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Early Morning Birds, Gilling Lakes 7th May 2016

led by Tom Denney, notes by Keith Gittens

Sunrise near Gilling


We had a pleasant walk on a beautiful morning in good company but did not see or hear the variety of birds we might have expected. We did not get pied flycatcher but there was a possible spotted flycatcher (heard but not seen). Garden Warbler was also scarce, only one distant one. We had redstart in the area upstream of the bottom lake but sadly no wood warbler.

Ryenats Member

Ryenats Members


On the plus side we saw grey wagtail by the drained top pond. Courting chiffchaffs and Goldcrests. Nesting nuthatch in the big scots pine just where you turn right to go across the bottom dam. There are a lot of nest holes in that tree.

We finished off the walk with cake baked by Nick’s Rita. The best bit!

Mute swans on the lake

Bird list

Blackbird; blackcap; blue tit; bullfinch; carrion crow; chaffinch; chiffchaff; coal tit; coot; dunnock; garden warbler; goldcrest; goldfinch; greater spotted woodpecker; great tit; greenfinch; grey wagtail; jackdaw; mallard; marsh tit; mistle thrush; moorhen; mute swan; nuthatch; pheasant; redstart; robin; song thrush; swallow; tree creeper; willow warbler; wood pigeon; wren.

What was the goose which flew by? Greylag or Canada? Long-tailed tit?

Sunrise near Gilling



© Ryedale Natural History Society 2016, Photos © Nick Fraser, Keith Gittens, Jayne Smith 2016 Back to the Home page