This year was probably my worst year since I started serious birding. I didn’t get on the road until April then was limited by health issues much of the rest of the year and I only got back to better health in early November when the weather had a limiting effect. I only left Yorkshire once for a Moth and an Orchid I missed all the big national and autumn rarities in Yorkshire. I still saw some interesting stuff locally though. Hopefully my health will continue and I’ll at least not miss any Yorkshire ticks but not sure yet about long haul journeys in the near future anyway.
January was a quiet month so I’ll go with Ruddy Shelduck. A pair have been seen intermittently in the Cottingham area all year. This one was taken on Northmoor Lane/Orchard Park Flood Prevention Scheme.
Ruddy Shelduck- Northmoor Lane/Orchard Park Flood Prevention Scheme-22/1/24
February is Stonechat at Haltemprice Priory, Willerby.
Stonechat-Haltemprice Priory, Willerby-10/2/24
March was my first chance to get further afield was a trip to North Yorkshire and Bempton Cliffs RSPB with Ricky [see here]. At the time I didn’t consider this a particularly important picture but Tree Sparrow has become a difficult species to see again.
Tree Sparrow-Bempton Cliffs RSPB-4/3/24
April I was mobile again and on my 1st visit to Tophill Low NR I dropped on an immaculate drake Blue-winged Teal. It was accompanied by a female but was hidden in the reeds for me. Presumably the birds from last year and that appeared again in eclipse in summer [see here for more info].
Drake Blue-winged Teal-North Lagoon-Tophill Low NR-4/4/24
May I had my only trip out of Yorkshire to southern Lincolnshire for Grizzle Skipper and Green-winged Orchid [see here]. I go for the latter as plants rarely feature in my blog.
Green-winged Orchid-Muston-12/5/24
June’s picture is Little Owl at North Cave Wetlands YWT.
Little Owl-North Cave Wetlands YWT-20/6/24
July is the first of my only two Yorkshire ticks in 2024, Black-winged Pratincole. Neither me or Roy felt up to seeing it on the Yorkshire/Notts border but got it on it’s brief visit to Kilnsea Wetlands on the 18th.
Black-winged Pratincole-Kilnsea Wetlands-18/7/24
August has got to be the Caspian Tern at Tophill Low NR [see here], a site tick for all but a very few.
Caspian Tern-South Marsh East-Tophill Low NR-2/8/24
September is Vapourer Moth caterpillar. This was my lowest point of the year and was seen on a difficult walk on Willerby Carrs when I was pushing myself back to health.
Vapourer Moth-Wood Lane-Cottingham-16/9/24
October with improving health I got back to moth trapping. The mild weather led to me moth-ing later than in previous years bringing some good moths [see here] including my 1st Mottled Umber on the last day.
Mottled Umber-Cottingham-31/10/24
The best bird in November has to be my 2nd Yorkshire tick, Snow Goose on Swine Moor but pictures were poor [see here] so I go for Green-winged Teal at Tophill Low NR [see here].
Green-winged Teal-South Marsh East-Tophill Low NR-16/11/24
December has to be the two Snow Geese at Tophill Low NR on Watton NR on Christmas Eve [see here]. I had seen them in early November on Swine Moor [see here] but wanted a better picture and was glad to add them to my Tophill Low NR list.
Snow Geese-Watton NR-Tophill Low NR-24/12/24
Top ten posts of 2024
As the title plus a catch up of the period when I was at my worst.
My 1st visits in April to Swine Moor, High Eske NR and Tophill Low NR
Including Black-throated Diver
Including recent highlights at Tophill Low NR
My views on recent BOURC changes to wildfowl status.
Erich's birding and biking blog 