Back to the Newsletter Contents and Home page

GW = Gilling Woods; NPLake = Newburgh Priory Lake; KMS = Kirkbymoorside.

Little Grebe on lakes in GW and Newburgh - occasional visitor.
Great Crested Grebe A pair on lower lake in GW with one juvenile seen July 23rd.
Cormorant A single bird flying north KMS 14th October. (N.B. regular visitors to Castle Howard Lake south of our area)
Grey Heron Slingsby 21 st Feb; 3 flying over Gilling 30th March; along Holbeck, Gilling, May; Hovingham Park 19th November.
Mute Swan Regular visitors to takes in GW, evidence of breeding 3 juveniles on lower lake 10th December.
Greylag Goose A pair on lower lake in GW 28th March; 7 on lower lake 5th April; 4 in flight KMS 5th December.
Canada Goose 4 on lower lake GW 26th April
Mallard 100+ on NP Lake during autumn/winter, several on other waters in the area.
Pochard Up to 12 on NP Lake during autumn/winter,
Tufted Duck Up to 20 on NP Lake at various times of the year.
Goldeneye Adult male on NP Lake mid-February
Goosander One female and 3 juveniles, River Rye Harome 8th August .
Ruddy Duck male and female, NP Lake 19th April
Red Kite Ampleforth area 25th December
Hen Harrier Female Harland Moor 11th January
Goshawk A single bird, Oswaldkirk
Buzzard North Rudland 31st August; Welburn, Kirkbymoorside.
Osprey A report of two ospreys, Kirkdale area, May
Kestrel Female in garden, Gilling, 7th March; adult male, KMS 13th November, single birds various times of year hovering over roadside verges.
Sparrowhawk Fairly common throughout our area, occasional visitor to garden in Gilling throughout the year.
Red Grouse Common on moorland throughout the year.
Red-legged Partridge Groups of 5 and 9 Low Park KMS 11th and 19th February, also 4 birds 26th September.
Grey Partridge Heard regularly in fields Gilling/Coxwold area, 15 seen in field near Holbeck, Gilling 17th November.
Pheasant Very common throughout as thousands are hand-reared.
Moorhen Common throughout the area on streams and ponds.
Coot Fairly common on many ponds and lakes throughout the area. 50+ counted on NP Lake
Oystercatcher A bird with nest (4 eggs) River Rye Harome 17th May (nest subsequently flooded 8th June). 3 near Oswaldkirk 28 June, 3 in Gilling/Coxwold valley mid-July (?same birds)
Golden Plover returned to Rudland Rigg 23rd February; approx 150 Low Park, KMS, 24th February, 100+ in ploughed fields, KMS 24th October, 50 at Wombleton 25th September, small groups Bonfield Gill.
Lapwing returned to Rudland Rigg 23rd February; several feeding in fields Gilling area 11th March, calling regularly in the Gilling/Coxwold valley; large autumn flocks in Wombleton/Wrelton area; 150 Wombleton 24th September, 300 Wrelton 1lth October.
Common Sandpiper Single bird on side of lower lake GW 26/28thApril.
Snipe Single bird Hovingham 23rd March; 'drumming' Gilling area mid-May.
Woodcock One'roding'Gilling/Coxwoldvalley31stMarch W A pair at Slingsby Carrs 8th April; calling on Rudland Rigg 11th March, also Gilling/Coxwold valley mid-March
Greenshank River Rye, Harome 30th July - now an annual event
Black-headed Gull Common throughout the area, large flocks 100+ feeding in fields, autumn/winter, also on NP Lake
Herring Gull Flocks of 50+ feeding on newly-ploughed fields in many areas October/November
Common Gull 11 Low Park, Kms 17th October.
Stock Dove Occasionally seen and heard in GW
Wood Pigeon Very common throughout the area
Collared Dove Fairly common throughout the area, regular at garden bird feeders during winter, 11 seen together KMS 5th December.
Turtle Dove single bird 'singing' GW mid-June; a pair in Rudland area 18th June; single birds in Cropton Forest May/June.
Cuckoo Gilling 6th May, Rudland Farm, Bransdale 11th May; 4 in Bransdale 1st June; Barn Owl a pair feeding at dusk, Slingsby 26th February; single near Appleton-le-Street 26th February same bird?; single Wombleton airfield 21st June.
Little Owl Single bird on telephone wires near Sproxton mid-June
Tawny Owl Fairly common in woodland habitat throughout the area.
Nightjar Heard 'churring' Rudland 13th May, Cropton Forest 18th June
Swift Fairly common where environment is suitable e.g. church towers, old buildings; Helmsley 6th May; Slingsby 8th May; Rudland 16th May. Recorded 'hawking' for insects over NP Lake and Gilling Lake.
Kingfisher Single bird in garden at Gilling 8th June; Gilling Lake 6th July; Slingsby 1st August
Green Woodpecker Present in GW, seen and heard calling March/June; recorded in woodland near Rievaulx 1 August.
Greater Spotted Woodpecker Fairly common in GW and in other woods throughout the area: regular visitor to garden feeders, reported frequently in Newtondale.
Skylark Singing Yearsley area end February-, Rudland 20th March; up to 6 Stonegrave/Ness April/June, also Gilling/Coxwold area. Autumn flocks up to 30 birds Low and High Park, KMS.
