LDV_NNR
@ldvnnr.bsky.social
News, events and recent sightings from the #LowerDerwentValley, #SkipwithCommon and #ForgeValleyWoods National Nature Reserves
A juvenile Reed Warbler ringed at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th August 2022 (possible already on passage), was recaught by ringers 177 km south of the #LDV at Little Downham, near Ely, Cambridgeshire, on the 25th August this year during autumn passage @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 27, 2025 at 3:00 PM
A juvenile Reed Warbler ringed at Wheldrake Ings on the 6th August 2022 (possible already on passage), was recaught by ringers 177 km south of the #LDV at Little Downham, near Ely, Cambridgeshire, on the 25th August this year during autumn passage @yorkbirding.bsky.social
The ringing of Shoveler ducklings is somewhat of an #LDV speciality, so it was nice to receive a @btobirds.bsky.social recovery of one this week (ringed as a young male at Wheldrake Ings in July 2021 - recovered at Valle Morosina, Padova, Italy last week) 1,338 km SE of the reserve.
November 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
The ringing of Shoveler ducklings is somewhat of an #LDV speciality, so it was nice to receive a @btobirds.bsky.social recovery of one this week (ringed as a young male at Wheldrake Ings in July 2021 - recovered at Valle Morosina, Padova, Italy last week) 1,338 km SE of the reserve.
Last week our team GPS-tagged several Woodcock in order to monitor their habitat requirements & movements around the reserve/surrounding area - after downloading the data it was surprising to see them not only feeding on the Ings after dark but also roosting there during the day 🪶
November 26, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Last week our team GPS-tagged several Woodcock in order to monitor their habitat requirements & movements around the reserve/surrounding area - after downloading the data it was surprising to see them not only feeding on the Ings after dark but also roosting there during the day 🪶
Recently we enjoyed welcoming back staff from WSP to #SkipwithCommon NNR for a corporate volunteering task to clear birch from the open heath areas (to maintain view lines, glades and flight lines, from the footpaths and between the heaths).
November 26, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Recently we enjoyed welcoming back staff from WSP to #SkipwithCommon NNR for a corporate volunteering task to clear birch from the open heath areas (to maintain view lines, glades and flight lines, from the footpaths and between the heaths).
Last week our hard working team of volunteers managed to fit in a visit to North Duffield to help manage an overgrown pond for the elderly owners – all part of our wider #NatureRecovery work in the surrounding area - many thanks to our fantastic team for their efforts 🐸
November 26, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Last week our hard working team of volunteers managed to fit in a visit to North Duffield to help manage an overgrown pond for the elderly owners – all part of our wider #NatureRecovery work in the surrounding area - many thanks to our fantastic team for their efforts 🐸
Can visitors to the #LDV please be aware that deep flooding at Bank Island has now cut off access to the paths and hides, whilst access to Wheldrake Ings is getting more difficult (flooding to the car park and riverside path, & wellies required to reach Tower Hide) @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Can visitors to the #LDV please be aware that deep flooding at Bank Island has now cut off access to the paths and hides, whilst access to Wheldrake Ings is getting more difficult (flooding to the car park and riverside path, & wellies required to reach Tower Hide) @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Nice to welcome the @naturalengland.bsky.social Yorks/Lincs team to the #LDV yesterday and to have some additional help coppicing the last of the autumns willows ahead of more flooding - coppicing produces variation in structure/openness and helps in managing the height of our warbler ringing sites.
November 21, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Nice to welcome the @naturalengland.bsky.social Yorks/Lincs team to the #LDV yesterday and to have some additional help coppicing the last of the autumns willows ahead of more flooding - coppicing produces variation in structure/openness and helps in managing the height of our warbler ringing sites.
