Mute
Swan |
Whooper
Swan |
MUTE
SWAN Cygnus
olor
Common resident breeder.
Once again the only double figure counts for this species came from the
Otley area at both Otley Gravel Pits and Knotford Nook. Both sites had
their maximum figures during November with 28 at Knotford and 26 at the
Gravel Pits. Tong Park Reservoir had nine throughout the last two months.
Breeding activity was noted at Stockbridge Nature Reserve by 15th March and by 22nd May four cygnets hatched. By early June two were missing but the other two survived. At Otley Gravel Pits three pairs bred producing 13 young. The pair at a private lake only managed to fledge one youngster. The Leeds/Liverpool canal hosted two nests between Bingley and Silsden, one with five young the other with seven. A pair attempted to breed at Raw Nook but failed.
WHOOPER
SWAN Cygnus
cygnus
Uncommon but regular passage visitor.
In the first winter period there were four sightings. The first of which
was at Chelker Reservoir on 21st March when 17 were observed. Two days
later 24 flew from Lower Barden Reservoir heading Northeast. Cold Edge
Dams hosted 36 on 29th March. On 7th April 25 were present at Otley Gravel
Pits.
The second winter period didn’t produce the high numbers but did provide several sightings. The first was very early in the season on 21st September when one flew east in the accompaniment of 49 Pink-footed Geese during a vis-mig watch. A month later on 22nd October an immature was found on Fewston Reservoir and stayed until December. The adult at March Ghyll Reservoir on 26th October was joined by another three on 2nd November. The Fewston immature was probably the Whooper Swan seen on Swinsty Reservoir on 13th November. two were seen at Farnhill Ings on 20th November. An adult stayed most of the month of November at Knotford Nook and was possibly the individual chased away by Mute Swans from Otley Gravel Pits on 4th December. The last two sightings were of singles heading west in December. The first on 9th was over Leeshaw Reservoir with the final sighting of the year at Silsden on 13th. Back to top of page
BEWICK’S
SWAN Cygnus
columbianus
Scarce passage visitor
On 3rd December the long awaited return of the Bewick’s Swan into
the Groups recording area happened when two were observed flying east
over Cold Edge Dams (HBC).
PINK-FOOTED
GOOSE Anser
brachyrhynchus
Seen regularly over-flying on passage, and occasionally as a winter visitor.
Numbers were quite poor in 2003, but lack of observers in the field will
be a big factor. Small flocks were noticed early on in the year with groups
of 37 and 60 heading west over Otley Gravel Pits and St.Ives respectively
on 3rd January. Another 60 were seen over Elland Gravel Pits on 24th January.
In February flocks of 180 and 300 were seen over the Aire Valley. The
last double figure count of the first winter period was of 50 over Hardisty
Hill on 13th March. Two Pink-footed Geese took up residence in the Washburn
Valley favouring Lindley Wood Reservoir.
The first record of winter birds for the second period was at Thornton Moor Reservoir when 49 headed east with a Whooper Swan on 21st September. Another 24 were seen seven days later at the same site also heading east. An influx was noted early in October during the vis-mig watches at Denholme Clough and Thornton Moor Reservoir. A total of 95 were seen over Denholme on 4th with 74 over Thornton Moor. The following day another 102 were seen from the latter site. 300 heading east over Denholme the following weekend was the highest count for the autumn movements. 40 flew west over Fewston Church on 25th October. Another 60 were seen during the watch at Timble Ings on 1st November. The largest grounded flock was of 90 grazing in fields at Fewston Reservoir on 12 December but soon hastily left the area north-west.
Other sightings of low numbers occurred at the following sites; Chelker Reservoir, Cold Edge Dams, St.Ives, Knotford Nook, Otley Gravel Pits, Swinsty Reservoir, Burley, Doe Park Reservoir, March Ghyll Reservoir, Denton, Soil Hill, Thruscross Reservoir, and Wilsden. Back to top of page
GREYLAG
GOOSE Anser
anser
Common resident breeder, and passage visitor
Last year the increasing numbers of Greylag amounted to a record total
of 268, this year that was more than doubled when an amazing 545 were
counted on Lindley Wood Reservoir on 27th September (SJ, MD).
There were only two three-figure counts during the first half of the year. 180 were seen on Reva Reservoir late in January and 100 were at Denton in February. Midsummer saw a flock of 118 growing to 153 at Thruscross Reservoir. In the autumn numbers fluctuated greatly at Lindley Wood and Fewston Reservoirs but only achieved over 100 birds eight times.
Breeding success was recorded at Thruscross Reservoir, Reva Reservoir, Kex Gill, Ben Rhydding Gravel Pits, Lower Barden Reservoir, Weecher Reservoir, and Denton Hall Lake. Two were seen with an orange neck ring at Fewston Reservoir on 21st September, which indicated they were from a neck-ringing scheme at York. Back to top of page
CANADA
GOOSE Branta
canadensis
Common resident breeder.
Breeding took place again at Stockbridge with a total of eight goslings
hatching from two nests, one within the reserve boundary and one nearby.
At least ten occupied nests were counted at Otley Gravel Pits. A pair
raising two young was potentially a first for Hewenden Reservoir. Another
site first was a pair fledging one young at Hallas Bridge on a very small
pond. Six goslings were fledged at Thornton Moor Reservoir, while out
of the three pairs on Coppice Pond, St. Ives only one pair produced young.
The largest flocks occurred over the winter periods and were mainly recorded at Otley Gravel Pits and in the Washburn Valley. The year’s highest count was of approximately 400 Canada Geese at Fewston Reservoir on 14th December. Back to top of page
BARNACLE
GOOSE Branta
leucopsis
Probable escapee and uncommon passage/winter visitor
The first sighting was of an individual, of unknown origin, flying up
the Wharfe valley past Barden on 16th March. A presumed feral escapee
was found on Ogden water on 25th November and stayed for the winter in
the accompaniment of the local Canada Geese. Back to top
of page