Visit to Tophill Low

 We went on a trip to Tophill Low in the morning. Even before coming out of the car in the car park we had about to 15 bird species, as flocks of finches, a a partridge, a pheasant and a lot of singing birds, greeted us on arrival. A Great Spotted Woodpecker also drummed near the car park. From the visitor centre feeding station we watched a Male Sparrowhawk, which sat opposite low on the hedge for over 20 minutes and gave us great views (not so great photos). The pond next to the visitor centre was frozen.

Male Sparrowhawk

Flock of Goldfinches

 We watched the 'D' reservoir over the hide. I should have brought the telescope as many birds were quite distant, but we saw Goldeneye, Wigeon, Pochard, Coot and three Mute Swans. Flocks of greylags landed on the reservoir. A pair of Peregrines glided high over the reservoir.
A tour of the hides on the East Marsh and a peek on the 'O' resevoir were not very productive as the sun glared into our eyes and the views were too distant.

Coot

Female Dufted Duck

For a map of the reserve click here.

Bird list

1.     Blackbird

2.     Blue Tit

3.     Carrion Crow

4.     Chaffinch

5.     Coal Tit, singing

6.     Collared Dove

7.     Common Gull

8.     Coot

9.     Cormorant

10. Dunnock

11. Feral Pigeon

12. Gadwall

13. Goldeneye, 'D' reservoir

14. Goldfinch

15. Great Spotted Woodpecker

16. Great Tit, singing

17. Greenfinch

18. Greylag Goose

19. Herring Gull

20. Jackdaw

21. Long-tailed Tit

22. Magpie

23. Mallard

24. Moorhen

25. Mute Swan

26. Peregrine, pair 'D' reservoir.

27. Pheasant

28. Pochard

29. Red-legged Partridge, approach road

30. Robin, singing

31. Rook

32. Shelduck

33. Sparrowhawk, male, FS

34. Tufted Duck

35. Wigeon

36. Woodpigeon

37. Wren (up to here in Tophill Low).

38. Kestrel (near roundabout to Dunswell)

39. Black-headed gull

40. Starling (Hull)