Interesting to see the Firecrest (first caught and ringed at our NNR Base at Bank Island on Monday) present again yesterday – maybe holding territory in the adjacent Water Treatment Works. Other sightings yesterday inc. two Great White Egrets on Bank Island @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Interesting to see the Firecrest (first caught and ringed at our NNR Base at Bank Island on Monday) present again yesterday – maybe holding territory in the adjacent Water Treatment Works. Other sightings yesterday inc. two Great White Egrets on Bank Island @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Good to see so much dead wood on the woodland floor at the moment (as well as standing), with a nice variety of fungi seen, several Nuthatch calling and a glimpse of an otter in the river.
November 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Good to see so much dead wood on the woodland floor at the moment (as well as standing), with a nice variety of fungi seen, several Nuthatch calling and a glimpse of an otter in the river.
Despite the weather & challenging slopes our volunteers worked hard strimming the small pockets of calcareous grassland at the south-western end of the site (improving the area for species such as cowslips, primrose, quaking grass, wild thyme, salad burnet and rock rose) 🌿 Many thanks to all 👏
November 21, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Despite the weather & challenging slopes our volunteers worked hard strimming the small pockets of calcareous grassland at the south-western end of the site (improving the area for species such as cowslips, primrose, quaking grass, wild thyme, salad burnet and rock rose) 🌿 Many thanks to all 👏
A rather damp day but good to be back at #ForgeValleyWoods NNR this week to meet with the Raincliffe Woods Community Enterprise forester to identify urgent tree works (following the recent storms and wet weather which has resulted in significant tree falls in the area).
November 21, 2025 at 5:04 PM
A rather damp day but good to be back at #ForgeValleyWoods NNR this week to meet with the Raincliffe Woods Community Enterprise forester to identify urgent tree works (following the recent storms and wet weather which has resulted in significant tree falls in the area).
Nice surprise yesterday when this little gem of a bird turned up in one of our mist nets in the NNR Base Garden at Bank Island – only the second Firecrest to have been ringed on the reserve and the first record since 2021 @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Nice surprise yesterday when this little gem of a bird turned up in one of our mist nets in the NNR Base Garden at Bank Island – only the second Firecrest to have been ringed on the reserve and the first record since 2021 @yorkbirding.bsky.social
In between all of the jobs that our team have been doing on the NNRs recently, we’ve still found time to help with local conservation projects at Wressle churchyard and Naburn village hall, creating wildflower areas as part of #NatureRecovery
November 18, 2025 at 8:48 AM
In between all of the jobs that our team have been doing on the NNRs recently, we’ve still found time to help with local conservation projects at Wressle churchyard and Naburn village hall, creating wildflower areas as part of #NatureRecovery
Last week our wider Corncrake team attended the MOP9 (Ninth Meeting of the Parties) in Bonn, Germany, as part of the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds conference - talking about reintroductions, our Corncrake project and the work to be done on their flyways.
November 18, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Last week our wider Corncrake team attended the MOP9 (Ninth Meeting of the Parties) in Bonn, Germany, as part of the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds conference - talking about reintroductions, our Corncrake project and the work to be done on their flyways.
Yesterday our volunteer team were working hard at North Duffield Carrs managing the area which is viewable from the footbridge/path that leads down to the viewing platform, helping to improve the reedbeds, scrub and large veteran willow for the #LDV Willow Tit population - many thanks to all 👏
November 14, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Yesterday our volunteer team were working hard at North Duffield Carrs managing the area which is viewable from the footbridge/path that leads down to the viewing platform, helping to improve the reedbeds, scrub and large veteran willow for the #LDV Willow Tit population - many thanks to all 👏
This week we've also been busy motus-tagging another two Jack Snipe as part of our joint project with @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social, looking at habitat selection, how birds respond to flooding/move through the site, and turnover rates. So much more to learn about this species @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 8:09 PM
This week we've also been busy motus-tagging another two Jack Snipe as part of our joint project with @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social, looking at habitat selection, how birds respond to flooding/move through the site, and turnover rates. So much more to learn about this species @yorkbirding.bsky.social
With an increase in wintering waterfowl recently the team took the first mixed cannon net catch of the season this week, which included a good sample of Wigeon - all colour-ringed as part of #ProjectPenelope @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 7:58 PM
With an increase in wintering waterfowl recently the team took the first mixed cannon net catch of the season this week, which included a good sample of Wigeon - all colour-ringed as part of #ProjectPenelope @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Earlier this week our team were over at #ForgeValleyWoods NNR talking to the Raincliffe Woods Community Enterprise group about upcoming woodland management across the site – fantastic to see all the autumnal colours and a bit of ‘leaf-art’ 🍂🍃🍁
November 7, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Earlier this week our team were over at #ForgeValleyWoods NNR talking to the Raincliffe Woods Community Enterprise group about upcoming woodland management across the site – fantastic to see all the autumnal colours and a bit of ‘leaf-art’ 🍂🍃🍁
Good to be back out dazzling on a rainy night in the #LDV this week with the thermal camera, and to see more Woodcock returning to the Ings with the first bird of the winter caught and ringed, along with another sample of Jack Snipe.
