2003 Report

2004 Report

2006 Report

COMMON SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna
Passage/winter visitor and breeder

In a not very productive year, Otley Wetland had the majority of the records. The first of these was a single bird on 21st January, with four here the following day, and up to two on several days in February, March, April and June.

The only other reports came from Leeshaw Reservoir on 12th February and Sandbeds Flash on 23rd April, when two birds were present at both, from Warley Moor Reservoir, which had three on 13th April, and the year’s only autumn record, of four birds at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 17th October.

There was no evidence of breeding.

MANDARIN DUCK Aix galericulata
Uncommon, but increasingly frequent visitor and sporadic breeder, escapee.

The record number of birds seen in Strid Wood towards the end of 2004 was quickly surpassed by a count of 39 there on New Year’s Day (JF). However, the new record lasted only sixteen days, as an increased count of 41 was made at this location on 17th January (JLT).

Numbers of birds continued to be seen in winter and spring in the general area between Bolton Abbey and Howgill. On occasion, as few as two birds were noted (particularly in May), and counts fluctuated between this and 23 birds.

Surprisingly, the riches of the first winter period were not replicated in the second, when the best that could be mustered was a total of seven birds on 25th December. Records of this attractive duck on the Wharfe are proving distinctly enigmatic, and it will be interesting to see how matters progress. Away from this area there were just four records: a bird (possibly semi-resident) at Elland Gravel Pits on 9th and 22nd January, with perhaps the same one at High Royd Sewage Works on 3rd March and another at a private site on 21st March.

Given the number of birds early in the year, breeding success appears modest. A juvenile was seen near Barden Bridge on 19th August, and a pair with young in the same area on 14th June.

EURASIAN WIGEON Anas penelope
Regular passage migrant and winter visitor.

Whilst 40 fewer records were submitted than in 2004, numbers of birds were generally higher, and, in particular, there were more sightings in the early part of the year.

As usual, most of these came from the area round Otley and the Washburn Valley, and Knotford Nook dominated proceedings in January, producing six double-figure counts and a maximum of 80 birds on 15th. Numbers in the following seven months were much reduced, with only one party of more than twenty birds, this being 26 at Otley Wetland on 18th March. Visible-migration from September turned up small numbers of birds at a number of locations, including Cold Edge Dams and Thornton Moor Reservoir, where 25 were seen in October, but that month’s highest count was 40 birds at a private location.

This site again had the same number of birds on two dates in December, and thirty were at Thornton Moor on 15th November. The latter month provided the year’s highest count of 123 at Lindley Wood Reservoir on 5th, having increased to this total from 110 two days earlier.

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GADWALL Anas strepera
Increasingly regular passage migrant and winter visitor.

The pattern of sightings was much in line with recent years, with the maximum counts being at the extreme ends of the year, and mainly emanating from the Otley area.

In January, between two and eight birds were seen at Knotford Nook during the 2nd to the 28th, with one remaining into the early part of February, and two there on 18th March (MD, AGG, SJ, KM, RHP). April produced two pairs at Otley Wetland on 15th, and there was a single bird on 1st May (SJ). The only autumn passage birds were two at this site on 4th September (MD).

All the other records for this general area came in December, when up to five birds were at Knotford Nook, and two at Otley Wetland and a private location (MD, AJ, SJ, KM, ES). Elsewhere, a single was seen at Lister Park, Manningham, on three dates in February, March and November, and could well be the returning bird of previous years (JC, SJ).

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COMMON TEAL Anas crecca
Resident, passage and winter visitor; occasionally breeds locally.

This species was again well-recorded, from 17 locations and in 11 months of the year.

The highest counts came from the south of the area. At Sandbeds Flash, between 37 and 64 birds were seen during the first winter period, the latter figure being noted on 16th March, and in the final two months of the year this site held between 70 and 90 (on 31st December). This general area is clearly now the stronghold for wintering birds. At the other main location, Esholt Sewage Works, there was a flock of 75 on 9th January, and 45 on 8th March, whilst High Royd Sewage Works had 40 birds on 18th April.

Significant counts elsewhere in the second winter period consisted of 25 at Fewston Reservoir, 21 at Thornton Moor Reservoir and 33 at Lindley Wood Reservoir.

Whilst there is no evidence of breeding, a pair was seen mating at Sandbeds in March, and the birds were still present in April, but there were very few records during the summer months.

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MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos
Common resident breeder; passage/winter visitor.

Only sixteen sites figured in last year’s Report, which described the species as having been poorly reported. It is therefore gratifying to note that in 2005, 146 records were submitted covering 29 locations.

There were many double-figure counts throughout the year, and a significant number of records involving 100 birds or more. The monthly analysis of these by location is featured below:

January 1st Strid Wood 203
January 23rd Strid Wood 217
July 24th Fewston Reservoir 157
August 1st Fewston Reservoir 102
September 12th Fewston Reservoir 105
November 3rd Lindley Wood Reservoir 220
November 23rd Strid Wood 100
December 1st Lindley Wood Reservoir 158
December 31st Lindley Wood Reservoir 145
December 25th Strid Wood 115
Breeding was also well-reported, and downy young or well-grown juveniles were seen at Barden Scale, Oxenhope, Ilkley Tarn, Otley Wetland, Thuscross, Strid Wood and other sections of the Wharfe, Lindley Wood Reservoir and Saltaire.

