Wheldrake Ings & North Duffield Carrs

A first visit in a while to the Lower Derwent Valley today - in fact someone even had time to build a new monastery(!) since I was last there. The birding is never spectacular but it's a lovely walk and there's always a surprise or two in store.

It's been 7 or 8 years (?) since I found the reserve's first Little Egret but they've been more or less annual since then and indeed two were present distantly from Swantail Hide this morning.

Eight warbler species were recorded with Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Warbler being the scarcest. This ringed Sedge Warbler decided to take a break from running errands for it's demanding offspring and basked briefly in the glorious sunshine.

Reed Buntings are one of the most numerous species at this large wetland reserve and singing males can be encountered every few yards atop bushes or reed stems.

The biggest surprise today was a roosting Tawny Owl by Garganey Hide at the nearby North Duffield Carrs reserve. The bird flushed from very close to the main path and gave a couple of good fly-by views before relocating out of sight - but it was all over so quickly that my camera never reached my eye!