen. Dave O.

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