Tophill Low Nature Reserve
@tophilllow.bsky.social
180ha of SSSI reservoir and Local Wildlife Site wetlands, woodlands and grasslands in the heart of the Hull Valley operated by Yorkshire Water. Over 275 bird sp since 1959 and a stronghold of otters, water voles and grass snakes.
Long tailed duck, female Scaup, red crested pochard, black necked grebe, whooper swans all on D reservoir today @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Long tailed duck, female Scaup, red crested pochard, black necked grebe, whooper swans all on D reservoir today @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
Yes it’s raining, yes it’s bad light but there is SO much wildfowl activity on D reservoir. RC pochard and BNgrebe in front of hide and with #hornseamere not far there’s a chance for the RNduck AND Scaup to be in the mix @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Yes it’s raining, yes it’s bad light but there is SO much wildfowl activity on D reservoir. RC pochard and BNgrebe in front of hide and with #hornseamere not far there’s a chance for the RNduck AND Scaup to be in the mix @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
Many thanks to Mandy Gregory for sending on these images of the white throated needletail over @tophilllow.bsky.social yesterday. Perhaps it remembers where East Yorkshire’s premier insect diner is…
October 9, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Many thanks to Mandy Gregory for sending on these images of the white throated needletail over @tophilllow.bsky.social yesterday. Perhaps it remembers where East Yorkshire’s premier insect diner is…
Great find by visitors Mandy Gregory and R Maddison today @tophilllow.bsky.social white throated needletail over O reservoir. Great to hear it was refound later at @rspbbemptoncliffs.bsky.social
October 8, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Great find by visitors Mandy Gregory and R Maddison today @tophilllow.bsky.social white throated needletail over O reservoir. Great to hear it was refound later at @rspbbemptoncliffs.bsky.social
String northerlies brought early winter arrivals to @tophilllow.bsky.social in the form of 15 whooper swans, and several hundred pink footed geese over and around the reserve. Little stint, 4 ruff and Dunlin on south marsh @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
September 21, 2025 at 9:29 PM
String northerlies brought early winter arrivals to @tophilllow.bsky.social in the form of 15 whooper swans, and several hundred pink footed geese over and around the reserve. Little stint, 4 ruff and Dunlin on south marsh @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Chance find of a rather battered clifden nonpareil moth @tophilllow.bsky.social this week @ynuorg.bsky.social @savebutrflies.bsky.social. Little stint still present today (image Graham Bentley) @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
September 20, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Chance find of a rather battered clifden nonpareil moth @tophilllow.bsky.social this week @ynuorg.bsky.social @savebutrflies.bsky.social. Little stint still present today (image Graham Bentley) @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Little stint today with 3 curlew sandpiper amongst the highlights @tophilllow.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
September 8, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Little stint today with 3 curlew sandpiper amongst the highlights @tophilllow.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Two black tern currently showing at the north end of D reservoir @tophilllow.bsky.social - found by Gordon Beck. @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
September 3, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Two black tern currently showing at the north end of D reservoir @tophilllow.bsky.social - found by Gordon Beck. @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Black necked grebe on D reservoir for 5th day. Ruff, snipe, green and common sandpiper on south marshes. Great white egret on river Hull @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
August 23, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Black necked grebe on D reservoir for 5th day. Ruff, snipe, green and common sandpiper on south marshes. Great white egret on river Hull @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirdalertuk.bsky.social
With so little water in the surrounding area conditions are looking good on south marsh east for some good waders to refuel @birdguides.bsky.social If you are heading to the reserve this weekend please note a diversion is in place from Watton
August 14, 2025 at 6:43 PM
With so little water in the surrounding area conditions are looking good on south marsh east for some good waders to refuel @birdguides.bsky.social If you are heading to the reserve this weekend please note a diversion is in place from Watton
A ray of sunshine @tophilllow.bsky.social today; lovely to see a clouded yellow butterfly - a scarce migrant for us @savebutterflies.bsky.social . 9 green sandpiper and a ruff present on the south marshes also
August 8, 2025 at 8:26 PM
A ray of sunshine @tophilllow.bsky.social today; lovely to see a clouded yellow butterfly - a scarce migrant for us @savebutterflies.bsky.social . 9 green sandpiper and a ruff present on the south marshes also
We are keeping the water levels on our south marsh low to bring in the passage waders. Plenty of green sandpipers already, 2 wood sandpipers last week, ruff and snipe today. All ready for a few more, fingers crossed 🤞
August 3, 2025 at 4:07 PM
We are keeping the water levels on our south marsh low to bring in the passage waders. Plenty of green sandpipers already, 2 wood sandpipers last week, ruff and snipe today. All ready for a few more, fingers crossed 🤞
A bit of @tophilllow.bsky.social you’ve note seen before? Some sneak peaks from our brilliant wetland plant stand at tomorrow’s Driffield show. We’ll be giving talks at 2pm and 2:30pm and have a plants stall too - look forward to seeing you there
July 15, 2025 at 5:49 PM
