Bird Records For Thorne Moors 1988
No report was originally written for this year, the following has been constructed by Bryan P. Wainwright (2003) from, most notably Limbert, (1990) A Supplement to Thorne Moors Birds and Man. Nature Conservancy Council: Wakefield. Additional records came from other sources. Some fairly common species that were present however, went unrecorded.
English and scientific names, and sequence of birds, follows the List of Birds of the Western Palearctic (British Birds Ltd, 1997). The RSPB species of conservation concern cannot be used retrospectively, and so has not been used. Exceptional records such as earliest dates refer to the period up to 1988 only.
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
As well as being present at the Paraffin Cuttings, two were also seen on nearby peat workings on 3rd April.
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
A single flew over the colliery area on 21st February, and two were seen on 1st June.
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus
One skein of c.357 was noted on 10th January, nine of which may have been flushed from a nearby field.
Greylag Goose A. anser
Two were present on several dates at or near the Paraffin Cuttings from around the second week of April to 7th May. On 3rd June, c.60 flew north-west, and on 25th December, 24 flew west.
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
A pair was logged on 15th May.
Common Teal Anas crecca
Resident, 120 were seen on 23rd October.
Mallard A. platyrhynchos
Resident.
Pintail A. acuta
Eight flew over Casson’s on 18th December.
Shoveler A. clypeata
One was seen on 15th May.
Common Pochard Aythya ferina
A male was at the Paraffin Cuttings on 22nd May.
Tufted Duck A. fuligula
At the Paraffin Cuttings records were, two on 24th April, one on 5th May, a pair on 22nd May and a male on 29th June. Further records came from the Shoulder o’ Mutton in May, with a pair there on 15th and a single on 22nd.
Birds of prey
Sites given for raptors are general. Usually only the first area of observation is stated, except where sites were very far apart. A comma between records of the same date means separate records. Depending on views the same bird of prey may be recorded differently by different observers. For example with Marsh Harrier; recorded as a female by one observer or a cream-crown by another, therefore with the following records this is taken into account and only the minimum number of birds per day is taken. Totals are the minimum possible numbers, calculated for all areas, plumages and observers for that day. All are adult birds, unless otherwise stated. Some birds are not aged and sexed due to distance or poor views.
Marsh Harrier Circus cyaneus
Recorded, but no date/s.
Hen Harrier C. cyaneus
A ringtail was seen over Middle Moor Tram on 23rd October. A male was seen at the same area on 25th December.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
No more than three pairs bred and the maximum outside the breeding season was no more than four.
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Nested at farm building close to the moors.
Merlin F. columbarius
A single was seen on 25th August with another single at the Shoulder o’ Mutton on 25th December.
Hobby F. subbuteo
A maximum of two were observed on several dates in August.
Peregrine Falcon F. peregrinus
An adult was seen distantly on 10th January.
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa
There was a count of 11, on 20th January.
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix
There were a maximum of 27 on 10th January.
Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Resident.
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Resident.
Common Coot Fulica atra
Resident, not as common as Moorhen.
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
One to three were recorded this year, from Thorne colliery, the Shoulder o’ Mutton and the Paraffin Cuttings.
Great Ringed Plover C. hiaticula
Regularly seen at the Thorne colliery, where they bred. Other records were of one at the Paraffin Cuttings on 16th July, and one high over Rawcliffe Moor on 21st August.
European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
The first ever record of a bird on peat was on 21st April. One flew over Rawcliffe Moor on 7th May, and was the first confimed record for May.
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Present, no dates.
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
One was flushed from peat workings on 11th July.
Redshank Tringa totanus
Seen at peat workings on several dates, with one on 20th March, two in April (with another overhead on 3rd) and two on 2nd May, a single on 6th May and 6th and 15th July.
Green Sandpiper T. ochropus
One flew south-west from Elmhirst Pump on 23rd October.
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
One was at flooded peat workings next to the Paraffin Cuttings on 11th and 13th July.