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NORTHERN PINTAIL Anas acuta
Regular passage and occasional winter visitor, usually in small numbers.

A relatively poor year, with only six records and nine birds, over a fairly widespread period. January produced a bird at Knotford Nook on 9th (ES), and two at Embsay Pond on 17th (JLT). Two months later a bird was seen flying north at Silsden on 17th March (JLT).

There was then a gap of about five months before post-breeding birds were seen, comprising two at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 5th and 6th August (BV, DCB), and, a month later, a drake at Otley Wetland on 4th September (MD). Finally, a pair was on Silsden Reservoir on 19th November (BV).

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NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata
Passage/winter visitor in small numbers, has bred.

Whilst almost all the spring records came from around Otley, those in autumn were predominantly from the south of the recording area.

Otley Wetland produced most of the early sightings, commencing with a pair on 21st March, followed by two on 30th, and 1st April, and a different individual on 22nd April. At other sites during this period, there were two pairs on Lindley Wood Reservoir on 23rd March (the year’s highest count), a pair on Knotford Nook two days later, and two more on Silsden Reservoir on 4th April.

Return passage commenced with three birds at Cold Edge Dams on 10th July, with a September record of one at Otley Wetland on 4th, and there were three at Thornton Moor Reservoir on 31st October, and one at a private location on 24th. The final sighting was a single at Redcar Tarn on 6th November.

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COMMON POCHARD Aythya ferina
Passage/winter visitor, occasionally summers.

The last year in which big wintering numbers of this duck were seen was 1999. Since then, numbers have fluctuated, and, after a few years with very low counts, there was a slight improvement in 2004, which seems to have been maintained.

Birds were recorded from seven locations, although three of them, Redcar Tarn, Lindley Wood Reservoir and Silsden Reservoir, failed to get into double figures, and at two of the others, Fewston Reservoir and Yeadon Tarn, the highest counts were 17 and 18, both in January.

Knotford Nook and Otley Wetland are historically the two sites where most birds are seen but little was seen in the second winter period, and there was only one sizeable count in the first winter months. The data for these is:

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TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Passage/winter visitor and increasing resident, with some breeding.

This species seems to be showing a general downward trend. Numbers in Wharfedale are, by and large, holding up, though they are well down on those of several years ago, and post-breeding flocks seem now to have disappeared from other previous strongholds, notably Chelker Reservoir. Breeding is being maintained at Otley Wetland, but nothing was reported from other previous breeding sites, though, more positively, it took place at a hitherto unused location.

As usual, Knotford Nook and Otley Wetland were the most productive and reliable sites during the winter and passage periods, with the following monthly maxima:

Few other locations got into double figures, and the only places having at least 20 birds were Fewston Reservoir (20), Silsden Reservoir (22), Lister Park (Manningham) (29), Redcar Tarn (24), and Chelker Reservoir (21). Birds were seen on a few occasions in the summer months at Leeshaw Reservoir, Cold Edge Dams and Thornton Moor Reservoir, but these were probably on passage.

As mentioned, breeding took place at Otley Wetland, where three ducklings appear to have fledged, and it is pleasing to report it also occurred at Redcar Tarn, although the seven downy young seen on 14th June seemed to have dwindled to two by the 26th.

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GREATER SCAUP Aythya marila
Increasingly regular passage/winter visitor.

A very poor year for the species, with no more than two birds seen, at either end of the year, and both at Otley Wetland. A female was present there from 2nd to 22nd January (KM et al), and another from 28th November to 28th December (SR, PK et al).
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COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Scarce, but regular, passage visitor.

A year well below average saw no spring records, and only three in the autumn passage period.

Thornton Moor Reservoir had a single bird on 23rd July (DCB, SJ), and five on 10th October (DCB), but an excellent count of at least 35 birds flying past the Barden Scale watch-point on 1st August represented the second highest number recorded for the Group (AGG).

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COMMON GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula
Common passage/winter visitor, occasionally summers.

The Otley area produced most of the year’s records, and had the highest counts, but the last departing and first arriving birds were seen elsewhere, with three at Ogden Water on 24th April and two at Lower Laithe Reservoir on 19th October.

Highest monthly counts at the two principal locations were:

Records came from 16 sites in all, with other notable gatherings consisting of twelve at Fewston Reservoir in January, with eleven at Lindley Wood Reservoir during that month, and fourteen there in April.

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RUDDY DUCK Oxyura jamaicensis
Uncommon passage/winter visitor, with sporadic breeding.

The seven records received for the year is about the current average. Most came in the first winter period and spring, and none came from the south of the area.

Two females were present at Knotford Nook on 13th January (KM), and another was at Otley Wetland on 1st April (JF, KM). Two weeks later, a drake was there, with perhaps the same bird on 20th April (SJ, SJG). In May, two birds were seen at a private site on 12th (AJ).

The only records in the latter part of the year concerned two females at Otley Wetland on 9th September (AGG), and another bird there on 26th November (AJ).