Yorkshire Derwent Catchment Partnership

Going fishing? 🎣 Invasive non-native plants and animals kill fish and block waterways. Keep your kit clean to protect your fishing. After you leave the water, remember to: 🔎Check 🚿Clean ☀️Dry It's even more important if you've been abroad! Visit nonnativespecies.org/what-can-i-do/…

Whilst the #LDV remains extensively flooded, we're pleased to report water levels are starting to recede (dropped over a foot in the last week), with Wheldrake Ings to Tower Hide almost passable in wellies, and access to Bank Island is likely to be possible later in the week 🥾🥾

🎉🤩 Whilst it feels like a long time coming, we're pleased to say that the rest of the copies of the 'Birds of the LDV' have finally arrived at our NNR Base and are now available for collection if you’re passing (anyone who has placed a pre-order will be contacted shortly) 📖🪶

Jean also does a huge amount of invaluable work fighting persecution whilst rehabilitating a whole host of other wildlife, some of which we’ve had the privilege of seeing released back into the #LDV, and which have since gone on to add to the local populations 🦉🦅

Not long now until our #WorldWetlandsDay event in the #LDV on January 31st at Melbourne Village Hall - 10am to 3pm. Come along and meet the team, watch a bird ringing demonstration, enjoy a guided walk & find out about our Corncrake project & all things wetland related 🦆🐸💧

After five years in the making, the first copies of the new ‘Birds of the #LowerDerwentValley – a Historical, Conservation & Migration Review’ have finally arrived 🤩 More information about the book can be found on our recent Facebook post (snipped below) 📖🐦🐦‍⬛🦆🪶 @YorkBirding

With the return of the winter floods, the weekends @_BTO @WeBS_UK count revealed a marked increase in numbers present, and resulted in 30, 567 waterfowl recorded - inc. 22, 328 wildfowl and 8,239 waders, in addition to 13,930 gulls @YorkBirding

Can visitors to the #LDV please be aware that the site remains extensively flooded (no access to Bank Island and limited access to Wheldrake Ings - waders needed) @YorkBirding

Early this week we had a team visit from YWT to look at YDCP's Natural Flood Management project delivery above Kirkbymoorside. Some of the work includes woody deflectors to keep water on the plain. #rivers #floodrelief

The ringing of Shoveler ducklings is somewhat of an #LDV speciality, so it was nice to receive a @_BTO 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 @YorkBirding

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

We continue taking peat depth measurements at Cayton&Flixton Carrs to study the potential for restoration of targeted fields through BNG or agri-environment schemes. Changes in land management on the least productive land will benefit local wildlife such as curlews and lapwings.

Going angling 🎣boating ⛵️or paddling 🛶 abroad? Keep your kit clean so you don't accidentally spread invasive plants, animals or diseases which can block waterways and kill fish. After you leave the water, remember to: 🔎Check 🚿Clean ☀️Dry nonnativespecies.org/checkcleandry

A good number of raptors are present in the #LDV at the moment inc. nine Marsh Harriers (roosting at Wheldrake Ings at dusk), 20+ Red Kites (viewable from Wheldrake/Bank Island this morning), with several Buzzards, two Kestrels and two Hobbies also present @YorkBirding

Build it and they will come... fantastic to see two Clouded Yellows using the new reedbed/reed fen wetland area behind our existing NNR Base at Bank Island at the weekend (created in May with thanks to our partners @britcon_limited & our volunteer team) 👏

New arrivals on the Derwent, @YorksWildlife are trialling conservation goats along the river bank at their Wheldrake Ings nature reserve to help manage the willow scrub and swamp. The goats from Mossy Oaks have nofence collar technology too! @LDV_NNR @YorkBirding

@LDV_NNR @YorkBirding And when using the small car park at @YorksWildlife Wheldrake please keep the ramp and area by footpath open as last of main meadow is being baled and brought over the bridge and goats 🐐 unloaded Thursday lunchtime! @YorkBirding

Please can visitors to the #LDV be aware that our car park at Bank Island will be closed and not accessible on Thursday and Friday this week whilst new cables are laid – all part of the work associated with our new building. Apologies for any inconvenience caused @YorkBirding

Curlew are present in good numbers in the #LDV again this year and hatching success has been high. At least some of these young have now made it to a good size, with this individual colour-ringed at North Duffield Carrs – found hiding in the long grass with the thermal camera.

In May, 16 berried female and 10 male WCC were caught in an Upper Swale trib and brought to the hatchery at Flamingo Land. Since then, between 400-500 hatchlings have been counted. After a moult, adults will be released into a new Ark site, followed by the juveniles next year 🦞