Sand Martin 140 seen along River Rye at Harome, 104 nest holes - 17th May. Colony washed out on 8th June as river rose 8ft, but partially recovered by late July - approximately 150 birds. (98 birds ringed including 90 juveniles: one 5-year old bird re- trapped, and one carrying a French ring)
Swallow A single bird in Thornton-le-Dale 7th April; Rudland 9th April; main arrivals in most areas from 19th April
House Martin First reported towards the end of April; subsequently common in many areas.
Meadow Pipit very common in arable farmland and moorland areas .
Tree Pipit Single bird in Gilling 6th May, seen parachuting display 2nd May in
Rudland area.
Yellow Wagtail Very scarce throughout the area single bird reported from KMS area 26th September.
Grey Wagtail A pair seen regularly along stream through Gilling village. A pair at Yoadwath, KMS 29th May, also Rudland 12th October.
Pied Wagtail Common throughout the area in suitable environments. Fed regularly in garden at Gilling during December cold spell.
Dipper Recorded on Holbeck stream Gilling 27th February, also River Rye, Helmsley 24th March.
Wren Common throughout the area in gardens and woodland.
Hedge Sparrow (Dunock) common everywhere in the area.
Robin Common throughout the area
Common Redstart Rudland area 23rd April
Whinchat Ousegate 7th May
Stonechat Rudland area 17th October
Wheatear Bransdale 25th April
Ring Ouzel recorded in moorland areas Bransdale 25th April Pockley Moor and Bransdale during May/June; a mate and female feeding 4 juveniles Bransdale 28th June.
Blackbird Common throughout the area.
Fieldfare First report of returning birds Rudland 1st October, KMS from 5th , small flocks in Gilling from end October, less numerous than in previous years. A report received of a single bird at Rudland on 17th June - an unusually late date.
Song Thrush No longer a common species. Single birds singing at Slingsby 30th January; Rudland 31st January, Gilling 1st February, 3rd March.
Redwing Rudland 30th September, Gilling 1st October, KMS 5th October. Smaller flocks than in previous years - a maximum of 40 at KMS 17th October.
Mistle Thrush Singing Rudland 9th January,' Gilling mid-January; Slingsby 31st December.
Common Whitethroat Gilling/Cawton area, several singing in the hedgerows during May.
Garden Warbler Singing in GW 5th May
Blackcap Gilling 23rd April; Slingsby 14th May., a report of an over-winterinq bird on 23rd December.
Wood Warbler Bransdale 9th May, Cropton Forest 10th May, Kilbum 11th June.
Chiffchaff Gilling 15th March; Rudland 17th March and 2nd October.
Willow Warbler Widespread throughout the area. Rudland from 3rd April, Gilling and Slingsby 7th April.
Goldcrest Single birds seen and heard calling in GW May/June
Spotted Flycatcher Cropton 10th May; Rudland 11th (pair nested, juveniles vacated nest on 1st July) Gilling 18th May; Yoadwith (KMS) 20th May; Lastingham 1st June.
Pied Flycatcher Single bird, South Farndale 19h May.
Long-tailed Tit Small flock (10/12) Gilling 15th November, 10th December. Rudland feeding on nuts 28th December.
Marsh Tit A pair regularly visited the feeder in Gilling garden during
autumn and winter.
Coal Tit Also a regular visitor to the feeder at Gilling and Slingsby.
Blue Tit and Great Tit both very common throughout the area.
Nuthatch Occasional visitor to garden at Gilling during autumn/winter. Breeds in GW.
Treecreeper Single bird in Slingsby garden 26th January. Seen in GW occasionally throughout the year.
Jay Party of 8 in Cropton Forest 16th August seen occasionally in GW throughout the year.
Magpie Common throughout the area - flock of 10 in rough pasture near Ampleforth 1st March.
Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, and House Sparrow are all very common throughout the area.
Tree Sparrow occasional visitors to garden in Gilling, recorded in Helmsley 28th January Chaffinch Common throughout the area.
Brambling in garden in Rudland 11th February, also 24th and30th November. 3 in Low Park KMS 20th November.
Greenfinch Regular visitors to garden feeders throughout the year in Gilling and elsewhere. Flock of 50 in Slingsby 6th September.
Goldfinch Feeding on nuts in garden 25th January, small flock of 10 mid-July, at Gilling; frequent garden visitors Slingsby. Seen feeding young in August.
Siskin Single birds on garden feeders Gilling mid-February; Rudland 7th April, also Slingsby.
Linnet Small flocks on arable land, Slingsby, also Gilling, mid-December.
Bullfinch A pair in Slingsby garden occasionally. Gilling mid-December
Redpoll Seen occasionally in GW.
Common Crossbill Flock of l0 Cropton Forest 1st August.
Yellowhammer Small flock up to 8 alongside Holbeck Gilling, 27th January. Flock 25/30 feeding in field near Gilling 13th April. 40+ in stubble field KMS 24th October. 25 Low Park KW 11th November.
Reed Bunting Single birds along banks of Holbeck, Gilling, May/June. 5 Low Park KMS 26th September. 2 in High Park 24th October.

Back to the Newsletter Contents and Home page

© Ryedale Natural History Society 2001.
Page last modified 11th January 2001. Site maintained by APL-385