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
On 28th February, c.50 were flying at the Paraffin Cuttings, the maximum adults there beingc.300 on 22nd May, 40 pairs bred and over 100 were still present by 15th July. Twelve were counted at the Shoulder o’ Mutton on 20th March but there then followed an absence until 24th April, when c.120 were counted, this rising to c.130 by 2nd May. The numbers then decreased and there was no proof of breeding.
Herring Gull L. argentatus
Eight were seen on 25th December.
Stock Dove Columba oenas
Fourteen were counted on 10th January.
Wood Pigeon C. palumbus
Resident.
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Present.
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus
A partial counts revealed c.36 churring males.
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
Resident.
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
Resident.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker D. minor
One flew from a bush at Swinefleet Warping Drain to Will Pits on 10th January.
Sky Lark Alauda arvensis
Resident.
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
A late record was of one on 23rd October.
House Martin Delichon urbica
Present.
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
Up to 35 were seen in April with c.60 on 3rd.
Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba
Eleven were counted on 23rd October.
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
Resident.
Hedge Accentor Prunella modularis
Resident.
Robin Erithacus rubecula
Resident.
Rufous Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
Fourteen males were recorded as holding territories. A single sang from a hedgerow at Inkle Moor, again this year.
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
One was seen on 1st June, for example.
Common Stonechat S. torquata
Singles were seen on 10th January, 6th March and 13th November.
Blackbird Turdus merula
Resident, 20+ were counted on 23rd October.
Fieldfare T. pilaris
Over 125 were counted on 23rd October.
Song Thrush T. philomelos
Resident.
Redwing T. iliacus
Five were logged on on 23rd October.
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Present.
Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus
Present.
Whitethroat Sylvia communis
Present.
Garden Warbler S. borin
An early record was of one heard on 24th April.
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
A late record came on 31st October.
Willow Warbler P. trochilus
One singing at Inkle Moor in early May incorporated elements of Common Chiffchaff in its song.
Goldcrest Regulus regulus
Singles were heard on 20th March and 3rd April.
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
Resident.
Willow Tit Parus montanus
Resident.
Blue Tit P. caeruleus
Resident, c.40 were noted on 24th January.
Great Tit P. major
Resident.
Treecreeper Certhia familiaris
Singles were present at a wood along Thorne Waste Drain and at Will Pits on 4th March.
Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor
A single was seen on 11th December.
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
Resident.
Magpie Pica pica
Resident, 20-21 were counted, on 21st February.
Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
Breeding Black-headed Gulls harassed two that flew around the Shoulder o’ Mutton on 15th May.
Rook C. frugilegus
Singles flew over the moors on 12th April and 13th November.
Carrion Crow C. corone
On 10th January, 80 were counted coming to roost near Mill Drain Marsh. A possible hybrid of C.c. corone x C.c. cornix was seen on 31st January.
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Resident.
Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
Resident.
Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
Counts peaked at 100+ on 7th February.
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
Resident.
Goldfinch C. carduelis
Resident.
Siskin C. spinus
Records of birds passing overhead came on 18th (three) and 25th September (six plus) and 2nd October (three).
Linnet C. cannabina
Resident.
Common Redpoll C. flammea
Resident.
Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Resident.
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
Resident, 32 were counted on 20th January.
Reed Bunting E. schoeniclus
Resident, 25 were counted on 23rd October.
List of Observers 1984-1989
R. Armstrong, C. Auld, H. Avery, David Beaumont, M. Betts, R. Bridson, A. Craig, Trevor A. Ede, Brian C. Eversham, A.R. Farrar, Clive Featherstone, G. Featherstone, R.A. Frost, Adrian Handley, Steve Hiner, John Hornbuckle, David Hursthouse, T. Isherwood, M.F. Jackson, Steve L. James, Martin Limbert, Alan Marshall, Claud Marshall, R.A. Marshall, T.M. Melling, Andrew Middleton, D. Page, William H. Priestley, S. Reed, Colin Rook, Peter C. Roworth, Adrian Scutt, C. Straw, P. Sutton, W.A. Taylor, N. Thoresby, Bryan P. Wainwright, Colin Wall, Terry J. Wells, K. Whiteley, D. Wozencroft, John Wozencroft.