Spring is in the air – and so are buzzards

Some welcome sunshine this week brought out spring feelings in buzzards with 12 in the air together visible from the visitor centre at the RSPB's Fairburn Ings reserve near Castleford – a record number for the reserve.

Only a few years ago such numbers would have been unthinkable in Yorkshire but buzzards have now expanded east from their strongholds in Scotland, Wales and north and south west England and there are now very few suitable woodlands in the county where they are still absent.

This is a very welcome development as buzzards are a magnificent sight, circling round on motionless wings which are long, round and held almost horizontal with the tips of the feathers sometimes parted. A male will circle round just above a female, looking into her face all the time with his large eyes which are the same size as ours. Sometimes he will dive past her before swooping up again, in a manoeuvre known as "the roller coaster"and the two might entangle talons for

a moment as he passes again.

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If they pair up they will construct a bulky nest next month or in May, choosing the top of a tree or cliff edge.

The edges of the nest will be lined with twigs bearing green leaves, perhaps to disguise the eggs inside from would-be predators. There is usually only one brood of two to three eggs and in late summer any juveniles will wander off to find new territories of their own.

A flooded gravel pit at Mirfield, West Yorkshire, hasbeen hosting a visitor from North America, an adult ring-billed gull.

This gull is intermediate in size and appearance between a common and herring gull and is named because of the broad black band running across the full width of the pale bill, near the tip. It was first recorded in this country in March 1973 but now there have been over 600 recorded, mainly in coastal cities and towns in England and Ireland with inland records more unusual. There has been a big increase in the North American population which suggests a possible future colonisation in this country there is possibly already a sizable population on this side of the Atlantic.

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High tides and rough seas along the Yorkshire coast brought five Slavonian grebes and a black-necked grebe among the birds sheltering in Filey Bay. On land there was an adult black redstart near thesailing club. A bittern and Cetti's warbler were seen at Tophill Low and two redhead smews at the Watton reserve. Bramblings were coming to the feeders at the wildlife centre along with a woodcock. Seven Bewick's swans and six whooper swans, 30 corn buntings and a male hen harrier were seen at Worlaby Carrs, North Lincolnshire.

One or two white-winged gulls are being reported with Iceland gulls at Fulford Ings and Bishopthorpe, York, third winter glaucous gull at Astley Lake, Leeds, where a Mediterranean gull was also seen, and glaucous gull on the beach near Beacon Ponds, Kilnsea.

A common crane was seen on flooded fields near West Carlton, East Yorkshire and a great white egret was seen briefly at Thrybergh tip, South Yorkshire.

Michael Flowers has started to take bookings for his spring course starting after Easter. The 10-week course will visit a wide variety oflocal habitats in East Yorkshire, with a special focus on birdsong. You can choose to join either a morning or an afternoon session. The course costs the equivalent of less than 10 a week. More details are available on his blog www.eybirdwatching.blogspot.com or you can phone him on 07946 625688 or 07946 625688.