November 7, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Good to be back out dazzling on a rainy night in the #LDV this week with the thermal camera, and to see more Woodcock returning to the Ings with the first bird of the winter caught and ringed, along with another sample of Jack Snipe.
Tonight sees the last episode of the fantastic BBC series 'Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles', and this is the episode we’ve all been waiting for (winter), when Hamza visits the #LDV and #SkipwithCommon NNR in search of the elusive Woodcock - tune into BBC One at 6:15pm 📺 @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 2, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Tonight sees the last episode of the fantastic BBC series 'Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles', and this is the episode we’ve all been waiting for (winter), when Hamza visits the #LDV and #SkipwithCommon NNR in search of the elusive Woodcock - tune into BBC One at 6:15pm 📺 @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Last week whilst working on Wheldrake Ings our team also came across yet another harvest mouse nest - great find by our team and good to know they're doing well in the area.
November 1, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Last week whilst working on Wheldrake Ings our team also came across yet another harvest mouse nest - great find by our team and good to know they're doing well in the area.
It's always nice to welcome a new corporate volunteering team to the #LDV, with staff from the @railandroad.bsky.social joining us for a day spent coppicing willow scrub on Wheldrake (to maintain open views) whilst a bird ringing display and a Long-eared Bat proved popular (thanks Jean) 🦇
November 1, 2025 at 7:44 AM
It's always nice to welcome a new corporate volunteering team to the #LDV, with staff from the @railandroad.bsky.social joining us for a day spent coppicing willow scrub on Wheldrake (to maintain open views) whilst a bird ringing display and a Long-eared Bat proved popular (thanks Jean) 🦇
Our team have also been present on #SkipwithCommon NNR this week, clearing some of the ditch lines, creating glades and making flight lines between areas of open heath. Nice to also see a flock of 400+ Lesser Redpoll on there as part of the large movement going on at present 🐦
November 1, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Our team have also been present on #SkipwithCommon NNR this week, clearing some of the ditch lines, creating glades and making flight lines between areas of open heath. Nice to also see a flock of 400+ Lesser Redpoll on there as part of the large movement going on at present 🐦
This week our team have been busy in the #LDV removing more of the old fencing from North Duffield Carrs (to reduce the number of perches used by corvids to help reduce predation pressures on breeding wader populations), whilst also giving the site a much more open/natural feel. Many thanks to all 👏
November 1, 2025 at 7:24 AM
This week our team have been busy in the #LDV removing more of the old fencing from North Duffield Carrs (to reduce the number of perches used by corvids to help reduce predation pressures on breeding wader populations), whilst also giving the site a much more open/natural feel. Many thanks to all 👏
Earlier this week our team were busy removing some old (and now unrequired) fencing from North Duffield Carrs – creating a larger/more open area with fewer perches that can be used by crows/other avian predators (to try and help the breeding success of our waders and waterfowl). Many thanks to all 👏
October 24, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Earlier this week our team were busy removing some old (and now unrequired) fencing from North Duffield Carrs – creating a larger/more open area with fewer perches that can be used by crows/other avian predators (to try and help the breeding success of our waders and waterfowl). Many thanks to all 👏