A bit of @tophilllow.bsky.social you’ve note seen before? Some sneak peaks from our brilliant wetland plant stand at tomorrow’s Driffield show. We’ll be giving talks at 2pm and 2:30pm and have a plants stall too - look forward to seeing you there
Grass snake @tophilllow.bsky.social moved off the highway by our volunteer. Temminck’s stint still present on south marsh east at 12pm @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
May 17, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Grass snake @tophilllow.bsky.social moved off the highway by our volunteer. Temminck’s stint still present on south marsh east at 12pm @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Off site today planting 1100 wetland plants on a neighbouring habitat from our @tophilllow.bsky.social plant nursery. As it’s a crassula site we wanted to ensure we don’t bring anything back so best biosecurity practice for #INNSweek
May 15, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Off site today planting 1100 wetland plants on a neighbouring habitat from our @tophilllow.bsky.social plant nursery. As it’s a crassula site we wanted to ensure we don’t bring anything back so best biosecurity practice for #INNSweek
Today’s sighting from @tophilllow.bsky.social - both species of whitethroat now in and green sandpiper and greenshank moving through
April 21, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Today’s sighting from @tophilllow.bsky.social - both species of whitethroat now in and green sandpiper and greenshank moving through
Todays sightings . Good to have a range of waders dropping in and an increase in hirudines feeding over the reserve @yorkshirewater.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @birdtrack.bsky.social
April 16, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Todays sightings . Good to have a range of waders dropping in and an increase in hirudines feeding over the reserve @yorkshirewater.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @birdtrack.bsky.social
Today’s @tophilllow.bsky.social sightings; perhaps a corner turned with no smew or long tailed duck, but 3x ruff, multiple butterflies, sitting oystercatchers and the first willow warblers
March 31, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Today’s @tophilllow.bsky.social sightings; perhaps a corner turned with no smew or long tailed duck, but 3x ruff, multiple butterflies, sitting oystercatchers and the first willow warblers
Bittern today @tophilllow.bsky.social - images Pat Hogarth. Smew present yesterday with 4 goosander across the res’s. Interesting to hear presumably the same blue winged teal that showed breeding interest last year have appeared locally via @erichjames.bsky.social
March 21, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Bittern today @tophilllow.bsky.social - images Pat Hogarth. Smew present yesterday with 4 goosander across the res’s. Interesting to hear presumably the same blue winged teal that showed breeding interest last year have appeared locally via @erichjames.bsky.social
Sightings from today @tophilllow.bsky.social - drake smew still here but perhaps the first blackcap of spring singing in east scrub a highlight. Movement of goosander and snipe through site in recent days. Cetti’s warbler & kingfisher c/o Pat Hogarth. @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
March 19, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Sightings from today @tophilllow.bsky.social - drake smew still here but perhaps the first blackcap of spring singing in east scrub a highlight. Movement of goosander and snipe through site in recent days. Cetti’s warbler & kingfisher c/o Pat Hogarth. @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
500m above our normal altitude @tophilllow.bsky.social harvesting sphagnum moss to kickstart our new growing facility to restore uplands for water quality, carbon capture, flood risk management and habitats. Potentially in future there are river hull peatlands to try and restore too…
March 14, 2025 at 8:29 PM
500m above our normal altitude @tophilllow.bsky.social harvesting sphagnum moss to kickstart our new growing facility to restore uplands for water quality, carbon capture, flood risk management and habitats. Potentially in future there are river hull peatlands to try and restore too…
Drake smew on D res with scaup @tophilllow.bsky.social today with a smattering of early season waders @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
March 12, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Drake smew on D res with scaup @tophilllow.bsky.social today with a smattering of early season waders @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Today’s sightings @tophilllow.bsky.social drake smew D res, 3 scaup on Watton NR. Nice to have tree sparrow back on the feeders @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
March 3, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Today’s sightings @tophilllow.bsky.social drake smew D res, 3 scaup on Watton NR. Nice to have tree sparrow back on the feeders @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
8 Russian white fronted geese amongst 650 pink feet landed adjacent to @tophilllow.bsky.social this afternoon with smew and great white egret. @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
February 27, 2025 at 9:19 PM
8 Russian white fronted geese amongst 650 pink feet landed adjacent to @tophilllow.bsky.social this afternoon with smew and great white egret. @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Sightings from @tophilllow.bsky.social today drake smew and 3 females, 3 goosander, 4 gw egret on watton NR. Scaup and red crested pochard on D res. Tawny showing well in woods - all c/of Chris Barker @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
February 24, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Sightings from @tophilllow.bsky.social today drake smew and 3 females, 3 goosander, 4 gw egret on watton NR. Scaup and red crested pochard on D res. Tawny showing well in woods - all c/of Chris Barker @birdguides.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social